Fix-Wolansky, McConnell-Barker Lead Wolf Pack Past Bears 5-4

The Hartford Wolf Pack capped off a five-game road trip on Tuesday night. The end of the swing took them to Hershey for their second matchup of the season against the Bears.

The Wolf Pack saw a third-period lead evaporate, but in the end, they found a way to win. A power play in overtime allowed the Wolf Pack to secure the extra point and cap off their five-game road trip with a 5-4 victory.

Trey Times Two

The Wolf Pack broke the ice just 32 seconds into the contest. Adam Sýkora exited the Hartford zone and sent a stretch pass to Brendan Brisson at neutral ice. Brisson entered the Hershey zone and slipped a feed to Trey Fix-Wolansky cutting towards the net. Fix-Wolansky tried to stuff a shot in on the backhand, but Clay Stevenson denied the bid. However, Fix-Wolansky spun and hammered the rebound through the five-hole of the Hershey netminder to give the Wolf Pack an early lead.

Fix-Wolansky doubled the lead just over the three minute mark in the period. Sýkora swung another pass across the ice to Fix-Wolansky, who entered the offensive zone all alone. The veteran forward went to the backhand again, and this time he beat Stevenson over the right pad to double the Wolf Pack lead.

The tallies gave Fix-Wolansky 14 goals and 23 points on the campaign, both good for the team lead. The Wolf Pack would take the two-goal margin into the first intermission.

A Word of Ad-Bryce

The Wolf Pack got a pair of penalty kills in the middle frame, preventing power play goals while Jackson Dorrington sat for tripping and Fix-Wolansky was in the box for slashing.

The man advantages would give the Bears a bit of momentum, but it would be the Wolf Pack who found the next goal. Dylan Garand made a sprawling save to keep the home side off the board, which started a rush the other way. Brett Berard took a feed from Carey Terrance, spun away from a defender, and found Bryce McConnell-Barker coming onto the ice. McConnell-Barker corralled the feed, skated to the left circle, and fired a shot by Stevenson to put the Wolf Pack up by three.

The goal was McConnell-Barker's seventh of the season, matching his total from the 2024-25 campaign.

However, the Bears would finally get on the board just over a minute later. Brett Leason hammered a rebound through the five-hole of Garand to get the Bears on the board and cut the lead back to two.

Three for Trey

The Wolf Pack responded well, getting the next four shots on goal. After a chaotic sequence in front of the Hershey net, officials ruled that Corey Schueneman had closed his hand on the puck in the crease. That initiated a penalty shot for the Wolf Pack, who sent Fix-Wolansky to take it.

On the penalty shot, Fix-Wolansky cut to the left before skating towards the slot. The veteran forward let the puck roll off his stick and through the five-hole of Stevenson to put the Wolf Pack back up by three.

The goal was Fix-Wolansky's 15th of the campaign, and represented the first time Hartford had scored on a penalty shot this season. Fix-Wolansky's hat trick was also the first by a Wolf Pack player since Alex Belzile recorded three goals against the Bridgeport Islanders on December 4, 2024.

However, Leason would score his second goal of the frame to cut the lead back to two again. Leason forced a turnover at the Hartford blue line, skated towards the net, and crossed up Garand to make it a two-goal game once again. The Wolf Pack took the 4-2 lead into the second intermission.

BMB, GWG

The Wolf Pack's third period woes came back to haunt them once again. Ilya Protas scored a controversial goal just under three minutes into the period. Protas fired a shot that Garand made the initial save on, and officials blew the whistle. However, the puck leaked through the Hartford netminder and crossed the red line. Officials gathered and ultimately awarded Protas the tally to cut the Wolf Pack lead back to one.

Graeme Clarke tied the contest just 22 seconds later, finding some open ice and lasering a shot by Garand.

Neither team was able to pull ahead throughout the remainder of the period, sending the game to overtime for the second time in as many matchups between the teams.

In the extra session, Henrik Rybinski tripped up Sýkora, sending the Wolf Pack to the power play. In the extra session, Justin Dowling held the puck in the high slot and dished it off to Derrick Pouliot. The veteran defenseman walked in before threading a pass across the ice to McConnell-Barker going to the net. McConnell-Barker grabbed the feed before snapping a shot by Stevenson, delivering the win and the extra point to the Wolf Pack.

The goal was McConnell-Barker's eighth of the season, giving him a new career high. It also represented McConnell-Barker's team-leading third game-winning tally of the campaign.

With the win, the Wolf Pack wrap up their five-game road trip with a 3-2-0-0 record and will now return home for four straight contests.

Up Next

The Wolf Pack return to the Connecticut capital on Friday, hosting the Bridgeport Islanders for the latest installment of the Battle of Connecticut. Puck drop is set for 7 pm.