Wolf Pack Snap Skid in Bridgeport
Dec 26, 2013Conor Allen and Oscar Lindberg had a goal and an assist each Thursday night, and Dov Grumet-Morris made 26 saves to get his first Wolf Pack win of the season, as the Wolf Pack defeated the Bridgeport Sound Tigers 3-1 at the Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport.
The win snapped an 0-7-0-2 drought for the Wolf Pack, who also got a goal from Jesper Fast and two assists from Danny Syvret. John Persson scored the only Bridgeport goal, on a second-period two-man advantage, and Anders Nilsson made 30 saves.
“I think special teams won it for us,” Allen said. “And I think we didn’t back down from anybody either.”
The Sound Tigers had penalty problems early in the first period and the Wolf Pack took advantage, scoring a pair of power-play goals.
Lindberg got his sixth of the year on a rebound at 6:56 to open the scoring, after Bridgeport’s Justin Johnson had been called for instigating a fight with Michael Kantor. Nilsson made a save on Syvret’s shot from the left point, but Lindberg was right on top of Nilsson and was able to swat at the rebound and put it underneath Nilsson’s pads and into the net.
Danny Kristo then set up Fast at 11:09 for a 2-0 Wolf Pack lead. Kristo threaded a perfect pass from the right-wing circle cross-ice to Fast, who one-timed in his first goal in six AHL games on the season from just below the left faceoff dot.
Hartford got into penalty troubles late in the second period, though, and that allowed the Sound Tigers to cut the lead in half. Only 16 seconds into a kneeing penalty against Sean O’Donnell, Allen took a slashing minor, and that put Bridgeport up two men for 1:44.
Late in the five-on-three advantage, the Wolf Pack’s Darroll Powe blocked a Dallas Jackson shot, but the carom went right to Mike Halmo. He stickhandled behind the net and bounced the puck to the front, and Persson whacked it past Grumet-Morris’ left pad at 18:41.
That was the only puck to get by Grumet-Morris in his fifth straight start since joining the Wolf Pack, though, and Allen added an insurance goal with 3:54 remaining in the third.
Allen found the back of the net after an Aaron Johnson shot from the left point was stopped by Nilsson. Allen intercepted a Sound Tiger clearing try, and his heave from the middle of the blue line went past Nilsson, who was being screened by Fast.
The Wolf Pack’s next action is this Saturday night, December 28, a 7:00 PM battle with the Worcester Sharks at the XL Center. That is the Wolf Pack’s Military Appreciation Night, and tickets are on sale now at the Public Power 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 representative about season or group tickets, call (855) 762-6451.
Hartford Wolf Pack 3 at Bridgeport Sound Tigers 1 - Status: Final
Thursday, December 26, 2013 - Webster Bank Arena
Hartford 2 0 1 - 3
Bridgeport 0 1 0 - 1
1st Period-1, Hartford, Lindberg 6 (Syvret, Allen), 6:56 (PP). 2, Hartford, Fast 1 (Kristo, Syvret), 11:09 (PP). Penalties-Vaughan Bri (boarding), 0:22; Kantor Hfd (fighting), 5:53; Johnson Bri (instigating, fighting, misconduct - instigating), 5:53; Gallant Bri (misconduct - unsportsmanlike conduct), 7:01; Halmo Bri (roughing), 9:17; Lindberg Hfd (charging), 14:52; Lee Bri (tripping), 15:20; Fast Hfd (hooking), 15:56; Mayfield Bri (holding), 19:20.
2nd Period-3, Bridgeport, Persson 5 (Halmo, Jackson), 18:41 (PP). Penalties-Beach Hfd (goaltender interference), 12:03; O'Donnell Hfd (kneeing), 16:53; Allen Hfd (slashing), 17:09.
3rd Period-4, Hartford, Allen 5 (Johnson, Lindberg), 16:06. Penalties-Johnson Bri (roughing, unsportsmanlike conduct, misconduct - unsportsmanlike conduct), 2:19; Fast Hfd (hooking), 6:14; Asham Hfd (holding), 11:38; Cornell Bri (interference), 16:16; Donovan Bri (slashing), 18:49.
Shots on Goal-Hartford 12-8-13-33. Bridgeport 7-9-11-27.
Power Play Opportunities-Hartford 2 / 8; Bridgeport 1 / 7.
Goalies-Hartford, Grumet-Morris 2-8-3 (27 shots-26 saves). Bridgeport, Nilsson 5-9-1 (33 shots-30 saves).
A-5,763
Referees-Jon McIsaac (45), Terry Koharski (10).
Linesmen-Brent Colby (7), Luke Galvin (2).