CRAWFORD: WOLF PACK WINNING STREAK COMES TO A CLOSE IN PROVIDENCE 

BY: Bob Crawford, Hartford Wolf Pack

Providence, RI, January 6, 2019 – A three-game Hartford Wolf Pack winning streak came to an end Sunday at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center Providence, in a 5-1 loss to the Providence Bruins.

A Cole Schneider power-play goal with 2:21 left in the third period prevented a Bruin shutout, but the Wolf Pack were only able to generate 16 shots on Providence goaltender Zane McIntyre.

Peter Cehlarik scored twice for the Bruins, and Jordan Szwarz had a goal and an assist.  The Wolf Pack had been 3-0-1 in their previous four games.

“Right from the start, Providence was quicker to (the) loose pucks, hemmed us in our own zone, and we weren’t able to generate any kind of offense,” Wolf Pack head coach Keith McCambridge said.

The Bruins dominated the first period, outshooting the Wolf Pack 17-4, and built a 2-0 lead.

Szwarz opened the scoring at the 13:43 mark, with his team-leading 12^th goal of the season.  A shot from the point by Kyle Cumiskey went wide, and Cameron Hughes was able to poke the puck behind the net to Szwarz, who jammed it between Wolf Pack goaltender Marek Mazanec (32 saves) and the goal post to his right.

The Bruins then made it a 2-0 game on a power play with only 3.4 seconds left in the period.  With Lias Andersson off for holding, Cumiskey fed a pass across the slot from right to left to Cehlarik, who ripped it into the net.

After a scoreless second period, Providence scored a back-breaking shorthanded goal at 9:12 of the third, to increase its lead to 3-0.

Chris Breen cleared the puck to center ice, and Hughes broke into the Wolf Pack zone on a 2-on-1 with Karson Kuhlman.  Hughes passed to Kuhlman on the right side, and he dropped it off to Emil Johansson, who snapped home his first goal of the season.

Cehlarik then bagged his second of the day at 11:44 to make it 4-0, driving a shot from the left-wing side through a Mark McNeill screen and past Mazanec.

The Wolf Pack later attempted to lift Mazanec for an extra attacker, but just as he was reaching the bench the Wolf Pack turned the puck over, and Gemel Smith fired it into the empty cage at 15:35.

McIntyre was not able to complete the shutout, however, as the Wolf Pack power play capitalized after a tripping call against Tanner Pond at the 15:38 mark.  Vinni Lettieri sent the puck cross-ice to Peter Holland in the left circle, and Schneider deflected his shot through McIntyre at 17:39.

The defeat was the first in regulation in six games against Providence for the Wolf Pack, who are 4-1-1-0 in the season series against their Atlantic Division rivals.

The Wolf Pack and Bruins clash again at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center Providence this Friday night, January 11, in the next action for both teams.  Faceoff is 7:05 PM and all of the action can be heard live on News Radio 1410 WPOP, and online at newsradio1410.com and iHeartRadio.  Video streaming is available at theahl.com/AHLTV.

The next Wolf Pack home game is next Friday, January 18, a 7:15 contest vs. the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.  That being a Friday night, fans can enjoy $1 hot dogs, and $2 beers and fountain sodas, through the start of the second period, presented by Nomads Adventure Quest.

Tickets for all 2018-19 Wolf Pack home games are on sale now at the Agera Energy Ticket Office at the XL Center, online at hartfordwolfpack.com and by phone at (877) 522-8499.  Tickets purchased in advance for kids 12 or younger start at just $13 each, and all tickets will have a $3 day-of-game increase.

Season ticket information for the Wolf Pack’s 2018-19 AHL season can be found online at hartfordwolfpack.com.  To speak with a representative about all of the Wolf Pack’s many attractive ticketing options, call (855) 762-6451, or click here to request more info.

Hartford Wolf Pack 1 at Providence Bruins 5
Sunday, January 6, 2019 – Dunkin’ Donuts Center

Hartford     0 0 1 – 1
Providence 2 0 3 – 5

1st Period-1, Providence, Szwarz 12 (Hughes, Cumiskey), 13:43. 2, Providence, Cehlarik 6 (Cumiskey, Szwarz), 19:56 (PP). Penalties-Butler Hfd (high-sticking), 15:31; Andersson Hfd (holding), 19:30.

2nd Period- No Scoring.Penalties-Clifton Pro (slashing), 3:12; Beleskey Hfd (elbowing, fighting), 12:45; Sherman Pro (fighting), 12:45; Fyten Pro (high-sticking), 16:10; Lindgren Hfd (roughing), 20:00; Szwarz Pro (roughing), 20:00.

3rd Period-3, Providence, Johansson 1 (Kuhlman, Hughes), 9:12 (SH). 4, Providence, Cehlarik 7 (Sherman), 11:44. 5, Providence, Smith 5 (Zboril), 15:35 (EN). 6, Hartford, Schneider 13 (Holland, Lettieri), 17:39 (PP). Penalties-Leedahl Hfd (roughing), 5:58; Johansson Pro (roughing), 5:58; Schneider Hfd (roughing), 8:28; Clifton Pro (cross-checking), 8:28; Lauzon Pro (roughing), 8:28; Pond Pro (tripping), 16:38.

Shots on Goal-Hartford 4-2-10-16. Providence 17-7-13-37.
Power Play Opportunities-Hartford 1 / 4; Providence 1 / 3.
Goalies-Hartford, Mazanec 6-6-2 (36 shots-32 saves). Providence, McIntyre 10-8-3 (16 shots-15 saves).
A-8,811
Referees-Reid Anderson (49), Jason Faist (26).
Linesmen-Dmitrii Antipin (77), William Brennan (31).