Devils' Big third Period Trips up Pack
Mar 22, 2015The Wolf Pack took a 2-0 lead into the third period Sunday at the Times Union Center in Albany, NY, only to see the Albany Devils score five times in the third and hand the Wolf Pack a 5-3 defeat.
The loss snapped a run of five games with at least a standings point (4-0-0-1) for the Wolf Pack, who fell to 34-22-5-4 (77 points) on the season.
The Devils scored three times on power plays in the third period, against a Hartford penalty-killing unit that had been 26-for-28 in the previous seven games.
“When you play PK (penalty kill) it’s tough to score goals, and they get a chance to score goals, so that’s probably the story of this loss,” said Wolf Pack forward Carl Klingberg, who had a goal and an assist in the game. “I thought we played a good game, though, when we were not playing PK.”
Albany’s comeback began almost immediately in the third session, after Oscar Lindberg, who also had a goal and an assist for the Wolf Pack, took a high-sticking penalty at the 12-second mark. The Devils used that power play to get on the board at 1:02, when Paul Thompson scored his 26th goal of the season on a rebound of a Mike Sislo shot.
Exactly 60 seconds later, at 2:02, Albany tied the score after the Wolf Pack failed to break cleanly out of their own zone. Sislo got this goal, deflecting Corbin McPherson’s shot from the left point past Wolf Pack goaltender Jeff Malcolm (23 saves).
The worst of the penalty trouble for the Wolf Pack started at 5:14, when Steve Spinell was sent off for slashing, and Lindberg was whistled for interference at 5:47, creating a two-man advantage of 1:27 for the Devils.
Albany scored on both halves of the five-on-three, taking a 3-2 lead at 6:23 on Scott Timmins’ eighth of the season. Timmins, stationed in front of the goal, knocked in a centering pass by Thompson from the left-wing side.
Then, 1:04 after that, at 7:27, Raman Hrabarenka scored what turned out to be the game-winner, with Lindberg still in the penalty box. Hrabarenka took a feed from fellow defenseman Brandon Burlon and drilled a one-timer through Malcolm from the top of the left circle.
That made it 4-2 for the Devils, and the Wolf Pack answered back with 4:16 left, with Lindberg scoring his 22nd of the season. Klingberg worked the puck to Lindberg just above the left faceoff dot, and Lindberg’s low shot went through a screen and underneath Devil netminder Scott Clemmensen (15 saves). That tally extended a goal-scoring streak for Lindberg to a team season-high five games.
The Wolf Pack could get no closer, though, and Tim Sestito put the game away for Albany with an empty-net goal with 15.6 seconds left.
The Wolf Pack fought off an earlier two-man disadvantage of 1:02 midway through the first period, and then took the game’s first lead with 49.3 seconds left in the first, on a goal by Joey Crabb.
Crabb took a long feed from Conor Allen and got a half-step on Burlon. Crabb’s forehand shot was stopped by the right pad of Clemmensen, but it went off Clemmensen’s leg, hit the goal post to his right and went over the goal line.
The Wolf Pack also scored late in the second period, making it a 2-0 advantage at 17:03, with Klingberg scoring his second goal in nine games since joining the Wolf Pack.
Justin Vaive took a hit on the right-wing boards to work the puck to the corner for Lindberg, who immediately backhanded it to Klingberg in front. Klingberg one-timed the feed over Clemmensen’s catching glove and into the net.
The Wolf Pack’s next action is on home ice at the XL Center this Friday, March 27, when the Providence Bruins come to town for a 7:00 game. As at all Friday-night Wolf Pack games, fans can enjoy $1 hot dogs and $2 beers through the start of the second period.
Tickets for all 2014-15 Wolf Pack home games are now on sale at the Agera Energy 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 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 at Albany Devils 5
Sunday, March 22, 2015 - Times Union Center
Hartford 1 1 1 - 3
Albany 0 0 5 - 5
1st Period-1, Hartford, Crabb 10 (Allen), 19:10. Penalties-Kristo Hfd (delay of game), 1:34; Allen Hfd (fighting), 4:47; Janssen Alb (fighting), 4:47; Crabb Hfd (boarding), 8:19; Kostka Hfd (slashing), 9:17.
2nd Period-2, Hartford, Klingberg 17 (Lindberg, Vaive), 17:03. Penalties-Burlon Alb (hooking), 7:16; McIlrath Hfd (interference), 9:42; Helgeson Alb (roughing), 12:38; McIlrath Hfd (fighting), 20:00; Thomson Alb (fighting), 20:00.
3rd Period-3, Albany, Thompson 26 (Sislo, Whitney), 1:02 (PP). 4, Albany, Sislo 18 (McPherson, McKelvie), 2:02. 5, Albany, Timmins 8 (Thompson, Scarlett), 6:23 (PP). 6, Albany, Hrabarenka 7 (Burlon, Sestito), 7:27 (PP). 7, Hartford, Lindberg 22 (Klingberg, Bodie), 15:44. 8, Albany, Sestito 9 (Sislo, Timmins), 19:44 (EN). Penalties-Lindberg Hfd (high-sticking), 0:12; Hrabarenka Alb (tripping), 2:21; Spinell Hfd (slashing), 5:14; Lindberg Hfd (interference), 5:47; Faust Alb (hooking), 7:52; Mueller Hfd (unsportsmanlike conduct), 15:48.
Shots on Goal-Hartford 4-8-6-18. Albany 7-6-15-28.
Power Play Opportunities-Hartford 0 / 4; Albany 3 / 8.
Goalies-Hartford, Malcolm 6-4-0 (27 shots-23 saves). Albany, Clemmensen 7-9-1 (18 shots-15 saves).
A-4,578
Referees-Jonathan Alarie (38).
Linesmen-Mike Emanatian (69), Frank Murphy (29).