By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack
HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack are headed to the Atlantic Division Finals for the second straight season. A wild bounce saw a puck clip Jake Leschyshyn and beat Brandon Bussi 9:41 into overtime of Game 4 at the XL Center on Friday night. The goal gave the Wolf Pack a 2-1 victory in Game 4 and a 3-1 victory in the series.
Adam Sýkora won a puck battle behind the net, sweeping it up the boards for Brandon Scanlin. Scanlin sent the puck across the ice to Victor Mancini, who blasted a shot from the right-wing circle off the crossbar. The rebound clanked off of Leschyshyn and into the net at 9:41 to give the Wolf Pack the series victory.
Leschyshyn opened the scoring 14:30 into the hockey game, ripping home his second goal of the Calder Cup Playoffs from the left-wing circle on the game’s first powerplay. Nic Petan hustled back into the defensive zone to break up an opportunity for Anthony Richard. Alex Belzile collected the puck and found Brennan Othmann, who sped into the offensive zone. Othmann gained the left-wing circle before dropping a pass to Leschyshyn. The veteran forward then labeled a shot over the shoulder of Bussi to make it 1-0 Wolf Pack.
Both goaltenders made substantial efforts in the second period, keeping the spread 1-0. Bussi made eight saves for the Bruins, while Dylan Garand turned aside eight shots in the Wolf Pack net.
The Bruins finally evened the affair 10:01 into the third period, as John Farinacci buried his first career Calder Cup Playoff goal off a netmouth scramble. Jimmy Lambert sent the puck toward Garand, creating a frantic pile in front of the net. Oskar Steen tipped the puck to the left of the Wolf Pack netminder, who was down and out with many bodies around him. Farinacci found the loose change and buried the equalizer.
The Wolf Pack got a late powerplay opportunity in regulation time, as the Bruins were called for ‘too many men’ at 17:02. Bussi and the Bruin penalty kill stood tall, limiting the Wolf Pack and pushing the game to overtime.
In the extra session, Leschyshyn would play the hero as Mancini’s shot rocketed off the crossbar and off the forward’s skates.
The goal pushed the Wolf Pack to 3-0 in overtime during the Calder Cup Playoffs. The goal is also Leschyshyn’s first career game-winning goal in the Calder Cup Playoffs.
The Wolf Pack now awaits the winner of the Hershey Bears Vs—Lehigh Valley Phantoms series. The Atlantic Division Finals will be a best-of-five series, with the schedule to be released once the matchup is confirmed.
Single-game tickets for the Atlantic Division Finals will go on sale at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, May 13th.
For playoff information, please visit www.hartfordwolfpack.com/tickets/playoff-information.
About OVG360: OVG360, a division of Oak View Group, is a full-service venue management and hospitality company that helps client partners reimagine the sports, live entertainment, and convention industries for the betterment of the venue, employees, artists, athletes, and surrounding communities. With a portfolio of more than 200 client partners spanning arenas, stadiums, convention centers, performing arts centers, cultural institutions, and state fairs around the globe, OVG360 provides a set of services, resources, and expertise designed to elevate every aspect of business that matters to venue operators. Service-oriented and driven by social responsibility, OVG360 helps facilities drive value through excellence and innovation in food services, booking and content development, sustainable operations, public health and safety, and more.
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.
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