HARTFORD, CT – After a tough loss on Saturday, the Hartford Wolf Pack aimed for a bounce-back performance on Wednesday night. In their way? The AHL-leading Hershey Bears, a rematch of the last two Atlantic Division Finals series.
Dylan Garand helped the Wolf Pack bounce back in a big way. Garand pitched his second straight shutout while a pair of goals from Jake Leschyshyn led the Wolf Pack to a 3-0 win.
Take It to the Bank
The Wolf Pack got off to a slow start in the opening frame. Hershey dominated play, outshooting Hartford 12-4 in the period. The Bears also received the game’s first power play when Anton Blidh went off for high-sticking. However, the Wolf Pack penalty killers were up to the task. Ultimately, Garand and Hunter Shepard denied each shot they faced, sending the game into the first period with no score.
The Wolf Pack finally broke the ice about nine minutes into the second period. A tripping call against Zac Funk gave Hartford their first power play of the contest. Bo Groulx tipped the puck into the Hershey zone, and Leschyshyn collected it along the right wall. Leschyshyn attempted a centering feed for Alex Belzile, but the puck banked off the pad of Shepard and trickled through the five-hole, giving the Wolf Pack a lead they’d never lose.
“I was trying to pass it to [Belzile],” Leschyshyn told The Calder Times after Wednesday’s contest. “Got lucky there.”
Nate the Great
Earning the icebreaker allowed the Wolf Pack to settle in and play their game. As a result, they ended up outshooting Hershey 10-6 in the frame and tilting the ice back in their favor.
Another one of those shots found the back of the net. Belzile won a board battle against a pair of Bears, and during the commotion Matthew Robertson found the loose puck. Robertson fired a shot from the point that clipped Nathan Sucese and went bar down by Shepard, doubling the Hartford lead. The goal was credited to Sucese, his first as a member of the Wolf Pack.
“Really happy for Nate,” Wolf Pack head coach Grant Potulny told The Calder Times after the game. “Just getting that first one out of the way sometimes opens the floodgates a bit. Hopefully this starts the ball rolling for him.”
Jake’s Helpful Tip
The Wolf Pack capped off the scoring late in the third period. Chase Priskie took a slashing call, sending Hartford to their third power play of the game. Robertson held the puck at the point and steered it towards Groulx. The two traded places and Groulx fed Robertson to set up the chance. Robertson ripped a shot from beyond the circle that Leschyshyn tipped by Shepard to put the Wolf Pack up by three.
The Bears pulled Shepard shortly after, aiming to get on the board and back into the game. However, the Garand and his teammates shut down the six-on-five bid for nearly three and a half minutes to secure the clean sheet.
“He’s been building towards this,” Potulny said of Garand to The Calder Times following the game. “He’s been really consistent all year. Dylan prepares for the moment. He doesn’t rise to it, he prepares for it, and it’s great to see him get rewarded.”
Isn’t He Garand?
Garand’s shutout on Wednesday night was his second in as many starts – he blanked the Rockford IceHogs on 24 shots in his previous start on December 6th.
With the performance, Garand becomes the first Wolf Pack goaltender to record shutouts in back-to-back starts since David LeNeveu, who recorded back-to-back shutouts in the 2013-14 season. LeNeveu made 31 saves in a 3-0 win over the Bridgeport Sound Tigers on March 30th, 2014, before making 37 saves against the Manchester Monarchs on April 4th, 2014.
However, Garand was quick to credit his teammates when speaking with the media after the game. “Tonight was a good game, not just for myself, for the whole team,” Garand told The Calder Times after the contest. “Obviously we didn’t have the greatest start, but we got back to our game and played to our identity. That was a huge win for us for sure.”
The third-year goaltender is 8-2-2 with a 2.22 GAA and a .924 SV% in twelve starts this season. He’s been a major part of the Wolf Pack’s success, and if he continues to play at this high level, Garand could find himself representing the Wolf Pack in Coachella Valley for the AHL All-Star Game in February.
Up Next
The Wolf Pack wrap up a four-game home stand on Saturday, welcoming the Laval Rocket to town. Puck drop is set for 6:00 pm.
