WOLF PACK DROP 5-2 DECISION TO CRUNCH (12/19)
By: Jason Alwang, Howlings
HARTFORD, CT: The Hartford Wolf Pack were defeated 5-3 by the Syracuse Crunch on Friday night, unable to fully recover from a 2-0 deficit in front of a lively Hartford crowd of 5,792 at the PeoplesBank Arena.
Lucas Mercuri scored the game-winning goal after Gavin Hain lost control of the puck in the Hartford zone, which went right on Mercuri’s stick, who made a quick move on Dylan Garand (25 saves) and buried it past him just 17 seconds after Anton Blidh had tied the game, giving the Crunch the 3-2 lead late in the second period.
“We didn’t have an answer for their speed.” Wolf Pack Head Coach Grant Potulny on the loss. “We just need to find a way to become more competitive.”
Brendan Furry got the scoring going off an odd play in front of Dylan Garand, where the puck went off Furry’s skate and past Garand to give the Crunch a 1-0 lead at 10:31 of the first period. Furry’s goal was his sixth of the season, with Maxim Groshev and Brandon Halverson recording the assists.
Mitchell Chaffee roofed a shot over Garand’s glove off the feed to the slot from along the boards from Nick Abruzzese to give the Crunch the 2-0 lead at 17:34 of the first period.
Adam Sykora finished a pass from Anton Blidh at the slot, roofing it past Brandon Halverson (14 saves) at 13:05 of the second period to cut the Syracuse lead to 2-1. Sykora’s marker is his sixth of the season.
Blidh finished a pass backdoor on the power play past Halverson to knot the game up 2-2 at 17:15 of the second period. Bryce McConnell-Barker was patient with the puck and waited for a clean passing lane to feed it backdoor to Blidh. The goal is Blidh’s third of the season, and Connor Mackey also recorded an assist on the play.
“It’s a man’s game, that’s where he rises too.” Potulny said on Blidh. “Happy (Blidh) got rewarded he’s probably due for a couple more so hopefully they keep coming.”
Scott Sabourin scored on a breakaway, speeding by the Hartford defense and going forehand backhand, beating Garand to extend the Syracuse lead to 4-2 at 2:29 of the third period. The goal is Sabourin’s sixth of the season, and Mercuri recorded the assist.
With Garand pulled, Jaroslav Chmelar buries a slapper from the circle past Halverson to put the Wolf Pack within a score at 4-3 at 17:30 of the third period. The goal is Chmelar’s fourth of the season. Brendan Brisson and Derrick Pouliot record the assists on the play.
Dylan Duke buried the shorthanded empty-netter for Syracuse with seven seconds left in regulation to give them the 5-3 victory. The goal is Duke’s eleventh on the season.
Brett Berard and Jaroslav Chmelar both returned tonight after being sent down by the parent Rangers on Wednesday.
The Wolf Pack is now 9-13-4-0 on the season.
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