WOLF PACK GET 3-PT NIGHT FROM PITLICK IN GM 1 WIN
By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack
PROVIDENCE, RI – Tyler Pitlick picked up three points on Wednesday night as the Hartford Wolf Pack marched into the Amica Mutual Pavilion in Providence and took Game 1 of their best-of-five Atlantic Division Semifinals series. The Wolf Pack struck four times at five-on-five to take the game 4-3.
Anton Blidh gave the Wolf Pack a 4-2 lead 88 seconds into the third period. Jake Leshyshyn fed a pass down low to Blidh, who waited out Brandon Bussi before tucking in a backhander for his first goal of the Calder Cup Playoffs. Blidh’s tally would stand as the eventual game-winning goal.
Leschyshyn opened the scoring 1:07 into the hockey game, burying his first goal of the Calder Cup Playoffs. Leschyshyn entered the zone on the right-wing side, rushed into the right-wing circle, and then cut into the slot before ripping home the icebreaker on Hartford’s first shot of the game.
Matthew Robertson was credited with the secondary assist on the goal, the first point of his Calder Cup Playoff career.
4:20 later, the Wolf Pack extended the lead thanks to Blake Hillman’s first postseason goal. Brett Berard entered the zone on the left-wing side, setting up along the wall before finding Hillman in the slot. The former Bruin let a quick shot go that beat Bussi for his third career Calder Cup Playoff tally at 5:27.
Both Berard and Brennan Othmann picked up their third assists of the playoffs on the marker.
The Bruins battled back to even the game 2-2 in the second period, striking twice in a span of 7:22. Jimmy Lambert got the Bruins on the board at 6:19, firing his first career Calder Cup Playoff goal by Dylan Garand from the right-wing side.
Lambert then scored his second career playoff goal to tie the game at 13:41. An attempted zone exit was turned over to Oskar Steen, who fed Lambert in the slot. Lambert snapped a quick shot from a high-danger area by Garand to even the game, putting the Wolf Pack on their heels.
Pitlick ripped the lead back for the Wolf Pack with 33.5 seconds remaining in the period, tipping home his first goal of the playoffs. Victor Mancini fired a shot towards the net that Pitlick got a piece of, beating Bussi to make it 3-2 in the final minute of the period.
Blidh’s goal 88 seconds into the third period made it 4-2, giving the Wolf Pack the needed offense on this night. Pitlick collected an assist on the goal, completing his three-point night (1 g, 2 a).
Patrick Brown drew the Bruins within a goal at 19:12, tipping in an Anthony Richard shot with the extra attacker. It would not be enough on this night, however, as Garand slammed the door shut from there.
Single-game tickets for both Game 3 and Game 4 of the Atlantic Division Semifinals are on sale now!
For playoff information, please visit hartfordwolfpack.com/tickets/playoff-information.
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ABOUT THE HARTFORD WOLF PACK: The Hartford Wolf Pack has been a premier franchise in the American Hockey League since its inception in 1997. The Wolf Pack is the top player-development affiliate of the NHL’s New York Rangers and plays at the XL Center. The Wolf Pack has been home to some of the Rangers’ newest faces, including Igor Shesterkin, Filip Chytil, and Ryan Lindgren. Follow the Wolf Pack on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok.
