Lindberg Leads Wolf Pack Past Bears

(Photo courtesy of JustSports Photography)

Oscar Lindberg scored two goals, including the third-period game-winner, Sunday at Giant Center in Hershey, PA, to lead the Hartford Wolf Pack to a 3-2 win over the Hershey Bears, in the second of back-to-back games between the two teams.

Hershey took the first of the two contests Saturday night, scoring four third-period goals to erase a 2-0 deficit, in a 4-2 win.

“I think we played a pretty greasy game, and we had some good power plays and we found a way to win, that’s what counts,” said Lindberg, who upped his team-leading goal total on the year to eight. “On the power play I got some good looks and a good shot, and those pucks don’t go in if we don’t have a screen, and our guys did a good job in there.”

With the score tied 2-2 early in the third, Hershey goaltender Pheonix Copley (26 saves) made a sharp save on Ryan Haggerty, off of a pass from Marek Hrivik, but the Wolf Pack continued to attack. Seconds later, Dallas Jackson pinched down from the left point to keep the puck in, and Lindberg, covering the point for Jackson, fired the puck at the net with Hrivik screening, and the shot eluded Copley at 2:31.

Wolf Pack goaltender Mackenzie Skapski, who ended up with 22 saves in the game, made that goal hold up by stopping 12 Hershey shots in the third, to improve his AHL record to 3-0-0. Jackson had two assists, for his first Wolf Pack points in four games with the team, and Chris Bourque also scored.

Connor Carrick and Nathan Walker scored first-period goals for the Bears.

The Wolf Pack outshot the Bears 13-2 in the first period but came out of it down 3-2, as Hershey scored on both of its shots on goal.

Carrick, who scored in Saturday’s third period, put Hershey on top only 2:34 into Sunday’s game, in a four-on-four situation. Carrick moved down the right-wing side, and used Mat Bodie as a screen, to beat Skapski with a shot to the glove side.

The Wolf Pack answered that only 59 seconds later on a power play, as Lindberg clicked for his first of the game at 3:33. Lindberg stickhandled off of the right-wing boards and shot from near the top of the circle, putting the puck through a Justin Vaive screen and past Copley.

Hershey responded at 8:24, with Walker scoring his first goal of the season on a deflection. Eric Burgdoerfer wristed the puck at the net from the middle of the blue line, and Walker redirected it past Skapski’s stick side.

The Wolf Pack continued their territorial dominance on the first shift of the second period, and tied the score only 55 seconds in.

Chris Bourque, who won three Calder Cups as a member of the Bears earlier in his career, scored his fourth Wolf Pack goal to tie it at two, heading hard toward the net from the right-wing side to deflect the puck in, after Jackson slapped it at the net from the left point.

The Wolf Pack are now off until this Friday, November 14, when they host the Bridgeport Sound Tigers at the XL Center in a 7:00 PM game. Once again this season, every Friday night home game features $1 hot dogs and $2 beers through the start of the second period.

Tickets for all 2014-15 Wolf Pack home games are now on sale at the XL Center ticket office, on-line at www.hartfordwolfpack.com and by phone at (877) 522-8499. Wolf Pack tickets start as low as $12 for youth 12 years old or younger.

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, or click here to request more info.

Hartford Wolf Pack 3 at Hershey Bears 2

Sunday, November 9, 2014 - Giant Center

Hartford 1 1 1 - 3

Hershey 2 0 0 - 2

1st Period-1, Hershey, Carrick 2 (Stephenson, Oleksy), 2:34. 2, Hartford, Lindberg 7 (Vaive, Fast), 3:33 (PP). 3, Hershey, Walker 1 (Burgdoerfer, Kennedy), 8:24. Penalties-McIlrath Hfd (delay of game), 1:13; Newbury Her (cross-checking), 1:43; Spencer Her (interference), 11:07; Carrick Her (high-sticking), 15:06.

2nd Period-4, Hartford, C. Bourque 4 (Jackson, Miller), 0:55. Penalties-Jackson Hfd (holding), 5:23; Stamler Hfd (holding), 10:57.

3rd Period-5, Hartford, Lindberg 8 (Haggerty, Jackson), 2:31. Penalties-C. Bourque Hfd (boarding), 2:55; Hughes Hfd (slashing), 9:13; Gazley Her (delay of game), 17:50; Kristo Hfd (interference), 18:13.

Shots on Goal-Hartford 13-8-8-29. Hershey 2-10-12-24.

Power Play Opportunities-Hartford 1 / 4; Hershey 0 / 6.

Goalies-Hartford, Skapski 3-0-0 (24 shots-22 saves). Hershey, Copley 3-2-0 (29 shots-26 saves).

A-8,243

Referees-Ryan Fraser (14), Olivier Gouin (66).

Linesmen-Bob Goodman (90), Scott Pomento (25).