Hartford, CT, January 25, 2014 – Kael Mouillierat scored a hat trick and added an assist Saturday night at the XL Center, to lead the St. John’s IceCaps to a 6-2 win over the Hartford Wolf Pack.
Jason Jaffray also added a goal and two assists for St. John’s. Jesper Fast had both Wolf Pack goals, both on power plays.
“I expected us to come out with the same energy we had last night and we just didn’t,” a disappointed Wolf Pack head coach Ken Germander said, in reference to Friday night’s 5-2 Hartford win over the Springfield Falcons.
After having jumped in front only seven seconds into Friday night’s victory, the Wolf Pack fell behind after only 1:09 of Saturday’s game.
Jaffray gave the IceCaps the early lead with his 11th goal of the season, off of a pass from behind the net by Mouillierat. Mouillierat found Jaffray at the left side of the slot, and Jaffray fanned on his first attempt, but on second effort was able to snap a shot past the stick side of Wolf Pack goaltender David LeNeveu (21 saves).
The Wolf Pack killed a 44-second two-man advantage later in the period, but the momentum created by the IceCaps on that power play led to a second St. John’s goal at 12:46.
LeNeveu made a sharp save on a good chance for Kyle MacKinnon, but Adam Lowry jumped on the rebound and ripped a high shot into the net from the left circle.
The IceCaps ended up with a 13-6 shots on goal advantage in the first frame, and the Wolf Pack needed a great save by LeNeveu on an Andrew Gordon chance in the dying seconds of the period to avoid falling into a 3-0 hole.
St. John’s continued controlling the action early in the second period, and Mouillierat scored twice in a span of 53 seconds starting at 6:05, to stretch the IceCaps’ lead to 4-0.
Mouillierat’s first of those two goals was a shorthander, coming with two seconds left in a tripping penalty to Patrice Cormier. Hartford’s Conor Allen lost control of the puck in the neutral zone, and Mouillierat broke in alone down the right side. Mouillierat cut toward the front of the goal, slowed down and then flicked a backhander under the crossbar behind LeNeveu.
Mouillierat scored again at 6:58, after Jaffray sent him and Cormier on a two-on-one. LeNeveu stopped Cormier’s shot, but Mouillierat was unchecked as he jumped on the rebound, and he beat a helpless LeNeveu.
The Wolf Pack got on the board at 17:36 of the second, with Mouillierat in the penalty box for holding. Danny Syvret’s point shot was stopped by IceCap goaltender Michael Hutchinson (24 saves), but Oscar Lindberg worked the rebound to Fast in the left circle, and he ripped a quick shot home.
Then Hartford cut the lead to 4-2 only 38 seconds into the third period, after a Will O’Neill high-sticking penalty carried over from the second frame. Again it was Lindberg setting up Fast, as Lindberg passed from below the goal line, and Fast one-timed it past Hutchinson from the right side of the slot.
The Wolf Pack got into penalty trouble shortly thereafter, though, with Dylan McIlrath taking a tripping minor at 1:29 and Aaron Johnson clearing the puck out of play for a delay of game infraction only eight seconds later.
On the ensuing five-on-three, Jerome Samson whipped a shot from the left-wing faceoff dot over LeNeveu’s right arm at 2:24, increasing St. John’s’ lead to 5-2.
Mouillierat completed his hat trick at 6:02 for a 6-2 final. Mouillierat’s one-timer off of a Jaffray feed got by LeNeveu’s left pad.
The Wolf Pack are right back in action Sunday afternoon, traveling to Adirondack to visit the Phantoms for a 3:00 game. All the action of that battle can be heard live on Fox Sports Radio 1410, and on-line at www.foxsportsradio1410.com and iHeartRadio. Video streaming is available at www.ahllive.com.
The Wolf Pack’s next home game is Friday, January 31, a 7:00 PM contest against the Providence Bruins. All Wolf Pack Friday-night home games feature $1 hot dogs and $2 beers through the start of the second period, presented by Marc’s Appliance Warehouse, located at 75 Prospect Ave., Hartford, CT.
Tickets for all Wolf Pack 2013-14 home games are on sale now at the Public Power Ticket Office at the XL Center, 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 representative about season or group tickets, call (855) 762-6451.
St. John's IceCaps 6 at Hartford Wolf Pack 2
Saturday, January 25, 2014 – XL Center
St. John's 2 2 2 – 6
Hartford 0 1 1 – 2
1st Period-1, St. John's, Jaffray 11 (Mouillierat, Fredheim), 1:09. 2, St. John's, Lowry 6 (MacKinnon, Kichton), 12:46. Penalties-Hill Stj (interference), 2:37; Kristo Hfd (hooking), 3:24; Johnson Hfd (interference), 8:59; Allen Hfd (delay of game), 10:15; O'Neill Stj (high-sticking), 13:41; Lindberg Hfd (slashing), 13:54.
2nd Period-3, St. John's, Mouillierat 10 6:05 (SH). 4, St. John's, Mouillierat 11 (Cormier, Jaffray), 6:58. 5, Hartford, Fast 5 (Lindberg, Syvret), 17:36 (PP). Penalties-Cormier Stj (tripping), 4:07; Mouillierat Stj (holding), 16:16; O'Neill Stj (high-sticking), 19:16.
3rd Period-6, Hartford, Fast 6 (Lindberg, Miller), 0:38 (PP). 7, St. John's, Samson 14 (Kichton, O'Neill), 2:24 (PP). 8, St. John's, Mouillierat 12 (Jaffray), 6:02. Penalties-McIlrath Hfd (tripping), 1:29; Johnson Hfd (delay of game), 1:37; Schnell Stj (fighting), 10:24; Beach Hfd (fighting), 10:24.
Shots on Goal-St. John's 13-8-6-27. Hartford 6-13-7-26.
Power Play Opportunities-St. John's 1 / 6; Hartford 2 / 5.
Goalies-St. John's, Hutchinson 3-1-0 (26 shots-24 saves). Hartford, LeNeveu 1-3-0 (27 shots-21 saves).
A-5,063
Referees-Geoff Miller (28).
Linesmen-Mike Baker (11), Luke Galvin (2).
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