Wolves Come from Behind and Win Big Over Knights

By Jay Harris

Watertown, NY - Head Coach Trevor Karasiewicz and the Watertown Wolves hosted the North Shore Knights at the Watertown Municipal Arena on Friday night. The Wolves were hungry for another win to pull further away from the 3rd place Carolina Thunderbirds and more strongly secure their 2nd place standing in the Federal Hockey League.

Marek Malinksy drew first blood for the Knights just ninety seconds into the first period. Aleh Shypitsyn's double minor for high sticking and Gavin Yates' interference put the Wolves in a 3-on-5 penalty kill at the 14-minute mark. The penalty kill resulted in a Lukas Sladkovsky extending the Knights' lead before Kyle Powell put up a short-handed goal with the aid of Tyler Gjurich and John Scully. Jesse Facchini tied it up for the Wolves with 1:20 left in the period on assists from Anton Lennartsson and Chad Bennett. John Scully took the lead for the Wolves with only eight seconds left on a play from Tyler Gjurich and Kyle Powell.

The Wolves took control early in the second period, scoring two goals less than a minute apart. Goal number four came from Gavin Yates, by way of Paul Fregeau and Nicola Levesque. The fifth goal was from Jesse Facchini via Paul Fregeau and Anton Lennartsson. Fregeau's hooking penalty gave the Knights a chance to close in on the lead with a power play goal from Jakub Hendrych. Ivan Mikhailov got the Knights within one goal before Watertown stepped up their game on a play from Troy Polino and Nicola Levesque to Kyle Powell who made a shot from the blue line to tickle twine and make the score 6-4.

Troy Polino's slashing penalty gave way to a power play goal from Josh Newberg. The Wolves responded with a goal from Anton Lennartsson assisted by Jesse Facchini and Paul Fregeau. Tyler Gjurich extended his lead in the league on goals with a play from CJ Hayes and Kyle Powell. Gjurich wasn't done scoring, and added a second goal on an assist from Dallas Ingram. The final nail in the Knights' coffin was a hat trick goal from Jesse Facchini, resulting in a final score of 10-5.

1st Star of the Game went to Jesse Facchini with a hat trick and an assist. Kyle Powell and Tyler Gjurich with two goals and two assists earned 2nd and 3rd Stars, respectively.

The 2nd place Wolves are back in action Saturday night for a rematch with North Shore Knights. It is Pink in the Rink Night, and funds will be raised in support of breast cancer awareness. The puck drops at 7:30 PM in the Watertown Municipal Arena.

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