
Wolf Pack Extend Home Point Streak in 4-3 Overtime Loss to Marlies
December 17, 2023 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Hartford Wolf Pack News Release
HARTFORD, CT - The Hartford Wolf Pack and Toronto Marlies battled back and forth all afternoon on Sunday, with each team holding the lead at various points. In the end, however, the Marlies prevailed by a score of 4-3 when the dust settled on a wild overtime period.
Topi Niemelä ended the proceedings just 54 seconds into overtime, scoring his fifth goal of the season to give Toronto their fourth straight win. Riley Nash and Brennan Othmann connected on a pretty passing play at one end leading to a terrific scoring chance for the Wolf Pack. Keith Petruzzelli made the save of the game, however, then flung the puck up ahead to Nick Abruzzese.
With all three Wolf Pack caught up in the play, Abruzzese and Niemelä entered into the zone with an odd-man rush. Abruzzese fed Niemelä for the dagger, while Petruzzelli picked up the secondary assist.
The Marlies opened the scoring 13:27 into the contest, as Kieffer Bellows potted his eighth goal of the season immediately after the club's second powerplay of the game. As the penalty to Matej Pekar for high-sticking expired, the Wolf Pack could not clear the puck. Dmitry Ovchinnikov wrapped the puck around but was denied by Wolf Pack starter Dylan Garand.
The rebound popped in front of Garand, however, and Bellows was able to locate it and quickly snap a backhander into the net.
The Marlies extended their lead to 2-0 just 5:29 into the middle frame, completing a pretty three-way passing play. Dylan Gambrell entered the zone on the left-wing side, then flung a pass to Alex Steeves on the right wing. Steeves then sent a pass to Abruzzese, who buried his fifth goal of the season.
From there, however, the Wolf Pack took over for a large stretch. The club exploded for three five-on-five goals in a span of 7:48 to take a 3-2 lead heading into the final frame. First, Matt Rempe got the Wolf Pack on the board at 10:02 when a puck went off his leg and in. Bobby Trivigno deflected a pass behind the Marlies' net, where Matej Pekar was able to find it. Pekar centered the puck for a streaking Rempe, who collected his fourth goal of the season.
Just 38 seconds later, Alex Belzile tied the game with his ninth goal of the season. Nash won a puck battle behind the net and put a pass onto the stick of Othmann, who was to the right of Petruzzelli. Othmann tapped the puck into the slot for Belzile, who made no mistake on the equalizer.
Adam Edström, fresh off his NHL debut and first NHL goal, then gave the Wolf Pack their first lead of the game at 17:50. Edström's initial bid was denied by Petruzzelli, but he was able to find the rebound and drag the Marlies netminder out of position. Edström then wrapped around the net and banked the puck off a stick for his eighth goal of the season.
For the second straight game, however, the Wolf Pack could not hold a lead in the third period. Joseph Blandisi took possession off of a turnover in the neutral zone just over five minutes into the third period and entered the Wolf Pack zone. Blandisi dropped the puck to Zach Solow, who patiently waited out a diving Wolf Pack defenseman.
Solow then rifled his second goal of the season by Garand at 5:11 to even the scoring 3-3.
Both teams earned powerplay opportunities in the final minutes, but both Garand and Petruzzelli were up to the task.
In overtime, Petruzzelli stole the show with a terrific save that led immediately to the Niemelä goal. The assist was the first of Petruzzelli's season and the second of his career, while the goal was Niemelä's first career game-winner in the AHL.
Despite the loss, the Wolf Pack do have points in nine consecutive home games (6-0-3-0).
The Wolf Pack will wrap up a three-game homestand this Friday night when they host the Bridgeport Islanders. The puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m. and there will be $2 beers and $2 hot dogs until the end of the first intermission! Tickets are available at www.hartfordwolfpack.com.
American Hockey League Stories from December 17, 2023
- Bears Grind Out 1-0 Win Over Thunderbirds - Hershey Bears
- Strong Defensive Effort Not Enough for T-Birds to Oust Bears - Springfield Thunderbirds
- Ads Winning Streak Snapped at Three - Milwaukee Admirals
- Hogs Earn Point in 3rd Period Comeback, Lose in OT - Rockford IceHogs
- P-Bruins Topped by Crunch - Providence Bruins
- Moose Get Revenge on Milwaukee - Manitoba Moose
- Wolves Tip IceHogs 4-3 in OT for Second Win in Row - Chicago Wolves
- Crunch Rally Past Bruins, 4-1 - Syracuse Crunch
- Wolf Pack Extend Home Point Streak in 4-3 Overtime Loss to Marlies - Hartford Wolf Pack
- Howarth, Weeks Sent to Indy - Rockford IceHogs
- Providence Bruins Assign Ethan Ritchie to Maine Mariners - Providence Bruins
- Weekend Wraps up for IceHogs with Sunday Tilt in Rosemont vs. Wolves - Rockford IceHogs
- Bears Recall Leivermann from South Carolina - Hershey Bears
- Wolf Pack Host Marlies in Sunday Afternoon Clash - Hartford Wolf Pack
- Game Preview: Bears vs. Thunderbirds, 5 p.m. - Hershey Bears
- Wranglers Drop Second Straight - Calgary Wranglers
- Reign Top Eagles in Shootout - Ontario Reign
- Barracuda Sweep Two-Game Set Against Wranglers - San Jose Barracuda
- Roadrunners Fall to Abbotsford Before Season-High Crowd on Teddy Bear Toss - Tucson Roadrunners
- Eagles Rally for Point in 5-4 Shootout Loss to Ontario - Colorado Eagles
- Silver Knights Defeat Gulls, 3-1, for Third Straight Victory - Henderson Silver Knights
- Five Different Goal Scorers Lead Firebirds To Win Over Condors - Coachella Valley Firebirds
- Canucks Pick Up 6-2 Road Victory Over Tucson - Abbotsford Canucks
- Firebirds Down Condors, 5-2 - Bakersfield Condors
- Rockford's Four-Goal Third Sends Iowa to 6-2 Loss - Iowa Wild
- Hogs Win Big Against The Wild - Rockford IceHogs
- T-Birds Top Los Fantasmas on Hockey Fiesta Night - Lehigh Valley Phantoms
- Wolves Send Stars Home on Losing Note - Texas Stars
- Grimaldi Sends Teddy Bears Soaring, Leads Wolves Over Stars 6-2 - Chicago Wolves
- Kulich Scores Again in 2-1 Loss to Penguins - Rochester Americans
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