Devils' Kinkaid Frustrates Wolf Pack Again
Nov 20, 2013Albany Devil goaltender Keith Kinkaid shut out the Wolf Pack for the second straight meeting between the two clubs Wednesday night at the Times Union Center in Albany, making 24 saves in a 3-0 Devil victory.
Kinkaid, last week’s CCM/AHL Player of the Week, also blanked the Wolf Pack last Friday in Hartford, also a 3-0 verdict. Hartford has now been shut out in three of its last four games.
Reid Boucher had a goal and an assist for Albany, and Stefan Matteau and Brandon Burlon also scored. Joe Whitney had two assists. Scott Stajcer stopped 22 saves in the Wolf Pack net.
“I think they outworked us,” Wolf Pack forward Brandon Mashinter said of the Devils. “We didn’t play the way we should have, and it ended up biting us.”
The Wolf Pack fell to 8-7-0-2 (18 pts.) on the year. Albany moved into a first-place tie with Springfield in the Northeast Division, improving to 10-6-0-1 for 21 points.
After a scoreless first period, Matteau gave the Devils a 1-0 lead at 5:19 of the second. After Kyle Jean was unable to get the puck deep at Albany blue line, Tim Sestito sent Matteau away to create a three-on-one. Matteau kept the puck on left wing, and his shot went under Wolf Pack goaltender Scott Stajcer’s catching glove and into the net.
The goal was Matteau’s second of the season, both scored against the Wolf Pack.
Boucher made it 2-0 at 11:17, off a feed from Mike Sislo. Sislo carried the puck down right wing and fed a perfect cross-slot pass to Boucher, who one-timed it in behind Stajcer.
The Wolf Pack outshot the Devils 11-5 in the third period, but found themselves three goals behind when Albany scored on a power play only 1:03 into the third.
After Shawn O’Donnell took a high-sticking penalty at the 23-second mark, Burlon, a defenseman, went to the net to score his first goal of the season at 1:03, backhanding home a rebound of a Whitney shot.
The Wolf Pack’s next action is this Saturday night, November 23, when they travel to Springfield to take on the Falcons. Faceoff is 7:00 PM, and all the action can be heard live on WUCS HD-2, and on-line at www.979espn.com. Video streaming is available at www.ahllive.com.
The Pack’s next home game at the XL Center is Wednesday, November 27, a 7:00 date with the Portland Pirates. That game features a “Movember” tribute to the importance of men’s health awareness. The first 1,000 fans into the game on November 27, which faces off at 7:00 PM, will receive a free Movember “mustache” t-shirt. The shirt depicts Sonar, the Wolf Pack’s beloved mascot, proudly showing off his Movember “’stache”. Also, the proceeds from that night’s “Chuck-a-Puck” promotion will be donated to Gaylord Hospital of Wallingford, CT, for its men’s health efforts.
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 Albany Devils 3
Wednesday, November 20, 2013 - Times Union Center
Hartford 0 0 0 - 0
Albany 0 2 1 - 3
1st Period- No Scoring. Penalties-O'Donnell Hfd (interference), 14:53.
2nd Period-1, Albany, Matteau 2 (Sestito, Whitney), 5:19. 2, Albany, Boucher 6 (Sislo, Zajac), 11:17. Penalties-Yogan Hfd (roughing), 11:40; Hrabarenka Alb (roughing), 11:40; Sestito Alb (roughing), 11:40; Scarlett Alb (slashing), 14:05; Jean Hfd (hooking), 15:39.
3rd Period-3, Albany, Burlon 1 (Whitney, Boucher), 1:03 (PP). Penalties-O'Donnell Hfd (high-sticking), 0:23; Mashinter Hfd (holding), 4:53; Wohlberg Alb (unsportsmanlike conduct), 4:53; O'Donnell Hfd (fighting), 12:16; Hrabarenka Alb (fighting), 12:16.
Shots on Goal-Hartford 6-7-11-24. Albany 10-10-5-25.
Power Play Opportunities-Hartford 0 / 2; Albany 1 / 3.
Goalies-Hartford, Stajcer 2-2-0 (25 shots-22 saves). Albany, Kinkaid 7-1-1 (24 shots-24 saves).
A-2,187
Referees-Geno Binda (22), Ryan Hersey (8).
Linesmen-Frank Murphy (29), Francis Trempe (56).