HARTFORD, CT – After a wild affair on Saturday night saw them rack up 160 penalty minutes with the Rochester Americans, the Hartford Wolf Pack hit the road on Sunday. The Wolf Pack visited the Springfield Thunderbirds for the latest installment of the I-91 Rivalry.
For the second time this weekend, the Wolf Pack overcame a multi-goal deficit. However, also for the second time this weekend, a late goal against would sink them. Ultimately, Springfield took a 4-2 decision in this game.
Another Bad Start
For the third straight night, the Wolf Pack conceded the first goal. This time, the opening tally came just 36 seconds after puck drop. Matthew Kessel took a long shot from the right-wing point. Nikita Alexandrov stuck out his stick and clipped the shot, deflecting it by Louis Domingue and into the Hartford net.
Kessel himself doubled the lead just over seven minutes later. Springfield sent out the extra attacker after a delayed penalty call against the Wolf Pack. However, the Thunderbirds wouldn’t need the power play, as Kessel tapped home a centering feed. Springfield took that lead into the first intermission.
Bet on Brennan
The Wolf Pack finally got on the board just over three minutes into the middle frame. Dalibor Dvorsky took a holding call, setting up the Wolf Pack’s second power play bid of the frame.
Jake Leschyshyn dumped the puck into the Springfield zone, and Colten Ellis went out to settle it. However, the puck took a nightmarish bounce off the stanchion and came to Alex Belzile at the side of the net. Belzile attempted to tuck it home, but his attempt hit the side of the cage. Belzile retained control, wrapped around the net, and found Brennan Othmann out in front. Othmann flipped a shot over a downed Ellis to cut the lead in half.
The goal was Othmann’s third in as many games, and the 2-1 spread remained as the teams entered the second intermission.
Blidher’s Back
The Wolf Pack tied the contest 3:19 into the final stanza. Connor Mackey carried the puck into the Springfield zone and snapped a pass to Anton Blidh in the slot. Blidh fired a shot from the slot by Ellis to draw the teams even at two.
The goal was Blidh’s second in as many nights and his 12th of the campaign. Blidh is now one goal away from tying his career high of 13, set in 2022-23 between Hartford and the Colorado Eagles.
Additionally, Belzile recorded the secondary helper on Blidh’s tally, giving him a multi-point night. Belzile has recorded 10 multi-point games so far this season.
Soul Searching
Once again, the Wolf Pack would surrender a late goal that ultimately sunk them. With Blake Hillman in the box for hooking, Matthew Peca put Springfield back on top, this time for good. The Thunderbirds captain deflected a shot from Samuel Johannesson by Domingue to put the game out of reach.
Hugh McGing added an empty-net marker with one second left to play, giving Springfield the 4-2 decision.
The Wolf Pack lost all three games of their most recent three-in-three in regulation. You can argue that they deserved better results in two of those games – they were 35 seconds away from securing a point against Laval, and they fired 42 shots against Springfield. However, almost only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades. They’re 2-6 with four points in their last eight games. They may have deserved better in some of those, but the results are what they are.
The sky isn’t falling quite yet. The Wolf Pack still have 31 games remaining and sit just three points out of a playoff spot. We’ve seen them dig out of deeper holes over the last few years. But it’s getting late early, and if the answers don’t come soon, the Wolf Pack will find themselves on the outside looking in come April.
Up Next
The Wolf Pack will continue their road trip north of the border this week. They’ll head up to Belleville on Wednesday, taking on the Senators for the first time this season. Puck drop is set for 7:00 pm.
