Wolf Pack doubled-up by Marlies

TORONTO, ON – The Hartford Wolf Pack got off to a good start on Saturday afternoon in Toronto, but an opportunistic Toronto Marlies group struck six times as they doubled up the Wolf Pack 6-3 at the Coca-Cola Coliseum.  WOLF PACK DOUBLED UP BY MARLIES 6-3

For the third game in a row, the Wolf Pack opened the scoring. Bryce McConnell-Barker fired a shot from the left-wing wall that Artur Akhtyamov denied. Akhtyamov also denied Carey Terrance on a rebound but kicked the puck back to McConnell-Barker.

The second-year forward sent a pass to the right-wing circle for Scott Morrow, who ripped a shot over the right shoulder of Akhtyamov at 4:39 to make it 1-0.

The Marlies responded at 12:13, striking just 16 seconds into their first power play. Spencer Martin lost his skate blade in the crease, but still made the initial save with a two-pad stack. The puck sat on the goal line, where Anton Blidh tried to dig it free and clear it. Logan Shaw was able to get a stick on it first, however, poking his 21st goal of the season over the line to make it 1-1.

The Marlies scored their second power play goal of the game just 37 seconds into the middle stanza. William Villeneuve fired a shot that beat Martin by the glove but clipped the iron. The rebound came to Shaw, however, who buried his second goal of the game to make it 2-1 for the Marlies.

Just 24 seconds later, Luke Haymes extended the lead to 3-1. Haymes muscled his way to the front of the net and stuffed a puck by the right pad of Martin at 1:01 for his 16th goal of the season.

The Wolf Pack were able to calm things down, however, and got the game to 3-2. McConnell-Barker fired a shot from the right-wing wall that clipped Brody Lamb in front. The puck bounced by Akhtyamov to give Lamb his first career professional goal at 3:03.

The Wolf Pack pushed hard for the equalizer, pouring the pressure onto Akhtyamov. They were unable to even the affair before the Marlies struck twice to extend the game to 5-2 by the second intermission.

Haymes snapped a shot from the slot that Martin denied at 12:21, but the rebound came to the side of the net where Ben King was waiting. King deposited the loose change for his first goal as a Marlie, making it 4-2.

47 seconds later, another rebound found the back of the net as Ryan Tverberg made it 5-2. A Shaw shot from the right-wing was denied by Martin, but Tverberg collected the rebound in the left-wing circle and beat Martin with a backhander at 13:08.

The goal was Tverberg’s second against the Wolf Pack this season.

Landon Sim’s first career AHL goal came 8:39 into the final frame off a scramble in front. Sim jammed a loose puck home to make it a 6-2 game, putting the Marlies out of reach.

Terrance completed his first career three-point game at 18:57 when he tipped in a Morrow shot from the right-wing point. The goal made it 6-3 and was the rookie’s seventh of the season.