WOLF PACK DOWN ISLANDERS 5-2 IN ‘BATTLE OF CONNECTICUT’
WOLF PACK DOWN ISLANDERS 5-2 IN ‘BATTLE OF CONNECTICUT’
By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack
BRIDGEPORT, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack struck three times in the third period on Saturday evening against the rival Bridgeport Islanders at Total Mortgage Arena. Their third period offensive outburst was the difference in a 5-2 victory, the club’s first in the ‘Battle of Connecticut’ this season.
Zakary Karpa opened the scoring with his first career AHL goal in his AHL debut. Karpa took a feed from Brandon Scanlin in the left-wing circle, danced around a defender, cut to the front of the net and deposited a backhander by Parker Gahagen at 4:36 to make it 1-0 Wolf Pack.
The goal marked the first time this season that the Wolf Pack scored first in the ‘Battle of Connecticut’.
Brendan Brisson extended the lead to 2-0 at 11:49, potting his seventh goal of the season. Jaroslav Chmelař drove down the right-wing side of the Islanders zone but was forced down behind the net. Chmelař swung behind the net and flipped a pass to Brisson near the top of the crease.
There, Brisson released a quick shot that beat Gahagen to add the insurance marker.
The Islanders got on the board in the middle frame when Matthew Maggio took a pass in the left-wing circle and uncorked a heavy shot that beat Dylan Garand. The goal, scored at 15:45, was Maggio’s fifth of the season.
Just 6:14 into the final period, Alex Jefferies evened the contest with his sixth goal of the season. Jefferies curled into the high-slot and snapped a shot that beat Garand to tie the contest 2-2.
Minutes later, Daniel Walcott restored the Wolf Pack’s lead for good. Casey Fitzgerald’s shot was denied by Gahagen, but the rebound popped to the netminder’s left. There, Walcott found the loose change and stuffed home his second goal in as many games at 11:08 to make it 3-2 Wolf Pack.
Just 22 seconds later, at 11:30, Brisson potted his second goal of the night to extend the lead to 4-2. On the power play, Derrick Pouliot fired a shot from the left-wing point that Brisson tipped by Gahagen.
Connor Mackey hit the empty net at 17:27, putting the result out of reach.
The Pack is back at the newly renovated PeoplesBank Arena on Dec. 31 when the Islanders come to town. The puck drop is set for 3:30 p.m., with ‘Wolf Pack Pregame’ set to begin at 3:15 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 are the top player-development affiliate of the NHL’s New York Rangers and play 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.
