Heitzner, Wolves Maul Dashers (11/15)

Watertown, NY - Coming off their worst loss of the season at Hudson Valley, the Dashers returned to Watertown looking to get back in the win column. Kyle Heitzner (4 goals) and the Wolves had other ideas. Without their captain Justin Brausen, the Dashers’ defensive struggles and bad discipline were exposed, leading to a decisive Wolves victory.

Parker Rutherford led the Dashers onto the ice in Watertown looking to get ahead in period 1. It was a slow start for both sides, with Watertown controlling the tempo and generating the majority of chances. Tate Leeson opened the scoring on a net drive with a shot from below the end line that banked off of the back of Rutherford’s pads into the net to make it 1-0. The Dashers took exception to the goal, and immediately you could feel the energy pick up for both sides within the confines of Watertown Municipal Arena. Dasher rookie Yosuke Jumonji had the best chance in all alone and slid the puck into the outstretched arm of Wolves netminder Anton Borodkin right on the goal line to keep the score at 1-0. On the next Wolves possession, Kyle Heitzner collected a beautiful feed in front from captain Michael Mercurio and buried it past Rutherford to double the Wolves’ lead at 2-0. Early on, it became now or never for the Dashers. Desperate for an answer, they turned to their leadership to Nick Gullo. The assistant captain drew a penalty shot for the second straight game and converted. The goal was controversial at first, as Borodkin appeared to release his stick in a poke check attempt that knocked Gullo backwards before he found the empty net. After a brief discussion with an argument from Borodkin, the goal stood with 44 ticks remaining on the clock. 

The Wolves came out for period 2 hungry, and almost immediately exposed the Dashers’ defensive struggles. Just over 4 minutes into the frame, Dustin Perillat burned the Dasher backcheck and scored on a breakaway to make it 3-1. During the play, Jacob Gagnon was subtly tripped and slammed into Rutherford causing him to exit the game. Wahlgren was called upon and less than 2 minutes later Trevor Neumann added a 4th goal. Rutherford would then return. There was a glimmer of hope when newest Dasher Marian Pazitka wristed a puck off a nice feed from Lester Brown to get one back and make it 4-2. The Wolves didn’t hesitate to bounce back, and a pair of Kyle Heitzner goals just 2:02 apart made it 6-2. Heitzner had completed his Hat Trick with over 25 minutes remaining in regulation.

It would take some sort of miracle to get the Dashers back into this game. That miracle would not come tonight. In the first 6:05 alone, Nikolai Salov was assessed a slew foot major and Gagnon a cross-checking minor. Then, Niko Reimann received a roughing minor and Dashers’ Head Coach AJ Tesoreiro was ejected for throwing water bottles on the ice in response. With practically bottomless time on the power play, Watertown delivered. Kyle Heitner got his 4th and Trevor Lord checked in on the scoresheet to make it 8-2. Moments later, the Dashers’ Zach DeMarce notched his 3rd goal of the season but 40 seconds later Dylan Infantino scored unassisted to make it 9-3. The final spark was Brandon Stojcevski shelving home a rebound on a shot from Pazitka with 35 seconds left. That bookended a 9-4 final with the shots heavily favoring the Wolves at 47-29.

The Dashers' struggles continue as they fall to 1-7-1 just 9 games into the season. The Wolves improve their hot start to 8-1-1. The two teams will square off once again tomorrow night at 7:30 EST inside Watertown Municipal Arena.