Wolf Pack Complete Comeback, Down Thunderbirds 3-2

The Hartford Wolf Pack continued their six-game home stand on Tuesday morning, hosting the Springfield Thunderbirds in the third installment of the I-91 Rivalry. The Wolf Pack aimed to snap a season-long seven game skid that saw them go 0-3-4-0.

Hartford worked themselves into a hole early, falling behind 2-0 in the opening frame. However, a torrent third period saw the Wolf Pack force overtime, where they'd eventually take a 3-2 win and a much needed two points.

Outworked Early

Similarly to their game against the Laval Rocket on Saturday, the Wolf Pack got off to a slow start. The managed just three shots on goal in the opening 20 minutes, while Springfield fired 11 at Callum Tung. The T-Birds found the net twice, with Nikita Alexandrov ripping a shot home off a draw just over 13 minutes in and Logan Mailloux potting a power play goal late in the frame. The goals gave Springfield a 2-0 lead heading into the first intermission.

The Wolf Pack's struggles continued early in the middle frame, struggling to generate offense. They'd eventually find themselves on a five-on-three power play bid, where they got some looks, but were unable to get anything to fall. The 2-0 Springfield lead remained heading into the second intermission.

Dowling Delivers

The Wolf Pack finally got on the board just over three minutes into the third period. The teams played four-on-four hockey with Brendan Brisson and Michael Buchinger each in the box for roughing.

On the ensuing four-on-four sequence, Casey Fitzgerald took the puck into the Springfield zone and danced through a pair of defenders. Fitzgerald found Justin Dowling going to the net, and the captain slipped him a pass that Dowling tipped by Vadim Zherenko to snap the shutout bid and cut the lead in half.

The goal was Dowling's fourth of the campaign and gave Hartford the momentum they needed throughout the rest of the contest.

Beebs on the Board

The Wolf Pack were forced back to the penalty kill just under five minutes into the third frame as Bryce McConnell-Barker went off for high-sticking. However, the Wolf Pack got a big penalty kill to keep the deficit at one.

As McConnell-Barker exited the box, Brett Berard took the puck through the neutral zone and into Springfield's ice. Berard beat a pair of defenders and slipped a shot through the five-hole of Zherenko to tie the contest.

The goal was Berard's first of the season, snapping a 14-game goalless drought.

"The last few weeks, I feel like I've kinda started to find my game," Berard told Blueshirt Banter following the contest. "It took a little bit to score, so getting that one in today was great."

The Wolf Pack continued to push for the go-ahead goal throughout the remainder of regulation time, but Zherenko denied their opportunities, sending the game to overtime.

The Captain, The Hero

The Wolf Pack controlled the extra frame, getting a number of good looks. Gabe Perreault nearly ended the contest early in overtime, but Zherenko made a stop to keep the action going.

Late in the bonus period, Hartford cycled the puck around in the offensive zone. Dowling eventually found Fitzgerald alone at the side of the net and snapped him a pass. The captain tipped it by Zherenko, securing the win and the extra point for the Wolf Pack.

The goal was Fitzgerald's first of the season and gave him his first multi-point game of the campaign.

"It hasn't gone our way the last two weeks, so it was nice to kinda get that monkey off our back tonight and get a win," Fitzgerald told Blueshirt Banter following the contest. "We're gonna build off this and get this thing going."

The win snaps a seven-game losing streak for the Wolf Pack, who battled throughout the game to prevent the streak from extending to eight games.

"We got a spark, whether [it] was the physicality from [Brennan] Othmann, whether [it] was the Fitzgerald play to Dowling, we got one," Wolf Pack head coach Grant Potulny told Blueshirt Banter after the contest. "There was so much adversity to overcome today. To finish it off with a win is kinda how it's supposed to go."

Up Next

The Wolf Pack continue their six-game home stand on Friday, hosting the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Puck drop is set for 7 pm.