Wolf Pack Downed 7-0 in Springfield

Sep 27, 2013

Alex Aleardi scored four goals, and Jake Hansen scored twice, to lead the Springfield Falcons to a 7-0 victory over the Wolf Pack in AHL preseason action Friday night at the MassMutual Center.

The Falcons scored their seven goals on only 20 shots. Springfield goaltenders Mike Clemente (11 saves) and Linus Lundin (six saves) combined to stop 17 Pack shots.

The two teams generated a total of only seven shots in the first period, and Springfield had only two, but one of them found the back of the net.

With 3:36 left in the opening period, Aleardi stole the puck just inside the Wolf Pack blue line and fired a shot into the top corner on Pack goaltender Cam Talbot’s glove side.

That momentum carried over into the second period, in which the Falcons would score three times.

Aleardi struck again at 4:02 of the second, on a rebound. Talbot stopped Patrick McNeill’s slap shot from the left point, but Aleardi got behind Dylan McIlrath in front of the goal and banged the loose puck past Talbot.

Hansen made it a 3-0 Springfield lead at 9:50, when a shot from off of right wing was blocked but the puck trickled through to Hansen, and he put it home.

Only 1:41 after that, at 11:31, the lead ballooned to 4-0, with Aleardi getting his hat trick goal. He drove the middle and took a pass off of left wing from Broc Little, before jamming a low shot into the net.

At that point Springfield was shooting 50 percent for the game, four goals on eight shots.

Talbot and Co. steadied things after that and it remained 4-0 in favor of the Falcons after two, but Springfield would tack on three more in the third.

Hansen got his second of the game on a fine individual effort at 6:05, making a slick move to get away from McIlrath and then firing a bullet of a shot into the top shelf behind Talbot.

Jeremy Langlois then made it 6-0 on a Springfield power play at 10:16, taking advantage of a fortunate break. A pass by Spencer Machacek hit the side of the goal to Talbot’s right and caromed right in front to an unchecked Langlois, who had plenty of time to pick his spot.

Aleardi then completed the scoring with his fourth of the game with 1:32 left. The rookie winger unloaded a quick shot from a sharp angle along the left-wing boards that surprised Talbot and went underneath the Wolf Pack netminder.

The Wolf Pack are now 1-1-0-1 in exhibition play, and the team takes a break from the preseason schedule tomorrow, Saturday, September 28, but the entire preseason roster will be participating in a “meet-and-greet” event at Blue Back square in West Hartford Saturday evening. From 6:00-8:00 PM, fans can enjoy autographs, games, prizes, inflatables, live music and more at Blue Back Square, which is located at 65 Memorial Rd. in West Hartford Center. The event is free and open to the public.

The Wolf Pack then wraps up the preseason this Sunday, September 29, welcoming the Falcons to the International Skating Center of Connecticut, 1375 Hopmeadow Rd. in Simsbury, for a 2:00 PM mat-inee. The admission charge for the International Skating Center of Connecticut game will be $5, with proceeds benefitting inner-city hockey programs for Hartford-area youngsters.

The Wolf Pack open their 2013-14 regular season Saturday, October 5 at the XL Center against the Norfolk Admirals. Faceoff for that game is 7:00, and the full 2013-14 Wolf Pack regular season schedule can be viewed at www.hartfordwolfpack.com.

Tickets for all Wolf Pack 2013-14 home games are on sale now at the Public Power Ticket Office at the XL Center, on-line at www.hartfordwolfpack.com and by phone at (877) 522-8499. Wolf Pack tickets start as low as $12 for youth 12 years old or younger. To speak with a representative about season or group tickets, call (855) 762-6451.

 

Hartford Wolf Pack 0 at Springfield Falcons 7
Friday, September 27, 2013 - MassMutual Center

Hartford 0 0 0 - 0
Springfield 1 3 3 - 7

1st Period-1, Springfield, Aleardi 1 16:24. Penalties-Aleardi Spr (boarding), 8:24; Lavin Spr (interfer-ence), 11:35; Wilson Hfd (tripping), 19:06.

2nd Period-2, Springfield, Aleardi 2 (McNeill), 4:02. 3, Springfield, Hansen 1 (Smith, Parlett), 9:50. 4, Springfield, Aleardi 3 (Little, St. Denis), 11:31. Penalties-McIlrath Hfd (fighting), 6:35; Emmerson Spr (fighting), 6:35.

3rd Period-5, Springfield, Hansen 2 (McNeill, Sedlak), 6:05. 6, Springfield, Langlois 1 (Machacek, Sa-karis), 10:16 (PP). 7, Springfield, Aleardi 4 (Lavin), 18:25. Penalties-McIlrath Hfd (roughing), 8:50; Yogan Hfd (roughing, unsportsmanlike conduct), 11:45; Sedlak Spr (boarding), 11:45; Emmerson Spr (roughing, unsportsmanlike conduct), 14:37; Nash Hfd (boarding), 16:56.

Shots on Goal-Hartford 5-8-4-17. Springfield 3-11-6-20.
Power Play Opportunities-Hartford 0 / 4; Springfield 1 / 4.
Goalies-Hartford, Talbot 2-2-0 (20 shots-13 saves). Springfield, Clemente -- (11 shots-11 saves); Lundin -- (6 shots-6 saves).
Referees-Geno Binda (22).
Linesmen-Chris Low (88), Bob St. Lawrence (10).