Pack Can't Sustain Strong Start in Albany
Oct 25, 2014The Wolf Pack built leads of 1-0 and 2-1 in the first period Saturday at the Times-Union Center in Albany, NY, but the Albany Devils scored the last four goals of the game to post a 5-2 win, and a sweep of a home-and-home with the Wolf Pack.
Scott Timmins scored the game-winning goal for Albany and had an assist, and Joe Whitney, Darcy Zajac and Raman Hrabarenka also scored. Rod Pelley added an empty-net goal, and Brandon Burlon had two assists.
Conor Allen had a goal and an assist for the Wolf Pack and Ryan Bourque also scored. J.T. Miller added two assists.
“We had a good first period, that was one of our better ones this season, but we didn’t maintain it, unfortunately,” Allen said. “They got a couple goals in the second that took away from our momentum, and we can’t let that bother us going forward. We’ve just got to keep playing and stick to the plan. I think we got away from it a little bit in the second, but if we play like we did in the first, we can win a lot of games this year.”
After never leading in a 7-3 home loss to the Devils the night before, the Wolf Pack drew first blood at 8:06 of Saturday’s first period. Albany goaltender Scott Wedgewood (26 saves) stopped Allen’s shot from the right point, taking the puck high off of his chest, but the rebound dropped down to his left, and Bourque banged it in.
That lead lasted until the 17:44 mark, when Whitney, who also scored in Friday night’s game, tied things up for the Devils. Timmins knocked down Mat Bodie’s aerial pass near the Wolf Pack blue line, and fired a shot that Hartford goaltender Jason Missiaen (28 saves) stopped. The rebound came to Whitney at the left-wing side of the goalmouth, though, and Whitney finished the play.
Only 46 seconds later, however, the Wolf Pack regained the lead on Allen’s second goal of the year. Miller carried down the right-wing side and threaded a perfect pass through traffic to the left faceoff dot to Allen, whose one-timer easily beat Wedgewood at 18:30.
The Devils would turn the tables in the second period, scoring a pair of goals 1:18 apart starting at the 4:18 mark.
Zajac scored shorthanded to make it 2-2 at 4:18, after Danny Kristo attempted to drop the puck back to Allen at the right point. The pass missed Allen and Zajac broke in alone, putting a shot past Missiaen on the glove side.
Then, at 5:36, Timmins scored from a bad angle for what turned out to be the game-winner. Timmins flung the puck at the goal post from below the goal line on the left-wing side, and it appeared to slip between Missiaen’s right skate and the post, trickling into the net for a 3-2 Albany lead.
That remained the score heading into the third period, and Hrabarenka made it a two-goal Albany edge with a power-play goal at 3:09 of the third. With Oscar Lindberg in the penalty box for tripping, Hrabarenka took a pass from Burlon, moved to the top of the left-wing circle, and put a snap shot through a screen and past Missiaen.
The Wolf Pack pulled Missiaen with 2:24 remaining, but could not dent Wedgewood, and Pelley iced the game by hitting the empty net from deep in his own zone with 9.4 seconds left.
The Wolf Pack are right back in action Sunday on home ice, taking on the Norfolk Admirals in a 3:00 game at the XL Center. The Wolf Pack’s “Click It or Ticket Family Value Pack” is again featured on Sundays this year, and has been expanded to Wednesday and Thursday home games as well. The Family Value Pack features two tickets, two sodas and two hot dogs, all for only $35.
Tickets for all 2014-15 Wolf Pack home games are now on sale at the XL Center ticket office, 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 Wolf Pack representative about season or group tickets, or any of the Wolf Pack’s many ticketing options, call (855) 762-6451, or click here to request more info.
Hartford Wolf Pack 2 at Albany Devils 5
Saturday, October 25, 2014 - Times Union Center
Hartford 2 0 0 - 2
Albany 1 2 2 - 5
1st Period-1, Hartford, R. Bourque 2 (Allen, Miller), 8:06. 2, Albany, Whitney 2 (Timmins), 17:44. 3, Hartford, Allen 2 (Miller, Haggerty), 18:30. Penalties-McPherson Alb (holding), 20:00.
2nd Period-4, Albany, Zajac 1 4:18 (SH). 5, Albany, Timmins 3 (Bernier, Burlon), 5:36. Penalties-Lindberg Hfd (hooking), 0:03; McKelvie Alb (hooking), 2:27; McIlrath Hfd (elbowing), 5:50; Thompson Alb (interference), 5:50; Helgeson Alb (interference), 12:52; Sislo Alb (boarding), 14:32.
3rd Period-6, Albany, Hrabarenka 3 (Burlon, Boucher), 3:09 (PP). 7, Albany, Pelley 1 (Sestito), 19:50 (EN). Penalties-Lindberg Hfd (tripping), 1:25; Kristo Hfd (unsportsmanlike conduct), 7:18; Lindberg Hfd (tripping), 9:30; McPherson Alb (slashing), 13:00.
Shots on Goal-Hartford 11-7-10-28. Albany 9-9-16-34.
Power Play Opportunities-Hartford 0 / 5; Albany 1 / 4.
Goalies-Hartford, Missiaen 1-2-0 (33 shots-29 saves). Albany, Wedgewood 2-0-0 (28 shots-26 saves).
A-2,777
Referees-Terry Koharski (10).
Linesmen-Luke Galvin (2), Kevin Redding (16).