By: Jason Alwang, Hartford Wolf Pack
HARTFORD, CT: Colton Ellis (36 saves) and the Springfield Thunderbirds stormed into Hartford and defeated the Wolf Pack in the latest edition of the I-91 rivalry at the XL Center, 3-1.
“Frustrating,” Wolf Pack Head Coach Grant Potulny said on the team’s latest loss. “Through two periods, the effort was there, whether its efficiency or execution, maybe wasn’t where it needed to be. I thought we played three good games this weekend, but to come away with two points. It’s frustrating.”
The second period saw three goals being scored, including the game-winner, Simon Robertsson’s second of the period. With 52 seconds remaining in the middle period, Robertsson would capitalize after a stick tie-up for the puck went on in front of Pack netminder Dylan Garand. Robertsson punched it through Garand’s five-hole to give the T-Birds the 2-1 lead.
The second period’s first goal came from the Wolf Pack off a tic-tac-toe play that Ryder Korczak finished at the backdoor for his third of the season after Nathan Sucese got the puck to Anton Blidh. He then passed it to Korczak, with Ellis fighting to get back into position and allowed the Wolf Pack’s only goal and a 1-0 lead.
“Where that comes from is your execution on the breakout,” Potulny said. “We have to be better there.”
Springfield would tie the game at 6:20 in the second period off a wrist shot from Corey Schueneman. It created a rebound opportunity that Robertsson lifted over Garand’s pad on the backhanded shot to knot the game at one.
The Wolf Pack sought the equalizer in the third period and earned a few chances. Brennan Othmann worked into a breakaway after stealing a puck but couldn’t get off a clean shot with a defender right on him.
“Our puck management is a direct result of generating one goal on the weekend,” Potulny said of the back-to-back losses.
Despite pulling Garand for an extra skater, it came to no avail. Hugh McGing outraced Matthew Robertsson to the puck in the Wolf Pack’s zone and cashed in on an empty net, allowing the T-Birds to score the final 3-1. The empty netter came with 1:58 remaining in regulation.
The Wolf Pack lost back-to-back home games, and now they are looking at a three-game road trip where they will try to rack up points in the Atlantic division.
“We need our power play to get going a little bit,” Potulny said about the upcoming road trip.
The Wolf Pack record falls to 16-16-2-1.
