By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack
HERSHEY, PA – The Hartford Wolf Pack jumped out to a 2-0 lead on Thursday night at the Giant Center in Game One of the Atlantic Division Finals against the Hershey Bears but couldn’t get the game over the finish line. The Bears struck twice in the final frame, forcing overtime that they quickly ended on their way to a 3-2 victory.
Henrik Borgstrom entered the Wolf Pack zone on a two-on-one just minutes into overtime. Borgstrom walked into the right-wing faceoff circle, pulled up, and fired a shot that beat Dylan Garand for his first career Calder Cup Playoff goal just 4:41 into the first overtime period. The goal came off the Bears’ third odd-man rush of the period, as Hershey outshot Hartford 5-1 in the stanza.
Hartford opened the scoring after a wild few minutes, converting their first powerplay of the series. Zac Jones fired a shot from the left-wing circle that Hunter Shepard denied, but the rebound kicked to the top of the crease. There, Lauri Pajuniemi drove and found the loose change, which he chipped over Shepard for his fourth goal of the playoffs. The goal scored at 6:55 was Hartford’s third powerplay tally of the postseason.
Late in the period, forward Anton Blidh needed medical attention on the Wolf Pack bench. As a result, the first period was halted with 2:39 remaining. Blidh received treatment for a non-life-threatening upper-body injury after collapsing on the bench and was cleared to return to action.
When play resumed, the Wolf Pack extended their lead with their second powerplay goal of the night. Hartford’s top powerplay unit chimed in with Gabriel Carlsson in the penalty box for cross-checking. Tanner Fritz sent a pass into the left-wing circle that Brodzinski blasted home for his first goal of the 2023 Calder Cup Playoffs.
Hartford would take a 2-0 lead into the third period, but the Bears quickly made things interesting. With Will Lockwood in the box for roughing, Logan Day stepped into a blast that beat Garand by the glove, rang the post, and found the twine just 2:52 into the final frame.
With Shepard sprinting to the bench and the Bears pressing, Hershey finally found the equalizer. Jake Massie stepped into a shot from the point that clipped Connor McMichael and found the back of the net at 17:51. The goal tied the game at 2-2 and forced the first overtime of the playoffs for both teams.
In overtime, Borgstrom ripped home the winner in his playoff debut, completing the comeback for the Bears and giving them a 1-0 series lead.
Game Two of the Atlantic Division Finals is set for Saturday at 7:00 p.m. at the Giant Center.
The Wolf Pack returns to the XL Center for Game Three of the best-of-five series on Wednesday, May 17th. The puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m. To get tickets, visit HERE.
ABOUT THE HARTFORD WOLF PACK:
The Hartford Wolf Pack has been a premier franchise in the American Hockey League since the team’s inception in 1997. The Wolf Pack is the top player-development affiliate of the NHL’s New York Rangers and plays at the XL Center. The Wolf Pack has been home to some of the Rangers’ newest faces, including Igor Shesterkin, Filip Chytil, and Ryan Lindgren. Follow the Wolf Pack on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok.
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…
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…
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,…
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…
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…
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,…
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…
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…
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…