Hartford Wolf Pack put Hershey through Hellberg
Even though it was a low shot shut out win for the Hartford Wolf Pack, it still was not an easy one. Wolf Pack goalie Magnus Hellberg stopped all 20 Hershey shots for his and the teams' first shut out of the season. As time was winding down Hellberg and the Pack held off the Bears who had even pulled their goalie, Phoenix Copley, with over three minutes left in the game to try and get on the score board. It wouldn't happen for the Bears as Hellberg handled a series of deflected shots and rebounds in the closing minutes to secure the shut out.
The win will do nothing for the Wolf Pack in the standings. The Wolf Pack are in their 20th season in Hartford but it is clearly one of their worst on the ice. The team remains last in the AHL with a handful of games left in the 2016-2017 campaign.
The bright point lately has been the play of Hellberg, in his last three starts he has stopped all but eight of 108 shots, with a 2.66GAA, and a 92.5 SV%. This was Hellberg's first shut out with the Wolf Pack since February 5, 2016 in a 5-0 road win in Portland. The Wolf Pack had not shut out a team since Jeff Malcolm stopped all 25 shots in a 3-0 road win in Springfield on March 20, of 2016.
The lack of shut outs over the season can not be fully laid on the shoulders of the Pack's net keepers. There are plenty of reasons why a team struggles defensively, having 8 players on the roster with a -22 or worse certainly is a smoking gun on the season. The Wolf Pack have given up a league high 248 goals so far this season.
-Picture- Hellberg stopped 46 of 49 shots in a 3-1 loss to Providence last Friday
There are only two games left at home for the Wolf Pack they will be home next Friday and Saturday(April 7 and 8) to play the Springfield Thunderbirds and the Wilkes/Barre Scranton Penguins. The last two games to be played on the failing ice sheet that once created ice that Gordie Howe, Bobby Hull, Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemeiux and Ron Francis. Next season the Wolf Pack and UConn will be skating on some of the best maintained ice in the country, and maybe that will make the puck bounce more their way.
ONE TIMERS:
How Magnus Hellberg doesn't get the games first star is something I can't understand. He played well, won the game and gave the Pack their first shut out in 375 days.
Along with the Ice Sheet the Dasher Boards will also be replaced this summer inside the XL Center. The process will begin with jack hammering out the current arena floor to install the new ice chilling system. Construction is to begin in late May and with the Pack missing the playoffs there should be no delay.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FND2gTt_OA8
Brown vs Labrie
