Hartford, CT, March 28, 2014 – Darryl Boyce and J.F. Jacques had two goals apiece Friday night at the XL Center, leading the Springfield Falcons to a 6-1 win over the Hartford Wolf Pack.
Carter Camper and Cody Bass also scored for Springfield, which had lost four straight games in the season series to the Wolf Pack, and Patrick McNeill and Michael Chaput had two assists apiece. Darroll Powe scored the lone Wolf Pack goal.
“We definitely put ourselves behind the eight-ball with the penalties,” said captain Aaron Johnson of the Wolf Pack, who were shorthanded six times in the game. “It just seemed like the first half of the game was nothing but killing penalties. Unfortunately that gets to a group of guys and tires them out. It’s tough to get any momentum after that.”
Boyce’s first goal of the game was the only score of the first period, and would give the Falcons a lead they would never relinquish. Trent Vogelhuber worked the puck loose in the right-wing corner and passed it to Boyce, who moved just inside the faceoff dot and fired a shot past Wolf Pack goaltender Dov Grumet-Morris (24 saves) at 6:29.
The Falcons stretched their lead to 3-0 with a pair of goals only 20 seconds apart early in the second period.
First, Jacques scored on a power play at 4:23, with Tommy Hughes in the penalty box for slashing. Jacques carried the puck around the net from the left-wing corner, and wrapped it around the post to Grumet-Morris’ left. Jacques’ bid hit Wolf Pack defenseman Conor Allen’s skate and deflected past Grumet-Morris.
Then, Boyce broke out of the Springfield end after Hughes pinched in from the right point and overskated the puck. Boyce elected to shoot on a two-on-one, and his blast off of left wing beat Grumet-Morris on the stick side at 4:43.
Powe got the Wolf Pack on the scoreboard, and cut the Falcon lead to 3-1, at 9:08 of the third period. Danny Syvret unloaded a slap shot from the right point, and Powe deflected it past Smith.
Springfield killed any momentum the Pack created with that goal, though, as Camper answered only 37 seconds later, at 9:45. Sean Collins fed the puck to Camper in the left-wing circle, and Camper held it for a moment before powering a shot past Grumet-Morris’ catching glove.
That started a run of three Falcon goals in a span of 2:12, and Jacques got his second of the game only 58 seconds after Camper scored, at 10:43. Grumet-Morris stopped Denny Urban’s shot from the slot, but Jacques, unchecked to Grumet-Morris’ right, batted the rebound out of the air and into the net.
Bass completed the scoring only 1:14 after that, at 11:57, off an assist from Marko Dano, playing in his first North American pro game. Dano worked the puck away from Hughes in the left-wing corner and passed it to the front of the net, where Bass jumped on it and knocked it in.
The Wolf Pack are right back at the XL Center Saturday night, taking on the Bridgeport Sound Tigers in a 7:00 PM game. Tickets for all Wolf Pack 2013-14 home games are on sale now at the Public Power Ticket Office at the XL Center, 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 representative about season or group tickets, call (855) 762-6451.
Springfield Falcons 6 at Hartford Wolf Pack 1
Friday, March 28, 2014 – XL Center
Springfield 1 2 3 – 6
Hartford 0 0 1 – 1
1st Period-1, Springfield, Boyce 12 (Vogelhuber, McNeill), 6:29. Penalties-Goloubef Spr (slashing), 8:26; Fast Hfd (goaltender interference), 14:23; Kristo Hfd (tripping), 17:11.
2nd Period-2, Springfield, Jacques 13 (Chaput, McNeill), 4:23 (PP). 3, Springfield, Boyce 13 (St. Denis, Tyrell), 4:43. Penalties-Goloubef Spr (interference), 0:32; Hughes Hfd (slashing), 3:19; Fast Hfd (tripping), 9:56; Bass Spr (hooking), 13:29; Camper Spr (hooking), 16:43; Lindberg Hfd (hooking), 19:15.
3rd Period-4, Hartford, Powe 11 (Syvret, Haley), 9:08. 5, Springfield, Camper 9 (Collins), 9:45. 6, Springfield, Jacques 14 (Urban, Chaput), 10:43. 7, Springfield, Bass 6 (Dano), 11:57. Penalties-Powe Hfd (slashing), 2:35; Thompson Spr (fighting), 12:37; O’Donnell Hfd (fighting), 12:37.
Shots on Goal-Springfield 11-13-6-30. Hartford 6-10-11-27.
Power Play Opportunities-Springfield 1 / 6; Hartford 0 / 4.
Goalies-Springfield, Smith 20-13-3 (27 shots-26 saves). Hartford, Grumet-Morris 16-15-5 (30 shots-24 saves).
A-3,672
Referees-Tom Chmielewski (43).
Linesmen-Mike Baker (11), Derek Wahl (46).
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