Wolf Pack Suffer First Regulation Loss
Oct 23, 2013Andy Miele scored two goals, and Daine Todd had three assists, Wednesday night at the XL Center, as the Portland Pirates handed the Wolf Pack its first regulation in seven games on the season, 4-2.
Chris Brown also had a goal and an assist for Portland, and Mark Visentin made 18 saves. Kyle Jean and Danny Kristo scored Wolf Pack goals, and Jason Missiaen stopped 26 shots.
“Take nothing away from Portland tonight,” Wolf Pack head coach Ken Gernander said. “They came in, they were desperate, they were just hungrier than us.”
The win was the Pirates’ first in four games, after an 0-3-0-1 start.
Portland dominated the first period, outshooting the Wolf Pack 11-2, but the Pirates were only able to get one puck past Missiaen. That was Miele’s fourth goal of the season, which came at 14:06. Todd got the puck to Miele at the left side of the slot, and Miele’s hard shot beat Missiaen to the catching-glove side.
The Portland power play then took over the game in the second period, as the Pirates scored three man-advantage goals.
Jordan Szwarz made it a 2-0 Portland lead at 1:53, on a rebound. Missiaen stopped a one-timer by Todd from the middle of the blue line, but Szwarz, as he was being knocked to the ice, was able to stuff the puck in from Missiaen’s left.
Then at 8:55, with Jean in the box for hooking, Brown drove the puck past Missiaen off of right wing, after Wolf Pack defenseman Aaron Johnson had stepped up in the neutral zone and had Brendan Shinnimin tumble head-over-heels over top of him.
Jean got that one back for Hartford at 17:32 with his first of the year, on a nice individual effort. Jean poked the puck up the slot in the Portland zone and picked it up again, stickhandling toward the net and making a move to the backhand to beat Visentin.
The Wolf Pack got into penalty trouble again late in the period, though, and Portland capitalized on a five-on-three at 19:17. The Wolf Pack defenders broke up a Pirate pass in the slot, but the puck went off a Hartford stick to an unguarded Miele to Missiaen’s left, and the Pack goaltender had no chance on Miele’s close-in shot.
The only goal of the third period was Kristo’s team-leading fifth of the year for the Wolf Pack at 6:17, on Hartford’s first power play of the game. Kristo took a pass from Johnson in the right-wing circle and cleanly beat Visentin.
The loss dropped the Wolf Pack to 5-1-0-1 on the year for 11 points.
The Wolf Pack’s next game is this Friday night, October 25, a road outing at Albany. Faceoff is 7:00 PM, and all the action can be heard live on Fox Sports Radio 1410, on-line at www.foxsportsradio1410.com and iHeartRadio. Video streaming is available at www.ahllive.com.
The next Wolf Pack home game is Wednesday, October 30 at the XL Center, with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers coming to town. Faceoff is 7:00 PM, and that is another Wolf Pack “Winning Wednesday”. At all Wednesday night home games this year, if the Wolf Pack win, each fan receives a free ticket to the Pack’s next home game. Some restrictions apply, and full details are available on the Wolf Pack’s official website, 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.
Portland Pirates 4 at Hartford Wolf Pack 2
Wednesday, October 23, 2013 - XL Center
Portland 1 3 0 - 4
Hartford 0 1 1 - 2
1st Period-1, Portland, Miele 4 (Todd, Lane), 14:06. Penalties-Dupont Hfd (hooking), 9:38; Dupont Hfd (holding), 15:32.
2nd Period-2, Portland, Szwarz 2 (Todd, Gormley), 1:53 (PP). 3, Portland, Brown 1 (Martinook, Shinnimin), 8:55 (PP). 4, Hartford, Jean 1 (Syvret, McIlrath), 17:32. 5, Portland, Miele 5 (Brown, Todd), 19:17 (PP). Penalties-Johnson Hfd (checking to the head), 0:23; Martinook Por (diving/embellishment), 6:47; Powe Hfd (interference), 6:47; Jean Hfd (hooking), 7:30; Lessio Por (fighting), 18:10; McIlrath Hfd (roughing, fighting), 18:10; Powe Hfd (slashing), 18:38; Powe Hfd (unsportsmanlike conduct), 20:00.
3rd Period-6, Hartford, Kristo 5 (Johnson, Hrivik), 6:17 (PP). Penalties-Miele Por (goaltender interference), 4:38; Brodeur Por (holding), 12:58; Dupont Hfd (hooking), 15:54.
Shots on Goal-Portland 11-13-6-30. Hartford 2-9-9-20.
Power Play Opportunities-Portland 3 / 8; Hartford 1 / 2.
Goalies-Portland, Visentin 1-1-1 (20 shots-18 saves). Hartford, Missiaen 1-1-0 (30 shots-26 saves).
A-2,032
Referees-Terry Koharski (10), Geoff Miller (28).
Linesmen-Luke Galvin (2), Jim Briggs (83).