WOLF PACK BLANKED BY MUSASHOV, PENS 3-0 (12/10)
WOLF PACK BLANKED BY MUSASHOV, PENGUINS 3-0
BY: Jason Alwang, Howlings
HARTFORD, CT: The Hartford Wolf Pack was shut out by the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins 3-0, led by netminder Sergei Murashov’s 34 saves, at the PeoplesBank Arena Wednesday night in Connecticut’s capital.
Phil Tomasino scored the game-winning goal at 2:59 of the second period. He got behind the Hartford defense and scored after taking the puck on his stick through the slot and made multiple moves to bury the breakaway goal past Spencer Martin (22 saves) for his second of the season, giving the Penguins a 1-0 lead at 2:59 of the second period. Owen Pickering recorded the assist on the goal.
“They had two breakaways and they scored, and we had two breakaways, and we didn’t.” Wolf Pack Head Coach Grant Potulny on tonight’s game. “We’re disappointed with the outcome, but not disappointed with the effort.”
Avery Hayes scored 9:07 into the second period, taking an outlet pass from the defensive zone from Rafael Harvey-Pinard and burst right toward the Hartford net on the breakaway, going forehand backhand and doubling the Penguins lead. The goal was Hayes’ seventh of the season and gave the Penguins a 2-0 lead.
Aidan McDonough buried a rebound past Martin to give the Penguins a 3-0 lead, after the initial shot came from Hayes in the circle, bouncing back out to be cleaned up at the slot by McDonough for his sixth of the season at 7:54 of the third period. Tristan Broz picked up the secondary assist on the marker.
Wolf Pack defenseman Brandon Scanlin and Blake Hillman both returned to the lineup on Wednesday from injuries, with Scanlin playing his first game of the season.
“Those guys are great; they’re rock-solid steady vets.” Wolf Pack Captain Casey Fitzgerald on his returning defenseman. “We definitely missed them, and it was good to see them out there.”
The Wolf Pack recorded 20 of their 34 total shots in the first period, putting plenty of offense on Murashov, who kept the Wolf Pack offense at a standstill, not allowing them to get one by him.
“We got to give (Murashov) his due.” Potulny said. “Tonight was his night and sometimes you just got to tip the cap.”
The Wolf Pack are now 8-11-4-1 on the season and head on a two-game road trip over the weekend before returning home on December 19 against the Syracuse Crunch.
