The Hartford Wolf Pack faced their biggest challenge of the 2023-24 season on Friday night. The Wolf Pack aimed to snap a six-game losing streak in a critical matchup with their rivals, the Springfield Thunderbirds. To add to the importance, a regulation win would clinch Hartford’s spot in the 2024 Calder Cup Playoffs.
In another tight I-91 Rivalry game, it was goaltender Louis Domingue who sealed the deal. Domingue scored a goalie goal in the waning seconds of regulation to send Hartford to the Calder Cup Playoffs.
The Veterans Take Charge
Wolf Pack interim head coach Steve Smith rolled a new line of Friday night, featuring Riley Nash between Nic Petan and Alex Belzile. The line, dubbed “the veteran line”, broke the ice just under four minutes into the game. Petan took a shot off the rush, but Colten Ellis kicked the puck away. The rebound popped right to Nash, who buried it into the Springfield net to give Hartford the game’s first lead.
However, the Thunderbirds tied the contest late in the opening period. A hard forecheck from Springfield forced a turnover deep in the Hartford zone. Mathias Laferriere collected the puck and sniped it by Domingue on the short side to even the score.
The veteran line struck again about seven minutes into the middle stanza. This time it was Belzile who found the back of the net. Belzile cut towards center ice and used a Springfield defender to screen Ellis. Belzile then flung a shot on net that banked off the post and in to restore the Wolf Pack lead, this time for good.
Closer to Clinching
Jake Leschyshyn doubled the lead just over the halfway point in the second period. Nikolas Brouillard blasted a shot on goal from the top of the offensive zone. Leschyshyn, stationed in front of the net, deflected the bid by Ellis to put Hartford up by two.
Blake Hillman capped off Hartford’s three-goal period at 18:18. Hillman took a feed from Brett Berard and lasered a shot into traffic in front of the Springfield net. The puck snuck by multiple bodies and into the net, giving the Wolf Pack a three-goal lead. It was Hillman’s third goal and 13th point of the season, both setting new career highs.
However, the pesky T-Birds would not be put away easily. Mikhail Abramov cut the lead back to two, going bar down over Domingue off a partial breakaway. Adam Gaudette followed up just over a minute later, poking a pass by Domingue on the backdoor. Suddenly, the Wolf Pack found themselves clinging to a one-goal lead in a game they needed to win.
Domingue Delivers the Dagger
Just over halfway through the final frame, Mac Hollowell was whistled for interference. The penalty forced Hartford to the biggest penalty kill of the night. The Wolf Pack penalty killers were up to the task, allowing just two shots during the man advantage to retain the lead.
Late in the period, Springfield lifted Ellis for the extra attacker as they pushed for the equalizer. Gaudette took a shot from the top of the zone that Domingue settled. However, instead of covering, Domingue opted to fire the puck towards the empty net. The puck sailed over the Springfield defense, tumbled down the ice, and tucked just inside the post for a goalie goal.
The goal was Domingue’s first professional goal and fifth career point in the AHL. The insurance tally put the game out of reach, and 22 seconds later, the Hartford Wolf Pack clinched their spot in the 2024 Calder Cup Playoffs.
Speaking to The Calder Times after the game, Domingue had this to say about his goal:
It was my worst effort ever. When I put [the puck] down, it wasn’t clean and there were two guys coming at me. I said, “you know what, I’m going anyways. If anything, I can put it over their guys and kill the clock.” But it kept the line and went in.
Wolf Pack goaltender Louis Domingue on scoring a goalie goal, 4/12/24
Despite the self-described “worst effort ever”, the goal was extra special for Domingue, who told The Calder Times:
It’s tough to describe the feeling. Pretty unreal feeling. But it’s my daughter’s birthday today, it’s a big day for our family. It’s one way to finish the night, for sure.
Wolf Pack goaltender Louis Domingue on scoring a goalie goal, 4/12/24
Domingue’s goal was the 24th goalie goal in AHL history, and he became the 23rd different AHL goaltender to score a goal. Domingue is also the second goalie to score a goal for the Wolf Pack, joining AHL Hall of Famer J.F. Labbé, who scored a goal against the Quebec Citadelles on February 5th, 2000.
Hartford’s Heading to the Calder Cup Playoffs!
Domingue’s dagger made it official – the Hartford Wolf Pack are returning to the Calder Cup Playoffs for the second straight year. It’s the first time Hartford has qualified for the Calder Cup Playoffs in consecutive years since 2011 and 2012.
Last year, the Wolf Pack went on a magical playoff run. They won ten of their final twelve games to clinch their first playoff birth since 2015. In the Calder Cup Playoffs, Hartford swept Springfield in the opening round before knocking out Providence in the Atlantic Division Semifinals. Their Cinderella run came to an end in the Atlantic Division Finals at the hands of the eventual 2023 Calder Cup Champions, the Hershey Bears. This year, the Wolf Pack will look to improve on that magical run and earn their first Calder Cup since 2000. They’ll have to make it through a tough Atlantic Division, but if Friday’s contest is any indicator, this group is plenty capable of doing so.
Up Next
The Wolf Pack will wrap up the weekend this afternoon, hosting the Charlotte Checkers in a matinee matchup. The puck will drop at 3:00 pm.
