WOLF PACK LOSE 7-2 TO CRUNCH
WOLF PACK LOSE 7-2 TO CRUNCH
By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack
SYRACUSE, NY – The Hartford Wolf Pack took a 2-1 first-period lead in Syracuse on Saturday night. Despite that, the Wolf Pack surrendered six unanswered goals and dropped a 7-2 decision to the Syracuse Crunch.
Connor Mackey opened the scoring 1:57 into the hockey game, sneaking his first goal of the season by Ryan Fanti. Dylan Roobroeck won a faceoff back to the left-wing point, where Mackey fired a shot that Fanti appeared to deny. The puck leaked through Fanti, however, and trickled in to make it 1-0.
The Wolf Pack surrendered their fourth shorthanded goal of the season at 10:07. After a turnover at the blueline, Mitchell Chaffee chipped a puck ahead and sprung Jack Finley in on a breakaway. Finley snapped a shot by Spencer Martin for his first goal of the season to make it 1-1.
Brennan Othmann potted his third goal in four games at 15:53, restoring the lead. Trey Fix-Wolansky sprinted in on the right-wing side and sent a perfect pass over Steven Stanini’s stick to Othmann. Othmann corralled the pass and ripped home his fourth goal of the season to make it 2-1.
Jakob Pelletier scored the Crunch’s second shorthanded goal of the period at 17:02, tying the tilt 2-2. Pelletier came in on a shorthanded breakaway and was hooked, giving him a penalty shot.
Pelletier went left-to-right, took his time, then beat Martin for his 14th goal of the season.
It marked the 15th time in Wolf Pack history that the club has given up two shorthanded goals in a single game.
The Crunch scored three goals in the second period, outshooting the Wolf Pack 17-5 in the process, to take control of the game.
Brendan Furry gave the Crunch their first lead of the hockey game 2:11 into the frame, jamming home a rebound for his fifth goal of the season. Ethan Gauthier then made it 4-2 at 7:24, beating Martin by the blocker from the left-wing circle.
Gauthier’s goal was the first of his AHL career.
The Crunch were awarded their first power play at 8:44, and they made quick work of it to extend the lead to 5-2.
Pelletier found a rebound in the slot and beat Martin for his second goal of the night at 9:36. The goal was his 15th of the season.
Matteo Pietroniro and Lucas Merucri both scored in the third period, extending the lead to 7-2 by the 14:55 mark.
The Pack is back at the newly renovated PeoplesBank Arena on Dec. 19 when the Crunch comes to town. The puck drop is set for 7:00 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.
