By: Jason Alwang, Howlings
HARTFORD, CT: Hartford Wolf Pack goaltender Dylan Garand recorded the second of back-to-back shutouts, and Jake Leschyshyn scored two goals in a 3-0 victory over the defending AHL champions, the Hershey Bears before 2,609 at the XL Center Wednesday.
The win was a statement victory and meaningful for the Wolf Pack to knock off the team that booted them from the 2023-’24 Calder Cup Playoffs. The Pack is looking to gain momentum and secure a playoff slot. They are currently in 11th place but are a single point out of a playoff spot.
Garand, named the game’s first star, had a tremendous night, recording 31 saves, including 12 in the first period. He kept the Pack in the game when they could not generate any offense, mustering only four shots in a period played primarily in their zone.
“Dylan prepares for the moment; he doesn’t rise to it,” Pack Head Coach Grant Potulny said of Garand’s dominant performance. “(Hershey) had about five or six really good looks, and (Dylan) made a very hard save look easy (in the first period).”
The red-hot Leschyshyn, who’s scored four goals in the last three games, would tally the only goal the Pack would need on the night in the middle period. The goal was his fourth of the season and came on the power play after firing a puck from the side of the net. He intended the play to be a pass to Alex Belzile, but it deflected off Hershey netminder, Hunter Shepard, and into the net. It gave the Pack a 1-0 lead at 8:52 of the period.
“Definitely (seeing) pucks going in the net, had a bit of a slow start but when the power play is clicking like that, it definitely helps.” Leschyshyn said.
The Pack made it 2-0 after fighting to keep the puck alive in the offensive zone. Belzile got a piece of it and advanced the biscuit to Matthew Robertson, who had three assists on the night. Robertson was at the point and wasted no time wristing a shot on goal that Nathan Sucese tipped in for his first of the season and first as a member of the Wolf Pack. The tally came at 16:58.
“He’s coming off a year where he scored (23 goals). Getting that first one out of the way sometimes opens the floodgates,” Potulny said of Sucese. “When you have guys going, you don’t have to hide anybody.”
Leschyshyn’s hot play continued with a second goal in the game off a second-period deflection. Bo Groulx set up Robertson with a shot from the top of the circle that Leschyshyn tipped in off the post to make it what would prove to be the game’s final goal at 3-0 with a little less than five minutes remaining in the contest.
“If you look at Jake’s season totals (5 goals, 9 points) there’s still a little bit under of what he deserves,” Potulny said. “The hockey gods always make it right.”
With just over three minutes remaining, Hershey pulled Shepard (18 saves) for an extra attacker. This is where Garand was at his best. He made multiple stops, including a tremendous kick save through traffic to preserve his back-to-back shutout streak.
“(Hershey) had a guy planted right in front, so I was just working hard to see around that,” Garand said. “We didn’t give (Hershey) any high-danger chances, and it was a good way to finish up the game.”
The Wolf Pack avenged the special teams battle from Saturday’s loss, going two-for-three on the power play and stopping all three of the Hershey man-advantage opportunities. Potulny felt this was a big reason for his team’s victory.
“(Special teams) was a huge part of the game, getting confidence back into our special teams.”
The Wolf Pack record is 11-9-2-1. Their next challenge will be Saturday when they take on the Montreal Canadiens AHL franchise, the Laval Rocket.
