Hartford Wolf Pack 4, Bridgeport Sound Tigers 3 (OT)
BY: Bob Crawford, Hartford Wolf Pack
Hartford, CT, November 14, 2018 – Bobby Butler scored 23 seconds into overtime Wednesday at the XL Center, to give the Hartford Wolf Pack a 4-3 win over the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, in the Wolf Pack’s annual “Sonar’s Edu-skate” school-day game.
The Wolf Pack had tied the game on a power play with only 3:45 remaining in the third period, on John Gilmour’s second goal of the game. Gilmour also assisted on Butler’s winner, and Boo Nieves added a goal and an assist.
Tanner Fritz scored twice for the Sound Tigers, who also got a goal from Jeff Kubiak. Devon Toews had two assists for Bridgeport
On the winning play, Gilmour carried the puck into the Bridgeport end on the right side and backhanded a pass to the front of the net. Butler came from the left side and got behind Fritz, to deflect the puck high into the net behind Sound Tiger goaltender Christopher Gibson (19 saves).
“I tried to just get it to the net and make that pass that would hopefully be a goal,” Gilmour said. “It was a 50/50 chance, and luckily Bobby was there to put the puck into the net for the win.”
The victory was the first in four trips to overtime on the year for the Wolf Pack and improved their season record to 6-8-1-2.
The two clubs combined for five first-period goals, with the Wolf Pack jumping in front just 46 seconds in. Nieves attacked the net up the middle and shoved a feed from the right side by Ville Meskanen into the net.
The Sound Tigers equalized at 3:14 on the game’s first power play, with Chris Bigras off for holding. A drive from the left point by Kieffer Bellows squeaked through the pads of Wolf Pack netminder Alexandar Georgiev (26 saves), and Fritz reached behind Georgiev and pushed the puck over the goal line.
The Wolf Pack went back on top only 1:12 later, at 4:26, on Gilmour’s first goal of the contest. Peter Holland won a faceoff in the Bridgeport end back to Gilmour at the right point, and he stickhandled across the middle of the zone. Gilmour was almost to the left point when he shot, and his bid eluded Gibson, who was screened by both the Wolf Pack’s Cole Schneider and one of his own defenders.
Fritz and the Sound Tiger power play struck again at 9:29, though, after a hooking call against Ryan Gropp at 8:08. Fritz took a lead pass from Toews and beat a check on the right wing, before gunning a shot that went past Georgiev’s catching glove and into the top corner of the net.
Bridgeport then took the lead at 13:37, with Kubiak scoring his second goal of the season. Gibson and Otto Koivula combined to clear the puck to center ice, and Kubiak picked it up on the left wing and moved into the Wolf Pack zone. Kubiak slid towards the middle at the faceoff dot and ripped the puck in on the long side.
That was all of the scoring for more than two periods, and the Wolf Pack were held to three shots on goal in the second period, before having to kill three penalties in the first half of the third.
The last two-man advantages, however, went to the Wolf Pack, and their power play broke through to tie the game at 16:15.
Gilmour’s second goal was very similar to his first one, as Nieves passed the puck off the left-wing boards to Gilmour at the point, and he flung a long shot that made its way through a Tim Gettinger screen and past Gibson.
“Our power play, we had some new additions, so we didn’t really get to practice it a whole lot,” Gilmour said. “But we talked about it in the locker room and knew what we wanted to do, and we did it.”
Wolf Pack head coach Keith McCambridge added, “With power play, it’s always important to stay patient with them. There’s a tendency sometimes to get frustrated, but eventually, you wait for your opportunity and capitalize, and I thought we did that well.”
Despite the Wolf Pack needing to come from behind late, McCambridge saw many positives throughout Wednesday’s entire game.
“I really liked our start of scoring 45 seconds into the game, and even when the Sound Tigers were leading by a goal, I still thought we played the right way,” the Wolf Pack bench boss said. “And it was a real solid effort in our lineup, from top to bottom, to come from behind and win that game.”
The Wolf Pack’s next game is this Saturday night, November 17, when the Utica Comets visit the XL Center for a 7:00 PM game. That is “Hockey Fights Cancer Night”, and the first 2,000 fans will receive a free Wolf Pack pop socket, presented by KeyBank. Tickets for all 2018-19 Wolf Pack home games are on sale now at the Agera Energy Ticket Office at the XL Center, online at hartfordwolfpack.com and by phone at (877) 522-8499. Tickets purchased in advance for kids 12 or younger start at just $13 each, and all tickets will have a $3 day-of-game increase.
Season ticket information for the Wolf Pack’s 2018-19 AHL season can be found online at hartfordwolfpack.com. To speak with a representative about all of the Wolf Pack’s many attractive ticketing options, call (855) 762-6451, or click here to request more info.
Bridgeport Sound Tigers 3 at Hartford Wolf Pack 4 (OT)
Wednesday, November 14, 2018 – XL Center
Bridgeport 3 0 0 0 – 3
Hartford 2 0 1 1 – 4
1st Period-1, Hartford, Nieves 1 (Meskanen, Beleskey), 0:46. 2, Bridgeport, Fritz 1 (Bellows, Toews), 3:14 (PP). 3, Hartford, Gilmour 4 (Holland), 4:26. 4, Bridgeport, Fritz 2 (Toews, Gibson), 9:29 (PP). 5, Bridgeport, Kubiak 2 (Koivula, Gibson), 13:37. Penalties-Bigras Hfd (holding), 2:48; Gropp Hfd (hooking), 8:08.
2nd Period– No Scoring. Penalties-Vande Sompel Bri (holding), 2:25; Rathgeb Bri (slashing), 8:46; Ronning Hfd (tripping), 16:43.
3rd Period-6, Hartford, Gilmour 5 (Nieves, Gropp), 16:15 (PP). Penalties-O’Gara Hfd (roughing), 2:29; Holland Hfd (hooking), 4:46; Fogarty Hfd (tripping), 8:53; R. Bourque Bri (tripping), 13:21; St. Denis Bri (cross-checking), 15:46.
OT Period-7, Hartford, Butler 4 (Gilmour, Holland), 0:23. Penalties-No Penalties
Shots on Goal-Bridgeport 11-8-10-0-29. Hartford 10-3-9-1-23.
Power Play Opportunities-Bridgeport 2 / 6; Hartford 1 / 4.
Goalies-Bridgeport, Gibson 5-3-1 (23 shots-19 saves). Hartford, Georgiev 2-1-0 (29 shots-26 saves).
A-3,952
Referees-Brandon Schrader (46), Chris Waterstradt (88).
Linesmen-Kevin Briganti (39), Nick Briganti (58).
Related
Related posts
Top picks
WOLF PACK PREGAME: ATLANTIC SEMIS VS. BRUINS
By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack PROVIDENCE, RI – The Hartford Wolf Pack and Providence Bruins open their second Calder Cup Playoff series in as many years against each other tonight at the Amica Mutual Pavilion in Providence. The puck drop is set for 7:05…
WOLF PACK COMPLETE PAIR OF TRANSACTIONS
By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack Bryce McConnell-Barker Reassigned by Rangers, Maxim Barbashev Released from ATO HARTFORD, CT – New York Rangers President and General Manager Chris Drury announced today that the club has reassigned forward Bryce McConnell-Barker to the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack from…
ROAD WARRIORS LOST TO RABBITS; SWAMP RABBTS IMPRESSIVE IN DEFEAT
SOLAR BEARS TAKE SERIES LEAD WITH OVERTIME WIN Orlando puts Greenville on the brink despite Colton Young’s 3-point night, Bobby Russell’s pair of goals By: Mark Binetti, Greenville Swamp Rabbits ORLANDO, Fla. – Despite a high-scoring affair, the Greenville Swamp Rabbits fell to the Orlando…
WOLF PACK TO PLAY BRUINS IN ATLANTIC SEMIS
WOLF PACK TO FACE PROVIDENCE BRUINS IN ATLANTIC DIVISION SEMIFINALS Foes Faceoff For Second Straight Postseason HARTFORD, CT—For the second straight postseason, The Hartford Wolf Pack and Providence Bruins will face off in the Atlantic Division Semifinals. This series will follow a 2-2-1 setup, with the…
WOLF PACK PREGAME: ATLANTIC SEMIS VS. BRUINS
By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack PROVIDENCE, RI – The Hartford Wolf Pack and Providence Bruins open their second Calder Cup Playoff series in as many years against each other tonight at the Amica Mutual Pavilion in Providence. The puck drop is set for 7:05…
WOLF PACK COMPLETE PAIR OF TRANSACTIONS
By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack Bryce McConnell-Barker Reassigned by Rangers, Maxim Barbashev Released from ATO HARTFORD, CT – New York Rangers President and General Manager Chris Drury announced today that the club has reassigned forward Bryce McConnell-Barker to the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack from…
WOLF PACK TO PLAY BRUINS IN ATLANTIC SEMIS
WOLF PACK TO FACE PROVIDENCE BRUINS IN ATLANTIC DIVISION SEMIFINALS Foes Faceoff For Second Straight Postseason HARTFORD, CT—For the second straight postseason, The Hartford Wolf Pack and Providence Bruins will face off in the Atlantic Division Semifinals. This series will follow a 2-2-1 setup, with the…
GARAND AND WOLF PACK ELIMINATE CHECKERS IN 3
By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack CHARLOTTE, NC – Dylan Garand made a playoff career-high 39 saves on Sunday afternoon to help the Hartford Wolf Pack complete their First Round series victory over the Charlotte Checkers. The Wolf Pack used a five-on-five, powerplay, and shorthanded…
ORLANDO ENDS SWAMP RABBITS SEASON
Swamp Rabbits show life late, but Orlando pulls away to win the series BY: Mark Binetti, Greenville Swamp Rabbits GREENVILLE, SC– Jaydon Dureau’s two-goal night spearheaded a 5-1 Orlando Solar Bears win over the Greenville Swamp Rabbits on Tuesday to win the South Division Semifinals…
SWAMP RABBITS ANSWER BACK IN GAME 2
Eberle nets game-winner; three multi-point performers shine in win BY: Mark Binetti, Greenville Swamp Rabbits GREENVILLE, SC—Tanner Eberle broke a deadlock in a wild third period to headline the Greenville Swamp Rabbits’ Game 2 win over the Orlando Solar Bears by a 4-2 score on Monday…
SWAMP RABBITS DROP GAME 1 in OT
Spencer Kersten ends a 72-minute game to steal Game 1 from Greenville By: Mark Binetti, Greenville Swamp Rabbits GREENVILLE, S.C. – Spencer Kersten ended a marathon goalie duel to give the Orlando Solar Bears a lead in the South Division Semifinals, 1-0, over the Greenville…
SWAMP RABBITS SCHEDULE FOR SOUTH DIVISION SEMIFINALS
Swamp Rabbits and Solar Bears begin a best-of-seven series this Sunday in Greenville By: Mark Binetti, Greenville Swamp Rabbits GREENVILLE, S.C. – The Greenville Swamp Rabbits, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings, announced the full schedule for the 2024 Kelly Cup Playoffs…
Stay connected with ours socials