Syracuse Comeback Foils Wolf Pack, 3-2
Feb 4, 2015(Photo courtesy of Syracuse Crunch)
The Syracuse Crunch scored three third-period goals Wednesday night at the War Memorial Arena in Syracuse, to wipe out a 2-0 deficit and defeat the Wolf Pack, 3-2.
Syracuse outshot the Wolf Pack 25-2 in the third, helped by four power plays, including a pair of five-on-threes. Charlie Dodero’s first career AHL goal with 4:05 left was the winner, after Jake Dotchin and Dalton Smith scored power-play tallies to bring Syracuse into a tie.
Ryan Haggerty and Marek Hrivik scored second-period goals for the Wolf Pack, who fell to 26-14-3-2 (57 pts.) and dropped to six points behind the first-place Crunch in the Northeast Division, and Yann Danis made 42 saves. Yanni Gourde assisted on all three Syracuse goals, Vladislav Namestnikov had a pair of helpers, and Kristers Gudlevskis made 15 stops.
The Syracuse comeback began after an apparent goal by the Wolf Pack’s Chad Nehring was disallowed at 8:33 of the third. Referees Dave Lewis and Evgeny Romasko ruled that Nehring had interfered with Gudlevskis, while driving to the net and jamming the puck past the Syracuse goaltender.
In addition to the goal being waved off, Nehring was assessed a penalty, and Joey Crabb was sent off for tripping 36 seconds later. On the ensuing two-man advantage, Dotchin cut the Wolf Pack’s lead to 2-1, one-timing in a Namestnikov pass at 10:18.
The Wolf Pack killed another short two-man advantage later in the period, but with Oscar Lindberg still serving a tripping penalty, Smith knocked in the rebound of a Slater Koekkoek shot at 14:39 to tie the score.
Just 1:16 later, at 15:55, Dodero was credited with his first goal in the AHL, in only his eighth career AHL game, when his shot from the right point hit Lindberg’s stick and deflected past Danis low to the glove side.
After a scoreless first period, Haggerty opened the scoring at 2:50 of the second, with the eighth goal of his rookie season. After Ryan Bourque stopped a Joey Mormina pass, Gudlevskis turned Chris Mueller’s shot away, but Haggerty flicked in the rebound from the right side, as he was being spilled to the ice.
The Wolf Pack power play then doubled the lead at 10:49, with Dotchin in the penalty box for tripping.
Hrivik scored for a fourth straight game, a Wolf Pack season high, finishing a fine three-way passing play. Mueller dug the puck out behind the net, and Danny Kristo worked it to the right-wing corner to Conor Allen, who found Hrivik driving down the middle. Gudlevskis had no chance on Hrivik’s quick shot to the stick side.
The Wolf Pack are next in action this Saturday, February 7, visiting the Bridgeport Sound Tigers for a 7:00 PM game. All of the action of that battle 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 Saturday, February 14, a 7:30 PM game at the XL Center against the Albany Devils. 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
Wednesday, February 4, 2015 - Onondaga County War Memorial Arena
Hartford 0 2 0 - 2
Syracuse 0 0 3 - 3
1st Period- No Scoring. Penalties-Blujus Syr (tripping), 1:44; Koekkoek Syr (high-sticking), 2:50; Vaive Hfd (slashing), 6:33; Allen Hfd (holding), 10:36; Paradis Syr (roughing), 10:36; McIlrath Hfd (roughing), 15:40; Angelidis Syr (roughing), 15:40.
2nd Period-1, Hartford, Haggerty 8 (Mueller), 2:50. 2, Hartford, Hrivik 8 (Allen, Kristo), 10:49 (PP). Penalties-Dotchin Syr (tripping), 10:08; Bodie Hfd (tripping), 14:48.
3rd Period-3, Syracuse, Dotchin 3 (Namestnikov, Gourde), 10:18 (PP). 4, Syracuse, Smith 10 (Koekkoek, Gourde), 14:39 (PP). 5, Syracuse, Dodero 1 (Namestnikov, Gourde), 15:55. Penalties-Nehring Hfd (goaltender interference), 8:33; Crabb Hfd (tripping), 9:09; Mueller Hfd (tripping), 11:13; Lindberg Hfd (tripping), 12:53.
Shots on Goal-Hartford 8-7-2-17. Syracuse 13-7-25-45.
Power Play Opportunities-Hartford 1 / 3; Syracuse 2 / 6.
Goalies-Hartford, Danis 9-8-0 (45 shots-42 saves). Syracuse, Gudlevskis 15-6-0 (17 shots-15 saves).
A-3,973
Referees-Dave Lewis (46), Evgeny Romasko (6).
Linesmen-Andy Petrus (26), Francis Trempe (85).