Wolf Pack Earn Point, Fall to Phantoms in Overtime

Coming off a strong win against the Charlotte Checkers on Wednesday, the Hartford Wolf Pack returned to action at the PeoplesBank Arena on Friday night. They welcomed the Lehigh Valley Phantoms to town for a Halloween clash as Hartford sought their third straight victory.

The Wolf Pack earned a point as they played their first overtime contest of the campaign. However, it would be the Phantoms who walked away with the extra point, taking a 4-3 decision in the bonus frame.

Bryce, Thrice

The Wolf Pack played a strong opening frame, generating a number of quality chances. They'd finally break the ice just over twelve minutes into the contest. With Oscar Eklind in the box for interference, Derrick Pouliot fed Brendan Brisson for a one-timer. Carson Bjarnason turned the initial bid aside, but the puck popped to Bryce McConnell-Barker, who pushed it through Bjarnason and over the red line to open the scoring.

The goal was McConnell-Barker's third of the season. The goal also gave Hartford power play goals in three straight contests.

The Wolf Pack would continue to press in the remainder of the period, but they couldn't stretch the lead any further and took the 1-0 lead into the first intermission.

Can't Stop Chmelař

Just 33 seconds into the middle frame, the Wolf Pack doubled their lead. A Phantoms dump-in attempt hit Justin Dowling at neutral ice, and the veteran forward chipped the puck around a defender and into the offensive zone. Dowling cut to the net and attempted a centering feed, but the bid went off a stick in front. The puck trickled to Jaroslav Chmelař, who stuffed it home on the backhand to put the Wolf Pack up by two.

The goal was Chmelař's second of the season. Additionally, both Chmelař and Dowling recorded their third point in the last two games.

The Phantoms would cut the lead back to one about seven minutes later. The Wolf Pack killed a high-sticking call against Brett Berard. However, before Berard could rejoin the action, Tucker Robertson ripped a shot by Talyn Boyko to get the Phantoms on the board.

More Points for Perreault

The Wolf Pack restored the two-goal margin five minutes later. Jackson Dorrington held the puck deep in his own zone before sending a stretch pass to Gabe Perreault. Perreault grabbed the feed, sped around the defense, and sniped a shot by the glove of Bjarnason to put the Wolf Pack back up by two.

The goal was Perreault's team-leading fourth tally and eighth point of the season. Additionally, Boyko picked up the secondary assist, his second point as a pro and the first point from a Wolf Pack goalie this season.

However, the Phantoms wouldn't go away. In the final minutes of the middle frame, Alex Bump ripped a shot from the circle that beat Boyko and cut the lead back to one. The Wolf Pack took the 3-2 lead into the second intermission.

Haunted on Halloween

The Wolf Pack's penalties finally caught up to them in the third period. With Connor Mackey in the box for tripping, Carl Grundström potted a power play goal to bring the teams even at three about five minutes in. Both teams pushed hard for the go-ahead goal in the remainder of the frame, but Boyko and Bjarnason stood tall to send the game to overtime. It was the first time the Wolf Pack have played the extra frame this season.

During bonus hockey, Lane Pederson converted on an odd-man rush, delivering the win and the extra point to the Phantoms.

"We should've had two [points] tonight," Wolf Pack head coach Grant Potulny told Blueshirt Banter following the contest. "That's the bad news. The good news is I do feel like if we can recreate that performance, night after night, I do think we're gonna like what happens."

"The unfortunate part is it was a game that I thought we played well enough to win, and we didn't."

Up Next

The Wolf Pack and Phantoms will match up again tomorrow night at the PeoplesBank Arena. Puck drop is set for 6:00 pm.