Fitzgerald ties the game late, but Wolf Pack fall to Phantoms in shootout thriller
The Hartford Wolf Pack scored a late six-on-four powerplay goal to earn a point Saturday night in Allentown, PA, against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. Despite a strong push, the Pack could not complete the comeback as the Phantoms took a 2-1 shootout decision to win the Opening Night contest 4-3.
Olle Lycksell started on the left-wing side before cutting his way across the net and lifting a backhand shot by Louis Domingue in the top of the third round of the shootout to give the Phantoms a 2-1 lead. Alex Belzile had a chance to keep the Wolf Pack alive in the bottom of the round but was denied by Alexei Kolosov.
Domingue turned in a strong first period, making 11 saves to keep the Phantoms off the board in the opening stanza. His best save of the period came off of Rodrigo Abols, who was set up with a dangerous look in the slot late in the period.
Shortly after Domingue’s big save, the Wolf Pack were awarded their second powerplay of the night when Adam Ginning was whistled for holding. Less than a minute into the skater advantage, the Wolf Pack drew first blood.
Brennan Othmann kept a puck in at the right-wing point and swung a cross-ice pass to Brett Berard. Berard worked his way into a dangerous area and snapped a shot by Kolosov at 17:56 for the club’s first goal of the season.
Jacob Gaucher notched the first goal of the Phantoms’ season 5:27 into the middle stanza. With Othmann in the penalty box for hooking, Louie Belpedio fired a shot from the point that Gaucher tipped by Domingue to even the affair 1-1.
Just 63 seconds after the goal by Gaucher, the sides would play four-on-four following a scrum between Adam Erne and Hunter McDonald after the whistle. Immediately following their release from the penalty box, McDonald was sprung in on a breakaway. The rookie defenseman was stoned by Domingue, however.
A third powerplay for the Phantoms at 11:28 would result in their first lead of the season. A miscommunication led to Samu Tuomaala being left alone in front. The young Finnish forward took a feed from Anthony Richard in-between the hashmarks and rifled a shot over the blocker of Domingue at 12:06.
The Wolf Pack’s penalty kill gained momentum for the club early in the third period, killing off two powerplay chances for the Phantoms. That momentum led to the lone five-on-five goal of the night, as Anton Blidh polished off a pretty passing play with Adam Sýkora 5:05 into the final stanza.
Penalties would become a major story in the ensuing moments, as both teams started a parade to the penalty box. With the Phantoms on a five-on-three advantage, Richard located a loose puck at the side of the net and buried his first as a Phantom at 7:20.
The lead was held until late in the game, when Rhett Gardner took a double-minor for high-sticking. With Domingue out for the extra attacker, the Wolf Pack were able to even the game with the six-on-four advantage.
Belzile fed Casey Fitzgerald at the point, who blasted a shot through traffic at 18:55 that Kolosov never saw. Bo Groulx, making his Wolf Pack debut, provided the screen.
The Wolf Pack could not convert on their 55 seconds of powerplay time in overtime, however, keeping the game in doubt. Each side recorded three shots in overtime, and each side registered multiple high-danger opportunities.
After overtime solved nothing, JR Avon and Berard traded goals in the opening round of the shootout before both Richard and Othmann were denied in the second round. Lycksell’s third round goal would prove to be the difference, propelling the Phantoms to their third straight win on home ice against the Wolf Pack.
The Wolf Pack will open the home portion of their 2024-25 schedule on Friday, Oct. 18, at the XL Center against the Springfield Thunderbirds! The puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m.
Full-season tickets, 20-game plans, 12-game plans, flex plans, and single game tickets for the 2024-25 season are on sale now! Visit www.hartfordwolfpack.com or call 860-722-9425 for more details!
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