HARTFORD, CT – Fresh off a win over the AHL-leading Hershey Bears on Wednesday, the Hartford Wolf Pack aimed to keep the momentum going in another tough battle. The Wolf Pack welcomed the Laval Rocket to town for the first of four matchups between the teams on Saturday.
Dylan Garand carried another shutout into the third period before Laval scored to make things interesting. However, the Wolf Pack would hang on and collect a 4-2 win to go 3-1-0-0 on the home stand.
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Hartford’s penalty kill would be tested early in the contest. Matthew Robertson took a high-sticking minor, while Jake Leschyshyn went to the box for cross-checking. However, the penalty kill stood strong and prevented Laval from finding the icebreaker.
Matt Rempe took a double minor for high-sticking at 14:09, forcing the Wolf Pack to kill a four minute penalty. However, the Hartford PK once again stood strong, keeping the game scoreless.
Not long after Rempe exited the box, the Wolf Pack finally broke the ice. Leschyshyn kept the puck in the Laval zone and fired it down low. Ben Harpur corralled the puck behind the net and slid a backhand pass to Adam Sýkora at the side of the net. Sýkora snapped a quick shot on net that Connor Hughes denied, but the rebound popped right back to Sýkora. The second effort shot banked off Hughes’ pad and into the net to give the Wolf Pack a lead they’d never lose.
Laval outshot Hartford 11-4 in the frame, but it was the Wolf Pack who took a 1-0 lead into the first intermission.
Just Find Jake
The Wolf Pack doubled their lead about midway through the middle frame. Officials called Xavier Simoneau for holding the stick, sending Hartford to their second power play of the contest.
The Wolf Pack would need just ten seconds to capitalize on the man advantage. Robertson held the puck at the point and slid a pass to Alex Belzile atop the left wing circle. Belzile passed it right back to Robertson, who hammered a shot on net. Leschyshyn, positioned at the front of the cage, deflected the shot by Hughes to double the lead.
“Leschyshyn’s got a hot stick right now in front of the net,” Belzile told The Calder Times after the contest. It’s hard to argue – Leschyshyn has five goals in his last four games, four of which have come on the power play. He’s stepped up big time with Brennan Othmann still recovering from an injury and Brett Berard up in the NHL.
Belzy’s On the Board
The Wolf Pack pushed the lead to three just two minutes later. Adam Engström took a shot from the point that Anton Blidh blocked. Belzile bumped Joshua Roy off the puck and streaked into the Laval zone with Bo Groulx on an odd-man rush. Belzile faked a slap shot before sniping a high shot by Hughes to triple Hartford’s lead.
The goal was Belzile’s second against his former team – he scored a power play goal in Laval last season on December 8th, 2023, in a 4-3 Wolf Pack shootout win.
Failure to Launch
After Belzile’s goal, the Rocket swapped Hughes for Luke Cavallin in net. Cavallin gave Laval a fighting chance, saving all nine shots he saw in the remainder of the contest.
The Rocket snapped Garand’s shutout bid early in the third period. A point shot from Zack Hayes snuck through traffic and found the back of the net to get Laval on the board.
Sean Farrell made things interesting about ten minutes later. After taking a puck for a ride through the offensive zone, Farrell flung a shot on net. The shot beat Garand up high, suddenly cutting the lead to one.
However, the Wolf Pack capped off the win late in regulation. With Sýkora and Jared Davidson in the box for matching minors, Laval lifted Cavallin for the extra attacker. Ben Harpur ended the intrigue, firing a long shot that nailed the empty net and delivered a 4-2 win to the Wolf Pack.
“It was a nice win,” Belzile told The Calder Times after the game. “We took the lead early, they had a push in the third. They’re a dangerous team, they’re well coached. But we find a way to win.”
The win gave the Wolf Pack back to back wins over Hershey, the top team in the Atlantic Division, and Laval, one of the top teams in the North Division. “We talk about it all the time, you’re coaching for the end of the year.,” Wolf Pack head coach Grant Potulny told The Calder Times after the contest. “[Hershey and Laval] are teams that…you’d expect to be part of the [playoff] conversation. We’re trying to be one of those teams too.”
Up Next
The Wolf Pack hit the road for the first of three straight matchups against the Providence Bruins this afternoon. Puck drop from the Rhode Island capital is set for 4:05 pm.
