Wolf Pack Fall to Islanders 6-2

After a strong home win against the Springfield Thunderbirds last night, the Hartford Wolf Pack went back on the road on Saturday night. They visited the Bridgeport Islanders for the first time this season for round two of the Battle of Connecticut.

However, the Wolf Pack simply couldn't find their A-game on this night. Bridgeport exploded for three goals in the first period before eventually cruising to a 6-2 decision.

A First to Forget

The Wolf Pack got off to a slow start in the opening frame. Adam Beckman gave the Islanders the lead just under three minutes into the period, taking a drop pass from Marshall Warren and rifling a shot past Callum Tung.

Bridgeport doubled the lead ten minutes later. Cam Berg found Cam Thiesing alone in the high slot, and Thiesing wired a shot into the net to put the Islanders up by two.

In the final seconds of the period, Liam Foudy made it a three goal margin for the home team. Foudy took advantage of a defensive breakdown in front of Tung and flipped a shot into the net. The Islanders took the 3-0 lead into the first intermission.

Dowl with the Sickness

The Wolf Pack lifted Tung at the start of the second period, replacing him with Dylan Garand.

The Wolf Pack got on the board just 24 seconds into the middle frame. Justin Dowling swiped the puck at neutral ice and worked into the Bridgeport zone. Dowling fired a long range shot from the high slot that fooled Henrik Tikkanen and found the net.

The goal was Dowling's fifth of the campaign. Dowling has recorded six points (1 G, 5 A) in his last three games.

Bridgeport would respond three minutes later. Matthew Maggio took advantage of a bad line change from the Wolf Pack and sped into the Hartford zone. Maggio promptly ripped a shot that beat Garand by the blocker to reinstate the three goal lead.

Brennan's Back

The Wolf Pack found their second goal of the night just over the five minute mark in the second period. Gabe Perreault and Daylan Kuefler took matching roughing minors, while Luke Rowe sat for interference. The penalties gave the Wolf Pack a four on three power play bid.

On the ensuing power play, Derrick Pouliot played catch with Trey Fix-Wolansky as the Wolf Pack set up a play. Fix-Wolansky slipped the puck to Brennan Othmann in the left circle, setting up the chance. Othmann lasered a shot over Tikkanen's shoulder to cut the deficit back to two.

The goal was the second of the year for Othmann, who was assigned to Hartford by the New York Rangers just before the game.

However, Bridgeport struck again late in the frame. Kuefler corralled a loose puck during a chaotic sequence in front of the Wolf Pack net. Kuefler dropped a pass through his legs to Warren, who nailed the open net to make it a 5-2 game. Bridgeport took that lead into the second intermission.

Gotta Want It

The Wolf Pack got a power play bid late in the second frame after Cole McWard put the puck over the glass. The man advantage carried over to the third period, but the Wolf Pack couldn't convert.

Foudy tacked on an empty net goal in the final minutes of regulation to cement the 6-2 final.

"There's nothing that prepared me to think we were going to play that way," Wolf Pack head coach Grant Potulny told Blueshirt Banter following the contest. "We had a great week of practice, we played a great game yesterday. This is twice now that we've played this team where I think there's been more will than we've been able to muster up on our side."

When asked what needs to improve to get better results in the rivalry matchup, Potulny offered a simple one-word answer:

"Competitiveness."

Up Next

The Wolf Pack will return home on Wednesday, hosting the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Puck drop is set for 7 pm.