Calgary Wranglers recap: Defensive scoring single-handedly snaps losing streak
5 months ago
The Calgary Wranglers continued their weekend series in San Jose with the second half of their back-to-back. They were at four straight losses going into this game but finally turned it around to get their squad back into the win column. Calgary got their scoring going again thanks to the efforts of the defencemen and slipped past San Jose 3-2.
Lineup notes
With Adam Ruzicka and Nick DeSimone out of the organization on waivers claims, the Wranglers needed some more bodies. On Saturday they announced that they called up Will Riedell from Rapid City. Riedell has skated in three games with the Wranglers this season and sits at three assists.
Calgary also added a forward on a professional tryout. Zack Andrusiak was picked up from the ECHL’s Cincinnati Cyclones. Andrusiak has 45 points in 39 games with the Cyclones so far this season and made his debut with the Wranglers in this game.
Another piece of good news was the return of Sam Jardine. Jardine was injured for nearly the last two months and last played with Calgary on December 1st against the Henderson Silver Knights.
Game at a glance
Dustin Wolf got the start for Calgary again and Georgi Romanov was in net on the other end. After going a full 60 minutes without a goal on Friday, the Wranglers got on the board early with a goal from Ilya Solovyov. Solovyov took a shot from the point that would go the whole way without any other touches. Mark Pysyk and Sam Jardine assisted on this opening tally at 2:28.
Unfortunately, the Barracuda answered back shortly after with a goal at 3:45. Jacob Peterson was sprung on a breakaway and beat Wolf on his glove-side shot. The game kept the strong pace for the next few minutes and the Barracuda found the back of the net again at 8:34.
Tanner Kaspick broke up a pass behind the Wranglers net and got the puck up to Thomas Bordeleau, who ripped a one-timer past Wolf to make it a 2-1 game. That wrapped up the scoring action for the opening frame and no penalties were called through the whole period. At the end of 20 minutes, the Barracuda held a 2-1 lead and were narrowly outshooting the Wranglers 16-15.
The second period was almost all Calgary. San Jose was called for slashing in the first minute of the frame and the Wranglers’ power play activated and connected. Brady Lyle ripped a short side shot just four seconds before the end of the power play. Rory Kerins and Ilya Solovyov assisted.
The next San Jose penalty burned them again when Jonathan Aspirot connected on the power play. A scramble in front of the net coughed up a rebound for Aspirot to rip point blank. William Stromgren and Ben Jones assisted.
The Wranglers continued to rattle off the shots but could not find goal number four. By the end of the second period, they led 3-2 and outshot San Jose 21-9. In the third, the pace of the game took a noticeable turn. Shots were few and far between and high danger scoring chances just weren’t there.
The Wranglers sat back with their one-goal lead and only managed to put up three shots through the final 20 minutes of regulation. San Jose tried to make something happen in the last two minutes of the game with the extra-attacker but only managed to register one shot.
The Wranglers secured the win with a 3-2 final score. They also finished ahead 39-33 in shots.
Scoring stat summary
Ilya Solovyov – 1G, 1A
Mark Pysyk – 1A
Rory Kerins – 1A
Brady Lyle – 1G
Sam Jardine – 1A
William Stromgren – 1A
Jonathan Aspirot – 1A
Next up
The Wranglers will still be on the road next week starting with a midweek series against the Coachella Valley Firebirds. They play on Wednesday and Thursday with both games taking place at 8:00 p.m. MT.
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