WILKES-BARRE, PA – The Hartford Wolf Pack snapped a seven-game losing streak (0-6-1-0) at Mohegan Arena at Casey Plaza on Friday night, holding off the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. The Wolf Pack used three goals in the second period to prevail 4-3.
An early turnover found the back of the net, giving the Penguins a 1-0 lead. Atley Calvert intercepted a pass and fed Tristan Broz. The All-Star forward then found Gabe Klassen in the slot, where he released a shot that beat Dylan Garand at 3:49.
The Wolf Pack responded quickly, however, as Daniel Walcott drew a tripping penalty at 5:50.
Less than a minute into the power play, Casey Fitzgerald took a pass from Brett Berard and wandered into the high-slot area. Fitzgerald snapped a shot that Jaroslav Chmelař deflected through Sergei Murashov at 6:36 to even the tilt 1-1.
The power play goal was the Wolf Pack’s first in eleven tries against the Penguins this season.
Klassen restored the lead for the Penguins 11:41 into the middle frame, pouncing on a rebound. Exhausted late in a shift, the Wolf Pack were guilty of an icing call. On the ensuing faceoff, Calvert fed Finn Harding on the right-wing side. Harding stepped into a drive that Garand denied, but the rebound came right to Klassen. He buried his second goal of the night from the bottom of the left-wing circle, making it 2-1.
Just 26 seconds later, however, the Wolf Pack drew even again. Chmelař blocked a shot in the defensive zone and quickly was able to gain possession in the neutral zone. Chmelař fed Berard on the left-wing side, where he worked into the circle and ripped a low shot by Murashov at 12:07.
2:19 later, Kalle Väisänen gave the Wolf Pack the lead for good with his third goal of the season. Fitzgerald fired a shot from the point that Väisänen deflected in front, lighting the lamp at 14:26 to make it a 3-2 game.
Justin Dowling found a rebound at 19:15, extending the lead to 4-2. Berard tipped a Chmelař shot on goal that Murashov denied, but Dowling followed up the rebound and had a wide-open net to deposit his seventh goal of the season into.
The goal was club’s third in a span of 7:08 and would stand as the game-winning strike.
The Penguins drew within a goal at 9:38 of the third period. Aaron Huglen forced a turnover in the offensive zone, then connected with Aidan McDonough in the left-wing circle. McDonough’s quick bid beat Garand by the glove, making it 4-3.
Garand slammed the door shut from there, however, making nine saves in the third period to cement the victory.
The Wolf Pack continue their five-game road trip tomorrow when they battle the Penguins in a rematch of tonight’s showdown. The puck drop is set for 6:05 p.m.
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