Devils Stop Wolf Pack in OT

 

By Henry Lucey

 

The Albany Devils came back from a two-goal third-period
deficit  to stop the Hartford Wolf Pack, 4-3 in OT.

(Photo courtesy Chris Rutsch/Hartford Wolf Pack)

HARTFORD – Miles Wood’s goal at 1:43 of overtime highlighted an Albany Devil comeback as the Devils stopped the Hartford Wolf Pack, 4-3, before 4,909 fans at the XL Center on Friday night. The Devils fought back from a 3-1 third-period deficit on goals by Kevin Rooney and Ben Sexton.

 

Wolf Pack coach Ken Gernander’s squad came out firing on all cylinders in the game’s opening frame. After an early power play saw the Pack launch five shots bon goal, ut ultimately come up empty-handed, Hartford’s Chris Brown broke the stalemate at the 9:55 mark. The right-winger found himself unmarked at the bottom of the left circle and sent a snap-shot off of Mackenzie Blackwood’s glove and into the back of Albany’s net, for Brown’s fourth tally of the year.

 

With his offense dominating, Wolf Pack goaltender Magnus Hellberg saw little action, and successfully turned aside all six of the attempts that came his way in the opening stanza. Matt Carey added to Hartford’s lead when he got inside position on Albany defenseman Josh Jacobs and fired a wrist shot past Blackwood’s short side 2:56 into the second stanza. The Devils finally beat Hellberg when Seth Helgeson, assisted by Petr Straka and Blake Coleman, launched a perfectly-placed snap-shot just inside the right post at the 13:55 mark, trimming the Wolf Pack’s lead to 2-1.

 

Hartford was quick to quell any momentum that Helgeson’s score may have provided for the Devils. At 17:01, Jacobs was whistled for hooking, sending the Pack on their third power play of the evening. With a man advantage, Adam Tambellini received a crisp pass from Mat Bodie and ripped the puck over Blackwood’s right shoulder from the left flank at 17:38. The score, Tambellini’s third of the year, was also assisted by Ryan Graves and sent the Wolf Pack into the dressing room leading 3-1.

 

The third period, though, would belong to the Devils, who outshot the Wolf Pack 11-6 in the frame. Kevin Rooney got Albany back to within one at 10:40, firing a shot past Hellberg from the left side. Shortly thereafter, at 13:29, Ben Sexton scored an unassisted tally to tie the score at three.  Rooney got around the Wolf Pack’s John Gilmour on left wing and had the puck poked off of his stick.  Rooney kept going, though, and, as he was being knocked down, managed to get another poke at the puck and send it through Hellberg. The rest of the third period was scoreless, and the teams skated into the locker room with the game deadlocked at three goals apiece.

 

Albany got the game-winner on its second shot of overtime. Wood carried down the right side into the Wolf Pack zone and used Hartford defenseman Steven Kampfer as a screen, snapping a high shot that found the top of the net to give the Devils the win.

 

The Wolf Pack return to action Saturday night when they travel to Allentown, PA to tangle with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. Faceoff is 7:05 p.m., and the game can be heard live on News Radio 1410 WPOP, and on-line at www.newsradio1410.com and iHeartRadio.  Video streaming is available at www.ahllive.com.

 

The next home game for the Wolf Pack is Wed., Dec. 7--an I-91 match-up vs. the Springfield Thunderbirds. It will be a “Click It or Ticket Family Value Pack” game that includes two tickets, two sodas and two hot dogs, all for just $40. First puck drops at 7 p.m.