Wolf Pack Persist for Three-Point Weekend

The Hartford Wolf Pack split their road games this weekend, snapping their four-game win streak over the Lehigh Valley Phantoms with a 5-4 overtime loss before bouncing back with a 3-2 win in Utica against the Comets. This came after last weekend’s disappointment, where Hartford would go 1-2-0 on the weekend. The Wolf Pack looked to start the weekend off against a familiar foe in the Phantoms, a team they had outscored 9-2 heading into Friday night’s matchup.

Hartford would jump out to an early lead after forward Ben Harpur netted his first goal of the season almost midway through the first period, making the lead 1-0. Lehigh Valley would respond with three straight goals from forward Elliott Desnoyers, forward Olle Lycksell, and rookie forward Jon-Randall Avon in the second period to take a 3-1 lead. With just under 10 minutes remaining in the second, Hartford forward Matt Rempe would register both his first goal and point of the season to cut the Phantoms lead to 3-2.

Early on in the third period, the Wolf Pack would score two goals in just under three minutes to reclaim the lead at 4-3. Forward Jake Leschyshyn potted his first goal of the season on the power play to even the score before rookie forward Ryder Korczak would net his first professional goal just over four minutes into the third. Hartford would not hold the lead for long, as just over two minutes later Phantoms forward Rhett Gardner would even the game at four all. The score would remain even to close out the third period.

Just over a minute into overtime, Desnoyers would find rookie forward Samu Tuomaala on a two-on-one fast break to beat the sprawling Hartford goaltender Dylan Garand to end the game by a final score of 5-4.

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Looking to bounce back after Friday’s overtime defeat, the Wolf Pack traveled up to Utica with the hope of ending the week on a high note against the Comets.

It was a night of firsts in Utica with the first three goal scorers of the game each netting their first of the season. Hartford would find themselves trailing 1-0 late into the first period after Comets forward Timur Ibragimov found forward T.J. Friedman wide open in the slot after a costly Wolf Pack turn over in their defensive zone. Hartford would respond however just minutes later when defenseman Mac Hollowell ripped a shot past Comets goaltender Erik Källgren from the high circle to even the game at 1-1 before time expired in the first period.

Defenseman and recent Cincinnati Cyclones call up Zach Berzolla would kick off the second period scoring at 13:51 of the second to give Hartford its first lead of the game at 2-1. Utica would respond again minutes later with a goal from forward Ryan Schmelzer to even the score. 

Early into the third period, Wolf Pack defenseman Adam Edstrom would score the eventual game-winning goal to make it a 3-2 game in favor of Hartford. The Wolf Pack would hold on to the lead to split the weekend.

Hartford will resume play this weekend on the road against the Bridgeport Islanders on Friday before returning home for the first game of a home-and-home against the Providence Bruins on Saturday before closing out the weekend in Providence on Sunday.