Wolf Pack back in Atlantic finals after OT clincher over Providence

HARTFORD — For the second season in a row the Hartford Wolf Pack are headed to the AHL’s Atlantic Division finals.

Jake Leschyshyn’s overtime goal 9:41 into the extra period of Game 4 lifted Hartford to a 2-1 win over the Providence Bruins on Friday night, sending the Wolf Pack into third round against the winner of the series between the Hershey Bears and Lehigh Valley Phantoms. Hershey leads that series 2-1 with Game 4 on Saturday night.

Leschyshyn’s game-winner – his second goal of the night and third of the playoffs – was about being in the right place at the right time. Hartford’s Victor Mancini’s shot from the right wing clanked off the the goal cross bar and clanked again, this time of Leschyshyn’s skate and past Bruins goalie Brandon Bussi and into the net sending much of the crowd of 6,003 into celebration mode. Mancini and Brandon Scanlin were credited with assists as the Wolf Pack closed out the series, 3-1.

Leschyshyn opened the scoring for Hartford 14:30 into the first period, cashing in on the game’s first power play with a shot from the left circle that got by Bussi.

Defense and goaltending took over until midway through the third period. Just when it was starting to looking like Leschyshyn’s goal might hold up, John Farinacci poked the puck past Wolf Pack goalie Dylan Garand in a scramble in front of the net at the 10:01 mark tying the game and setting up overtime.

The Wolf Pack are now 3-0 in overtime games in these playoffs, Garand wound up with 26 saves for Hartford, while had Bussi 27 for Providence. The Wolf Pack now await their next opponent with the schedule to be announced once the matchup is determined, Meanwhile, single-game tickets for the next round will go on sale on Monday at 10 a.m. Visit www.hartfordwolfpack.com for information.