Wolf Pack Sunk by Islanders 6-3

The Hartford Wolf Pack wrapped up their four-game home stand on Friday night. They welcomed the Bridgeport Islanders to town for round eight of the Battle of Connecticut this season.

A bad start for the Wolf Pack caused them to dig a hole too big to escape. Bridgeport struck five times over the first 40 minutes on their way to a 6-3 decision.

On Their Own Island

Bridgeport would strike twice in the opening frame. Former Wolf Pack forward Julien Gauthier broke the ice, snapping a quick shot by Callum Tung to put the visitors in front first.

Hunter Drew doubled the lead five minutes later, finding some open ice and burying a feed from Marshall Warren. The Islanders would take the 2-0 lead into the first intermission.

Bridgeport notched three more tallies in the middle frame. Drew potted his second of the night on the power play, taking advantage of a holding call against Casey Fitzgerald by hammering home a rebound.

Drew sent the hats flying just 39 seconds later, sniping a shot by Tung on the short side.

Cam Berg potted the visitors' fifth goal of the night, pounding his own rebound into the Hartford net. Bridgeport took the five goal lead into the second intermission.

Jar-On the Board

The Wolf Pack finally got on the board just over three minutes into the final frame. Justin Dowling attempted a centering feed for Anton Blidh, but the veteran Swede, skating in his 500th AHL game, couldn't jam it home. Jaroslav Chmelař found the loose puck and stuffed it just past the outstretched pad of Henrik Tikkanen to snap the shutout bid.

The goal was Chmelař's seventh of the campaign, as well as his 20th point of the season. Chmelař becomes the fifth Wolf Pack player to hit 20 points on the campaign.

Moore Than a Feeling

The Wolf Pack cut the deficit to three just over four minutes later. Trey Fix-Wolansky sent a pass to the slot, where Adam Sýkora collected it. Sýkora slipped a feed to Brendan Brisson on the back door, but Brisson couldn't corral the puck. However, Cooper Moore snagged the loose change and buried it by Tikkanen to bring the Wolf Pack within three.

The goal was the first of the Greenwich, CT native's pro career. Brisson recorded his sixth point in as many games with the assist; the 2020 first round draft pick has recorded two goals and four assists over that span.

You're My WonderWal

The Wolf Pack drew within two just over the 15 minute mark in the period. Daniel Walcott collected a pass from Derrick Pouliot and entered the offensive zone. Walcott worked down low and shoveled a backhander towards the net that clipped the arm of Tikkanen and trickled into the net.

The goal was Walcott's fourth of the season, as well as his second in as many games.

However, the intrigue would end there. Liam Foudy nailed the empty net in the final seconds of the contest to secure the 6-3 decision for Bridgeport.

"Very disappointed in how we started the game. Very disappointed in the second period," Wolf Pack head coach Grant Potulny told Blueshirt Banter after the game. "I thought we were nowhere near as competitive as we need to be."

In a month long stretch from Christmas to last weekend, the Wolf Pack played strong hockey. They played the physical, fast, forecheck-based style that's led them to success this season. However, this week, the Wolf Pack have gotten away from that identity, and it's cost them on the scoreboard and in the standings.

"We didn't do any of those things through two periods, and we dug ourselves a hole we couldn't get out of," Potulny remarked to Blueshirt Banter.

Up Next

The Wolf Pack cap off January tomorrow night, visiting the Springfield Thunderbirds for another key matchup. Puck drop is set for 6:05 pm.