Bulldogs win over Wolf Pack

Published on December 20, 2008 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Connecticut Whale News Release


HARTFORD, Conn. - The Hamilton Bulldogs used their superior size, speed and shooting touch to defeat the Hartford Wolf Pack 6-2 Saturday night before 3,378 at the XL Center.

David Desharnais scored twice off passes from New Canaan native Max Pacioretty on two of Hamilton's four shots in the second period as the Bulldogs (18-9-2-0) won their third in a row. The loss ended a season-high, five-game points streak (4-0-0-1) for the Wolf Pack (14-12-1-3), who had a 41-28 shot advantage. The six goals tied the most the Wolf Pack allowed this season.

"They're a good, skilled team so they're going to create their own opportunities," Wolf Pack coach Ken Gernander said. "But if you're going to play lax defensively, they're going to pick you apart."

Pacioretty, 20, who played at Taft School and was the Montreal Canadiens' first-round pick (22nd overall) in 2007, made the play of the game when he raced around Wolf Pack defenseman Vladimir Denisov and passed in front to a wide-open Desharnais to give the Bulldogs a 4-1 lead at 4:51 of the second period. It was Hamilton's only shot in the opening 17:22 of a period in which they were outshot, 11-4.

"I hadn't had an opportunity to play in front of my family and friends for a long time, so this was special," said Pacioretty, who signed with the Canadiens on July 17 after one season at the University of Michigan and playing for the United States in the world junior championships. "I've played off and on with Desharnais, and we just clicked tonight. We worked for our chances and got some bounces after (goalie) Cedrick (Desjardins) kept us in it early."

The Wolf Pack had several good scoring chances in a wide-open first period that had 38 shots, starting with P.A. Parenteau's 20-footer from the slot that Desjardins (39 saves) managed to get his glove on at 8:55. On the ensuing rush, the Bulldogs took a 1-0 lead when defenseman Chad Anderson skated in off the right point, took a pass from Ryan Russell and beat Miikka Wiikman high to the glove side at 9:12.

The Wolf Pack nearly tied it on two good bids by Patrick Rissmiller, the second a rebound backhander hitting the crossbar at 10:45. Strong forechecking finally paid off as Jordan Owens one-timed Tommy Pyatt's drop pass into the top corner at 13:18. It was the Wolf Pack's first goal against the Bulldogs this season after being shut out 2-0 on Oct. 17 in their third game in Hamilton.

But the Bulldogs scored twice in 68 seconds to take a lead for good. Wiikman made a sprawling stop on a wide-open Brock Trotter at 14:26, but on the ensuing faceoff, Yanick Lehoux won a faceoff to the left point to Alex Henry, whose shot beat a screened Wiikman at 14:30. Trotter then converted Yannick Weber's rebound to give the Bulldogs a 3-1 lead at 15:38.

In the final two minutes, Desjardins stopped Bobby Sanguinetti's rush off the right point and bang-bang bids by Parenteau and Brodie Dupont.

Wiikman kept it 3-1 when he got his shoulder on a shorthanded deflection by Pacioretty with 48 seconds left in the first period, and the Wolf Pack again started well in the second period. But Pacioretty's brilliant rush set up Desharnais for the 4-1 lead and the Bulldogs' only shot of the second period until Wiikman stopped Olivier Latendresse on a 2-on-1 with 2:38 left.

The Wolf Pack had a 10-1 shot advantage to that point of the period but couldn't beat Desjardins. The Bulldogs finished the second period 2-for-4 on shots when Desharnais took a pass from Pacioretty in the slot and beat a screened Wiikman with 35.2 seconds left.

The Wolf Pack changed their lines and Matt Zaba replaced Wiikman at the start of the third period, and it paid quick dividends when Parenteau stole the puck from Anderson and scored on a wraparound at 1:13 to make it 5-2. The Wolf Pack had a 12-3 shot advantage in the third period until Lehoux stole the puck from Rissmiller and scored on a breakaway with 2:27 left.

"The goals against weren't pretty," Gernander said. "We had guys just swinging through dangerous areas instead of stopping and committing to their coverage, which was a bit frustrating. They're a good team that's going to earn their chances, but when you're given 2-on-1s because of poor decision making or lost coverage, then for sure you're going to make their life easy and they're going to capitalize."

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American Hockey League Stories from December 20, 2008


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