HILLMAN CAPS COMEBACK IN WOLF PACK’S PRESEASON-OPENING VICTORY
By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack
HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack opened the 2022 preseason with a rollercoaster victory. The club trailed 3-0 and 4-3 before taking a late lead that they would not lose en route to a 5-4 win over the Bridgeport Islanders.
Defenseman Blake Hillman, who signed an AHL contract with the club over the summer, broke a 4-4 tie at 15:40 of the third period with his first preseason goal. Hillman collected a loose puck in the high slot and wired a wrist shot by Henrik Tikkanen to give the Pack their first lead. The goal would stand as the game-winner in the club’s exhibition opener.
The Islanders jumped out to an early 3-0 lead, scoring a trio of early powerplay goals to put the Wolf Pack in a hole. Daylan Kuefler opened the scoring 6:09 into the contest with a redirection from the slot of a Jimmy Lambert shot. The deflection snuck through the five-hole of Wolf Pack starter Olof Lindbom.
The Islander powerplay struck again just 5:26 later to make it a 2-0 game. Vincent Sevigny fed William Dufour in the near faceoff circle in the Hartford zone. The 152nd overall pick in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft fired a one-time shot that cleanly beat Lindbom over the glove at 11:35 for his first preseason goal. Ruslan Iskhakov extended it to a 3-0 lead at 15:15, scoring a powerplay goal of his own.
The Wolf Pack battled back, finally getting on the board at 17:51 on a powerplay of their own. Austin Rueschhoff gained the zone and sent a centering pass to Lauri Pajuniemi, who fired a shot at the Islander goal. Ken Appleby made the initial save, but Patrick Khodorenko found the rebound and jammed it home for his first preseason goal.
Tim Theocharidis, in camp on a PTO, made it a 3-2 game 1:11 later. The puck took a favorable bounce off the end wall and popped right to Theocharidis, who collected possession behind the net and fired a shot off of Appleby and into the net at the 19:02 mark.
Alex Whelan, who ended the 2021-22 season on a hot streak, scored at 2:47 of the second period to even the scoring at 3-3. Rookie forward Ryder Korczak collected the puck at the side of the net, then sent a pass over a sliding Appleby to Whelan. Whelan had a wide-open net to deposit his first of the preseason.
The Islanders regained the lead with their first five-on-five goal of the game at 9:03 of the period. Jimmy Lambert took possession in the Hartford zone after a turnover, turning that into a partial breakaway where he beat Lindbom for his second-afternoon point.
The Wolf Pack made an expected goaltending change at the 9:03 mark of the second period, as Dylan Garand came in for Lindbom. Henrik Tikkanen, meanwhile, took over in the Islander net at the start of the third period.
The Wolf Pack again fought back to get the game even, scoring their second powerplay marker of the affair 3:30 into the final stanza. Louka Henault fed Lauri Pajuniemi at the top of the far faceoff circle in the Islander zone. The second-year Finnish forward blasted a one-timer by Tikkanen for his first of the preseason to make it a 4-4 game.
Hillman would cap the comeback with his goal at 14:50, giving the Wolf Pack a 5-4 edge.
The Wolf Pack conclude the 2022 preseason tomorrow, October 7th, at 6:00 p.m. when they play host to the Islanders. The game will be played on the campus of Trinity College at the Koeppel Community Sports Center, located at 175 New Britain Avenue, Hartford, CT. Doors open at 5:15 p.m. The game is open to the public and is a non-ticketed event. A $5 charitable donation is encouraged.
Related
Related posts
Top picks
WOLF PACK SEND BRUINS PACKING WITH OT WIN
By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack are headed to the Atlantic Division Finals for the second straight season. A wild bounce saw a puck clip Jake Leschyshyn and beat Brandon Bussi 9:41 into overtime of Game 4 at the XL Center on Friday night. The goal gave the Wolf Pack a 2-1 victory…
PRE-GAME: WOLF PACK CAN CLOSE OUT BRUINS TONIGHT
PRE-GAME REPORT: WOLF PACK LOOK TO CLOSE OUT SERIES AGAINST BRUINS AT XL CENTER By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack welcome the Providence Bruins to town tonight for Game 4 of their Atlantic Division Semifinals series. Thanks to an overtime victory in Game 3 on Wednesday night, the Wolf Pack lead the series…
WOLF PACK SUFFER UGLY LOSS TO P-BRUINS IN GAME 2
By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack PROVIDENCE, RI – The Hartford Wolf Pack were forced to settle for a split in Providence, as the Bruins roared back to take Game 2 6-0 at the Amica Mutual Pavilion on Friday night. The series, now tied 1-1, will shift to the XL Center in Hartford for Game 3 on Wednesday night. The…
WOLF PACK TAKE GAME ONE OF SEMIS IN P-TOWN
By: Shay Costa, Howlings PROVIDENCE, RI – The Hartford Wolf Pack’s Anton Blidh scored 1:28 into the third period to give the team a 4-3 road win against his former team, the Providence Bruins, in Game One of the Atlantic Division semifinal in front of 2,683 at the Amica Mutual Pavilion in Providence, RI. For the Latest in NHL Live…
WOLF PACK SEND BRUINS PACKING WITH OT WIN
By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack are headed to the Atlantic Division Finals for the second straight season. A wild bounce saw a puck clip Jake Leschyshyn and beat Brandon Bussi 9:41 into overtime of Game 4 at the XL Center on Friday night. The goal gave the Wolf Pack a 2-1 victory…
WOLF PACK SUFFER UGLY LOSS TO P-BRUINS IN GAME 2
By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack PROVIDENCE, RI – The Hartford Wolf Pack were forced to settle for a split in Providence, as the Bruins roared back to take Game 2 6-0 at the Amica Mutual Pavilion on Friday night. The series, now tied 1-1, will shift to the XL Center in Hartford for Game 3 on Wednesday night. The…
WOLF PACK TAKE GAME ONE OF SEMIS IN P-TOWN
By: Shay Costa, Howlings PROVIDENCE, RI – The Hartford Wolf Pack’s Anton Blidh scored 1:28 into the third period to give the team a 4-3 road win against his former team, the Providence Bruins, in Game One of the Atlantic Division semifinal in front of 2,683 at the Amica Mutual Pavilion in Providence, RI. For the Latest in NHL Live…
WOLF PACK GET 3-PT NIGHT FROM PITLICK IN GM 1 WIN
By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack PROVIDENCE, RI – Tyler Pitlick picked up three points on Wednesday night as the Hartford Wolf Pack marched into the Amica Mutual Pavilion in Providence and took Game 1 of their best-of-five Atlantic Division Semifinals series. The Wolf Pack struck four times at five-on-five to take the game 4-3. Anton Blidh gave the Wolf…
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 in six games. Orlando will advance to the South Division Finals of the Kelly Cup…
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 night. The win for the Swamp Rabbits splits the series at 1-1 heading into the…
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 by a 1-0 score. Both goaltenders answered each other’s energy with game-breaking save…
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 opening round: the South Division Semifinals against the Orlando Solar Bears. Home games are listed…
Stay connected with ours socials