Wranglers Duplicate Overtime Magic, Hunt Scores 100th AHL Goal
The Calgary Wranglers have been playing some entertaining hockey lately. After a thrilling 6-5 overtime victory over the San Diego Gulls on Saturday, they found themselves in another extra-period situation on Sunday, defeating the Ontario Reign 5-4.
Unlike their previous game, where the Wranglers rallied with a game-tying goal in the dying seconds off the stick of Ilya Solovyov, they blew a 4-1 second-period lead before the Calgary defenseman netted the overtime winner at 4:08.
SOLO DECIDES THE GAME!! pic.twitter.com/sWVIBFLVrt
— Calgary Wranglers (@AHLWranglers) January 20, 2025
Unsurprisingly, the heroes from Saturday's contest connected again on the Sunday game-winner in different roles. Captain Clark Bishop ended that game just 47 seconds into overtime with assists from Martin Frk and Solovyov. Against the Reign, Solovyov potted the winner from Frk and Clark.
Meanwhile, lost in the news shuffle of another thrilling overtime win, Dryden Hunt scored his 100th AHL career goal in the second period and was named the game's third star behind Solovyov and Ontario's Jack Studnicka.
Between the pipes for the Wranglers, Waltteri Ignatjew was solid, finishing the evening with 32 saves on 36 shots, earning a .888 SV%, improving to 8-4-1 this season.
Ignatjew was given plenty of run support until the Reign chipped away at their deficit and forced overtime.
Calgary scored at 2:22 when Jeremie Poirier tallied his third of the year on the powerplay, the team's first shot on goal. Hunt picked up his first of two assists on the game's first goal.
Over a minute later, Hunt scored his 100th AHL goal on the Wranglers' second shot. After so many failed attempts to clear the zone, William Strömgren eventually knocked down a clearing attempt and fed Hunt, who one-timed it home from the right side.
🚨Milestone Alert🚨
Scoring the Wranglers second goal of the day, and 100th AHL career goal for Dryden Hunt 🔥 pic.twitter.com/rzxzOHa7D5— Calgary Wranglers (@AHLWranglers) January 20, 2025
The Reign finally got on the board at 1:30 of the second period with an Andre Lee goal, but Sam Morton restored Calgary's two-goal lead with a lamplighter at 6:56 thanks to a Poirier dish on a two-on-one.
Less than a minute later, at 7:46, Strömgren sniped a powerplay goal from the top of the left circle. The Wranglers had their chances before the goal, with Frk and Hunt picking up assists.
After that tally, it was all Reign, who made it 4-2 at 15:33 with a Glenn Gawdin goal, followed by a Taylor Ward one at 17:18. Ontario managed the only goal in the third period at 14:28 to tie the contest at 4-4.
Wranglers' Jarred Tinordi fought with Jacob Doty in the first period, while Calgary went 2-for-4 on the powerplay, with the Reign going 1-for-4. The home team dominated shots on goal, 36-20, with the Wranglers failing to reach double digits in any period.
Since losing their All-Star goalie Devin Cooley to injury and All-Star forward Rory Kerins to a promotion to the Calgary Flames, the Wranglers are 4-1-0-0 in their last five games, with a 12 point cushion in the AHL Pacific Division thanks to a 27-12-1-0 record.
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