Georgiev's 37 Saves Help Wolf Pack Gain OT Point
Nov 12, 2017By Meghan O'Reilly
Daniel Audette’s goal at 1:44 of overtime gave the Laval Rocket a 3-2 win over the Wolf Pack Sunday at the XL Center, in the first-ever meeting between the two teams.
The Wolf Pack were outshot 40-28 in the game, but Hartford goaltender Alexandar Georgiev made 37 saves to help the Wolf Pack earn a standings point.
Wolf Pack head coach Keith McCambridge said after the game, “There’d be parts of the game I’d look at to analyze and correct, and our goaltender is not one of those areas.”
The game got off to a rough start when at 2:51 of the first period, Eric Selleck and Yannick Veilleux squared off. They were both sent away for five minutes, after Selleck got the upper hand and slammed Veilleux to the ice.
Kyle Baun gave the Rocket the game’s first lead at 6:55, after intercepting a Wolf Pack pass in the Hartford zone. Georgiev stopped Baun’s shot but could not cover the puck, and Wolf Pack defenseman Brandon Crawley, attempting to help Georgiev, dove into the goal crease and inadvertently knocked the puck into the net.
That lead lasted until the 17:58 mark of the second period, when Dan Catenacci finally got the Wolf Pack on the scoreboard. After a Ryan Sproul shot went wide, Catenacci’s centering attempt out of the right-wing corner hit Rocket defenseman Brett Lernout and deflected past netminder Michael McNiven.
With the game appearing headed for overtime, both offenses suddenly struck in the last 1:24 of the third period.
First, at 18:36, Vinni Lettieri gave the Wolf Pack what would turn out to be a short-lived lead with his team-leading sixth goal of the season. Cole Schneider worked the puck off of the left-wing wall and Lettieri found it in the slot, before beating McNiven with a hard shot to the stick side.
The Rocket tied it right back up only 33 seconds later, though, with 50.9 seconds left and McNiven on the bench for an extra attacker. Chris Terry got the goal, his eighth of the year, on a pinpoint shot from the top of the right circle, into the top corner on Georgiev’s stick side.
That sent the game to overtime, and Audette ended it on Laval’s only shot of the extra period, taking a pass from Jakub Jerabek and beating Georgiev’s catching glove from the slot.
“It’s unfortunate,” Lettieri said. “[Audette] made a terrific shot, but you can’t blame [Georgiev] one bit.”
McCambridge added, “We like where our game is at right now. You need your goaltender to be good to stay in games and [Georgiev] was all of that.”
The Wolf Pack are back at the XL Center this Wednesday, November 15, taking on the Bridgeport Sound Tigers in a 7:00 PM game. That is another chance to take advantage of the Wolf Pack’s “Click It or Ticket Family Value Pack”. The Family Value Pack includes two tickets, two sodas and two hot dogs, all for just $40.
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.
Laval Rocket 3 (OT) at Hartford Wolf Pack 2
Sunday, November 12, 2017 - XL Center
Laval 1 0 1 1 - 3
Hartford 0 1 1 0 - 2
1st Period-1, Laval, Baun 2 6:55. Penalties-Veilleux Lav (fighting), 2:51; Selleck Hfd (fighting), 2:51; Sproul Hfd (holding), 7:48; Crawley Hfd (cross-checking), 12:04.
2nd Period-2, Hartford, Catenacci 2 (Sproul, Gilmour), 17:58. Penalties-Crawley Hfd (interference), 4:16; Carr Lav (hooking), 9:50; Cracknell Hfd (hooking), 14:20.
3rd Period-3, Hartford, Lettieri 6 18:36. 4, Laval, Terry 8 (Jerabek, Audette), 19:09. Penalties-Deslauriers Lav (hooking), 4:44; Sproul Hfd (slashing), 11:11.
OT Period-5, Laval, Audette 5 (Carr, Jerabek), 1:44. Penalties-No Penalties
Shots on Goal-Laval 15-15-9-1-40. Hartford 7-7-12-2-28.
Power Play Opportunities-Laval 0 / 5; Hartford 0 / 2.
Goalies-Laval, McNiven 1-1-0 (28 shots-26 saves). Hartford, Georgiev 3-3-2 (40 shots-37 saves).
A-2,312
Referees-Keith Kaval (40), Mackenzie Nichol (68).
Linesmen-Nick Briganti (58), Kevin Briganti (39).