BY: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack
HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack scored just 23 seconds into the hockey game on Friday night but couldn’t build on it as the visiting Belleville Senators scored three powerplay goals en route to a 4-1 victory at the XL Center.
Lassi Thomson broke a 1-1 tie 14:55 into the hockey game while the Senators were on a five-on-three powerplay. Matthew Robertson took a cross-checking penalty at 13:08 to give the Senators their first powerplay of the contest. While on the kill, Zach Giuttari cleared the puck over the glass for a delay of game penalty. Logan Shaw found Thomson in the near faceoff circle on the ensuing two-skater advantage. Thomson blasted a shot that beat Wolf Pack starter Adam Húska for his eighth goal of the year. The 2-1 marker would stand as the eventual game-winner.
The Wolf Pack opened the scoring just 23 seconds into the hockey game, with newcomer Maxim Letunov scoring his first with Hartford. Cristiano DiGiacinto sent the puck into the crease in front of Filip Gustavsson, where Letunov was stationed. Letunov sent a backhand shot home for his career-high 14th goal of the season.
Hartford was unable to build on the lead, however. The Senators tied the game at 12:34 on a delayed penalty. Mark Kastelic tapped a pass back to the blueline, where Jonathan Aspirot stepped into a one-timer that boomed by Húska. Aspirot’s fourth goal of the season started a stretch of four straight goals by the visitors.
Thomson gave the Senators a lead they would not lose at 14:55, scoring the first of three powerplay goals on the night. Egor Sokolov scored Belleville’s second powerplay goal 86 seconds into the middle stanza. Sokolov blasted a shot by Húska for his 16th goal of the season, setting a new career-high.
In the third period, the Wolf Pack pushed hard and appeared to cut the deficit to 3-2 early in the frame when Anthony Greco deposited the puck beyond Gustavsson. However, the goal was immediately waved off as it was deemed there was goaltender interference on the play.
Hartford got a powerplay of their own, their fifth of the night, shortly after the disallowed goal, but couldn’t strike. Then, at 13:14, Belleville got their fifth powerplay when the Wolf Pack were caught with too many skaters. But, once again, the Senators made them pay. Shaw loaded the gun and blazed home his ninth goal of the season at 14:40, effectively ending the suspense inside the XL Center.
Hartford’s regulation loss snapped a six-game point streak (2-0-2-2) against the Senators. The road team is now 3-0-0-0 in the head-to-head season series.
The Wolf Pack conclude their back-to-back weekend tomorrow night when they play host to the Syracuse Crunch. Join us for Hartford Sports Weekend and a special Wolf Pack coffee mug giveaway sponsored by Xfinity (First 1,500 fans). Puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m.
Tickets are available at hartfordwolfpack.com.
