Perreault Scores Twice as Wolf Pack Stun Monsters 3-2

After getting back in the win column with a 6-4 victory last night, the Hartford Wolf Pack took on the Cleveland Monsters in a rematch at the Rocket Arena in Cleveland.

The Monsters controlled the game for the first 50 minutes, but they couldn't put the Wolf Pack away. Hartford stormed back, striking three times in the final ten minutes to steal a 3-2 win and sweep the two-game set.

Cleveland Controls Early

The teams played a low-event first period. Cleveland took the edge in shots by an 8-4 margin, while the Wolf Pack got the game's first power play bid after Chongmin Lee took a tripping call. Spencer Martin and Zach Sawchenko turned aside all the shots they faced, keeping the game scoreless through 20 minutes.

Cleveland would finally break the ice just over 11 minutes into the middle frame. Owen Sillinger took a long shot that Martin denied, but the rebound popped away from the Hartford netminder. Corson Cuelemans, who had been knocked to the ice in the slot, somehow managed to swing his stick around and slip the puck through the five hole to break the ice.

Hunter McKown doubled the lead about five minutes later, muscling his way to the goal and stuffing the puck by Martin. However, the Hartford netminder would slam the door shut from there, ending his night with 35 saves on 37 shots in his first game as a member of the Wolf Pack.

The Monsters would take the two-goal lead into the second intermission, but the contest was far from over.

Perre-OH MY

The Wolf Pack finally got on the board about 12 minutes into the final frame. Slashing calls against Connor Mackey and Jack Williams initiated a four-on-four sequence. On the ensuing play, Casey Fitzgerald carried the puck into the Cleveland zone before being bumped off of it down low. The puck trickled to Justin Dowling behind the net, who snapped a quick pass to Gabe Perreault cutting to the slot. Perreault flicked a quick shot that beat Sawchenko to end the shutout bid and cut the lead in half.

The goal was Perreault's seventh of the campaign, and it gave Hartford the momentum they'd need in the remainder of the contest.

No Way Trey

Just nine seconds after Perreault got the Wolf Pack on the board, Trey Fix-Wolansky drew the teams even at two. Jaroslav Chmelař drove down and attempted a wraparound bid, but Sawchenko denied him with the pad. The puck sat in the crease where Fix-Wolansky corralled it and roofed a shot to tie the game.

The goal was Fix-Wolansky's team-leading ninth of the season and his third in two games against his former team.

Gabe Says Good Night

With just 1:20 to play in regulation, Mikael Pyyhtiä high-sticked Brennan Othmann, sending the Wolf Pack to the power play for the fourth time on the night.

On the ensuing power play, Dowling carried the puck into the offensive zone and worked around Dysin Mayo. Dowling flipped a pass across the ice to Brendan Brisson, who was left alone on the side of the net. Brisson settled the pass before feeding a streaking Perreault, who blasted it home to give the Wolf Pack their first lead of the night with just over a minute to play in regulation.

The goal was Perreault's eighth of the season, and it gave him his first multi-goal game as a professional.

Cleveland lifted Sawchenko in the final minute, but they couldn't find the equalizer, and the Wolf Pack swept the two-game set, earning four points on the weekend.

With the win, the Wolf Pack stay a perfect 5-0-0-0 in Cleveland and will return home on a two-game win streak.

Up Next

The Wolf Pack return to the Connecticut capital on Friday, December 5, welcoming the Springfield Thunderbirds to town for round five of the I-91 Rivalry. Puck drop is set for 7 pm.