The Hartford Wolf Pack hosted a pair of North Division opponents over the weekend. The team’s overtime woes continued, dropping both games in the extra frame.
Friday – Rochester Americans 3, Hartford Wolf Pack 2 (OT)
The Rochester Americans visited the XL Center for the first time since January 21st. The teams split a home-and-home series last year, with the home team winning both matchups.
The Wolf Pack played with fire from opening puck drop, firing 16 shots on Devin Cooley throughout the first period. The Rochester netminder was up to the task, keeping Hartford off the board for most of the period. Karl Henriksson finally beat Cooley in the final minute of the period, ripping a shot off the post and in to break the ice.
Rochester earned a bench minor for too many men just 48 seconds into the second period, giving Hartford an opportunity to double the lead. However, disaster struck as Brandon Biro tied the game on a shorthanded breakaway. It was the fourth short-handed goal the Wolf Pack have allowed this season.
Matthew Robertson made a pair of impressive plays to tilt the game back in favor of the Wolf Pack. On the defensive end, Robertson prevented Riley Stillman burying a wraparound attempt, keeping the score even. On the other side of the ice, Robertson found Brett Berard in the left circle, who promptly ripped a shot by Cooley to put Hartford back in front.
Hartford had multiple powerplay opportunities in the final stanza, but Cooley kept the deficit at one. Cooley’s impressive play allowed Jiri Kulich to tie the game at two late in the third period. Kulich ripped a shot that snuck through Louis Domingue and eventually sent the game to overtime.
Kulich was the overtime hero in this contest. Alex Belzile was whistled for hooking at 1:10 of the extra frame, giving Rochester an extra skater. A screen from Michael Mersch allowed Kulich to blast a one-timer into the net, giving the Amerks the extra point.
Sunday – Toronto Marlies 4, Hartford Wolf Pack 3 (OT)
The Wolf Pack wrapped up their five-game stretch against the North Division on Sunday, hosting the Marlies. Dylan Garand returned to action after being scratched with a lower-body injury for Hartford’s last three games.
Matej Pekar took a high-sticking minor at 11:23, and Hartford went to the penalty kill. The Wolf Pack killed the penalty, but before Pekar could rejoin the action, Kieffer Bellows jammed the puck into the Hartford net to break the ice.
Nick Abruzzese doubled the lead at 5:29 of the second. An odd-man rush left an open net for Abruzzese, and he took advantage with a one-timer.
However, the Wolf Pack would tie the game with a pair of goals in just 38 seconds. Bobby Trivigno forced a turnover in the offensive zone, and Pekar grabbed the puck along the back wall. Matt Rempe tipped Pekar’s pass over Keith Petruzzelli to put Hartford on the board.
Alex Belzile tied the contest 38 seconds later, sniping a pass from Riley Nash into the Toronto net. Just like that, the Wolf Pack were right back in it. It was Belzile’s 24th point of the campaign, a figure that leads active Wolf Pack skaters.
Adam Edström, fresh off assignment from the New York Rangers, gave the Wolf Pack their first lead of the afternoon late in the period. Edström collected his own rebound and wrapped around the net, tucking the puck just inside the post to put Hartford in front.
The Marlies would tie the game again in the third period, with Zach Solow sniping a shot past Garand. Neither team could pull ahead through the rest of the period, sending the game to overtime. There, Topi Niemelä delivered the extra point for Toronto, blasting a one-timer into the Hartford net off a 2-on-0 rush.
The Silver Lining
Obviously, dropping a pair of overtime heartbreakers is not the desired outcome for the Wolf Pack this past weekend. However, there is a silver lining to the disappointing weekend.
By sending both games to overtime, Hartford picked up a pair of points. The Wolf Pack have earned 35 points on the season, good for second in the American Hockey League – only the Hershey Bears (44) have more. While the weekend could’ve been better, it also could’ve been worse. Despite these struggles, the Wolf Pack remain at the top of the AHL, and fans should have confidence that they can get out of this rut.
Edström’s Weekend to Remember
If there’s one Wolf Pack player who had a great weekend, it’s Adam Edström.
The New York Rangers recalled Edström for their game against the Anaheim Ducks on Friday night, but was not expected to play. However, Nick Bonino was a late scratch for the Broadway Blueshirts with an illness, allowing Edström to make his NHL debut.
That wasn’t the only milestone for the rookie Swede. Edström scored his first NHL goal in the waning moments of the contest, taking a feed from Barclay Goodrow and ripping a shot from the slot past Ducks’ goalie Lukas Dostal.
Speaking to AHL News Now after the Wolf Pack’s game on Friday, interim head coach Steve Smith had plenty of praise for Edström. “First and foremost, he’s deserved that opportunity. He’s done everything that’s been asked of him down here,” Smith told AHL News Now. “We were excited for him to go, and I’m glad to see that he had some success.”
Up Next
The Wolf Pack return to action on Friday, December 22nd, when they host the Bridgeport Islanders. It will be the first time the “Battle of Connecticut” will visit Hartford this season. Puck drop is set for 7:00 pm.
