JAKE LESCHYSHYN EXTENDS SCORING STREAK, BUT WOLF PACK FALL 5-2 TO BRUINS
Dec 15, 2024PROVIDENCE, RI – The Hartford Wolf Pack pushed hard in the third period on Sunday afternoon, but three goals against in the second period was too large of a hole to dig out of as the club fell 5-2 to the Providence Bruins at the Amica Mutual Pavilion.
Seconds after the Bruins’ second power play expired, former Wolf Pack forward Tyler Pitlick extended the lead to 3-1. Riley Tufte’s initial shot was denied by Louis Domingue, but a rebound sat to the left of the veteran goaltender with all kinds of chaos around the crease.
Pitlick located the puck and stuffed home his sixth goal of the season and his second against the Wolf Pack at 9:01 of the middle frame. The goal would stand as the eventual game-winning tally.
Patrick Brown opened the scoring, jamming home his sixth goal of the season 8:44 into the hockey game. Billy Sweezey fired a pass from his own zone to Fabian Lysell, who darted into the offensive zone on the left-wing side. Lysell connected with Brown down the middle, whose initial bid was denied by Domingue.
Brown found the rebound and beat Domingue by the right pad to break the ice. The goal was the forward’s second against the Wolf Pack this season.
The Wolf Pack responded at 16:35, striking one second after their second power play expired. Bryce McConnell-Barker flung a perfect pass across the ice to Ryder Korczak in the right-wing circle. Korczak snapped a shot by a sliding Michael DiPietro, scoring his second goal of the season.
The Bruins would take control of the game in the second period, however, outshooting the Wolf Pack 15-5 and outscoring them 3-0.
Matt Poitras restored the lead at 6:03 of the middle frame, taking a centering pass from Vinni Lettieri in a high-danger area. Poitras took the pass and lasered a rocket through the five-hole of Domingue to make it a 2-1 game in favor of the Bruins.
The goal was Poitras’ sixth of the season and gives him goals in six straight games.
Pitlick then extended the league at 9:01, putting the Bruins out of reach.
Jeffrey Viel capped off a stretch of three goals in 6:47 at 12:50, as he too found a rebound for a power play strike. Lysell snapped a shot into traffic that Domingue again denied, but Viel located the rebound and potted his fifth goal of the season.
Jake Leschyshyn responded with his sixth goal in five games, converting a five-on-three power play at 2:35 of the third period. Alex Belzile hit Leschyshyn with a backdoor pass from the left-wing circle, which Leschyshyn tipped home to make it a two-goal game.
The goal extended Leschyshyn’s goal-scoring streak to five games (6 g), Belzile’s assist streak to three games (3 a), and Matthew Robertson’s assist streak to four games (6 a).
The Wolf Pack had ample chances to draw closer in the third period, but struck three goal posts as they failed to cut the lead to one.
Georgii Merkulov ended the intrigue at 16:09, potting an empty net goal to make it 5-2.
The Pack is back at the XL Center on Friday, Dec. 20, when the Bruins come to town! Join us for $2 drafts and $2 hot dogs until the end of the first intermission!
The puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m.
Tickets are available at www.hartfordwolfpack.com.
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ABOUT THE HARTFORD WOLF PACK: The Hartford Wolf Pack has been a premier franchise in the American Hockey League since the team’s inception in 1997. The Wolf Pack are the top player-development affiliate of the NHL's New York Rangers and play at the XL Center. The Wolf Pack has been home to some of the Rangers newest faces including Igor Shesterkin, Filip Chytil, and Ryan Lindgren. Follow the Wolf Pack on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok.