WOLF PACK DESCENT CONTINUES FRIDAY NIGHT
By: Jason Alwang, Howlings
HARTFORD, CT: The Hartford Wolf Pack dropped their second straight to the Cleveland Monsters, 3-1, unable to generate sustained offense before 6,122 at PeoplesBank Arena Friday.
Guillaume Richard scored the game-winner and his second of the game on a laser from the top of the faceoff circle. The shot may have been tipped by a Wolf Pack player and past goaltender Dylan Garand (27 saves) giving the Monsters a 2-1 lead at 19:30 of the second period. The tally was Richard’s seventh of the season. wthJustin Pearson and Dysin Mayo recording the assists for the go-ahead goal.
“I thought the effort was outstanding,” said Wolf Pack Head Coach Grant Potulny of the defeat.
Zach Sawchenko (18 saves) was taken down after Trey Fix-Wolansky skated hard to the net and was seemingly pushed into Sawchenko. The Cleveland netminder was down for a lengthy time and was replaced by Ivan Fedotov (9 saves in relief). Fix-Wolansky received a 5-minute major for interference with the goaltender, plus a game misconduct. The Wolf Pack went on to kill off all five minutes of the penalty kill.
“When you kill a five-minute major your bench is so alive… our best player is ejected and it just kind of deflated the bench a little bit.” Potulny on the Fix-Wolansky game misconduct.
Richard took advantage of a Hartford player losing his stick and wristed one past Garand to give the Monsters the early 1-0 lead for his 6th goal of the season at 3:05 of the first period. James Malatesta and Roman Ahcan recorded the assists on the goal.
Brendan Brisson scored after waiting at the crease after Fix-Wolansky wrapped around the Cleveland net with a shot that kicked right back out to Brisson’s stick to put it through the five-hole of Zach Sawchenko for his 16th of the season at 13:17 of the first period to knot the game up at one a side. Blake Hillman picked up the secondary assist on the tying goal.
“He’s always had this ability, he just had to kind of find that game again.” Potulny on Brisson.
Jack Williams cashed in the empty net goal with seven seconds remaining in regulation for his 12th goal of the season. Mikael Pyyhtia recorded his 25th assist of the season on the empty net goal.
Garand, who had a bunch of high danger shots come his way, came up big and gave the Wolf Pack at least a chance to tie the game up.
The Wolf Pack fell to 22-29-4-2 on the season and will now head on a five-game road trip, starting with Providence Saturday night.
