Wolf Pack Notch First Win in Shootout

By Bruce Berlet

It wasn’t an artistic masterpiece, but it provided the Hartford Wolf Pack with their first two points of the season.

Brodie Dupont and Artem Anisimov scored and Miika Wiikman stopped four of five shots in a shootout as the Wolf Pack beat the Bridgeport Sound Tigers 2-1 before 2,353 at the XL Center Sunday.

“They stayed with it for the most part, and Miika made some big saves late in the game and was good in the shootout,” Wolf Pack coach Ken Gernander said. “There are still a few things we can work on, but it’s early in the season and we’ll address that this week.”

Wiikman preserved a 1-1 tie when he robbed Tyler Haskins’ spin-around bid 1:55 into overtime. In the shootout, Wiikman was beaten by Kurtis McLean in the second round but denied Mike Iggulden, Trevor Smith, Tim Jackman and Jeremy Colliton, who took a 25-foot slap shot that Wiikman gloved.

“I knew a few of their guys, so I pretty much knew what they were going to do,” Wiikman said, alluding to Iggulden and Smith. “It felt good to get a win since it was only my second whole game this year.”

While with the Rangers in the preseason, Wiikman played half of two exhibition games. He remained with the NHL team when it traveled to Switzerland and the Czech Republic, but he didn’t appear in two exhibition games or in two victories over Tampa Bay.

“I feel a lot better, don’t get as tired as I did last year,” said Wiikman, who had knee surgery before last season and then sustained a groin injury early on. “I practiced a lot this summer, so I’m prepared to play a lot of games.

“Europe was a good experience because I got a couple of good practices with the five guys not playing, and (Rangers goalie coach) Benoit Allaire was there all the time, so it was good working with him and getting to know all the guys.”

Defensemen Corey Potter and Brian Fahey also were the Rangers throughout the preseason, and Potter gave the Wolf Pack a 1-0 lead when he took a pass from Dupont, faked a shot from the left point, moved into the high slot and beat a screened Peter Mannino 7:35 into the game.

The Sound Tigers tied it on a similar play 4:48 later, as defenseman Andrew MacDonald took a pass from Colliton and fired a 50-foot shot that a partially screened Wiikman couldn’t pick up in time.

Mannino, making his pro debut, made a diving stop at 4:20 of the second period off Jordan Owens, who hit the post 3:25 into the third period. But after McLean and Dupont scored in the second round of the shootout, Anisimov deked Mannino and lifted a backhander under the crossbar in Round 4 for the winner.

The Wolf Pack lost their opener Saturday night, blowing a three-goal lead in a 4-3 loss to the Springfield Falcons. But they limited the Sound Tigers (1-1-0-1) to 20 shots while putting 35 on Mannino.

“We played a lot better game,” Wiikman said. “We only played 20 minutes (Saturday), but we played the whole game pretty well (Sunday), and that was the big difference.”

Gernander was happy with the improved play of second-year pros Tommy Pyatt and Owens, who was elevated to one of the top lines after strong work on the penalty kill.

“Jordan really looked to have lots of jump and lots of pop when he finished hits,” Gernander said. “Tommy seems to have a little more hop and determination to his game. We’re still working on the defensive end as far as getting stronger in the one-on-one battles, but the offense is something we know he’s capable of that he has to display on a regular basis. If he shows a little more grit, I think it’ll enhance his defense.”

Ice Chips: Hockey Hall of Famer Gordie Howe was at the game with sons Mark and Marty, both of whom also played with the WHA New England Whalers and NHL Hartford Whalers. Gordie Howe’s No. 9 is one of six Whalers numbers in the XL Center rafters. Gernander’s No. 12 is the only retired Wolf Pack number. … The Wolf Pack will play three road games before returning to the XL Center Oct. 24 to face the Philadelphia Phantoms and coach John Paddock, who guided the Wolf Pack to their only Calder Cup in 2000. “Hopefully we learn some lessons, spend some time on the bus together on the road and put everything to good use while playing with maybe less pressure,” Gernander said.