Pack Work OT again, Beat Admirals
Jan 16, 2015The Wolf Pack went to overtime for a franchise record-tying fourth straight game Friday night at Norfolk Scope, and Ryan Haggerty’s 3-on-3 goal at 4:10 of OT gave the Wolf Pack a 3-2 win over the Norfolk Admirals.
Haggerty also had an assist for the Wolf Pack, who also got a goal and an assist from Ryan Bourque. Danny Kristo also scored for Hartford, and former Admiral Yann Danis made 38 saves. Emerson Etem had a goal and an assist for the Admirals, who tied the game with only 1:20 left in the third period to force overtime, and Dave Steckel also scored. Ex-Wolf Pack Jason LaBarbera stopped 30 shots.
“Any time we have a goaltending effort like that and you give up a lead, it’s always good to battle back in front of our goalie and be able to get the win,” Haggerty said.
The victory improved the Wolf Pack’s record to a season-best nine games over .500, 21-12-3-2 for 47 points.
After jumping out to a 2-0 lead in the first period, the Wolf Pack were close to hanging on for a 2-1 win. The Admirals were able to get LaBarbera to the bench for an extra attacker, however, and Etem had the puck come to him high in the slot with Danis down, and Etem fired it in for the tie. That was Etem’s eighth goal in 11 AHL games on the year.
The Wolf Pack got the final word, though, on Haggerty’s first career pro overtime score. Conor Allen carried the puck down the left side and took a slap shot that went wide. The carom came off the end boards directly to Haggerty at the right side of the goalmouth. With LaBarbera out of position, Haggerty was able to flip the puck into the top corner of the net on the far side.
“[Allen] let one rip there, we changed lanes a little bit with [Marek Hrivik] too, and it happened to find my tape coming off the glass hot,” Haggerty said of the game-winning sequence.
The Wolf Pack were outshot 11-8 in the first, but built a two-goal lead on tallies by Kristo and Bourque.
Kristo opened the scoring at the 10:55 mark, with his ninth goal of the season. Chris Mueller stopped an attempted Admiral breakout high in the slot and passed to the left-wing circle to Kristo, who snapped a quick shot past LaBarbera.
Bourque then increased the lead to 2-0 with 2:59 left in the period, converting on a two-on-one with Haggerty. After some strong pressure by the Admirals in the Wolf Pack zone, Tyler Brown chipped the puck clear up the left-wing boards to send Haggerty and Bourque away. Haggerty carried into the Norfolk zone on left wing and passed across to Bourque in the right circle, and Bourque beat a sliding LaBarbera to the stick side.
The Admirals got the only goal of the second period, with Steckel getting Norfolk on the board at 14:25. The left-handed-shooting Steckel fired a sharp-angle shot from the right-wing side, and it somehow found an opening to get through Danis.
The Wolf Pack and Admirals tangle again at Scope Saturday night. Faceoff is 7:15 PM, and all of the action can be heard live on Fox Sports Radio 1410, and on-line at www.foxsportsradio1410.com and iHeartRadio. Video streaming is available at www.ahllive.com.
The next home game for the Wolf Pack is this Wednesday, January 21, when the Providence Bruins visit the XL Center for a 7:00 game. All Wolf Pack Wednesday home games are “Winning Wednesdays”. If the Wolf Pack win, each fan can get a free ticket to the next Pack home game (some restrictions apply). Also, Wednesday is the next chance to take advantage of the Wolf Pack’s “Click It or Ticket Family Value Pack”. 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 3 (OT) at Norfolk Admirals 2
Friday, January 16, 2015 - Norfolk Scope
Hartford 2 0 0 1 - 3
Norfolk 0 1 1 0 - 2
1st Period-1, Hartford, Kristo 9 (Mueller, R. Bourque), 10:55. 2, Hartford, R. Bourque 8 (Haggerty, Brown), 17:01. Penalties-C. Bourque Hfd (elbowing), 0:41; McIver Nor (roughing), 0:41; Kostka Hfd (interference), 4:56; Winchester Nor (roughing), 14:14; Winchester Nor (hooking), 18:33.
2nd Period-3, Norfolk, Steckel 4 (Etem, Bell), 14:25. Penalties-C. Bourque Hfd (hooking), 4:05; Spinell Hfd (interference), 17:38; Kerdiles Nor (holding the stick), 19:46.
3rd Period-4, Norfolk, Etem 8 (Steckel, Friberg), 1:20. Penalties-Bodie Hfd (hooking), 0:20; served by O'Donnell Hfd (bench minor - too many men), 1:07; O'Brien Nor (holding), 15:05; Allen Hfd (interference), 19:00; Friberg Nor (diving/embellishment), 19:00.
OT Period-5, Hartford, Haggerty 7 (Allen, Hrivik), 4:10. Penalties-No Penalties
Shots on Goal-Hartford 8-14-8-3-33. Norfolk 11-14-12-3-40.
Power Play Opportunities-Hartford 0 / 4; Norfolk 0 / 5.
Goalies-Hartford, Danis 7-6-0 (40 shots-38 saves). Norfolk, LaBarbera 5-5-1 (33 shots-30 saves).
A-5,520
Referees-Tom Chmielewski (43).
Linesmen-Tom George (61), Luke Murray (92).