HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack played the most important game of their season on Friday night. The Wolf Pack hosted the Springfield Thunderbirds in a critical matchup in the Atlantic Division playoff race.
Ultimately, 65 minutes of hockey would not be enough to decide a winner, and the fierce rivals required a shootout. After seven rounds, Blake Hillman played the role of hero, delivering the extra point and a 4-3 win to the Wolf Pack.
Roo-Back to Back
The fierce rivals played a low-event, scoreless first period that saw just eight shots between them.
Springfield finally broke the ice just over nine minutes into the middle stanza. Samuel Johannesson fired a shot on net that Louis Domingue made the initial stop on. However, the puck trickled through the Hartford netminder and into the net to give the T-Birds the game’s first lead.
The Wolf Pack tied the game in the final minutes of the middle frame. Adam Sýkora forced a turnover thanks to a hard forecheck, and Brett Budgell collected the loose puck. Budgell found Dylan Roobroeck in the left circle, who then snapped a shot on net that breezed by Colten Ellis to tie the game.
The goal sent the rivals into the first intermission tied at one.
Jaro’s on Fire
Springfield nearly regained the lead just under a minute into the frame when Nikita Alexandrov found the back of the net. However, after review, officials deemed that he kicked the puck by Domingue and waved the goal off.
The Wolf Pack took their first lead of the contest just over three minutes into the third period. Hillman took a point shot that Jake Leschyshyn deflected out in front. The puck popped to Jaroslav Chmelař, who cleaned up the loose change and put the Wolf Pack out in front.
The goal was Chmelař’s second in as many games.
However, Springfield would once again find the equalizer. With Otto Stenberg speeding towards the Hartford net on a breakaway, Domingue came way out of net to play the puck. Officials whistled the Hartford netminder for interference, sending Springfield to the power play. Matthew Peca converted with a blast over a sprawled-out Domingue to tie the game.
Anton’s Knocking on the Back Door
Springfield reinstated their lead just over the 13 minute mark in the third frame. Former Wolf Pack defenseman Hunter Skinner flung a shot on net, and the puck clipped a Wolf Pack player in front before sneaking by Domingue.
However, the Wolf Pack found the equalizer just 40 seconds later. Alex Belzile collected the puck in the slot and found Chad Ruhwedel powering towards the net. Belzile sent a pass to Ruhwedel, but the veteran blueliner couldn’t get it to settle for a shot. Ruhwedel recovered and worked down low, drawing Ellis out of position. Ruhwedel then found Anton Blidh on the back door, and the veteran tipped a feed into the wide-open net to tie the game once again.
The goal was Blidh’s 17th of the season, continuing his career-best year in the goal scoring department.
Neither team could pull ahead in the final six minutes and change of regulation, giving each a point and forcing overtime.
The Wolf Pack dominated the extra frame, outshooting Springfield 5-0. However, Ellis made some impressive saves in the bonus session to keep the game tied and eventually force a shootout.
Hilly the Hero
Belzile scored in the top of the first round of the shootout, snapping a quick shot by Ellis. However, Springfield would find the equalizer in the bottom of the third round, with Matt Luff waiting out Domingue and nailing the open net.
From there, the netminders traded saves, with each making an additional three to send the shootout to its seventh round. In round seven, the Wolf Pack sent out Hillman, the first blueliner they used in the skills competition.
Hillman collected the puck at neutral ice and skated to the right. Hillman danced back towards the middle and faked a shot attempt on the forehead. The veteran defenseman quickly switched to the backhand and stuffed a shot by Ellis to give Hartford the advantage. The shootout attempt was the first of Hillman’s career.
Johannesson took the seventh shot for Springfield. Johannesson took the puck and cut wide left. The rookie blueliner attempted to beat Domingue through the five-hole, but Domingue closed the gap, making the save and cementing the win for the Wolf Pack.
“[The players] know [who’s good], I don’t know. Probably three or four [rounds] in, Dylan Garand goes, ‘Hilly’s really good,'” Wolf Pack head coach Grant Potulny told The Calder Times after the contest. “We keep going, and Belzy turns around and goes, ‘Hilly’s good.’ I said, ‘Hilly, [go].'”
Hillman was surprised by his selection, telling The Calder Times, “I was a little shocked, I’ve never gone in a shootout before. That was a first time for me. [Garand] told me after the game about how he was telling the coaching staff to send me. Halfway through, Belzile looked at me and said be ready too, just in case. I’m like, I doubt it, but alright, sounds good. It was a really cool moment and I’m glad I got to go.”
A Big Two Points
To put it simply, this was a win the Wolf Pack absolutely had to have if they wanted a shot at making the Calder Cup Playoffs this season. Entering play, the Wolf Pack trailed the T-Birds by nine points in the Atlantic Division playoff chase. The win moved Hartford to eight points back with 19 games to play.
“It was important to get a win,” Potulny told The Calder Times after the game. “Early in the game, we had a lot of possession time, but we were almost looking for that next perfect play. We had some 2-on-1s that we didn’t get any shots on. There was some adversity. But we hung in it, stuck with it, we had energy on the bench. It’s too bad we couldn’t get all the points and give them none, but we just gotta keep putting two points in the bag.”
Potulny’s assessment is correct. Gaining two points would be much more advantageous to his team. However, a win is a win, and last night represented another really good win for the Wolf Pack.
Remember, crazier things have happened in the AHL. 19 games is plenty of time for a team to go on a run. If this Wolf Pack team gives the effort they’ve given in the last two over the final 19, they’ll put themselves in position to play springtime hockey. Buckle up, Wolf Pack fans. The home stretch has officially arrived.
Up Next
The Wolf Pack wrap up a four-game homestand today as they host the Utica Comets. Puck drop is set for 6:00 pm.
