WOLF PACK SHUT OUT DESPITE GARAND GEM
By: Jason Alwang, Howlings
HARTFORD, CT: The Hartford Wolf Pack were shut out 1-0 by the Providence Bruins in the second game of a three-game set against their division rivals. The game’s lone goal came from ex-Wolf Pack Tyler Pitlick in front of 5,106 at the XL Center on Friday night.
“We passed up some shots.” Wolf Pack Head Coach Grant Potulny said of his team’s failure to score. “I didn’t think we did a good enough job playing fast in the neutral zone.”
Pitlick’s goal came at 5:42 of the second period and broke a scoreless tie despite excellent scoring chances denied by Wolf Pack netminder Dylan Garand, who kept his teammates in the game and made 43 saves on the night.
Pitlick batted a bouncing puck that he retrieved off a point shot from Billy Sweezy that deflected off Garand’s stick. He gathered the biscuit and deposited it into the back of the net for his seventh goal of the campaign. Sweezy and Jeffrey Viel were given helpers on the tally.
From the outset, the Bruins came out flying, outshooting the Wolf Pack an astonishing 21-5 in the first period alone. The Bruins did not allow the Wolf Pack to get sustained offensive zone time.
Special teams for the Wolf Pack kept the game close as they killed off a key 1:50 5-on-3 in the second half of the first period. First, Victor Mancini went to the box on an interference call at 13:26, and then ten seconds later, Connor Mackey joined him on a double minor for high-sticking. Garand was outstanding during the 3:50 the Bruins had on the power play. The entire PK unit for the Wolf Pack battled as players got in the shooting lanes to take away opportunities for the Baby Bruins.
“We have to find a way to keep (the penalties) to two, not five, six,” Potulny said. “We’re going on (the PK) too often.”
The Wolf Pack had to kill off another huge penalty kill halfway through the second period.
After cross-checks were exchanged, a fight broke out between the Pack’s Alex Belzile and P-town’s Ryan Mast, and both players were sent to the sin bin for it. Anton Blidh put the Pack down a man when he received a penalty that began the sequence, giving the Bruins their fourth power play. Once again, Garand shined throughout and kept access to the scoreboard away from the Bruins.
Despite the Wolf Pack successfully killing off all six of the Bruins’ power plays, they could not use that as motivation to gain any momentum to retake control of the contest.
After Pitlicks tally, the Wolf Pack earned a shot at redemption on a power play of their own, but a neutral zone turnover instead forced Garand into making his best save of the game on a breakaway chance that he made a brilliant kick save on.
Potulny praised his 22-year-old goaltender, “He gives us a chance every night.”
The Bruins’ Michael DiPietro made 21 saves for his second shutout of the season. He was not tested much by the Pack. His most challenging save came in the third period off Adam Sýkora’s backhander, but DiPietro was solid and made the necessary saves when called upon.
The two teams meet again on Sunday for the third and final game of their three-game set at Amica Mutal Pavillion. The Wolf Pack record is 12-11-2-1 on the season.
