BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings
HARTFORD, CT – Despite a pressure-filled game featuring an exciting final five minutes of regulation play, the Hartford Wolf Pack still came up on the short end of a 4-3 score losing to the visiting Rochester Americans. JJ Peterka, Artuu Ruotsalainen, ex-Bridgeport Sound Tiger Mason Jobst, and Ryan Scarfo had multiple-point games with a goal and an assist.
The Wolf Pack drop their third straight home game. They have a 14-8-2-2 (23 points) record and trail the first-place Springfield Thunderbirds in percentage points .615 to .661. The Thunderbirds lost to a rejuvenated Providence Bruins team on Sunday 7-1. The Pack has a slim hold on second place.
The revitalized Hershey Bears were a 3-2 winner over Bridgeport. However, they are .04 percentage points behind the Pack.
The Wolf Pack visit Rochester on Friday night and then to Utica to battle the Comets on Saturday night.
PACK PLAYING THE PRESS
The Pack put on a full-court press to use a basketball term, and it paid off with a late goal that pulled them within one.
After nearly two weeks away from the ice, Tarmo Reunanen shot towards the net from the right point. His defensive-minded centerman, Mike O’Leary (Salisbury School), was lurking about in a mad scramble of traffic. Nevertheless, O’Leary managed to redirect the puck by netminder Mike Houser for his second goal of the night and second of the season to make it 4-3.
“I was right there. Tarmo just put a good shot on net.”
O’Leary’s entire line with Austin Rueschoff and Alex Whalen earned high praise and valuable playing minutes from Pack Head Coach Kris Knoblauch.
“The whole line did a good job. On my first goal, all I had to do was tap it in. It was Austin’s best game and Alex works so hard out there,” O’Leary said, dishing off compliments like assists to his linemates.
RUENANEN RETURNS
Reunanen’s return was a welcome addition to the locker room, but his coach was surprised by his skill level and his endurance ability.
“I was really surprised how well he played for a guy off his skates for nearly two weeks,” Knoblauch said.
The Pack had several late third-period scoring bids that fell short. With 1:43 left, former Quinnipiac defenseman Brandon Fortunato, who played his best game during his PTO stint, came up short, but the Pack head coach appreciated his effort.
“He came and delivered and played a strong game. He found himself late in his shift a couple of times, but was still able to make some solid plays for us.” said Knoblauch.
NOT CAPITALIZING ON CHANCES
The Pack had their scoring chances, but finishing was another thing,
While on a crucial offensive zone draw, Lauri Pajuniemi stationed himself at the left point in the last minute. His cannon of a shot went off Michael Houser’s blocker pad. Anthony Greco saw the puck bounce over his stick with a wide-open net on the left-wing side.
“It’s easy to say now, we missed that or another, but I was happy we gave ourselves a chance,” remarked Knoblauch.
On a two-on-one midway thru the second period, Jake Elmer was on the left-wing side and fed Pajuniemi, who tried a backdoor finishing play rather than shooting himself. The play wound up with no shot on goal at all.
Knoblauch was philosophical about it. “It’s easy in hindsight to say he should have shot it. I might have thought it then. He shouldn’t have tried the back door, but the D barely got his stick on it. He was showing he cares,” Knoblauch commented.
SCORING
After an even first period, the Wolf Pack would strike first.
Pajuniemi scored his seventh goal of the season from 15 feet out off a backhand shot of a rebound of Zach Berzolla’s point shot at 3:15.
The Americans evened the score when Ryan Scarfo out-positioned Michael Brodzinki and tallied off a rebound at 11:45.
The Americans outshot the Wolf Pack 11-9.
AMERICANS TAKE CONTROL
In seven minutes of the second period, the Americans flipped the script and tenor of the game.
After a front tap-in for his second career goal and first of the season, O’Leary was in front of the Rochester net and connected to tie the game at two.
At 10:28, a miscommunication between Greco and Mike Lee (Hamden), a newcomer defenseman, failed to connect on a drop pass, leading to an Americans breakout. Ruotsalainen came out from the right-wing corner after retrieving an errant shot, skated back to the right point, and let a shot go.
Huska made the save, but the rebound went right to JJ Peterka. He rushed into the breach unchecked and scored while Michael Brodzinaki was battling in front with the recently recalled Peter Tischke, just up from the ECHL.
With 5:19 left in the period, Peterka made a short pass to Brandon Biro. He was able to chip the puck over Huska’s glove hand.
THE HUSKA EFFECT
Huska’s return was helpful as he kept them within scoring distance with several key saves and outshot the Americans 15-6 in the third.
“We had a good chance efforts. We had the chances. We had some good looks (at net),” said O’Leary.
LINES
Greco-Ronning-Richards
Khordorenko-Pajuniemi-DiGiacinto
Rueschoff-O’Leary-Whalen
Sanchez-Elmer-DiGiacito
Guittari-Reunanen
Mike Lee-Michael Brodzinski
Zach Berzolla-Brandon Fortunato
Adam Huska
François Brassard
SCRATCHES
Bitetto (lower body almost ready)
Schneider (upper body, short term)
Labrie
Taylor
Luchuk (assigned #10)
Wall
NOTES
D Blake Thompson and G Bradon Kasel were released from their PTO’s and sent back to the Adirondack Thunder (ECHL). Adam Huska was returned to the Wolf Pack by the New York Rangers.
In the backend of a home-and-home with the Tampa Bay Lightning at MSG, the Blueshirts won 4-0. Mika Zibinijenad notched a hat trick, while Igor Shesterkin earned the shutout. Tim Gettinger was in for COVID-19 casualty Artemi Panarin as was Zac Jones.
Rochester’s Ara Nazarian played in Jacksonville a week ago with Jake Elmer, Zach Berzolla, Brandon Fortunato, and against Michael Brodzinski. To replace him on the roster, Jacksonville signed ex-Bridgeport Sound Tiger Colin Markison.
In searching for a player for a game in Worcester for the Railers (ECHL), David Cunniff signed Bobby Butler, a retired ex-Hartford Wolf Pack, a local MA resident, and a volunteer assistant coach at Holy Cross (AHA). He hasn’t played in three years.
