PROVIDENCE, RI – The Connecticut Whale were defeated by the Providence Bruins, 4-3, Sunday afternoon at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center. Carter Camper led the Bruins with a hat trick, including the third-period game-winning goal.
Andre Deveaux scored twice, and Kris Newbury had two assists, in the Whale’s first regulation loss in their last nine games (7-1-1-0).
“We really would have liked to have had two more points here tonight,” said Whale head coach Ken Gernander. “But we made some mistakes that cost you games and that’s often times the case when you don’t win.”
Camper scored the first goal of the game 5:47 into the first period, as he beat Whale goaltender Cam Talbot (35 saves) off of a pass from behind the net by Zach Hamill. Calle Ridderwall also assisted on the goal.
The Whale would tie the game back up just 1:26 later, as Mats Zuccarello and Deveaux entered the Providence zone on a two-on-one break. Quick passing opened up space behind Bruins’ netminder Anton Khudobin (29 saves), allowing Deveaux to capitalize on the play and score his 16th goal of the season. Newbury earned the secondary assist on the score.
Connecticut had two nearly back-to-back power-plays late in the first, but they were unable to convert against Khudobin.
Camper would strike again with his second goal of the night just 1:36 into the second period, on a second rebound, with Hamill and Ridderwall again setting up the play to give Providence a 2-1 lead.
The Bruins would bump their lead to 3-1 at the 5:43 mark, as Jamie Arniel wired a sharp-angle shot past Talbot’s glove side. Craig Cunningham and Maxime Sauve picked up assists on the score, which came just seconds after Newbury hit the crossbar behind Khudobin at the opposite end of the ice.
Deveaux would score his second of the night with 2:43 remaining in the second period on the power-play, as he buried a feed from defenseman Tim Erixon. Newbury also assisted on the goal, which enabled the Whale to head to the locker room down just one goal headed into the third.
The Whale would rally to tie the game at three 1:55 into the final frame, with Kelsey Tessier backhanding home a loose puck as Khudobin found himself out of position. Tommy Grant and Scott Tanski would both register assists on the goal.
The momentum appeared to be turning in the Whale’s favor, but Camper’s third goal of the night at 8:43 would once again put Connecticut behind, 4-3. Ridderwall notched his third assist of the game on the game-winning tally, as Camper buried his rebound.
“We got that big goal in the third and I thought things were moving in the right direction,” said Gernander. “Then they got that quick one and it’s hard to come back on the road when the other team is given a lead like that.”
The Whale had a late chance to tie the score with a man-advantage in the final 1:25 of the third, but the visitors could not pull even in six-on-four action with Talbot pulled for the extra attacker.
Connecticut will return home this Friday, February 24, when the Whale hosts the Portland Pirates at the XL Center (7:00 PM).
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