Bobby Sanguinetti and Evgeni Grachev each had a goal and an assist and Chad Johnson made 28 saves to lead the Hartford Wolf Pack to a 4-1 win over the Bridgeport Sound Tigers Saturday night at the Arena at Harbor Yard. Dustin Kohn scored the Sound Tigers only goal.
The Wolf Pack grabbed a 2-0 lead with two tallies in a two minute window late in the first period. Matthieu Dandenault scored his first goal of the season with 4:55 left, deflecting a shot off the stick of Andres Ambuhl. With three minutes remaining, the Wolf Pack showed off their top-ranked power-play. Pierre-Alexandre Parenteau skated the puck deep into the Bridgeport zone and fed a pass through the crease to Corey Locke who one-timed the puck into the open side of the goal for his league leading ninth goal of the season.
Hartford netted two more goals in the second period to take control of the game. Grachev scored his fifth goal of the season at the 8:26 mark, sniping a quick wrist-shot from the left face-off circle past Nathan Lawson.
Paranteau was awarded a penalty shot at the 6:58 mark of the second period after a Sound Tiger covered the puck with his hand in the crease. However, Lawson turned aside the shot to keep the Wolf Pack off the board.
Sanguinetti made it 4-0 with 4:27 left in the period. With the Wolf Pack on a 5-on-3 power-play, Lawson made two initial saves, but was caught sprawled on the ice as Sanguinetti picked up the loose rebound and put it into the top of the net.
The Sound Tigers got on the board at the 6:30 mark of the third period on the strength of a Kohn 4-on-3 power-play goal. Kohn took a pass from Mark Katic and blasted a one-timer from the blue-line which beat Chad Johnson for Kohn’s second tally of the season.
Bridgeport out-shot Hartford 37-29. Lawson made 33 saves in a losing effort.
The Sound Tigers are back in action Sunday afternoon when they host the Lowell Devils on Armed Forces Day at Harbor Yard. Face-off is set for 4:00 pm. For tickets, please call TicketMaster at 1-800-745-3000.
