BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings
BRIDGEPORT, CT – The Sound Tigers rookie Samuel Bolduc had a goal and two assists to pace a resilient effort by the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, who used a three-goal third period to beat the Hartford Wolf Pack 5-3 Wednesday afternoon at the Webster Bank Arena.
It was Bridgeport’s first win and the Wolf Pack’s first loss of the season.
“We did a lot of good things, and I think the intensity was there; the goals were there, and you always want more, more shots, and to clean up some of the sloppy puck work (early in the game), and miscommunication with our goalie, but in the big picture, it was a step in the right direction for our younger guys,” Sound Tigers’ Head Coach, Brent Thompson, said after the game.
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On the game-winning goal, Bolduc, a 6’4, second-round draft pick rookie out of Sherbrooke (QMJHL), put himself in a position to receive a pass from Jeff Kubiak. Coming off the right-wing wall, Kubiak skated into the center of the ice and sent a pass to Bolduc, who was in the left-wing circle.
Bolduc put a shot toward the net, went off Cole Bardreau’s skate, thru the crease, and seemed to deflect off Thomas Kuhnhackl’s skate into the net. The goal at 13:39 gave the Sound Tigers a 4-3 lead, and the game began to slip away from Hartford.
Bardreau was credited with what proved to be the game-winning goal but, when asked about it, gave his teammate credit for it.
“I was so tired battling that massive (Mason) Geersten in the corner (that gave Kubiak the puck). I was just trying hard to go to the net. I got a piece of it, but I really think Kuhnhackl had the last tip on that. At the end of the day, anybody who gets that goal is good for us,“ remarked Bardreau.
THOMPSON IS PLEASED
Bolduc’s play brings a smile to Thompson’s face.
“He’s been playing pretty solid the last several games. His practice habits have been good, and he has (found) a way to get the puck to the net. I’m happy with his shots to the net; I’m happy he is competing in his own end and moves the puck well and is a great prospect for the organization.”
Thompson was also very pleased with Bardreau, Kuhnhackl, and Kubiak’s line because their effective forechecking kept the Wolf Pack out on an extended shift, and they cashed in on the opportunity.
“That entire line played solid; good leadership from Kuhnhackl. The blocked shots, Bardreau’s intensity, Kubiak’s puck protection, strong play along the wall, and on faceoffs. I was happy with that line because they generated momentum for us, playing the right way for the younger guys. It was a step in the right direction for us.”
In the first two Bridgeport games, they had leads evaporate in the third frame. They reversed that process in this game.
MORE THOMPSON REACTION
“We were very disappointed as a unit in the previous two games, giving up one-goal leads. That was a big thing for us, We didn’t lay our heads down, and without a crowd, it’s a different dynamic, and to come back from a deficit is something (all of us) on the bench, we battled back (today).”
Dmytro Timashov closed out the scoring with an empty-net goal at 19:37, giving him a multiple-point game.
The Wolf Pack took the lead early in the third period.
Seth Helgeson was behind the Sound Tigers net. He laid a drop pass for his defensive partner, Mitchell Vande Sompel. The Pack’s Jonny Brodzinski jumped in behind the net, took possession of the puck, and put it out front for Patrick Newell, who went round goalie Jakub Skarek and deposited his second of the season into the net on his forehand at 1:14.
Later in the third period, the Wolf Pack had a chance to extend their lead.
At 5:45, Darren Raddysh was stopped, but they counter-attacked despite the Sound Tigers’ shot differential. Otto Koivula had a chance on the doorstep that goaltender Tyler Wall, who was making his pro debut, stopped.
THIRD PERIOD EXPLOSION
The Sound Tigers then started their three-goal third-period outburst.
The Pack’s Austin Rueschoff won a draw against Koivula, the second Sound Tiger to be in for the draw, but the puck went to Ukrainian Dmytro Tymashov, who fed Bolduc at the right point. He let a powerful 50-foot shot go that beat Wall to the stick-side and over his blocker. Tanner Fritz and Koivula were creating net-front traffic. The goal tied the game at three at 6:23.
Despite being outshot by a two-to-one margin, Bridgeport was still in the hunt.
The Wolf Pack had control of the game until about midway through the second.
The only glitch was a Helgeson goal coming from a player who only scored one goal last season near the end of the year. He didn’t wait that long this season.
Bardreau was at the blue line and fed Carter Hutton, who dished it back to Helgeson, the Bridgeport captain. He launched a high-rising wrister that eluded Wall at 4:16 to even the game at one.
PACK REGAIN LEAD
The Wolf Pack regained the lead at 10:12. Playing his first game of the season, Geersten launched a low shot from the left point that caromed off some skates to Morgan Barron in the right-wing circle. He quickly sent a diagonal pass to a wide-open Brodzinski at the left side of the net. Brodzinski then deposited his second of the season in the open half of the net at 10:13.
The Sound Tigers struck back 1:23 later, evening the game again at two.
On the goal, Fritz was at the right half-wall and spotted an open Simon Holmstrom. He took the pass and moved to the top of the right-wing circle, and ripped a rising wrist shot that went under Wall’s glove hand. It was Holmstrom’s first pro goal for one of the Islander’s high-end prospects.
Bardreau was enthusiastic about that goal that brought the Sound Tigers back to a tie and changed his team’s momentum.
“He’s gonna be a big player for us going forward. He has a crazy amount of skill. You want to see him take the puck and be the man, to see him in practice, you see how much skill level he has is off the chart. To be honest, I think he wanted to pass the puck, and on the whole bench, we were screaming for him to shoot the puck.”
The shots on goal at the time were 23-9 in favor of the Wolf Pack.
MISSED OPPORTUNITIES
Skarek made critical stops like on a quick-breaking, two-on-one with Tim Gettinger feeding Paul Thompson. He made the left pad save to keep the red light off.
Anthony Greco had a substantial bid coming off the right-wing on a rush with a backhander that was turned away, and Brodzinski bids were stopped.
The Sound Tigers shift-by-shift kept were climbing back within striking distance of the Wolf Pack. Hutton, Holmstrom, and Cole Coskey had quality shots at Wall swept aside.
“Not much had to be said. Shoot the puck more and get to the net,” chuckled Thompson.
They were getting pucks and bodies to the net with more significant regularity before the dam broke in the third period in their favor with every shift.
FIRST PERIOD
The first period was all Wolf Pack with an 11-2 shot advantage and got the lone goal in the period’s final minute.
Austin Rueschhoff started the whole sequence with dump-in.
The puck came up the left-wing boards to Alex Whelan, a former Quinnipiac Bobcat. He forced a loose puck with his forecheck and solid bodywork. Rueschoff picked it up and sent a short pass to Tarmo Reunanen, who was patient and waited for Rueschoff to get into position heading to the net.
The 6’7 rookie right-winger from Western Michigan University (NCHC) took a return saucer pass from the Finnish rearguard and snapped a 25-foot wrist-shot under Skarek’s glove at 19:40 for his first professional goal.
The Wolf Pack had a fantastic chance off the ensuing faceoff with a three-on-one break as Patrick Khodorenko led the rush on the right-wing.
He shipped it over to Greco, who had an open Gettinger on the left-wing. The lone Sound Tigers back was Hutton on defense. He poke-checked the pass across and broke it up with 17 seconds left on the period.
NOTES:
Brodzinski had a game-high, nine shots on goals, Rueschhoff had four for the Wolf Pack.
Greco had five shots and a glaring minus-4 for the game.
Last season the Wolf Pack owned Bridgeport posting a 5-1-2 record.
After one game with the Buffalo Sabres, ex-Wolf Pack captain Steven Fogarty was returned to the Rochester Americans after playing on a line with Tage Thompson (Milford/UCONN), the eldest son of the current Sound Tiger head coach and former Wolf Pack.
Goalie, Max Paddock, is the nephew of legendary Wolf Pack head coach John Paddock. He signed with the Stockton Heat (nee Calgary Heat).
After three games, Daemon White of the Iowa Wild is returned to the Virden Oil Capitals of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League (MJHL).
18-year-old, Junior-A players in the AHL is another wacky milestone this season.
Samuel Vigneault (no relation to the current Philadelphia Flyers, and former New York Rangers Head Coach, Alain Vigneault), who played with Cleveland last year, was cut from the Laval Rocket’s training camp, has signed with ETC Crimmitchau (Germany DEL-2), making 239 AHL’ers from last season to be signed or loaned to Europe.
Ex-Wolf Pack, Maxim Kondratiev, continues playing outside of Russia for HC 19 Humenne (Slovakia Division-2).
LINES:
Brodzinski-Barron-Newell
Khordorenko-Gettinger-Greco
Fontaine-Whelan-Thompson
O’Leary-Cullye-Rueschhoff
LoVerde-Geersten
Reunanen-Raddysh
Sieloff-Giuttari
Wall
Garand
SCRATCHES:
Ty Ronning
Ryan Dmowski
Justin Richards
Jake Elmer
Brandon Crawley
Adam Huska
Jeff Taylor
