WOLF PACK DOUBLED UP BY MARLIES 6-3
WOLF PACK DOUBLED UP BY MARLIES 6-3
By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack
TORONTO, ON – The Hartford Wolf Pack got off to a good start on Saturday afternoon in Toronto, but an opportunistic Toronto Marlies group struck six times as they doubled up the Wolf Pack 6-3 at the Coca-Cola Coliseum.
For the third game in a row, the Wolf Pack opened the scoring. Bryce McConnell-Barker fired a shot from the left-wing wall that Artur Akhtyamov denied. Akhtyamov also denied Carey Terrance on a rebound but kicked the puck back to McConnell-Barker.
The second-year forward sent a pass to the right-wing circle for Scott Morrow, who ripped a shot over the right shoulder of Akhtyamov at 4:39 to make it 1-0.
The Marlies responded at 12:13, striking just 16 seconds into their first power play. Spencer Martin lost his skate blade in the crease, but still made the initial save with a two-pad stack. The puck sat on the goal line, where Anton Blidh tried to dig it free and clear it. Logan Shaw was able to get a stick on it first, however, poking his 21st goal of the season over the line to make it 1-1.
The Marlies scored their second power play goal of the game just 37 seconds into the middle stanza. William Villeneuve fired a shot that beat Martin by the glove but clipped the iron. The rebound came to Shaw, however, who buried his second goal of the game to make it 2-1 for the Marlies.
Just 24 seconds later, Luke Haymes extended the lead to 3-1. Haymes muscled his way to the front of the net and stuffed a puck by the right pad of Martin at 1:01 for his 16th goal of the season.
The Wolf Pack were able to calm things down, however, and got the game to 3-2. McConnell-Barker fired a shot from the right-wing wall that clipped Brody Lamb in front. The puck bounced by Akhtyamov to give Lamb his first career professional goal at 3:03.
The Wolf Pack pushed hard for the equalizer, pouring the pressure onto Akhtyamov. They were unable to even the affair before the Marlies struck twice to extend the game to 5-2 by the second intermission.
Haymes snapped a shot from the slot that Martin denied at 12:21, but the rebound came to the side of the net where Ben King was waiting. King deposited the loose change for his first goal as a Marlie, making it 4-2.
47 seconds later, another rebound found the back of the net as Ryan Tverberg made it 5-2. A Shaw shot from the right-wing was denied by Martin, but Tverberg collected the rebound in the left-wing circle and beat Martin with a backhander at 13:08.
The goal was Tverberg’s second against the Wolf Pack this season.
Landon Sim’s first career AHL goal came 8:39 into the final frame off a scramble in front. Sim jammed a loose puck home to make it a 6-2 game, putting the Marlies out of reach.
Terrance completed his first career three-point game at 18:57 when he tipped in a Morrow shot from the right-wing point. The goal made it 6-3 and was the rookie’s seventh of the season.
The Wolf Pack’s five-game road trip concludes tomorrow afternoon when they visit the Rochester Americans for the only time this season. The puck drop is set for 3:05 p.m., with ‘Wolf Pack Pregame’ set to begin at 2:50 p.m. on AHLTV on FloHockey and Mixlr.
The Pack is back at the newly renovated PeoplesBank Arena on Saturday, Mar. 28, when the Charlotte Checkers come to town. The puck drop is set for 6:00 p.m., with ‘Wolf Pack Pregame’ set to begin at 5:45 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.
