HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack earned their first three-game winning streak of the season on Friday night, downing the rival Springfield Thunderbirds 5-2 in the I-91 Rivalry, presented by Braman Pest.
The Wolf Pack controlled the early part of the game, outshooting the Thunderbirds 6-1. They were rewarded with the game’s first goal at 10:12.
Justin Dowling fired a pass to the back door where Gabe Perreault was waiting. The rookie collected the pass and quickly ripped his ninth goal of the season by Vadim Zherenko to make it 1-0.
The goal extended Perreault’s point streak to three games (3 g, 1 g, 4 pts).
Kalle Väisänen extended the lead to 2-0 at 3:29, scoring his first career AHL goal. Daniel Walcott drove down the left-wing side, then sent the puck to the front of the net. Väisänen tipped the puck by Zherenko, completing the play.
Casey Fitzgerald’s second goal of the season came at 12:14, making it 3-0. On a pretty passing play, Perreault fed Dowling on the left-wing side. Dowling instantly sent a cross-ice pass to Fitzgerald, who buried his second goal against the Thunderbirds this season.
The Thunderbirds punched back, however, striking twice to make it 3-2 through 40 minutes.
First, Theo Lindstein backhanded home a rebound while the sides played four-on-four at 13:29. Then, at 16:45, Chris Wagner tipped home a shot from Michael Buchinger that came from the right-wing circle.
The goal gave Wagner two points (1 g, 1 a) in the period.
The Wolf Pack got 18 saves from Dylan Garand in the third period to put the game away, improving to 4-1-0-0 against the Thunderbirds this season.
Perreault made it 4-2 at 14:15, tapping home a back door feed from Dowling for his second goal of the night. The goal gave Perreault back-to-back multi-goal games.
In the final minutes of the game, Brendan Brisson got his sixth goal of the season, converting into the empty net at 18:57. The goal was the first power play goal surrendered on the road this season by the Thunderbirds.
The Wolf Pack hit the road for the ‘Battle of Connecticut’ tomorrow night against the Bridgeport Islanders at Total Mortgage Arena. The puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m., with coverage starting at 6:45 p.m.
The Pack is back at the newly renovated PeoplesBank Arena on Dec. 10 when the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins come to town. The puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m., with ‘Wolf Pack Pregame’ set to begin at 6:45 p.m. on AHLTV on FloHockey and Mixlr. Tickets are available here.
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