Chytil Keys Pack Win in Springfield
Oct 14, 2017(Photo by Danny Baxter)
Filip Chytil had the game-winning goal and two assists, for his first North American pro points, Saturday night at the MassMutual Center in Springfield, MA, as the Wolf Pack defeated the Springfield Thunderbirds by a score of 4-3.
The game was the Wolf Pack’s first road outing of the season, after the club went 2-1-0-0 in three straight home games to begin the year.
Chytil, 18, the youngest player to suit up in the AHL since October of 1974, was playing in his second game since being assigned to the Wolf Pack by the parent New York Rangers on Tuesday.
“We made some adjustments there, moving him on a different line (with Vinni Lettieri and Cole Schneider),” Wolf Pack head coach Keith McCambridge said of Chytil, “and I felt there was a little more chemistry there, they were able to read off each other. When you watch him, after he did get that goal, just even more confidence in his game started to really shine through. Real top-end player, for a real young guy. Still some learning to go there, but I liked his game tonight.”
The game was tied 1-1 after two periods, but the Wolf Pack would erupt for three goals in the first 9:41 of the third.
Boo Nieves scored his second goal of the year, and second in as many games, just 11 seconds into the third. With the Wolf Pack on a power play that carried over from the second period, Scott Kosmachuk rushed up the middle in the Springfield end and fired a shot that was stopped by Thunderbird goaltender Harri Sateri (34 saves). Nieves drove to the net, though, and backhanded the rebound in.
Hartford made it a 3-1 lead at 6:49, on a shot from the right point by John Gilmour. Chytil won a faceoff back to Gilmour and screened Sateri, and Gilmour’s wrist shot found its way through for his first goal of the season.
Chytil then scored his first North American pro goal less than three minutes later, at 9:41. Lettieri set Schneider up in front for a close-in shot, and this time it was Chytil who jumped on the rebound.
It was 4-1 Wolf Pack at that point, but that goal would turn out to be the winner, as the Thunderbirds would come back with a pair of scores in the final 3:47 of the game.
Reece Scarlett cut the lead to 4-2 at 16:13, after the Wolf Pack failed to get the puck out of their zone near the blue line. Juho Lammikko passed off the boards to Scarlett, who moved down the left side and snapped a shot past Hartford netminder Chris Nell (33 saves).
Springfield got to within one goal with 15.7 seconds left, with Sateri on the bench for an extra attacker and Lettieri in the penalty box for slashing. A shot by Curtis Valk deflected to Lammikko at the right side of the goal mouth, and Lammikko flicked it in.
The Thunderbirds were unable to threaten again, though, and the Wolf Pack secured a third straight win.
Springfield outshot the Wolf Pack 15-11 in the first period, but the Wolf Pack came out of it leading 1-0.
The Thunderbirds had good early pressure, helped by a pair of power plays, and Ryan Horvat put a shot off of the crossbar behind Nell at the 11-minute mark, but the Wolf Pack would finish a rush at 15:05 to open the scoring.
It was Lettieri getting his first pro goal to put Hartford in front, speeding down the left side and putting a backhand shot over the right shoulder of Sateri and just under the crossbar.
The Thunderbirds then got the only goal of the second period, the first of the year for Jayce Hawryluk at 7:50. After a Wolf Pack power play expired, Springfield hemmed the Wolf Pack in their own zone, and Denis Malgin maintained puck possession until he found Hawryluk at the middle of the blue line. Hawryluk uncorked a hard slap shot that got by Nell on the glove side.
The Wolf Pack are now off until this Friday night, October 20, when the Belleville Senators invade the XL Center. Faceoff is 7:15 PM, and, as at all Friday-night Wolf Pack home games, fans can enjoy $1 hot dogs and $2 beers through the start of the second period, presented by Dave & Buster’s.
Tickets for all Wolf Pack 2017-18 home games are on sale now at the Agera Energy Ticket Office at the XL Center, on-line at www.hartfordwolfpack.com and by phone at (877) 522-8499.
Season ticket information for the Wolf Pack’s 2017-18 AHL season can be found on-line at www.hartfordwolfpack.com. To speak with a representative about all of the Wolf Pack’s many attractive ticketing options, call (855) 762-6451.
Hartford Wolf Pack 4 at Springfield Thunderbirds 3
Saturday, October 14, 2017 - MassMutual Center
Hartford 1 0 3 - 4
Springfield 0 1 2 - 3
1st Period-1, Hartford, Lettieri 1 (Chytil, Bereglazov), 15:05. Penalties-Scarlett Spr (hooking), 1:34; Gilmour Hfd (interference), 5:21; Bereglazov Hfd (holding), 8:18; Hawryluk Spr (hooking), 16:46.
2nd Period-2, Springfield, Hawryluk 1 (Malgin, Scarlett), 7:50. Penalties-Scarlett Spr (slashing), 4:31; Schemitsch Spr (tripping), 12:56; Valk Spr (holding), 19:33.
3rd Period-3, Hartford, Nieves 2 (Kosmachuk), 0:11 (PP). 4, Hartford, Gilmour 1 (Chytil), 6:49. 5, Hartford, Chytil 1 (Schneider, Lettieri), 9:41. 6, Springfield, Scarlett 1 (Lammikko), 16:13. 7, Springfield, Lammikko 1 (Valk, Byron), 19:44 (PP). Penalties-Beauchemin Spr (slashing), 2:00; Nieves Hfd (hooking), 2:55; DeSalvo Hfd (tripping), 10:30; Crawley Hfd (cross-checking), 10:54; Brodeur Spr (cross-checking), 10:54; Kosmachuk Hfd (hooking), 13:54; Lettieri Hfd (slashing), 18:14; Balisy Spr (hooking), 20:00.
Shots on Goal-Hartford 11-13-14-38. Springfield 15-12-9-36.
Power Play Opportunities-Hartford 1 / 6; Springfield 1 / 6.
Goalies-Hartford, Nell 3-0-0 (36 shots-33 saves). Springfield, Sateri 0-2-0 (38 shots-34 saves).
A-6,793
Referees-Corey Syvret (42), Peter Tarnaris (17).
Linesmen-Frank Murphy (29), Derek Wahl (46).