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AHL Hartford Wolf Pack

Wolf Pack Fallter in Trip to Wilkes-Barre

October 30, 2015 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Hartford Wolf Pack News Release


Wilkes-Barre, PA, October 30, 2015 - Nick Tarnasky scored his third goal in two games for the Hartford Wolf Pack Friday night at the Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza, but Scott Wilson scored twice and Matt Murray made 29 saves, in a 4-1 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguin victory.

The loss was only the second in regulation on the season for the 5-2-1-0 Wolf Pack. The Eastern Conference-leading Penguins improved to 7-1-0-0. Magnus Hellberg stopped 23 shots in the Hartford net, and Carter Rowney and Oskar Sundqvist scored the other Wilkes-Barre/Scranton goals.

"I think we had a lot of good looks," Hellberg said. "The puck was dancing on the goal line a couple times. They scored on their opportunities and we didn't. I have to step up and make the key saves when we need them and today I didn't do that. Luckily we have a game tomorrow so we can bounce back right away."

The Wolf Pack scored first, and outshot their hosts 12-6 in the first period, but the opening frame ended in a 1-1 tie.

The suddenly red-hot Tarnasky put the Wolf Pack in front at 6:05, with his fourth point in three games-played on the season. Marek Hrivik dug the puck free along the end boards and handed to Tanner Glass in the corner, and Glass found a wide-open Tarnasky in front with a perfect feed. Murray had no chance on Tarnasky's close-in shot.

That would be the only offense the Wolf Pack would get, though, and the Penguins would score the next four, starting with Rowney's second goal of the season at 11;03. Tom Kuhnhackl deflected Niclas Andersen's shot from the left point on net and Hellberg made the save. Hellberg couldn't control the rebound, however, and Rowney was able to fight off Brady Skjei to Hellberg's right and scoop the puck into the net.

Most of the second period was scoreless, but the Penguins broke through against Hellberg at 17:16 to take the lead. Wilson stopped a Tyler Brown pass and fired from the right circle. Hellberg got a shoulder on that try, but Wilson followed his shot and snapped home the rebound, for what would turn out to be the game-winner.

Just 1:19 later, at 18:35, an apparent Tom Kostopoulos goal was disallowed when referee Garrett Rank ruled that the Penguins made incidental contact with Hellberg prior to the puck being deflected into the goal.

Despite that break, the Wolf Pack were not able to generate any momentum in the third period, as they were held by the Penguins to four shots on goal.

Hartford got a power play at 12:32, when David Warsofsky was sent off for cross-checking, but after former Penguin Jayson Megna was stopped on a great opportunity by Murray off the next faceoff, disaster would strike the Wolf Pack man advantage unit.

Moments after the Murray save, he was able to send the puck away to center ice, setting up a 2-on-1 into the Wolf Pack zone. Dominik Uher broke down the left side and sent a pass across to Sundqvist, who flicked the puck past Hellberg at 13:11 for a back-breaking shorthanded goal.

Wilson created the final margin with his second goal of the game, scored into an empty net at 18:13 after the Wolf Pack had lifted Hellberg for an extra attacker.

"We have to learn from what we did today, and take the good stuff with us tomorrow and fix the stuff that we didn't do so well," Hellberg said. "Obviously we wanted to beat the guys who are in first place."

The Wolf Pack start a four-game homestand Saturday night in their next action, a 7:30 game vs. the Providence Bruins. Tickets for all 2015-16 Wolf Pack home games are on sale at the Agera Energy Ticket Office at the XL Center, on-line at www.hartfordwolfpack.com and by phone at (877) 522-8499.

To speak with a Wolf Pack representative about season or group tickets, or any of the Wolf Pack's many ticketing options, call (855) 762-6451 to request more info.

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