Wolf Pack Score Shootout Win in Front of 10,149
Feb 1, 2014The Wolf Pack outshot the Albany Devils 14-1 in scoring three third-period goals Saturday night at the XL Center, on the way to a come-from-behind, 4-3 shootout win in front of a season-high crowd of 10,149 on “Pink in the Rink” night.
Ryan Bourque tied the score at three with 3:56 left in the third, and T.J. Hensick, J.T. Miller and Jesper Fast all scored in the shootout. Veterans Micheal Haley and Darroll Powe also found the net in the third period, after Hartford trailed 2-0 after two.
David LeNeveu made 13 saves in regulation and overtime, and went 3/4 in the shootout for the Wolf Pack. Albany got second-period goals from Mike Sislo and Harri Pesonen, and Joe Whitney scored in the third period. Keith Kinkaid made 33 saves.
“I thought we played a solid 65 minutes tonight, I have no complaints,” Wolf Pack head coach Ken Gernander said. “It was nice playing in front of a big crowd that brought a lot of energy.”
After several poor starts in a row, the Wolf Pack had a good first period, outshooting the Devils 11-4, but the game remained scoreless after one.
The 0-0 deadlock lasted until just past the halfway point of the second period, before the Devils scored twice in a span of 2:12.
Sislo opened the scoring at 10:23 with an unassisted goal, off a turnover by Miller. Miller passed the puck from below the goal line to the front of the net and Sislo, just back from an NHL stint with New Jersey, intercepted, and put a quick backhand shot past the stick side of LeNeveu.
Then, at 12:35, Pesonen made it 2-0, after an Adam Larsson shot from the left point popped out of LeNeveu’s catching glove and dropped to the ice. Pesonen jammed the crease and was able to poke the loose puck just over the goal line.
Haley got the Wolf Pack on the scoreboard only 1:38 into the third, one second after a Wolf Pack power play expired. Aaron Johnson threw the puck at the net from the left point, and Haley tipped it past Kinkaid from between the hash marks.
Albany got that goal back only 58 seconds later, though, on Whitney’s 17th of the season. Whitney stickhandled across the goalmouth from left to right, fought off a Tommy Hughes check and backhanded the puck inside the post on LeNeveu’s glove side.
The Wolf Pack kept coming, and cut the lead back to one at 9:42. Again, it was Johnson playing the puck toward the net from the left point, and this time it was Powe in the slot deflecting it behind Kinkaid.
That set up Bourque’s tying goal at 16:04, which resulted from a faceoff win by Miller. He got the puck back to Conor Allen at the blue line, and Allen wristed the puck into the pads of Kinkaid. The Devil netminder could not control the rebound, and Bourque dove to backhand it around Kinkaid and into the net.
After overtime failed to produce a goal, Mattias Tedenby scored on Albany’s first shootout attempt, but that was the only shot to get by LeNeveu. Hensick scored to Kinkaid’s stick side and Miller connected after a series of dekes, and, after Fast beat Kinkaid nearly in the same spot as Hensick, LeNeveu made a glove save on Whitney to end it.
The Wolf Pack are next in action this Tuesday night at the XL Center, hosting the Adirondack Phantoms in a 7:00 PM game. 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.
Albany Devils 3 at Hartford Wolf Pack 4 (SO)
Saturday, February 1, 2014 - XL Center
Albany 0 2 1 0 - 3
Hartford 0 0 3 0 - 4
1st Period- No Scoring. Penalties-Matteau Alb (high-sticking), 11:46.
2nd Period-1, Albany, Sislo 13 10:23. 2, Albany, Pesonen 8 (Larsson, Janssen), 12:35. Penalties-Beach Hfd (hooking), 3:10; Beach Hfd (tripping), 15:59; Kelly Alb (interference), 19:37.
3rd Period-3, Hartford, Haley 3 (Johnson, Hensick), 1:38. 4, Albany, Whitney 17 (Boucher, Zajac), 2:36. 5, Hartford, Powe 7 (Johnson, Hensick), 9:42. 6, Hartford, Bourque 10 (Allen, Miller), 16:04. Penalties-No Penalties
OT Period- No Scoring. Penalties-No Penalties
Shootout - Albany 1 (Whitney G, Boucher NG, Sislo NG, Whitney NG), Hartford 3 (Hensick G, Miller G, Fast G).
Shots on Goal-Albany 4-8-1-3-0-16. Hartford 11-10-14-1-1-37.
Power Play Opportunities-Albany 0 / 2; Hartford 0 / 2.
Goalies-Albany, Kinkaid 17-8-2 (36 shots-33 saves). Hartford, LeNeveu 2-4-0 (16 shots-13 saves).
A-10,149
Referees-Graham Skilliter (48), Chris Brown (86).
Linesmen-Glen Cooke (6), Paul Simeon (66).