Pack Edge Past Bridgeport in Home Finale, 4-3
May 4, 2021
Tim Gettinger and Paul Thompson scored third-period goals to push the Wolf Pack past the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, 4-3, Tuesday at the XL Center, in the Wolf Pack’s final home game of the season.
Thompson scored a power-play goal 4:52 into the third to break a 2-2 tie, after the two teams had played a scoreless second period. With Felix Bibeau in the penalty box for slashing, a pass by Bridgeport defenseman Grant Hutton was deflected off of the side of the net to goaltender Ken Appleby’s (24 saves) left and right to Thompson at the side of the crease, and he easily knocked the puck in.
Gettinger then increased the Wolf Pack’s lead to 4-2 at 8:07, taking a pass from Jonny Brodzinski and getting around the Sound Tiger defense on left wing, before putting a backhand shot past Appleby on his glove side.
That turned out to be the game-winning goal, as Arnaud Durandeau got Bridgeport back to within one goal with two minutes left and Appleby on the bench for an extra attacker. Wolf Pack netminder Adam Huska (16 saves) stopped Bode Wilde’s shot from the left point, but the puck went off of Huska’s pads to Durandeau at the right side of the slot, and he fired it in before Huska could recover.
The Wolf Pack jumped in front twice in the first period, and both times Bridgeport came back to tie.
Anthony Greco opened the scoring for Hartford at 3:46, on the game’s first power play. With Erik Brown off for interference, Brodzinski moved down the left side in the Sound Tiger zone and backhanded a pass across to Greco at the right side of the slot. He snapped a high shot that beat Appleby to the stick side.
Simon Holmstrom drew the Sound Tigers even at 7:28, burying the carom off of the back boards of a shot from the left point by Samuel Bolduc past Huska.
Mason Geertsen scored his second goal in as many games to make it a 2-1 lead for the Wolf Pack at 14:12. Austin Rueschhoff carried the puck down right wing and around behind the net, before putting a pass into the goal mouth. Geertsen, camped out in front of the goal, jammed it underneath Appleby.
The Bridgeport power play clicked on its first opportunity of the game, though, at the 18-minute mark, to knot the score back up again. With Hunter Skinner serving a holding minor, Otto Koivula handed a pass from the right point to Wilde on the left point, and his shot went through a screen set by Brown and found its way past Huska.
The Wolf Pack wrap up their 2021 season this Thursday, May 6 at Providence. Faceoff is 1:00 PM, and video streaming is available at theahl.com/AHLTV.
Bridgeport Sound Tigers 3 at Hartford Wolf Pack 4
Tuesday, May 4, 2021 - XL Center
Bridgeport 2 0 1 - 3
Hartford 2 0 2 - 4
1st Period-1, Hartford, Greco 3 (Brodzinski, Newell), 3:46 (PP). 2, Bridgeport, Holmstrom 4 (Bolduc), 7:38. 3, Hartford, Geertsen 3 (Rueschhoff, O'Leary), 14:12. 4, Bridgeport, Wilde 3 (Koivula, Coskey), 18:00 (PP). Penalties-Brown Bri (interference), 1:59; Coskey Bri (hooking), 8:09; Cornell Bri (fighting), 14:58; Cuylle Hfd (fighting), 14:58; Skinner Hfd (holding), 16:45.
2nd Period- No Scoring. Penalties-Sieloff Hfd (hooking), 17:51; Timashov Bri (cross-checking), 18:57.
3rd Period-5, Hartford, Thompson 5 (Khodorenko), 4:52 (PP). 6, Hartford, Gettinger 9 (Brodzinski, Raddysh), 8:07. 7, Bridgeport, Durandeau 4 (Wilde, Coskey), 18:00. Penalties-Bibeau Bri (slashing), 2:55.
Shots on Goal-Bridgeport 6-5-8-19. Hartford 10-8-10-28.
Power Play Opportunities-Bridgeport 1 / 2; Hartford 2 / 4.
Goalies-Bridgeport, Appleby 4-3-0 (28 shots-24 saves). Hartford, Huska 9-3-0 (19 shots-16 saves).
A-
Referees-Brandon Blandina (39), Jim Curtin (90).
Linesmen-Michael Zyla (4), Dmitrii Antipin (77).