By: Jason Alwang, Howlings
HARTFORD, CT: The Hartford Wolf Pack overcame a third-period surge from the Laval Rocket as goaltender Dylan Garand stood out again, making 34 saves in a 4-2 win in front of 5,501 at the XL Center on Saturday.
“We were invested in the game, no doubt,” Wolf Pack Head Coach Grant Potulny said. “The number of blocks that guys committed to that they knew were going to hurt was probably as high as we’ve had (all season).”
About two minutes after Jake Leschyshyn scored in the second period, Alex Belzile would do the same for the game-winner. Belzile received a pass from Anton Blidh, who had just blocked a shot and sped up the ice into the offensive zone for a wrist shot that went behind the Rocket’s goaltender, Connor Hughes, to make it 3-0 at 11:25. This was the Wolf Pack’s third goal on eleven shots sending Hughes to the bench in favor of Luke Cavallin (9 saves).
“Great block. It turned one of (Rocket) scoring chances into a scoring chance for us,” Belzile said. “We (Blidh, Bo Groulx, and Belzile) all know our assets in our line, and we’re predictable (as a line).”
The scoring began late in the opening period.
After the Pack killed off Matt Rempe’s High Sticking double minor, the Wolf Pack second line went to work in the offensive zone. After applying all kinds of forecheck pressure, Adam Sykora scored his fourth goal of the season, putting home the rebound of a shot he took just to the right of Hughes. It was just the second shot the team got to Hughes and gave the Pack a 1-0 lead with 1:10 remaining in the opening period. Ben Harpur and Leschyshyn received the assists.
“Those were important shifts because we killed eight minutes of penalties in the first period and (being able to) come out of the period with the lead,” Potulny said. “We’re finding ways to win games.”
At 9:14 of the second period, The Rocket’s Xavier Simoneau was sent off for high sticking. Ten seconds later, the red-hot Leschyshyn capitalized, tallying his fifth goal in four games. Belizle and Matthew Robertson traded passes before Robertson unloaded a shot that Leschyshyn tipped in for the power play goal, extending the Wolf Pack lead to 2-0. Robertson’s shot resulted in his fifth assist in three games.
Poulny had plenty of praise for his point-leading defenseman with 13. “You talk about guys who are turning into complete players (Robertson) is the definition of that.”
The Wolf Pack were helped by great work from their special teams, who killed all six of Rocket’s power plays and tacked on a power play goal. The man-advantage has resulted in goals in three straight games.
Garand, who entered the game with two consecutive shutouts, carried it into the third period when it finally ended. At 3:34 of the third period, Zack Hayes utilized traffic in front of Garand to finally get one past the Pack netminder for his second of the season on a wrist shot from the top of the circle to make it 3-1.
Potulny had high praise for his 22-year-old goalie. “One of the things that Dylan understands as a goalie is how the game is going and fighting to not give up that first goal,” He said. “He allowed us to get to our game.”
The Rocket would score a second time at 13:16 when Sean Farell registered his first of the season. Farrell circled around and then into the circle before firing through traffic. The puck found daylight past Garand to make it a one-goal game.
In a thrilling finish, the Rocket pulled Cavallin for the extra skater. The game ended up being a regular 5-on-4 when Jared Davidson went off for holding and Sykora for tripping with 1:09. Garand made multiple strong saves, including a sliding save to preserve the Pack lead.
With 5.5 seconds remaining, Ben Harpur gathered the puck in the defensive zone and fired it the length of the ice into the empty net to ice the 4-2 win for the Wolf Pack.
After the goal, Blidh was issued a Game Misconduct by the referees for Abuse of Officials.
“We found confidence back and believe in ourselves, that we can make it happen on the power play, we can be dangerous.” Belzile said of his team’s rising confidence and improved play.
After back-to-back victories against top teams in the league, the Wolf Pack will look to carry that momentum in their next three games against their division rivals, the Providence Bruins, starting on the road Sunday night. The Wolf Pack are now 12-9-2-1 on the season.
