WOLF PACK DROP 4-3 OVERTIME DECISION TO PHANTOMS
By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack
HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack took leads of 2-0 and 3-1 on Friday night at PeoplesBank Arena against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. Despite that, the Wolf Pack were only able to manage one point in a 4-3 overtime loss.
For just the third time this season, the Wolf Pack opened the scoring. On their first power play of the night, Bryce McConnell-Barker found a loose puck near the top of the crease and jammed home his third goal of the season at 12:12.
The goal gave the Wolf Pack power play strikes in three straight games.
Talyn Boyko, making his second start of the season, made nine saves in the opening period.
Jaroslav Chmelař made it a 2-0 game just 33 seconds into the middle frame, backhanding a loose puck by Carson Bjarnason. Justin Dowling won a battle along the right-wing side and then cut to the net. With the puck loose, Chmelař pounced and found his second goal of the season.
It marked the second straight game in which the Wolf Pack scored in the first minute of the second period.
Tucker Robertson got the Phantoms on the board at 7:31, blasting a one-timer from the left-wing circle that snuck by the right pad of Boyko.
The Wolf Pack wouldn’t have to wait long to restore their two-goal lead, as Gabe Perreault sniped his fourth goal of the season over the glove of Bjarnason. The goal gave Perreault a three-game point streak.
The Phantoms drew back within one at 16:27, however. Alex Bump moved his way into the left-wing circle and beat Boyko with a heavy release for his second goal of the season.
4:00 into the third period, Connor Mackey was whistled for tripping. On their fourth power play of the night, the Phantoms drew even as Carl Grundström beat Boyko from the right-wing circle. His low shot snuck through the goaltender, making it 3-3.
Late in regulation time, Derrick Pouliot was whistled for a tripping penalty. The Wolf Pack got the kill, however, returning to even strength early in the overtime period.
With the sides back to three-on-three, Dylan Roobroeck worked his way into the offensive zone on the left-wing side and fired a pass for a streaking Scott Morrow. The pass just missed the stick of Morrow, springing the Phantoms the other way.
On a two-on-one, Bump connected with Lane Pederson, who beat Boyko over the left pad to complete the comeback.
The goal was Pederson’s second of the season, and it gave the Phantoms their third straight win in Hartford.
The Pack is back at the newly renovated PeoplesBank Arena tomorrow night when the Phantoms return for a rematch! The puck drop is set for 6:00 p.m., with ‘Wolf Pack Pregame’ set to begin at 6:45 p.m. on AHLTV on FloHockey and Mixlr. Tickets are available here.
ABOUT THE HARTFORD WOLF PACK: The Hartford Wolf Pack has been a premier franchise in the American Hockey League since the team’s inception in 1997. The Wolf Pack is the top player-development affiliate of the NHL’s New York Rangers and plays at PeoplesBank Arena. The Wolf Pack has been home to some of the Rangers’ newest faces, including Igor Shesterkin, Will Cuylle, and Matt Rempe. Follow the Wolf Pack on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Flickr, and TikTok.
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