Pack Fight Through Long Delay to Beat Bridgeport
Nov 11, 2017(Photo courtesy of Bridgeport Sound Tigers)
Dan Catenacci’s goal, his first of the season, at 12:03 of the third period lifted the Wolf Pack to a 2-1 win over the Bridgeport Sound Tigers Saturday night at Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport, CT.
The game was delayed for more than 45 minutes at the start of the third period by a problem with the ice around one of the nets. The Wolf Pack outshot Bridgeport 13-11 in the third, after the Sound Tigers had a combined 33-12 shots advantage in the first two periods.
“I thought the focus of the group was real strong,” Wolf Pack head coach Keith McCambridge said. “Obviously it was different than your normal American Hockey League game, with the delay, but I thought the players did a really good job staying on task and coming out with some jump in that third after the delay.”
The Wolf Pack scored on the game’s first shift, taking only 15 seconds to grab a 1-0 lead. John Gilmour snapped the puck at the net from the left point, with Joe Whitney screening, and, after Sound Tiger goaltender Christopher Gibson (23 saves) made the stop, Whitney dove to his right to backhand in the rebound.
Bridgeport answered that on a power play at 7:28, just 12 seconds after Ryan Sproul was sent off for slashing. Devon Toews shot the puck from the right point through a screen set by Steve Bernier, and former Wolf Pack captain Ryan Bourque was able to slide home the rebound, just inside the post to the left of Hartford goaltender Alexandar Georgiev (43 saves).
The second period was scoreless, despite a 16-6 shots-on-goal advantage for Bridgeport, and then came the long wait to start the third.
The Wolf Pack had to kill a hooking penalty called against Gilmour just 1:53 into the final period, and then Catenacci, after Gibson had stopped an earlier bid of his, grabbed the puck high in the zone and fired a shot past Gibson’s stick side from the top of the circles.
Georgiev held the fort after that, and the Wolf Pack skated off with a second straight win.
The Wolf Pack are back home at the XL Center on Sunday, as the new Laval Rocket make their first-ever visit to Hartford. That game is a 5:00 faceoff, and each of the Wolf Pack’s Sunday home games features 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.
Hartford Wolf Pack 2 at Bridgeport Sound Tigers 1
Saturday, November 11, 2017 - Webster Bank Arena
Hartford 1 0 1 - 2
Bridgeport 1 0 0 - 1
1st Period-1, Hartford, Whitney 5 (Gilmour), 0:15. 2, Bridgeport, R. Bourque 1 (Toews, Bernier), 7:28 (PP). Penalties-Helgeson Bri (cross-checking), 5:03; Sproul Hfd (slashing), 7:16; Whitney Hfd (delay of game), 16:52.
2nd Period- No Scoring. Penalties-Selleck Hfd (boarding), 6:34.
3rd Period-3, Hartford, Catenacci 1 12:03. Penalties-Gilmour Hfd (hooking), 1:53.
Shots on Goal-Hartford 6-6-13-25. Bridgeport 17-16-11-44.
Power Play Opportunities-Hartford 0 / 1; Bridgeport 1 / 4.
Goalies-Hartford, Georgiev 3-3-1 (44 shots-43 saves). Bridgeport, Gibson 3-4-0 (25 shots-23 saves).
A-5,012
Referees-Peter Tarnaris (17), Jeremy Tufts (78).
Linesmen-Bill Lyons (27), John Kiriakos (23).