Pack Drop Another 6-3 in Bridgeport To Close Out Weekend
VERSUS 
BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings
BRIDGEPORT, CT – The Bridgeport Sound Tigers (2-4-0-0) jumped on the Hartford Wolf Pack (3-3-0-1) with three goals in the first period and never looked back posting a 6-3 win in their first regular season meeting of the 2017-18 season.
The Wolf Pack dropped all three of their weekend games by a combined score of 14-4. Clearly, ahead of the team is a long week of hockey correction ahead.
“It was an uphill battle and we were in the box early again and in three-on-threes can’t start that way,” Pack head coach Keith McCambridge said from the hallway outside a clearly dejected locker room.
The first period was all Sound Tigers. The Pack seemed to be still on the team bus parked behind the Webster Bank Arena as each team was completing their first three-in-three on the season. Bridgeport was clearly the fresher squad.
The Sound Tigers used the power play to grab the games first lead.
Mitchell Vande Sompel took a shot from the left wing side that was stopped by Pack goaltender, Chris Nell. The puck went right to the stick of Tanner Fritz, who’s left wing shot was stopped. The rebound of that shot went right to red-hot rookie scorer, Scott Eansor, who fired in his team-leading seventh of the season (no assists) at 5:32.
The Sound Tigers snagged a 2-0 lead on an ill-advised blind backhanded pass up the middle by Neal Pionk. The pass was picked off by Ross Johnston who fed Mitchell Vande Sompel who in turn buried a wrist shot from 40-feet out past Nell for his first career goal at 12:58.
“We certainly turned the puck over too much after our PK did a very good job killing a five-on-three. Throwing it to the middle of the ice really helps them in your end to get into the offense quickly and immediately you have to begin to defend as opposed to getting yourself on the offensive.”
The Sound Tigers extended their lead to 3-0 shortly after killing off a Wolf Pack power play holding them to one shot. After exiting the penalty box, Tanner Fritz outraced everybody to a loose puck sent out by Parker Wotherspoon and his shot hit the crossbar earlier but he didn’t miss this time, beating Nell from fifteen feet out on his second goal of the season with 24.8 seconds left.
Goals in the last minute of the period always sting.
“I was happy with our guys set the tone early. The third in a three-in-three is toughest. We got off to a good start,” Bridgeport head coach Brent Thompson, an ex-Wolf Pack defenseman, said. “The rest of the squad followed Johnston and Jones with good physicality and our puck pursuit was right there.”
Seconds before Adam Tambellini was stopped on their fourth shot on net and just the second quality chance of the opening frame.
The Pack finally got on the scoreboard early in the second period.
The Wolf Pack got some quality offensive zone time and the puck came up the boards via Cole Schneider’s forechecking work to Garrett Noonan who slid a pass from the right point to the left point and Brandon Crawley launched 55 footer with a partial screen in front with the Pack’s Cole Schneider and Sound Tigers Seth Helgeson blocking Kristers Gudlevskis vision at 5:17 for his first pro goal.
“That was one of the few bright spots we had where we put pressure on them inside their zone and made them play on their heels. We got some momentum there,” remarked McCambridge.
However, back came the Sound Tigers just 2:17 later.
At 7:34, Travis St. Denis wired a perfect cross-ice pass earning an assist through the box when Michael Del Colle came charging in off the right wing and buried his first of the season restoring their three-goal lead.
“That was a really good play. EB (assistant coach Eric Boguniecki) and I had a talk with them about chemistry. We need offense from those guys and we got to get them going. It was good to see them finally click, but we still have some work to do.”
McCambridge tinkered with three of his four lines, except Boo Nieves line, seeking to find some spark offensively.
“When it isn’t there for you, you try to find a combination to give you some energy and life. We just couldn’t find it today.” McCambridge said.
The Sound Tigers extended their lead halfway through the third period to make it 5-1. Former Wolf Pack captain Ryan Bourque motored down the left wing getting space on rookie rearguard Brandon Crawley. Del Colle out-positioned John Gilmour. While the shot he took was stopped, Kyle Burroughs managed to move in quickly to pounce on the rebound at 9:19 for his first of the season.
Tambellini snagged his team-leading fourth goal on the power-play. Tambellini converted Joe Whitney’s pass and put it under the crossbar over goaltender, Kristers Gudlevskis’ left shoulder. The goal came on the power-play at 12:20 to put the Pack down 5-2.
The Sound Tigers got an empty-net tally from Steve Bernier, who tallied his fourth of the season at 17:33. Bernier tucked the puck in before crashing into the end boards. For Bridgeport, the six goal output was the highest of the season.
Vince Pedrie closed the game’s scoring when he came from the right point and got to the faceoff dot. While on the power-play, Pedrie fired a shot to the far side at 18:33. It was his first pro tally.
“Despite the outcome, I was pleased that we worked hard right to the end (of the game) and clearly we didn’t get the results or score we wanted. We’ll learn for our next three-in-three not to get into penalty trouble,” McCambridge said.
A full set of brass was on hand to take in the game led by GM Chris Drury.
NOTES:
Newcomer defenseman Ryan Sproul, acquired yesterday from the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for Matt Puempel, has yet to arrive from Grand Rapids where he was playing with the Griffins. He will likely make his debut on Friday in Hartford against Bridgeport.
With seven defensemen now on the roster there could be a reassignment to Greenville this week.
“We were looking for the right balance of depth between here and with the New York Rangers. It was a fresh start for both players. Matt came from the Ottawa organization last year,” McCambridge said. “He came here this year and did work very hard and we now have a little more balance on defense. Over the course of the season, as I have learned over the years, you can never have enough defenseman. (We) will make an assessment with relation to Greenville regarding the player’s roster.”
Malte Stromwall is officially off the Rangers organizational roster after being placed on unconditional waivers. He cleared and is returning to Europe to play. McCambridge was sad to see him go.
“I know the player and the on-ice product. He was just one recall away from staying in North America and being in the AHL. I was surprised and disappointed, but this is a decision a player and his agent chose to make.”
Puempel was assigned to Grand Rapids where he will make his debut Wednesday against Tucson.
Pack scratches were Dan Catenacci (lower body), who skated gingerly in warmups. Seems likely to be a groin injury. Filip Chytil is also listed day-to-day with a lower-body injury.
Vinni Lettieri is second among AHL rookies with shots on goal with 22. Daniel Sprong, of Wilkes Barre/Scranton, already has 29 and put up 10 points in 10 games.
Bridgeport’s Scott Eansor now has seven goals in six game and a 40% shooting percentage. It’s good for 4th best among AHL rookies.
The Pack has the 14th best power play at 18.5% and the fourth best PK unit at 90.0%.
The Sound Tigers sit 24th of 30 on the power play at 13.6% and 20th best on the PK at 81.5%.
Ex-CT Whale, John Mitchell, was released from his PTO with the Cleveland Monsters after posting a goal and an assist in three games. He signed with Nuremberg (Germany-DEL) for the rest of the year.
Sound Tigers assistant coach Eric Boguniecki, a West Haven native, received an award from the West Haven Youth Hockey Association prior to the game. The presenter was long time West Haven High School head coach, Joe Morrell.
This was the worst attended, non-storm related, game between the two CT rivals with official attendance listed at 3,077 but was more like a 1,000.
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