WOLF PACK SCARED BY MONSTERS IN 3-2 LOSS
By: Jason Alwang, Howlings
HARTFORD, CT: The Hartford Wolf Pack dropped a tightly contested battle 3-2 in the first of two games at home versus the Cleveland Monsters, led by Zach Aston-Reese, who recorded a goal and an assist at the PeoplesBank Arena Wednesday night.
“I thought the first period was a feeling-out process, I didn’t like our second, I loved our third.” Wolf Pack Head Coach Grant Potulny after Wednesday’s defeat.
Aston-Reese scored the game-winner after Wolf Pack netminder Spencer Martin (26 saves) came out to play the puck, and lost track of the puck, where Aston-Reese got a hold of it and cashed in on a wide-open net for his 5th goal of the season at 17:47 of the third period to give the Monsters a 3-2 lead.
Scott Morrow would score the first goal of the game, circling around the point and skating in between the dots to fire a wrister off the post and in past Ivan Fedotov (29 saves) for his 2nd goal of the season to give the Wolf Pack a 1-0 lead at 15:02 of the second period. Zachary Karpa recorded the lone assist on the goal.
“He’s got a lot of poise with the puck.” Potulny on Morrow. “There’s going to be many more (goals).”
Brendan Gaunce responded to the Morrow goal 1:19 later on the power play, rifling one from the circle off the post and by Martin for his 12th goal of the season to tie the game at 1-1 at 16:21 of the second period. Mikael Pyyhtia and Luca Del Bel Belluz recorded the assists on the Cleveland goal. The power play came about after Brett Berard was sent to the box for interference, allowing the Monsters to respond quickly.
Del Bel Belluz sneaked one by Martin with a shot from the top corner of the circle to give the Monsters a 2-1 lead at 19:07 of the second period for his 18th goal of the season. Aston-Reese and Caleb MacDonald recorded the assists on the late go-ahead goal.
Morrow scored his second of the game, shooting one from the side of the net with traffic in front, and the shot trickled past Fedotov for his 3rd of the season to tie the game at two a side at 15:33 of the third period. Martin recorded the assist on the Morrow goal for his first goalie point of the season.
With the Monsters up 3-2, the Wolf Pack thought they had found the tying goal when Trey Fix-Wolansky skated up the ice quickly, wrapped around the Cleveland net, and got the puck to the corner of the net. The play was ruled a goal initially, but after a lengthy video review, the goal was waved off, and the score remained 3-2 with 1:34 left in regulation, ultimately leading to the Wolf Pack’s defeat.
“We weren’t doing enough to get them out of their structure.” Potulny said.
The Wolf Pack couldn’t get it done and lost a crucial game chasing for the last playoff spot in the Atlantic Division. The Wolf Pack falls to 22-28-4-2 and will host the Monsters again on Friday night.
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