SPRINGFIELD, MA – The Hartford Wolf Pack tied a franchise record with two shorthanded goals Saturday at the MassMutual Center and defeated the Springfield Falcons 3-2, despite being outshot 37-16. The 16 shots tied a Wolf Pack record for fewest in a game.
Vladimir Denisov and Brodie Dupont scored shorthanded markers for the Wolf Pack in the game, Dupont’s the game-winning goal coming at 3:58 of the third period. Artem Anisimov also scored his team-leading 22nd goal for Hartford, and P.A. Parenteau had two assists. Matt Zaba made 35 saves in the Wolf Pack net, to improve his record against Springfield to 3-0-0.
The Wolf Pack were outshot 9-4 in the first period, but the only goal of the session was Denisov’s shorthanded tally at 7:04. Denisov beat Springfield goaltender Devan Dubnyk from right at the blueline, snapping a high shot past Dubnyk’s catching glove and under the crossbar. Parenteau picked up the lone assist.
The shots on goal in the second period were even more lopsided, 16-2 in favor of Springfield, but the frame ended with the score tied at two
Wethersfield, CT native Colin McDonald made it a 1-1 game with his fourth goal of the season at 1:03 of the second, forcing a shot through Zaba from the right circle. The Wolf Pack power play connected at 5:03 to get the lead back, with Anisimov converting a perfect cross-slot pass from Parenteau, putting the puck into the top shelf from Dubnyk’s left.
The Falcons tied it again, at the 13:43 mark, by taking advantage of a five-on-three power play. Springfield scoring leader Ryan Potulny buried his 21st from the right circle, on a rebound after Zaba stopped Viacheslav Trukhno’s bid.
Dupont’s game-winner came after he flipped the puck out of the defensive zone and Falcon defenseman Taylor Chorney tripped and fell. Dupont broke in alone on Dubnyk, who tried a poke-check, and Dupont pulled the puck to his backhand and slid it in, for his 10th goal of the season.
It was the 15th time in franchise history that the Wolf Pack has scored two shorthanders in the same game. The only other game in which the Wolf Pack had as few as 16 shots was the third game of the team’s first season, a 5-2 win at Philadelphia October 10, 1997.
Hartford Wolf Pack 3 at Springfield Falcons 2
Feb 7, 2009 – MassMutual Center
1st Period
Scoring – 1. Hartford, V. Denisov (2) (P. Parenteau) 7:04 SH
Penalties – C. Potter Hfd (hooking) 5:49, G. Lefebvre Spr (holding) 16:07
2nd Period
Scoring – 2. Springfield, C. McDonald (4) (G. Lefebvre, T. Spurgeon) 1:03
3. Hartford, A. Anisimov (22) (P. Parenteau, B. Sanguinetti) 5:03 PP
4. Springfield, R. Potulny (21) (V. Trukhno, R. Schremp) 13:43 PP
Penalties – G. Hunt Spr (interference) 4:09, C. Potter Hfd (hooking) 8:14, V. Trukhno Spr (holding) 9:10, J. Nightingale Hfd (hooking) 12:03, A. Anisimov Hfd (hooking) 12:41, G. Lefebvre Spr (cross-checking) 16:47
3rd Period
Scoring – 5. Hartford, B. Dupont (10) 3:58 SH
Penalties – A. Anisimov Hfd (high-sticking) 2:45, J. Nightingale Hfd (holding) 5:30, V. Denisov Hfd (roughing) 7:24, R. Schremp Spr (roughing) 7:24, D. DiDiomete Hfd (roughing) 13:59, T. Chorney Spr (tripping) 13:59, C. Corazzini Spr (roughing) 13:59
HFD Shots: 4 2 10 TOTAL: 16
SPR Shots: 9 16 12 TOTAL: 37
Power Play Conversion
Hartford Wolf Pack 1-5. Springfield Falcons 1-6.
Goaltenders
Hartford Wolf Pack
Zaba 10-7-0 Start: 1st 0:00 Min: 59:53 SV: 35 GA: 2 [W]
Springfield Falcons
Dubnyk 15-26-1 Start: 1st 0:00 Min: 58:58 SV: 13 GA: 3 [L]
Start : 7:08 PM
End : 9:25 PM
Attendance : 5729
Referee I: Ghislain Hebert (49)
Referee II:
LINESMAN I: Robert St. Lawrence (10)
LINESMAN II: Brent Colby (7)