WOLF PACK SEE POINT STREAK SNAPPED AT THE HANDS OF THE SPRINGFIELD THUNDERBIRDS 4-2
Nov 27, 2021HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack drew first blood on Saturday afternoon in Springfield but surrendered four unanswered goals to the Springfield Thunderbirds to drop a 4-2 decision. The loss snapped the club’s six-game (5-0-1-0) point streak.
Nikita Alexandrov capped the scoring in the middle stanza with his fourth goal of the season at 11:10 of the period, putting the Thunderbirds ahead 3-1 at the time. Alexandrov curled into the far faceoff circle and fired a shot that cleanly beat Wolf Pack starter Adam Huska. The goal would stand as the game winner.
For the first time in this season series, the Wolf Pack struck first at the MassMutual Center thanks to a powerplay goal just 4:55 into the hockey game. Matthew Robinson fed Anthony Greco with a pass, and Greco gained the offensive zone on a two-on-one with Ty Ronning. Greco fed Ronning, who fired home his sixth goal of the season.
The goal extended Ronning’s point streak to five games and gave the Wolf Pack powerplay goals in six of their last seven games.
Like Hartford did on Friday night, however, Springfield used a big second period to turn a deficit into a lead. Mackenzie MacEachern got the Thunderbirds on the board at 3:03 of the middle stanza, as his shot hit Huska, went into the air, and eventually bounced into the net.
The T-Birds took their first lead of the afternoon on a powerplay goal 5:35 later. Sam Anas fired a shot from the near faceoff circle that trickled through Huska at 8:36. The goal, Anas’ fourth of the season, was the third powerplay goal of the weekend for Springfield.
After Charlie Lindgren denied Jonny Brodzinski on a breakaway, the T-Birds extended their lead to 3-1 at the 11:10 mark. Alexandrov’s tally put the exclamation point on a dynamic period for the home side.
Springfield needed just 3:09 of the third period to add another insurance marker. Matthew Peca scored his tenth of the season, finding a rebound in front of the Wolf Pack net after Steven Santini’s point shot was denied by Huska.
Zac Jones scored his third goal of the season at 12:18 of the third to bring Hartford back within a pair, but it proved to be too little, too late as the Wolf Pack couldn’t beat Lindgren for a third time.
The loss evens the season series between the Wolf Pack and Thunderbirds at two wins each and evens the three-game miniseries between the teams at one win a piece.
The Pack is back at the XL Center on Wednesday, December 1st, to conclude their set with the Thunderbirds. Puck drop is set for 7:00 pm, and tickets are still available at www.hartfordwolfpack.com!
# # #
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.