Wolf Pack Outlast Phantoms in 5-4 Marathon Shootout Win

The Hartford Wolf Pack kicked off their most important weekend of the season on Saturday night. They traveled down to Allentown to start a two-game set against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms with massive playoff implications.

Twice, the Wolf Pack fell behind by two goals. Twice, they'd force a tie. Eventually, the teams entered a shootout, where after 12 rounds, the Wolf Pack would take a massive 5-4 victory.

Mack Tonight

The Phantoms would take a two-goal lead just 5:33 into the contest. Devin Kaplan opened the scoring, taking a shot that Spencer Martin denied. However, the rebound clipped a Wolf Pack defender and trickled in to give the home side the game's first lead.

Just 46 seconds later, Lane Pederson doubled the lead, slamming a rebound home from the slot.

After that, the Wolf Pack replaced Martin with Dylan Garand in net, and the fourth-year netminder would make 11 saves throughout the remainder of the frame to stop the bleeding.

The Wolf Pack would get on the board just over the halfway point in the frame. Justin Dowling attempted a centering feed for Jaroslav Chmelař, but the bid was broken up by a Phantom. Dowling regained the puck and sent it to Connor Mackey at the blueline. Mackey zipped a seeing-eye shot through traffic and by Carson Bjarnason to cut the lead in half.

The goal was Mackey's fourth of the campaign, while Dowling collected his 20th assist of the season.

Down With the Sýk-ness

Just 27 seconds later, the Wolf Pack tied the game. Brandon Scanlin dumped the puck into the offensive zone, and Bjarnason went out to settle it. However, the puck took a nightmarish bounce to the front of the vacant cage. Adam Sýkora pounced on the rebound a buried it before Bjarnason could return to the crease, knotting the score at two.

The goal was Sýkora's tenth of the season, a new career high, as well as his third in as many games. The teams went into the first intermission with the score even at two.

Too Juusy

The Phantoms would take their second multi-goal lead of the night in the middle frame. Phil Tomasino blasted a one-timer home just 2:05 into the period to reinstate the lead.

Oscar Eklind potted Lehigh Valley's fourth goal of the night when his wraparound attempt trickled through Garand.

However, the Wolf Pack would once again find a response. During an extended sequence in the Lehigh Valley zone, Derrick Pouliot set up Travis Dermott just beyond the left-wing circle. Dermott let a shot go that deflected off Juuso Pärssinen and went tumbling into the net to bring the Wolf Pack back within one.

The goal was Pärssinen's fourth of the season, as well as his third in his last four games, while Pouliot picked up his team-leading 26th assist of the season.

The Otter Side

A holding call against Adam Ginning and a hooking penalty against Brett Berard initiated a four-on-four sequence late in the middle period. The Phantoms moved into the Hartford zone on a three-on-two rush, but a shot from Alex Bump rocketed off the boards and out to neutral. There, Trey Fix-Wolansky corralled it and moved in on a two-on-one rush with Brennan Othmann. Fix-Wolansky fed Othmann, who rifled a shot over a diving Bjarnason to make it a tie ballgame once again.

The goal was Othmann's seventh of the campaign, as well as his fifth in his last seven games with the Wolf Pack. The goal also sent the teams into the second intermission with the score even at four.

Dowling, Done

Neither team could pull ahead in the final frame, securing a point for each and sending the game to overtime for the fourth time in five contests against the sides.

Both goaltenders denied opportunities in the extra frame, and for the second time in as many games between the teams in Allentown, the game went to a shootout.

Bump put the Phantoms ahead with a goal in the top of the second round, while Berard was denied. Tomasino couldn't end the game in the top of the third round, while Othmann kept Hartford alive with a goal in the bottom of the third.

The next eight shooters failed to find the twine. Finally, in the top of the third round, Christian Kyrou once again gave the Phantoms the advantage. However, Dylan Roobroeck would respond in the bottom of the round with a goal of his own to keep the competition going.

Finally, in the 12th round, the Wolf Pack secured the victory. Jacob Gaucher failed to convert in the top of the round, giving Dowling an opportunity to win the game. The veteran forward swung to the right before working his way to the slot. Dowling then lasered a shot off the right post and into the net to secure the extra point and the win for the Wolf Pack.

The win was the Wolf Pack's third straight victory and puts them just five points back of the Phantoms for the sixth and final playoff spot in the Atlantic Division.

Up Next

The Wolf Pack and Phantoms will conclude their season series tomorrow afternoon in Allentown. Puck drop is set for 3:05 pm.

The Wolf Pack return to the PeoplesBank Arena on Wednesday, March 4th, hosting the Providence Bruins. Puck drop is set for 7 pm.