Wolf Pack wins OT thriller against Bears, 5-4 | Pro Hockey News

HERSHEY, PA – Trey Fix-Wolansky recorded the first hat trick of the season for the Hartford Wolf Pack on Tuesday night, while Bryce McConnell-Barker picked up his second multi-goal game of the campaign. The result was a wild 5-4 win over the Hershey Bears at the Giant Center.

Fix-Wolansky got things going early when he potted a rebound for his 13^e goal of the season just 32 seconds into the hockey game. Brendan Brisson fed Fix-Wolansky low on the right. There, the veteran cut to the net and shot a backhand to Clay Stevenson. Stevenson made the first stop, but Fix-Wolansky found the loose change and fired a quick shot from the left side to make it 1-0.

Fix-Wolansky made it 2-0 at 3:19, burying his 14^e purpose of the campaign. He crossed the neutral zone on the right side and rushed into the offensive zone. He cut to the target again and went to the backhand, but this time he lifted the shot over Stevenson’s right pad to extend the lead.

Adam Sýkora picked up the primary assist on the goal, his second helper of the match.

At 2:22 of the second period, McConnell-Barker made it 3-0. Brett Berard fed McConnell-Barker in the slot, where he gathered possession and worked his way into the left circle. There he unleashed a shot that beat Stevenson for his seventh goal of the season.

Brett Leason got the Bears on the board at 15:48 to make it 3-1, but Fix-Wolansky quickly countered to complete the hat trick.

Fix-Wolansky got the club’s first penalty shot of the season at 5:46 p.m. He came in on the left flank and slid the puck on the backhand through Stevenson for his 15^e goal of the season.

It completed the first hat trick for the Wolf Pack since Alex Belzile scored three times against the Bridgeport Islanders on December 4, 2024.

However, Leason’s second of the night at 6:50 put the Bears back within two minutes. After a turnover in the neutral zone, Leason came in on the right side, went to the goal and beat Dylan Garand with a forehand shot for his eighth goal of the season.

The Bears needed just three shots in the first 3:13 of the third period to tie things up.

Ilja Protas’ 15^e goal of the season at 2:51 made it a 4-3 game. He fired a long shot that sneaked through Garand and barely crossed the line. After an evaluation, the on-ice call was confirmed as a goal.

Just 22 seconds later, Graeme Clarke’s eleventh goal of the season leveled the match. Clarke took a pass from behind the net in the left wing and ripped a shot off Garand’s glove to make it 4–4.

The goal snapped a three-goal streak in 4:23 for the Bears.

However, Garand slammed the door shut from there, making seven saves in the period to take the game to overtime.

In the extra session, Henrik Rybinski was whistled for tripping just 92 seconds later. On the ensuing power play, Justin Dowling connected with McConnell-Barker on the left sideline. The second-year forward worked the left wing and ripped a top-shelf shot to give the Wolf Pack the extra point at 3:27.

The win was the Wolf Pack’s third in their last four outings.

With Wolf Pack match report