Falcon Goaltender Frustrates Wolf Pack
Nov 27, 2015The Wolf Pack outshot the Springfield Falcons 36-21 Friday night at the XL Center, but couldn’t beat Falcon goaltender Nicklas Treutle, who rang up his second straight shutout in a 2-0 Springfield victory.
Alex Grant’s late-first period goal was the only offense Treutle would need, and Lucas Lessio added an empty-net goal for the Falcons. Mackenzie Skapski made 19 saves in the Wolf Pack net.
“We need more traffic in front of the net,” Wolf Pack coach Ken Gernander said. “The primaries (first shots) are all well and good, but oftentimes it’s the second and third opportunities that yield the goals.”
The eventual game-winner came at the 16:27 mark of the first, with Grant scoring his fourth goal of the season. Grant fired a shot from the right point that went through a Phil Lane screen and inside the goal post to Skapski’s right.
The ice was tilted toward Treutle in the second period, with the Wolf Pack outshooting the Falcons 21-3, but nothing got by Treutle, a German import who had blanked Bridgeport in a 2-0 win Sunday in Springfield’s previous action.
“It’s just one of those games, we played hard and got a lot of shots on net,” Wolf Pack forward Chad Nehring said. “Their goalie won them the game, if you outshoot them double and can’t get a goal, he did his job.”
Opportunities were harder to come by for the Wolf Pack in the third period, and the Falcons were able to put the game out of reach with Lessio’s empty-netter at 18:51. That was after Skapski dove to stop a Pirate bid moments earlier, reversing his field after he had begun to head for the bench.
“I don’t think we’ve hit our stride yet, we had some injuries early on and we had a lot of new people this year,” Gernander said of the Wolf Pack, who are now 2-8-1-0 in their last 11 games after starting the season 5-1-1-0.
The Wolf Pack are back in action Saturday night, traveling to Bridgeport to take on the Sound Tigers in a 7:00 PM game. All of the action of that battle can be heard live on News Radio 1410 WPOP, and on-line at www.newsradio1410.com and iHeartRadio. Video streaming is available at www.ahllive.com.
The next home game for the Wolf Pack is next Friday night, December 4, when the Hershey Bears invade the XL Center for a 7:15 PM game. At all Friday-night Wolf Pack home games, fans can enjoy $1 hot dogs and $2 beers, through the start of the second period.
Tickets for all 2015-16 Wolf Pack home games are on sale at the Agera Energy Ticket Office at the XL Center, on-line at www.hartfordwolfpack.com and by phone at (877) 522-8499.
To speak with a Wolf Pack representative about season or group tickets, or any of the Wolf Pack’s many ticketing options, call (855) 762-6451, or click here to request more info.
Springfield Falcons 2 at Hartford Wolf Pack 0
Friday, November 27, 2015 - XL Center
Springfield 1 0 1 - 2
Hartford 0 0 0 - 0
1st Period-1, Springfield, Grant 4 (Bunting, P. Samuelsson), 16:27. Penalties-Oleksuk Hfd (tripping), 5:31; Bodie Hfd (holding), 13:22.
2nd Period- No Scoring. Penalties-Brown Hfd (tripping), 13:59; Grant Spr (high-sticking), 15:03.
3rd Period-2, Springfield, Lessio 5 18:51 (EN). Penalties-No Penalties
Shots on Goal-Springfield 8-3-10-21. Hartford 8-21-7-36.
Power Play Opportunities-Springfield 0 / 3; Hartford 0 / 1.
Goalies-Springfield, Treutle 4-2-0 (36 shots-36 saves). Hartford, Skapski 1-3-0 (20 shots-19 saves).
A-4,807
Referees-Alex Garon (64), Pierre Lambert (39).
Linesmen-Kevin Briganti (39), Paul Simeon (66).