Steven Fogarty had two goals and an assist, and Ryan Gropp added a goal and two assists, for the Wolf Pack Sunday at the XL Center, in a 6-2 win over the Binghamton Devils.
The Wolf Pack scored five unanswered goals in the victory, after falling behind 1-0 and 2-1, snapping an 0-5-1-0 drought.
“We thought the start of our game was a direct result of pieces trying to get to know each other as quick as possible, line combinations, and guys getting a feel for the pro game,” Wolf Pack head coach Keith McCambridge said. “But I thought once we settled in, we started to generate a little bit of chemistry and created some scoring chances.”
The Wolf Pack were outshot 12-4 in the first period, and the Devils finished the first 20 minutes with a 2-1 lead.
Binghamton struck first at 2:21, on Alex Krushelnyski’s second goal of the season. The puck came to Brandon Gignac out of a battle in the right-wing corner, and he passed to Colton White in the left circle. White found a wide-open Krushelnyski at the right post, and he easily pushed the puck into the net.
Gabriel Fontaine tied the game with a shorthanded goal at 13:09, while Gropp was serving a slashing minor. Fontaine broke into the Devil zone on a 2-on-1 with Tim Gettinger and, using Gettinger as a decoy, fired a shot past the catching glove of Binghamton goaltender Evan Cormier (23 saves).
The Devils went right back to the power play at 14:37, on a slashing call against Vinni Lettieri, and Binghamton regained the lead only 17 seconds later, at 14:54. A pass eluded Nick Lappin at the right side of the slot, but he was able to hand the puck to Eric Tangradi along the goal line. He whipped it across the slot to Blake Pietila in the left circle, and he drove it into the net before Wolf Pack netminder Brandon Halverson (24 saves) could react.
The Wolf Pack turned the tables in the second period, enjoying a 13-4 shots advantage and scoring three times.
Fogarty netted his 20th goal of the season at 9:12 to tie the score at two, with J.D. Dudek off for hooking. John Gilmour set up Gropp in the right circle, and he sent the puck toward the net. Fogarty deflected it in the slot and it went into the top corner on Cormier’s stick side.
Hartford would then click twice in 30 seconds late in the period, starting with Lewis Zerter-Gossage’s first pro goal at 17:22. Ryan Dmowski took a pass from fellow recent addition Shawn McBride, and backtracked on the left-wing side before turning and snapping the puck toward the net. Zerter-Gossage deflected the bid through Cormier’s legs.
Fogarty then made it 4-2 Wolf Pack with his second of the game at 17:52, working a beautiful give-and-go with Lettieri. Fogarty took Lettieri’s return pass on the left side and easily fired the puck into the net.
The home side would get two more in the third, first a goal by Nick Jones at 10:09, his second in seven pro games since joining the Wolf Pack. Jake Elmer fed Darren Raddysh at the right point, and Cormier stopped his one-timer. Jones was able to find the rebound, though, as Cormier went down on his back, and Jones poked it into the net.
Down by three goals, the Devils pulled Cormier with 4:29 left, and the Wolf Pack foiled that strategy at 16:02. Fogarty knocked the puck to center ice and re-collected it, and passed up a chance to shoot at the open net for a hat trick, dishing to Gropp. He was alone in front of the empty cage, and slid the puck in to make the final 6-2.
“It was just the way the play happened,” Fogarty said. “Their guy stepped up, and I knew Gropp had a break, so I made the higher percentage play to him.”
“I liked the way responded to the slow start,” said Gropp. “Five unanswered goals is pretty solid, so I think that was a good bounce back game for us.”