CANTLON: (SUN) T-Birds Shutout Wolf Pack In Last Visit
VERSUS 
BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings
HARTFORD, CT – Two quick goals in the second period were the difference for the Springfield Thunderbirds as they shutout the Hartford Wolf Pack, in their last meeting of the season, 2-0. It was the third shutout the Wolf Pack have been handed this season. For the Thunderbirds, their goalie Harri Sateri, this was his fourth straight win; his third shutout of the year and for the T-Birds fifth shutout of the season.
Pack goalie, Alex Georgiev, faced 48 or more shots for the 13th time this season. The Pack was outshot by a 2-to-1 margin.
“Georgy made some really big saves, especially in the third. The breakdowns took place and they looked like a team that had fresh legs and didn’t play last night. We looked like a team that played last night. They had more jump in their step than we did,” remarked Pack head coach, Keith McCambridge.
Georgiev faced 21 shots in the second and saw 12 more come his way in the third.
The Thunderbirds were buzzing the Wolf Pack net in the second period. They scored two goals in a 16-second span.
Dryden Hunt swept around the net from the right wing and made a backhand stuff attempt. Georgiev made the save, but the puck came out in front. Joel Lowry saw his first shot stopped, but it popped up in the air. Lowry made a backhand swipe at it in mid-air and knocked in his third goal of the season at 8:36.
Anthony Greco then took advantage of a defensive miscue by rookie Tyson Helgesen. Off a center ice faceoff saw Lowry put the puck deep in the Pack zone, Helgesen couldn’t control the puck. Greco took the loose puck, moved in on Georgiev, and with one of his nine shots in the game, went forehand-to-backhand and slipped into the net his 29th goal.
“They were better in all three zones,” McCambridge said. “Our execution wasn’t there and chased them too much and didn’t have too much push-back.”
Chase Bailey made a fine move while on the rush and slipped a shot under Georgiev’s right pad. What got by Georgiev was stopped by the post with 1:41 left.
“It’s frustrating. We didn’t play well in any facet of the game tonight,” Steven Fogarty said. Just back from playing his first NHL game, Fogarty said, “We went down early and it’s hard to come back when you’re not playing well. It’s a tough one to swallow.”
In a scoreless first period, the Thunderbirds, led by Greco, outshot the Pack 15-10 and seemed like the more rested team.
“Georgy has done it numerous times for us this year. He gave us a chance tonight. It was up to us to push back and we didn’t,” Fogarty stated.
NOTES:
Ryan Lindgren had his first pro fight with Lowry. He also earned a game misconduct for not having the tie down on his jersey. That came with 48.3 seconds left in the second period leaving the Pack played shorthanded for the third.
“It’s a player’s responsibility. I don’t go around lifting everybody’s jersey to make sure (it’s tied down),” remarked McCambridge.
Lines
Andersson-Melanson-Ty Ronning
Nieves-Tambellini-Fontaine
Chytil-Lettieri-Schneider
Fogarty-Gropp-Salvaggio
Lindgren-Labrie
Crawley-Bigras
Pedrie-Helgesen
Scratches:
- Scott Kosmachuk (lower body, likely done for the season)
- Brendan Smith (broken hand, likely done for the season)
- John Albert, Brendan Kotyk, Simon Denis, Evan Jaspar, Dawson Leedahl, Dan DeSalvo, and Dan Catenacci (vet scratch)
Fogarty grew up in Minnesota but was born in Chambersburg, PA. He got to enjoy his first NHL game. “My parents were there, and my brother took a red-eye from California (San Diego), so it was great. We were there and got a picture together. It was a blur really; a dream come true. It’s something you dream about your whole life. Once the game went on, I got a bit more comfortable.”
Later that night, Fogarty was rooting for his alma mater, the ND Fighting Irish. “The players on the team and the coach really deserved a national championship, but it was a tough game to lose (2-1 to University of Minnesota-Duluth).”
He, and current Ranger, Neal Pion, who’s from UMD, had a personal bet going on over the game.
David Hallisey (Princeton ECAC) of Wethersfield/Westminster Prep was released after just one game with the Pack on an ATO deal.
Rangers GM Jeff Gorton will hold a press conference Monday at the Rangers practice rink.
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