By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack
HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack hosted the Syracuse Crunch inside the XL Center for their second and final meeting this season on the backend of a home-and-home series. The teams were tied 1-1 at the halfway mark of the game before three unanswered goals kickstarted the offense for the Wolf Pack in a 5-2 victory over the Crunch.
Matthew Robertson’s first goal of the season at the 15:40 mark of the second period would be the game-winner, as he let off a seeing-eye shot from the point that beat Hugo Alnefelt low. Robertson’s tally was one of three unanswered goals by the Wolf Pack that gave them the necessary breathing room to skate away with the win.
The Wolf Pack struck early in the opening frame, as Karl Henriksson netted his first of the year at 1:40. Adam Sýkora forced a turnover behind the Crunch net, and his wraparound try was rebounded to the stick of Henriksson, who quickly snapped it under the glove of Alnefelt to put Hartford up 1-0.
The Wolf Pack could not convert on a five-on-three opportunity as the Crunch held them to two shots, highlighted by an Alex Belzile breakaway stoned by the pad of Alnefelt. Minutes later, at 10:26, Mitchell Chafee scored an equalizer for Syracuse to make it a 1-1 game, beating Louis Domingue through the five-hole.
The energy shift was short-lived, as Hartford immediately jumped ahead 29 seconds later, courtesy of Brett Berard’s third of the season. Alnefelt’s pass behind his net was intercepted by Jonny Brodzinski, who found Berard for the quick wraparound goal.
Robertson’s goal to make it 3-1 came a minute after Syracuse killed off Hartford’s fourth powerplay of the night. A big scrum followed Robertson’s tally, resulting in another Hartford powerplay.
A pretty passing play coordinated by Brennan Othmann and Riley Nash gave Belzile a back-door tap-in to put the Wolf Pack up 4-1 at 17:01 of the second period.
Daniel Walcott saw an early dangerous chance in-tight that Domingue tracked. Walcott later went off for roughing after mixing it up with Anton Blidh, negating the Crunch’s third powerplay of the night.
The Crunch pulled their goalie on the powerplay for a brief six-on-four but could not convert. Bobby Trivigno would ice it at 16:11 with an empty netter for his second of the year. Syracuse showed some fight, striking late courtesy of Ilya Usau to make it 5-2, but it would not be enough to spark a comeback.
The Wolf Pack are set to square off against Providence Bruins this Wednesday night at the XL Center! The Puck drop is slated for 7:00 p.m. Tickets are available at hartfordwolfpack.com.
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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.
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