Wolf Pack Head into All-Star Break with 3-2 Loss in Syracuse
Jan 24, 2015(Photo courtesy of Syracuse Crunch)
The Wolf Pack had a four-game winning streak snapped Saturday night, in a 3-2 loss to the Syracuse Crunch at the War Memorial Arena, the Wolf Pack’s last game before the AHL All-Star break.
After a Marek Hrivik goal gave the Wolf Pack a 2-1 lead early in the third period, Syracuse came back with a shorthanded goal by Mike Blunden, his second tally of the game, and a Mike Angelidis power-play goal, which came at 9:48 of the third and was the game-winner.
Conor Allen scored the other Wolf Pack goal, and Yann Danis made 23 saves. Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 30 shots in the Syracuse net.
“We missed some chances at the end, and we gave up some chances too, obviously, that’s why we lost,” Allen said. “You’ve got to win the special-team battles out there, we can’t give up shorthanded goals.”
Blunden pulled the Crunch even at 7:47 of the third, with teammate Joey Mormina off for slashing. Blunden joined Vladislav Namestnikov on a 2-on-1, and beat Danis with a shot from the right-wing side off of Namestnikov’s centering pass.
The Wolf Pack’s Steve Spinell was sent off for slashing 1:55 later, and the Crunch won the faceoff immediately after the call, with Angelidis beating Chris Mueller. Mormina’s slap shot hit traffic in front of the goal, but Angelidis jumped on the loose puck and fired it through Danis’ legs at 9:48.
That goal held up as the winner, despite furious pressure by the Wolf Pack, who had 18 shots on goal in the third and pressed hard for the equalizer on a late power play, with Danis on the bench for an extra attacker.
The two teams traded early goals in a carefully-played first period that saw each club give up only four shots apiece.
Blunden gave the Crunch a 1-0 lead just 1:29 in, on a breakaway. Matthew Corrente hit Blunden with a pass behind the Wolf Pack defense, and Blunden wired a shot past the catching glove of Danis.
The Wolf Pack replied quickly, though, on their first power play at 5:17. Just nine seconds after the Crunch were called for too many men on the ice, Mueller played the puck out of the left-wing corner to Allen sneaking down from the right point, and Allen’s quick shot beat Vasilevskiy.
Following the All-Star break, the next action for the Wolf Pack is a home game this Friday, January 30 vs. the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. Faceoff at the XL Center is 7:00 PM. Friday nights feature $1 hot dogs and $2 beers through the start of the second period, and the first 3,000 fans on Friday will receive a Hartford Hockey poster, presented by Toasted, as part of “Hartford Hockey Heritage Weekend.”
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 Syracuse Crunch 3
Saturday, January 24, 2015 - Onondaga County War Memorial Arena
Hartford 1 0 1 - 2
Syracuse 1 0 2 - 3
1st Period-1, Syracuse, Blunden 12 (Koekkoek, Corrente), 1:29. 2, Hartford, Allen 6 (Mueller, Vaive), 5:17 (PP). Penalties-Spinell Hfd (slashing), 2:19; served by Richard Syr (bench minor - too many men), 5:08; Vaive Hfd (high-sticking), 7:06; Bodie Hfd (hooking), 18:07.
2nd Period- No Scoring. Penalties-Mormina Syr (roughing), 3:35; C. Bourque Hfd (hooking), 5:46; Allen Hfd (fighting), 14:00; R. Bourque Hfd (fighting), 14:00; Spinell Hfd (high-sticking), 14:00; Corrente Syr (fighting), 14:00; Dodero Syr (instigating, fighting, misconduct - instigating, game misconduct - secondary altercation), 14:00; C. Bourque Hfd (slashing), 15:01.
3rd Period-3, Hartford, Hrivik 5 (Bodie, Kristo), 2:31. 4, Syracuse, Blunden 13 (Namestnikov), 7:47 (SH). 5, Syracuse, Angelidis 14 (Blunden, Mormina), 9:48 (PP). Penalties-Mormina Syr (slashing), 6:01; Spinell Hfd (slashing), 9:42; Richard Syr (roughing), 11:12; Cote Syr (slashing), 18:56.
Shots on Goal-Hartford 4-10-18-32. Syracuse 4-11-11-26.
Power Play Opportunities-Hartford 1 / 5; Syracuse 1 / 6.
Goalies-Hartford, Danis 8-7-0 (26 shots-23 saves). Syracuse, Vasilevskiy 13-5-0 (32 shots-30 saves).
A-6,079
Referees-Darcy Burchell (42), Keith Kaval (40).
Linesmen-Jim Harper (59), Francis Trempe (85).