Maxim Barbashev scores first career AHL goal in 4-1 loss to Penguins
The Hartford Wolf Pack fell behind early on Friday night and were unable to dig out of the hole in front of 7,833 fans at the XL Center in Hartford. The result was the club’s fourth straight loss, 4-1 at the hands of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.
For the second straight meeting in Hartford, the Penguins erupted to take control of the hockey game in the first period. The visitors outshot the Wolf Pack 14-6 and outscored them 3-0.
Rutger McGroarty opened the scoring just 29 seconds in, firing a shot by Louis Domingue from the left-wing circle. The goal was McGroarty’s seventh of the season and his third against the Wolf Pack. It was also the fastest goal surrendered by the Wolf Pack to start a game this season.
At 10:44, Lucas Edmonds was whistled for a high-sticking minor, giving the Penguins the game’s first power play. Following the play, however, the Wolf Pack would be assessed an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty when a puck was fired into the net after the whistle.
On the ensuing five-on-three, Avery Hayes banked a puck off the left pad of Domingue and into the net from the left-wing circle at 12:03. The goal extended Hayes’ point streak to six games (5 g, 3 a, 8 pts).
At 15:58, Boris Katchouk extended the lead to 3-0, firing a shot from the left-wing circle that beat a diving Domingue. The goal was Katchouk’s first in five games, set up by Vasily Ponomarev and Ville Koivunen.
The Wolf Pack turned in a strong second period, outshooting the Penguins by a 13-5 margin. They finally broke through on goaltender Filip Larsson at 7:34, as Maxim Barbashev potted his first career AHL goal.
Brett Budgell fired a shot from the point that Larsson denied, but the rebound came to forward Blake McLaughlin. McLaughlin jammed the puck toward the net, where it hit a Penguin and came to Barbashev below the right-wing circle. There, he banged home the loose puck to make it a 3-1 contest.
Budgell picked up the secondary assist, his first point as a member of the Wolf Pack.
The sides played a relatively even third period, with the Penguins holding a slight 9-8 edge in shots. The Wolf Pack had some good looks while attacking six-on-five, but Larsson was strong in net for the Penguins.
Marc Johnstone put the game out of reach at 19:31, hitting the empty net from center ice to give the Penguins their fourth straight win over the Wolf Pack.
The homestand continues tomorrow night when the Wolf Pack welcome the Providence Bruins to town! The Pack will be hosting their annual food drive on this night. We ask that all fans bring a nonperishable canned food item to donate. All donated items will benefit ‘Hands on Hartford’!
The puck drop is set for 6:00 p.m.
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