Hartford, CT, March 1, 2014 – Dov Grumet-Morris made 31 saves, to improve his record to 8-1-1 in his last 10 decisions, Saturday night at the XL Center, and T.J. Hensick had a goal and an assist, as the Hartford Wolf Pack downed the Portland Pirates, 4-2.

The win was the fourth straight for the Wolf Pack, which also got goals from Danny Syvret and Dylan McIlrath, and an empty-net tally from Arron Asham.  Darroll Powe and Jesper Fast had two assists apiece.  Jordan Martinook and Andy Miele scored for the Pirates.

“We believe in ourselves right now and we’re rolling in the right direction,” Hensick said.  “We’ve just got to keep it going into tomorrow night.”

The Wolf Pack and Pirates complete a home-and-home set Sunday afternoon at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston, Maine.

After having fallen behind 3-0 in the first period of the last meeting between the two teams Tuesday night in Lewiston, the Wolf Pack scored the first three of Saturday’s contest.

Syvret opened the scoring in a four-on-four situation at 6:40 of the first period, off of an assist from Powe.  Powe moved the puck from the right-wing circle to Syvret at the left point, and Syvret moved down to the top of the circle before slamming a shot past Pirate starting goaltender Louis Domingue on the stick side.

Hensick made it a 2-0 Wolf Pack lead at 9:55, with Powe again creating the play.  Domingue made a stellar save, sliding to his left, on a wraparound try by Powe, but as the Pirates’ Ethan Werek tried to drop it back to Domingue, it slid through his legs and laid loose for Hensick to bang into the net.

McIlrath then scored his fifth of the season at 14:01, to increase the lead to 3-0.  Hensick feathered a pass from the left-wing boards to a wide-open McIlrath headed up the slot, and McIlrath niftily pulled the puck back before rapping it past Domingue from close range.

The Pirates replaced Domingue (four saves) with Mark Visentin at that point, and Portland would get on the scoreboard with only 8.2 seconds remaining in the period.  After the Wolf Pack were unable to get the puck out of their zone up the boards, Martinook broke down the left-wing side and snapped a shot that squeezed past Grumet-Morris on the glove side.

Portland carried the momentum of that goal into the second period, in which they outshot the Wolf Pack by a margin of 14-5, but Grumet-Morris kept the Pirates from cutting further into the lead.

Portland closed to within one goal at 4:17 of the third period on a power play, with Conor Allen off for roughing.  Daine Todd worked the puck to Miele near the top of the left circle, and Miele’s shot went through a screen and past Grumet-Morris.

The Wolf Pack settled things down after that, though, and Asham, who had missed 15 straight games before returning to the Hartford lineup Friday night, fired home an open-net goal at 19:12 to ice the victory.

The Wolf Pack and Pirates face off again at 4:00 PM Sunday back up in Lewiston.  All of the action of that battle 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 Wolf Pack’s next home game is this Friday, March 7, a 7:00 PM contest against the Springfield Falcons.  All Wolf Pack Friday-night home games feature $1 hot dogs and $2 beers through the start of the second period, presented by Marc’s Appliance Warehouse, located at 75 Prospect Ave., Hartford, CT.

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.

Portland Pirates 2 at Hartford Wolf Pack 4
Saturday, March 1, 2014 – XL Center

Portland 1 0 1 – 2
Hartford 3 0 1 – 4

1st Period-1, Hartford, Syvret 7 (Powe, Allen), 6:40. 2, Hartford, Hensick 6 (Powe), 9:55. 3, Hartford, McIlrath 5 (Hensick, Fast), 14:01. 4, Portland, Martinook 8 (Hextall, Klesla), 19:51. Penalties-Martinook Por (boarding), 4:57; Grumet-Morris Hfd (delay of game), 6:22; Hughes Hfd (tripping), 16:02; Hagel Por (fighting), 19:02; McIlrath Hfd (fighting), 19:02.

2nd Period- No Scoring. Penalties-Stamler Hfd (holding), 3:05; Yip Por (hooking), 8:37.

3rd Period-5, Portland, Miele 23 (Todd, Gormley), 4:17 (PP). 6, Hartford, Asham 2 (Fast, Johnson), 19:12 (EN). Penalties-Allen Hfd (roughing), 2:51; Lindberg Hfd (tripping), 14:19; Lessio Por (hooking), 15:34.

Shots on Goal-Portland 9-14-10-33. Hartford 10-5-9-24.
Power Play Opportunities-Portland 1 / 5; Hartford 0 / 3.
Goalies-Portland, Domingue 7-10-2 (7 shots-4 saves); Visentin 13-16-4 (16 shots-16 saves). Hartford, Grumet-Morris 11-11-5 (33 shots-31 saves).
A-4,404
Referees-Tim Mayer (19), Brett Montsion (80).
Linesmen-Brent Colby (7), Luke Galvin (2).

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Hartford, CT, February 28, 2014 – Dov Grumet-Morris made 29 saves Friday night at the XL Center, and Marek Hrivik and T.J. Hensick scored shootout goals, as the Hartford Wolf Pack captured their third straight win, 2-1 over the Hershey Bears.

The Wolf Pack had not won three consecutive games since a five-game winning streak October 5-19, and now have at least a point in six of their last eight games (5-2-0-1).  They have come from behind to win in the third period in each of the three victories in their current streak.

Peter LeBlanc scored a late second-period goal for Hershey, and Ryan Bourque replied for the Wolf Pack on a third-period two-man advantage.  David Leggio made 34 saves in the Hershey net.

“Third periods have been pretty good to us this season,” Wolf Pack head coach Ken Gernander said.  “We had some opportunities on the power play, our guys stuck with it. We got a big goal to send it to overtime and we picked up two points in the shootout.”

The two teams battled through nearly two full scoreless periods, before the Bears finally opened the scoring with 1:04 remaining in the second period, just 10 seconds after a Hershey power play expired.  Matt Watkins wrapped the puck around the post to Grumet-Morris’ left, and it slid right to LeBlanc headed down the left side of the slot.  Grumet-Morris could not move to his right fast enough, and LeBlanc’s one-timer found the back of the net.

The Wolf Pack then took advantage of some Hershey penalty trouble in the third period.  The Bears took three minor penalties in quick succession starting at 7:34, and a boarding infraction against Julien Brouillette at 9:51 gave Hartford 1:35 of five-on-three time.

Near the end of that man advantage, Oscar Lindberg moved down the right-wing side and fired a shot that went off of Bourque, who was causing traffic to Leggio’s left, and deflected into the net at 11:15.

That was the end of the scoring through the rest of regulation and overtime, and in the shootout, Leggio stopped Jesper Fast on the Wolf Pack’s first attempt, but Hrivik and Hensick then scored on back-to-back shots.  That proved to be enough, as, after Ryan Stoa connected on Hershey’s first attempt, Grumet-Morris stopped four straight, including a poke-check on Jeff Taffe to end the game.

The Wolf Pack are right back on home ice at the XL Center Saturday night, hosting the Portland Pirates in a 7:00 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.

Hershey Bears 1 at Hartford Wolf Pack 2 (SO)
Friday, February 28, 2014 – XL Center

Hershey 0 1 0 0 – 1
Hartford 0 0 1 0 – 2

1st Period- No Scoring. Penalties-No Penalties

2nd Period-1, Hershey, LeBlanc 12 (Watkins, Byers), 18:56. Penalties-Wellar Her (roughing), 5:54; Lindberg Hfd (tripping), 16:46.

3rd Period-2, Hartford, Bourque 15 (Lindberg, Syvret), 11:15 (PP). Penalties-Wellar Her (slashing), 6:57; Beach Hfd (diving/embellishment), 6:57; Gazley Her (hooking), 7:34; Oleksy Her (kneeing), 9:26; Brouillette Her (boarding), 9:51.

OT Period- No Scoring. Penalties-No Penalties

Shootout – Hershey 1 (Stoa G, Galiev NG, Potulny NG, Byers NG, Taffe NG), Hartford 2 (Fast NG, Hrivik G, Hensick G, Yogan NG, Asham NG).
Shots on Goal-Hershey 10-9-9-2-0-30. Hartford 6-15-12-2-1-36.
Power Play Opportunities-Hershey 0 / 1; Hartford 1 / 4.
Goalies-Hershey, Leggio 15-14-3 (35 shots-34 saves). Hartford, Grumet-Morris 10-11-5 (30 shots-29 saves).
A-4,172
Referees-Ryan Murphy (5), Jarrod Ragusin (54).
Linesmen-Luke Galvin (2), Derek Wahl (46).

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HARTFORD, February 28, 2014:  Hartford Wolf Pack general manager Jim Schoenfeld announced today that the parent New York Rangers have reassigned forward Kyle Jean to the Wolf Pack from its ECHL affiliate, the Greenville Road Warriors.

Prior to being assigned to Greenville January 14, Jean, a second-year pro out of Lake Superior State University, skated in 27 games with the Wolf Pack, scoring two goals and adding two assists for four points, while serving 19 penalty minutes.  In 18 ECHL games with the Road Warriors, the 6-4, 203-pound Sault Ste. Marie, MI native struck for four goals and seven assists for 11 points, including seven points (three goals, four assists) in his last four games, and had nine PIM.

Jean signed as a free agent with the Rangers July 5, 2012.

The Wolf Pack return to action tonight on home ice at the XL Center, taking on the Hershey Bears at 7:00 PM  All Wolf Pack Friday-night home games feature $1 hot dogs and $2 beers through the start of the second period, presented by Marc’s Appliance Warehouse, located at 75 Prospect Ave., Hartford, CT.

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.

Follow Ian on Twitter @soxanddawgs. And be sure to like us on Facebook as well.