Kolarik Hat Trick paces Whale Win

25 Nov 2012 | By Gerry Cantlon

Hartford,CT- Chad Kolarik’s hat trick paced a 5-2 solid CT Whale win over the Norfolk Admirals 5,041 at the XL Center.

The hat trick was the 50th in franchise history and the first Whale home hat trick. The last hat trick occurred when Norwegian Mats Zuccarello scored one on November 7,2010 against Bridgeport when the team was then known as the Hartford Wolf Pack. The team changed names two weeks later.

Kolarik capped his hat trick at 1:04 of the third period as he outmuscled Admirals defenseman Jordan Hendry at the left side of the net and pushed over Marek Hrivik’s rebound and re-stablishing the Whale two goal lead.

"Last night scoring that one was the monkey off my back. Tonight the net seemed seven feet wide. I could have had three or four more, I hit the post twice and had several go wide. I had several chances right now the puck is bouncing my way," remarked Kolarik who was plus three along with Hrivik and Kris Newbury were a plus 8 and had eight points on the night.

Kolarik who had major knee surgery and missed all of last season and has by his own admission struggled in the early parts of the season and his confidence has returned.

"Your playing with a clear head your just reacting and not overthinking each play where your gonna shoot it and hear down where your gonna shoot it. I concentrate on making smart plays and smart passes, " said Kolarik who had 10 shots on goal for the game.

The Whale struck first for fourth consecutive game on the powerplay as the result of a nice quick give and go that paid off.

Czech winger Marek Hrivik in the deep left wing corner fired a shot that forced big rookie Danish netminder Erik Andersen (6’4 250lbs.) to make a save,but Kolarik put in the rebound just 18 seconds into the man advantage for the 1-0 Whale lead at 3:40 of the first period.

"River (Hrivik) looked like Joe Thornton out there !! Its easy to put them in with passes like that," said Kolarik making the media contingent laugh.

The Whale struck again as Kolarik collected his second of the game outworking 6’5 defenseman Matt Smaby and banging in the rebound of Marek Hrivik’s shot for his 5th of the season just 1:32 after the Admirals had tied the game at one.

The Admirals scored on one of the few Whale breakdowns of the night as Chris Wagner was alone at the top of the slot blasted one that Talbot made the save, but gave up a juicy rebound and John Kurtz outraced Whale center J.T. Miller and buried the puck under a lunging Talbot for his first of the season at 7:56.

The Whale made the rookie goalie Andersen work in the first period with 15 shots and he was equal to the task on numerous occasions in keeping the Whale to just one goal.

At 6:28 Andersen rejected Ryan Bourque’s wrist shot and at 10:56 Hrivik was denied.Andersen even had to take care of business when Norfolk was on the powerplay at 11:13 snuffing out a Chad Kolarik shorthanded 15 feet out.

Cam Talbot faced 10 shots, but the quality opportunities were few and far between. At 12:22 he stopped Corey Elkins coming off the right wing.

The Whale’s fourth goal came just 1:14 after Kolarik’s third goal as center Kelsey Tessier and Tommy Grant executed a beautiful short give and go coming through the neutral zone with Grant making a drop pass to Tessier who fed Grant, who was gaining speed as he raced past Smaby and put a nice shot five hole on Andersen and the 4-1 Whale lead.

After a wild defensively challenging 7-5 win last night head coach Ken germander was pleased with the obviously the win,but hown it was accomplished.

"We were happy with the game, we built a little momentum from last night and we could tweak a few things,but yes we were pleased. A little shot of andrenaline and we got a shot," remarked head coach Ken Gernander.

On Kolarik’s performance the coach gave a very cogent response.

"Things come in bunches and he has been snake bit lately and last night he got one a fortuitous bounce and we built momentum and Chad built somer personal momentum. He has seven shots in the first period so he was exceptionally hot and its nice to see him rewarded and not just for this effort,but for the big picture of the whole year that he lost and all the rehab that went with that." Commented Gernander.

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