WOLF PACK MET PENS FOR MIDWEEK SHOWDOWN
By Gerry Cantlon, Howlings
WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON, PA – The Hartford Wolf Pack saw Alex Nylander lead Wilkes-Barre/Scranton with a goal and an assist, leading the Penguins to a 4-1 win before 3,164 at the Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza on Wednesday.
The game’s first goal came off Jesse Puljujärvi’s stick. At 1:05, he came down the right wing while being challenged by Pack d-man Matt Robertson after Radim Zahorna launched a shot. The puck hit Pack starter Louie Domingue’s arm and went into the net. It was not a good goal and one he would want back.
The Penguins kept the heat on after potting their first tally and would double their advantage with Nylander scoring what would prove to be the game-winner.
Peter Abbadonato one-timed a pass to the left-wing side through the box. Nobody was there to intercept the puck or to check Alex Nylander, the son of the former Hartford Whaler and New York Ranger, Michael Nylander. Mac Hollowell confronted Nylander but went for a fake, allowing him to move to the center, where he wired in his 13th goal of the season past Domingue at 3:42, and it was 2-0.
Already down a pair, the Pack would see the deficit grow again at 10:44 in the second period.
Marc Johnstone won the draw cleanly from Ryder Korczak, the only natural center the Pack were playing with on the day, and it went back to defenseman Ty Smith.
Smith moved it quickly over at the left point to one-time Yale University Bulldog Jack St. Ivany. Matt Rempe was bearing down on him, and St. Ivany uncorked a howitzer that sailed past Domingue for his second tally of the year. The Pack trailed by three.
The Pack would score their only goal of the contest at 7:48 of the third period while on the power play. Hollowell made a cross-ice pass to Brennan Othmann, who was open in the right-wing circle. Othmann, in turn, buried his tenth of the campaign past an otherwise brilliant netminder, Joel Blomqvist, extending his point-scoring streak to three games.
Blomqvist stopped 27 of 28 in the contest, while Domingue was 27 of 31 in the evening.
The Wolf Pack had a golden chance to get closer when Artem Anisimov had a breakaway attempt and went backhand-to-forehand but Blomquist flexed his right pad to stop him.
A few minutes later, the Penguins expanded their lead to 4-0.
Alex Belzile was in the left-wing corner. His pass attempt to find Blake Hillman instead found Jesse Puljujärvi, and Sam Poulin took off down the other way on an odd-man rush the other way.
Belzile hustled back to close the gap, but it wasn’t enough, as Puljujärvi sent a pass over to Poulin.
Blake Hillman, who also had hustled back, got a piece of the puck. Despite the bouncing puck, Poulin was able to chip it over an aggressive Domingue, who had come out of his net to challenge the play and got caught. The game’s final goal was scored at 13:01.
This weekend, the Pack will continue their travels in Cleveland with a two-game set against ex-Pack Alex Whalen (Quinnipiac University).
LINES:
Karl Henriksson-Brennan Othmann-Brett Berard
Adam Sýkora-Alex Belzile-Anton Blidh
Turner Elson-Artem Anisimov-Matt Rempe
Ryder Korczak-Bobby Trivigno-Cristiano DiGiacinto
Mac Hollowell-Matt Robertson
Connor Mackey-Brandon Scanlin
Blake Hillman-Nikolas Brouillard
Louie Domingue
Dylan Garand
SCRATCHES:
Ben Harpur (upper body, indefinite)
Riley Nash (lower body, day-to-day)
Zach Berzolla (lower body, week-to-week)
Matej Pekar (lower body, week-to-week)
Adam Edström (upper body, week-to-week),
Bryan Yoon (healthy)
NOTES:
In the first periods of this season series, the Wolf Pack have been outscored 7-0.
The Pack scrambled to put their lineup together after the late afternoon recall of Jake Leschyshyn playing with 12 forwards.
Adam Erne (North Branford) cleared waivers from the Edmonton Oilers and was reassigned to the Bakersfield Condors.
Nick DeSimone (CT Oilers) was placed on waivers by the Calgary Flames.
Kris Knoblauch’s Oilers will play the Blackhawks in Chicago to attempt to beat the record for consecutive wins in team history. Knoblauch has top guns Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaital, but they are getting lots of secondary scoring.
D Adam Karashik (Ridgefield/ UCONN/AOF) was sent to the Reading Royals (ECHL) on a conditioning assignment. Ex-Pack emergency goalie Parker Gahagen was recalled. The recall came about because the Flyers summoned Cal Peterson after Carter Hart and four other pros from the 2018 Canadian WJC stand accused of sexual assault. They need to turn themselves in to the Canadian authorities in London, Ontario.
Patrick Harper (New Canaan/AOF) was released by the South Carolina Stingrays (ECHL) with just 16 points in 31 games.
Stefano Pietrantonio, via Quebec (Kent School/Yale Jr. Bulldogs), will commit to Dartmouth College (ECACHL) for 2025-26.
