St. John’s IceCaps 3, Hartford Wolf Pack 1

By Phil Oxnard

Hartford, CT, October 10, 2015 – Jeremy Gregoire’s shorthanded goal was the game-winner, and Dustin Tokarski made 30 saves, as the St. John’s IceCaps defeated the Hartford Wolf Pack 3-1Saturday night at the XL Center, in the AHL season opener for both teams.

Chad Nehring scored the only Wolf Pack goal, and Magnus Hellberg stopped 27 shots in the Hartford net.

Both teams started aggressively in the first period with both teams taking a penalty at 4:08, Hartford’s Chris Summers and St. John’s Angelo Miceli taking two minutes for roughing and cross-checking, respectively. The Ice Caps scored on the ensuing 4-on-4 at 4:34, with Bud Holloway scoring off of the rebound of a shot by Mark Barberio.

The Wolf Pack had a power play at 16:33 after Nikita Scherbak was sent to the box for hooking, but they couldn’t get the puck in the net for the rest of the period.

“We’re a young team, we’re testing the waters here, and I really like what I saw. We’re hungry,” said new Wolf Pack captain Ryan Bourque.

Despite three Wolf Pack power plays in the second period, Hartford could not score, and the Ice Caps’ Gregoire scored his shorthander at 17:43, putting St. John’s up 2-0.

An apparent Wolf Pack goal at 4:13 was disallowed due to a player guiding the puck into the net with his hand.

The Wolf Pack’s Nehring scored the team’s first goal of the regular season at 6:32 of the third, by deflecting teammate Petr Zamorsky’s slap pass into the net, making the score 2-1.

Wolf Pack coach Ken Gernander said about the goal, “I think it was Zamorsky’s vision, we worked on that high redirect, he had his head up and he was waiting for that lane to open up to get his body in that lane. It was a nice tip by Chad and it started with a good forecheck by Brownie [Tyler Brown] and Bourquie [Bourque].”

About his goal, Nehring said, “We had a good cycle going there, and the puck went up to the point D-to-D and they were blocking a lot of shots tonight, so I came a little higher and found a lane for our D man, got my stick up there, and Z [Zamorsky] made a nice play.”

With two minutes left in the game, the Wolf Pack pulled Hellberg from net to try to even up the score, but the Ice Caps capitalized at 18:53 with an empty-net goal from Charles Hudon.

The Wolf Pack’s next action is back at the XL Center this Wednesday, October 14, a 7:00 PM game vs. the Providence Bruins. All Wednesday-night home games throughout the season are “Winning Wednesdays, meaning that if the Wolf Pack win, each fan can redeem his or her ticket for a complimentary ticket to the Pack’s next home game (some restrictions apply).

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, or click here to request more info.

St. John’s IceCaps 3 at Hartford Wolf Pack 1
Saturday, October 10, 2015 – XL Center

St. John’s 1 1 1 – 3
Hartford 0 0 1 – 1

1st Period-1, St. John’s, Holloway 1 (Barberio, Dumont), 4:34. Penalties-Miceli Stj (cross-checking), 4:08; Summers Hfd (roughing), 4:08; Scherbak Stj (hooking), 16:33.

2nd Period-2, St. John’s, Gregoire 1 (Hanley), 17:43 (SH). Penalties-McCarron Stj (interference), 6:37; Hudon Stj (hooking), 14:57; Ellis Stj (cross-checking), 16:05; Hudon Stj (roughing), 19:45; Adam Hfd (cross-checking), 19:45; Summers Hfd (roughing), 19:45.

3rd Period-3, Hartford, Nehring 1 (Zamorsky, Bodie), 6:32. 4, St. John’s, Hudon 1 (Carr), 18:53 (EN). Penalties-Barberio Stj (slashing), 1:50.

Shots on Goal-St. John’s 8-13-9-30. Hartford 10-11-10-31.
Power Play Opportunities-St. John’s 0 / 1; Hartford 0 / 5.
Goalies-St. John’s, Tokarski 1-0-0 (31 shots-30 saves). Hartford, Hellberg 0-1-0 (29 shots-27 saves).
A-6,518
Referees-Cameron Voss (78).
Linesmen-Brent Colby (7), Derek Wahl (46).

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