Wolf Pack fall 8-4 to Rochester Americans in weekend opener
The Hartford Wolf Pack opened the scoring with an early powerplay goal on Friday night at Blue Cross Arena in Rochester, but couldn’t hold off a pushback from the Americans. The Amerks struck for six unanswered goals, three in the first and three in the second, to skate away with an eventual 8-4 victory.
Mason Jobst potted his eleventh goal of the season 3:42 into the second period, scoring the fifth of Rochester’s six unanswered goals. Wolf Pack netminder Dylan Garand attempted to bank the puck off the boards behind his net to start a breakout. The puck hit a dead area in the boards, however, and popped right to Amerks captain Michael Mersch. Mersch sent a centering pass to Jobst, who lifted the puck over Garand for the eventual game-winner.
The Wolf Pack opened the scoring 6:18 into the contest, scoring a powerplay goal for the fifth time in their last seven road games. Matthew Robertson stepped into a shot that Tim Gettinger deflected in front. The deflection was enough to beat Malcolm Subban and give Hartford the early icebreaker.
The Americans took over from there. Lukas Rousek tied the game at 13:26, scoring his first of two on the night. Rousek danced into a high-danger area and lifted a backhand shot over the glove of Garand to make it a 1-1 tilt. Just under four minutes later, the Americans struck again to take a lead they would not lose.
Jeremy Davies stepped into a shot from the left-wing faceoff circle, booming it by Garand for his tenth goal of the season at 17:08. Rousek would pot his second of the period just 2:11 later at 19:19, firing home a rebound on Rochester’s second powerplay of the night.
21 seconds after Rousek’s goal, the Americans would go back to the powerplay as Robertson was whistled for boarding. The Rochester powerplay made the Wolf Pack pay for a second time, as Ethan Prow rifled home a goal from the point just 34 seconds into the middle stanza.
Jobst would make it 5-1 at 3:42, scoring the eventual game-winner, then Jiri Kulich would make it 6-1 with a tally at 10:29.
The Wolf Pack stopped the bleeding at 15:28, as Anton Blidh scored his second goal in three games with the club. Zac Jones danced around a pair of defenders and then slid a pass to Blidh, who tapped home his eighth goal of the season.
The Rochester powerplay would get it back less than two minutes later, however, as Isak Rosen blasted a one-timer from the right-wing circle by Garand to make it 7-1.
As the third period began play, the Wolf Pack lifted Garand in favor of Louis Domingue. For good measure, the Americans powerplay would strike for a fourth time at 6:01, as Brandon Biro completed a five-point (1 g, 4 a) night by burying a rebound at the side of the goal.
Both Lauri Pajuniemi and Karl Henriksson would score late for Hartford, but it wouldn’t be enough on this night.
The Wolf Pack conclude their three-game road trip tomorrow evening in Toronto when they visit the Marlies. The puck drop is set for 5:00 p.m. The Pack return to the XL Center on Wednesday, March 15th, hosting the Bridgeport Islanders for the latest installment in the ‘Battle of Connecticut’. The puck drop is set for 7:00 pm. To get tickets, visit www.hartfordwolfpack.com.
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