By Zachary Grenier
Hartford, CT, October 24, 2014 – Ben Thomson and Mike Sislo scored two goals apiece, and Joe Whitney and Scott Timmins both had a goal and an assist, to lead the Albany Devils to a 7-3 win over the Hartford Wolf Pack Friday night at the XL Center.
The loss was the first regulation defeat in five games on the season for the Wolf Pack (3-1-1-0, 7 pts.), who got goals from Marek Hrivik, Chris Bourque and J.T. Miller, and two assists from Jesper Fast.
The Wolf Pack were in an early deficit after Albany’s Thomson deflected a Dan Kelly slap shot from the left point, to put the Pack down 1-0 just 4:14 into the game.
“We’ve definitely talked about having better starts and having better first periods and I think we play better as the game goes on,” said Hartford assistant captain Ryan Bourque.
Hartford’s Hrivik tied the game up less than two minutes later, at 5:53, with a shorthanded goal, a slap shot from the right faceoff circle after Hrivik received a pass from Joey Crabb on a two on one.
With 8:43 left in the first Albany’s Paul Thompson, the AHL’s leading goal-scorer put the Pack down 2-1 when he put up his seventh of the season by beating Jason Missiaen, with another deflection of a left-point shot by Kelly.
Yet again, the Wolf Pack quickly tied the game up; this time it was Chris Bourque just 58 seconds after Thompson’s goal. Bourque worked a give-and-go with Fast that led to Bourque’s sliding back-hander that beat Devils’ goaltender Keith Kinkaid (27 saves).
“We came back more than once, but you can only do that so many times,” said Hartford coach Ken Gernander.
It was not until the 11:01 mark of the second period that either team scored again. Whitney got the puck at the side of the net after a blocked shot in front and put it home to put the Devils up 3-2.
Thomson dug a bigger hole for the Wolf Pack 2:50 into the third, when he capitalized on a Pack turnover in the defensive end, beating Missiaen with a wrist shot from the top of the left faceoff circle to make it 4-2.
“You’ve got to manage your puck,” said Gernander. “You might not always be able to make a tape to tape pass or have an available outlet, but it’s got to be put in to an area that allows us to recover.”
Timmins added to the Albany lead with 12:55 left in the third, when he got his second goal of the year to make it 5-2.
J.T. Miller cut the Devils’ lead to two, when he capitalized on a Wolf Pack power play at 8:39 with a wrist shot from the faceoff dot that rang off of the iron and in.
After Miller’s goal, however, the Devils would tack on two more, both by Sislo. He scored his fourth of the year at 10:10 to make it a three-goal Albany lead, and then added an empty-netter for the final margin at 19:28.
“It’s almost a benefit to have three games in a weekend,” Bourque said, “because you definitely have two games Saturday and Sunday to make up for tonight.”
The Wolf Pack and Devils complete a home-and-home Saturday night at the Times-Union Center in Albany, with faceoff at 5:00 PM. All of the action of that game 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 outing is this Sunday, October 26 at the XL Center, as the Norfolk Admirals visit for a 3:00 game. The Wolf Pack’s “Click It or Ticket Family Value Pack” is again featured on Sundays this year, and has been expanded to Wednesday and Thursday home games as well. 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.
Albany Devils 7 at Hartford Wolf Pack 3
Friday, October 24, 2014 – XL Center
Albany 2 1 4 – 7
Hartford 2 0 1 – 3
1st Period-1, Albany, Thomson 1 (Kelly, Hrabarenka), 4:14. 2, Hartford, Hrivik 2 (Crabb), 5:53 (SH). 3, Albany, Thompson 7 (Kelly, Whitney), 11:17. 4, Hartford, Bourque 1 (Fast), 12:15. Penalties-Fast Hfd (holding), 0:28; McIlrath Hfd (holding), 4:32; Wohlberg Alb (unsportsmanlike conduct), 15:05; Bourque Hfd (unsportsmanlike conduct), 15:05.
2nd Period-5, Albany, Whitney 1 (Sestito, Timmins), 11:01 (PP). Penalties-Pelley Alb (slashing), 6:15; Burlon Alb (fighting), 9:02; Kristo Hfd (fighting), 9:02; Thomson Alb (roughing), 9:28; McIlrath Hfd (roughing, roughing), 9:28; served by Boucher Alb (bench minor – too many men), 12:01; Pelley Alb (holding), 17:52; Bourque Hfd (tripping), 19:52.
3rd Period-6, Albany, Thomson 2 2:50. 7, Albany, Timmins 2 7:05. 8, Hartford, Miller 2 (Bodie, Fast), 8:39 (PP). 9, Albany, Sislo 3 (Zajac), 10:10 (SH). 10, Albany, Sislo 4 (Boucher), 19:28 (EN). Penalties-Lindberg Hfd (roughing), 4:57; McPherson Alb (double minor – high-sticking), 7:47; Zajac Alb (interference), 11:56; Wohlberg Alb (interference), 16:04.
Shots on Goal-Albany 7-9-11-27. Hartford 8-11-11-30.
Power Play Opportunities-Albany 1 / 5; Hartford 1 / 7.
Goalies-Albany, Kinkaid 3-0-1 (30 shots-27 saves). Hartford, Missiaen 1-1-0 (23 shots-17 saves); Skapski 0-0-0 (3 shots-3 saves).
A-3,216
Referees-Ryan Murphy (5), Ben Moser (3).
Linesmen-Jim Briggs (83), Luke Galvin (2).
