WOLF PACK LOSE 5-2 TO BRUINS
Mar 2, 2025PROVIDENCE, RI – The Hartford Wolf Pack carried a 2-1 lead into the third period on Sunday evening at the Amica Mutual Pavilion in Providence but were unable to hang on. The club surrendered four unanswered goals to drop a 5-2 decision to the rival Providence Bruins.
From the right-wing circle in the offensive zone, Fabian Lysell attempted to send a pass to the to the left-wing circle midway through the third period. The pass clipped the skate of a Wolf Pack player and snuck by Louis Domingue at 13:27. The goal, Lysell’s tenth of the season, proved to be the game-winning tally.
Max Jones sent the Teddy Bears flying just 4:03 into the hockey game, scoring his 13th goal of the season. On their first power play of the night, Jones took a centering pass from Patrick Brown and snapped a shot by the blocker of Domingue to make it 1-0.
Vinni Lettieri picked up the secondary assist, his eleventh point (4 g, 7 a) in the head-to-head matchup against the Wolf Pack this season.
After a slight delay to clean up the bears, the Wolf Pack got to work and quickly tied the game. Jaroslav Chmelař entered the zone on the right-wing side before finding Jake Leschyshyn. The veteran glided through the slot, went to the front of the net, and stuffed a puck by the right pad of Brandon Bussi at 4:54 to make it a 1-1 score.
Brett Budgell picked up his third assist of the season late in the opening frame thanks to some hard work. Budgell forced a turnover on the right-wing side, eventually working his way into the slot with possession. There, he fired a shot that Bussi denied, but the rebound kicked to the right of the netminder. Nathan Sucese pounced on the loose change on the left-wing side and buried his sixth goal of the season at 13:39.
The goal was Sucese’s third against the Bruins this season.
With less than three seconds remaining in the period, Frederic Brunet snapped a shot from the left-wing point that hit the goal post. The play was reviewed, but the call on the ice of ‘no goal’ stood, keeping it 2-1 in favor of the visitors through 20 minutes.
The Bruns controlled play in the second period but could not solve Domingue. The veteran netminder made 15 saves to keep the Wolf Pack ahead 2-1 through two periods.
The Bruins started the final frame with 4:22 of power play time after Alex Belzile was assessed a five-minute major for fighting at the 19:22 mark of the second period.
The Bruins outshot the Wolf Pack 3-1 during the power play time but failed to even the score.
Lettieri finally drew the Bruins even at 11:26. The veteran forward intercepted a pass, cut towards the goal, and snapped a backhander by Domingue for his 20th goal of the season.
Just 2:01 later, Lysell’s pass clipped a defender’s skate and hit the back of the net to put the Bruins ahead for good.
Riley Tufte ended the intrigue at 18:37, hitting an empty net for his 18th goal of the season. Oliver Wahlstrom followed suit at 19:56, scoring his second goal in as many games for the Bruins.
The Pack is back at the XL Center on Wednesday, Mar. 5, when the Bridgeport Islanders come to town for the latest installment of the ‘Battle of Connecticut’!
The puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m.
Tickets are available at www.hartfordwolfpack.com.
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ABOUT THE HARTFORD WOLF PACK: The Hartford Wolf Pack has been a premier franchise in the American Hockey League since the team’s inception in 1997. The Wolf Pack are the top player-development affiliate of the NHL's New York Rangers and play at the XL Center. The Wolf Pack has been home to some of the Rangers newest faces including Igor Shesterkin, Filip Chytil, and Ryan Lindgren. Follow the Wolf Pack on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok.