HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack wrapped up a season-long six-game homestand on Wednesday night. They hosted the Lehigh Valley Phantoms for some Thanksgiving Eve hockey. Hartford aimed to snap a two-game skid in the contest.
The Wolf Pack led four separate times in the contest, but they couldn’t put the Phantoms away. The game required overtime, where Samu Tuomaala delivered the dagger and the extra point to Lehigh Valley in a 5-4 decision. The loss marked Hartford’s first three-game slide of the season.
Blidh Draws First Blood
The Wolf Pack opted to shuffle their lines entering this contest. Hartford’s top line saw Bo Groulx centering Anton Blidh and Alex Belzile. The so-called “veteran line” earned the icebreaker on this night. Belzile collected the puck along the back wall and snapped a pass up top for Matthew Robertson. Robertson hammered a shot from the blue line, and Blidh got his stick on the drive. The deflected puck trickled through Cal Petersen and into the net, giving the Wolf Pack the game’s first lead.
However, the lead wouldn’t last long. Just 82 seconds later, a costly turnover by Brandon Scanlin allowed Tuomaala to streak into the Hartford zone on a breakaway. Tuomaala flipped a shot over a sprawled-out Dylan Garand to tie the contest at one.
The Wolf Pack had a prime chance to take the lead heading into the second period. Casey Fitzgerald blasted a shot from the high slot that couldn’t make it through traffic. The puck rolled through the crease and onto the stick of Blake McLaughlin, who had a bid at the open net. However, Petersen made an incredible diving stop to rob McLaughlin and keep the game knotted at one.
Neither team could pull ahead in the remainder of the period, and the teams entered the first intermission with the score tied.
Bo Ahead Goal
The Wolf Pack’s top line struck again about seven and a half minutes into the middle frame. Belzile took the puck over the blue line and slid a backwards pass to Scanlin at the top of the zone. Scanlin snapped a shot that Petersen denied, but the Lehigh Valley netminder couldn’t handle the rebound. Groulx crashed down and tucked home his team-leading eighth goal to put the Wolf Pack back on top.
However, the lead soon evaporated once again. Ben Harpur took a cross-checking minor, sending the Wolf Pack to the game’s first penalty kill. The Wolf Pack killed the penalty, but before Harpur could rejoin the fray, Ethan Samson sniped a shot that beat Garand on the short side to tie the game at two.
Once again, neither team could take the lead throughout the remainder of the frame. As a result, the division rivals entered the final period with the score tied at two.
Man-cini Advantage
About eight and a half minutes into the third period, Hunter McDonald high-sticked Groulx. The infraction drew blood, giving the Wolf Pack a four-minute power play opportunity.
A cold Wolf Pack power play struck early in the man advantage. Victor Mancini took a pass from Jake Leschyshyn and set up at the point. Mancini passed the puck to Groulx, who slid it right back. Mancini fired a howitzer that sailed through traffic and into the net, and the Wolf Pack had the lead for the third time in the contest.
The Wolf Pack remained on the power play for an additional two minutes. However, they couldn’t find an insurance goal. Eventually, the Phantoms tied the contest for the third time. A loose puck tumbled into the Hartford zone, and Anthony Richard chased after it. Garand poked it away, but the puck landed on the stick of Rhett Gardner. Gardner promptly ripped a shot by Garand to tie the contest at three.
Can’t Stop the Blidh-ing
However, the Wolf Pack once again found the lead. This time, it came just ten seconds after Gardner’s tally. Scanlin dumped the puck in, and Petersen came out to settle. Petersen attempted to clear, but Scanlin recollected the puck at the blue line. The defenseman took a long shot that clipped the skate of a Phantom defenseman. The puck popped right to Blidh, who snapped a shot home to give the Wolf Pack their fourth lead of the contest. It was Blidh’s first multi-goal game as a member of the Wolf Pack.
However, Blidh’s tally once again wouldn’t be enough for Hartford. The Phantoms lifted Petersen for the extra skater late in the frame, and it allowed them to tie the contest. Garrett Wilson deflected a Richard shot by Garand to tie the game at four and eventually send the contest to overtime.
Heartbreak in Hartford
The Wolf Pack pushed for the win in the extra session. However, they’d come up just short on this night.
Ben Gleason stretched a pass for Tuomaala, who entered the Hartford zone with plenty of space. Tuomaala ripped a shot that went top shelf over Garand, giving the Phantoms the win in a game they never led in. As a result, the Wolf Pack dropped their third straight game, the first time they’ve had a three-game skid this season.
“I think we played one of the better games we’ve played all year. Unfortunately, we just didn’t get the result,” Wolf Pack head coach Grant Potulny told The Calder Times after the contest.
However, Potulny did see a few positives in the game. “Offensively, might’ve been as good as we’ve been all year. We’re not into moral victories, but if you repeat that effort for 55 games, you’re gonna win 53 of them. Very disappointed that we didn’t get the win, but a lot of good things happened tonight,” the Wolf Pack bench boss told The Calder Times.
Up Next
The Wolf Pack hit the road this weekend, making the drive up I-91 for a rivalry matchup with the Springfield Thunderbirds on Saturday. Puck drop is set for 4:05 pm.
