Pack's OT Luck Runs out
Jan 11, 2015
The Wolf Pack were unable to pull out a third straight overtime victory Sunday afternoon at the XL Center, as they were defeated by the Bridgeport Sound Tigers 4-3 in extra time.
Kael Mouillierat’s 3-on-3 goal at 4:45 of OT won the game for the Sound Tigers.
Chris Bourque had a goal and an assist for the Wolf Pack, and Ryan Bourque and Oscar Lindberg also scored. Mackenzie Skapski stopped 19 of the 23 shots he faced. In addition to Mouillierat’s overtime winner, Bridgeport had goals from Cory Conacher, Aaron Ness and John Persson. David Leggio had 25 saves on 28 shots.
“I think it was a pretty long, emotional weekend,” said Hartford coach Ken Gernander. “We had two big games Friday and Saturday, and then this game was big as well. I think there were times where we were a bit tired and made some breakdown-type mistakes.
The Wolf Pack had beaten the two teams ahead of them in overtime games Friday and Saturday nights, knocking off Syracuse 3-2 on Friday at home and winning 4-3 in Springfield Saturday.
Bridgeport struck first when Conacher cut through the slot on a power play and worked a give-and-go with Harry Zolnierczyk, who fed the puck through the Pack defenders to Conacher for the finish, with 6:06 remaining in the first period.
The Pack were able to tie the game at one at 18:58 of the first. It was Ryan Bourque who fired the puck to the front of the net from the right-wing corner. The puck then bounced off of Sound Tiger defenders until it found its way over the goal line.
“It doesn’t matter how it goes in,” said Chris Bourque. “It just matters that it goes in. It’s nice to see him (younger brother Ryan) get on the board there, and I’m sure we’ll see it a lot more often now.”
The Sound Tigers were able to get a shorthanded goal at 5:09 of the second period to give them a 2-1 lead. The puck was dumped low and Scooter Vaughan was able to find Ness cutting to the front of the net for his fifth goal of the season.
Then a Pack turnover led to Persson getting the puck in the slot with an open lane to the net. Persson fired the shot on net and beat Skapski to the glove side at 8:56, to give the Sound Tigers a 3-1 lead.
“That’s nice to have in the bag, to be able to know that you can come back in a game,” said Chris Bourque. “It’s tough to do in this league, to come from behind, but we’ve done it a couple of times now and it’s nice to know that we have the ability to do it.”
Hartford was able to capitalize on a power play opportunity to cut the deficit to one at 12:22. Chris Bourque sent a pass across the faceoff circles to find Lindberg, who one-timed the pass past Leggio for Lindberg’s 11th goal of the season.
Just 50 seconds into the third period, Chris Bourque fired a slap shot from beyond center ice and beat Leggio to tie the game. Bourque appeared to be trying to send the puck in to the zone when the puck rang off of the post and in for his 16th goal of the season.
“Sometime you see that happen where you try to catch the goalie sleeping a little bit there,” said Chris Bourque. “There was a little space there between the two D and it found its way in, it went post and in. I’ve never scored from that far out, so that was nice.”
The Pack then went to overtime for the third straight game.
It was Mouillierat who ended this divisional battle when he fired a slap shot from the top of the circles. Mouillierat’s 11th goal of the season gave the Sound Tigers the victory and snapped the three-game winning streak that Hartford had in the season series against Bridgeport.
The Wolf Pack’s next action is a trip to Norfolk this Friday night, January 16 to battle the Admirals. Faceoff is 7:30 PM, and all of the action can be heard live on Fox Sports Radio 1410, and on-line at www.foxsportsradio1410.com and iHeartRadio. Video streaming is available at www.ahllive.com.
The next home game for the Wolf Pack is Wednesday, January 21, when the Providence Bruins visit the XL Center for a 7:00 game. All Wolf Pack Wednesday home games are “Winning Wednesdays”. If the Wolf Pack win, each fan can get a free ticket to the next Pack home game (some restrictions apply). Also, January 21 is the next chance to take advantage of the Wolf Pack’s “Click It or Ticket Family Value Pack”. The Family Value Pack features two tickets, two sodas and two hot dogs, all for only $35.\
Tickets for all 2014-15 Wolf Pack home games are now on sale at the XL Center ticket office, on-line at www.hartfordwolfpack.com and by phone at (877) 522-8499. Wolf Pack tickets start as low as $12 for youth 12 years old or younger.
To speak with a Wolf Pack representative about season or group tickets, or any of the Wolf Pack’s many ticketing options, call (855) 762-6451, or click here to request more info.
Bridgeport Sound Tigers 4 (OT) at Hartford Wolf Pack 3
Sunday, January 11, 2015 - XL Center
Bridgeport 1 2 0 1 - 4
Hartford 1 1 1 0 - 3
1st Period-1, Bridgeport, Conacher 3 (Zolnierczyk, Reinhart), 13:54 (PP). 2, Hartford, R. Bourque 7 (Mueller), 18:58. Penalties-Mouillierat Bri (slashing), 12:55; Kostka Hfd (slashing), 12:55; McIlrath Hfd (roughing), 12:55; McIlrath Hfd (elbowing), 19:07.
2nd Period-3, Bridgeport, Ness 5 (Vaughan, Zolnierczyk), 5:09 (SH). 4, Bridgeport, Persson 4 (Mayfield), 8:56. 5, Hartford, Lindberg 11 (C. Bourque, Bodie), 12:22 (PP). Penalties-Vaughan Bri (hooking), 2:46; Mayfield Bri (boarding), 4:04; Gallant Bri (unsportsmanlike conduct, fighting), 9:29; McIlrath Hfd (unsportsmanlike conduct, fighting), 9:29; Mouillierat Bri (holding), 11:07; Lindberg Hfd (closing hand on puck), 12:53; Malone Hfd (holding the stick), 16:15.
3rd Period-6, Hartford, C. Bourque 16 (Allen), 0:50. Penalties-Conacher Bri (slashing), 7:11; Quine Bri (cross-checking), 9:45; Gillies Bri (boarding), 11:35.
OT Period-7, Bridgeport, Mouillierat 11 (Graham, Conacher), 4:45. Penalties-No Penalties
Shots on Goal-Bridgeport 7-6-8-2-23. Hartford 6-4-13-5-28.
Power Play Opportunities-Bridgeport 1 / 4; Hartford 1 / 6.
Goalies-Bridgeport, Leggio 6-7-0 (28 shots-25 saves). Hartford, Skapski 9-7-1 (23 shots-19 saves).
A-4,240
Referees-Darcy Burchell (42), Trevor Hanson (47).
Linesmen-Luke Galvin (2), Derek Wahl (46).