Wolf Pack defeats Falcons in OT

November 8, 2008 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Connecticut Whale News Release


Hartford, CT - One would figure that being sent down to the AHL would be a confidence killer.

This is not the case with Hartford Wolf Pack center Lauri Korpikoski, whose three-goal hat trick, including the game-winner, led his team to a 4-3 overtime victory over the visiting Springfield Falcons.

After being one of the team's best players last season, Korpikoski is doing it once again this season, as he has picked up six points in his first four games this season.

"Korpi gave us a big effort tonight just like he has all season," Wolf Pack coach Ken Gernander said. "He's been a mainstay on our specialty teams, has great conditioning habits and as he showed tonight, is very reliable."

After the team's lackluster effort against the Worcester Sharks last night in a 4-3 loss, Korpikoski's leadership is just what the doctor ordered, as all three of his goals came at key moments in the game. His first goal of the game came with just under three minutes to go in the second period after some hard work by linemates Greg Moore and Jordan Owens to give his team a 2-1 lead heading into the third period.

However, the lead would be short-lived early in the third period, after Wolf Pack goaltender Miika Wiikman fell behind the net playing the puck, allowing Falcons' left winger Liam Reddox to pick up the puck and slide it into the empty net to tie the game up at 2-2.

Korpikoski would snap the 2-2 tie off a nice feed from Wolf Pack defenseman Bobby Sanguinetti, just 1:11 after Reddox scored.

The lead would last just over seven minutes until Gilbert Brule took a cross-slot pass from Taylor Chorney in front to score his second goal of the game and knot the game up at 3-3.

Much like they hadn't all night, the Wolf Pack didn't quit and turned up their offense in the final minutes of the third period and for all of the overtime period.

Korpikoski would decide the issue when he fired a shot from the top of the left circle and watched it deflect off a Falcons' stick and past the confused Falcons goaltender, Devan Dubnyk (27 saves), with just five seconds to go in the overtime period.

For Korpikoski, it was just another game that he could help his team win.

"It was a tough game for us tonight but overall, we were able to battle back and pick up an important victory," Korpikoski said. "It was important for me to help the team tonight and so it was nice to pick up the overtime goal."

Throughout most of the game, the Wolf Pack seemed to be out of sync. They were missing passes, not getting to loose pucks and more notably, taking lots of penalties, as they took 11 minors on Saturday night.

"The amount of penalties we took is worrisome," Gernander said. "It is something we've been addressing all season and will have to continue to address moving forward. We also need to make corrections at even strength as well."

Luckily for the Wolf Pack, they got a stellar game from Wiikman, as he made 31 saves, including a point blank save on Falcons' center Tyler Spurgeon in the first period and a big 2-on-1 save on Guillaume Lefebrve in the second period when the Wolf Pack were on the power play.

"Our team was resilient tonight," Gernander said. "We bent a bit but we didn't break."



American Hockey League Stories from November 8, 2008


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