RECAP: CAPTAIN HIGHMORE LIFTS HAMMERS OVER WOLF PACK IN OVERTIME
Oct 29, 2026
Game Summary
Game Highlights
Photo Gallery
The Hamilton Hammers (3-6-0-1) and Hartford Wolf Pack (4-6-1-0) put on an offensive show Thursday night at TD Coliseum, with the Hammers coming away with a thrilling 5-4 overtime victory in their Halloween Game presented by Cottage Country.
Hamilton battled back from an early deficit before captain Matthew Highmore delivered the heroics, scoring twice, including the overtime winner, to secure the team's first victory on home ice. Quinn Finley added three assists for the first multi-point game of his professional career, while Ryan Healey picked up his first professional point.
Here are the details:
THE SUMMARY
The goals came early and often in the opening frame Thursday night, with the two clubs combining for five goals in the first 20 minutes.
Hartford opened the scoring just under eight minutes into the contest, as Jaroslav Chmelař (2) slipped one past Josh Kotai while shorthanded. The Hammers answered just 27 seconds later, with Hunter Drew (1) tipping home a point shot from Kashawn Aitcheson to even things up. Matt Luff picked up the secondary assist.
The Wolf Pack regained the lead before the halfway mark when Matthew Robertson (1) found the back of the net, before Brody Lamb (1) added another for the visitors. Glenn Gawdin picked up the primary assist, his team-leading seventh of the season.
The home team pulled within one on the power play before the intermission. Finley and Liam Foudy led the rush up ice, with Foudy feeding a streaking Cole Eiserman (2), who buried his chance to make it a 3-2 game heading into the second period.
Hamilton kept the pressure on, and Cam Thiesing (2) made it count, burying his second of the season off a feed from Pierre Engvall to pull the Hammers even. They weren't done there, as Highmore (3) cashed in on a five-on-three power play to put Hamilton in front for the first time on the night, with Healey and Finley picking up the assists.
Hamilton took a 4-3 lead into the third period, while also holding a 24-19 advantage in shots on goal.
Hartford found its equalizer early in the final frame, taking advantage of a two-man advantage of their own as Marc Del Gaizo (2) buried the power-play goal to knot things up at four.
Both sides had opportunities to find a winner late in regulation, including power-play chances at both ends, but neither could break the deadlock, sending the game to overtime.
Hamilton carried a power play into the extra frame, and there was no better player to finish the job than the captain. Highmore (4) buried the overtime winner for his second goal of the night and second consecutive game-winning goal. Eiserman and Finley picked up the assists, capping off impressive nights on the scoresheet.
Josh Kotai made his second straight start for Hamilton, turning aside 29 of 33 shots to earn his second consecutive victory. Across the ice, Spencer Martin stopped 30 of 35 shots in his first start of the season for Hartford.
The Hammers finished the night four-for-eight on the power play, while the Wolf Pack went one-for-four with the man advantage.
FIRST HOME WIN
Highmore gave the home crowd plenty to celebrate Thursday night, helping lead the Hammers to their first victory on home ice with a two-goal performance. The captain recognized the significance of getting that first win at TD Coliseum and what it means for both the team and its fans.
“We love playing here, we want it to be a tough place to play,” said Highmore after the game, emphasizing the team's desire to make TD Coliseum a difficult building for visiting teams and give the home crowd plenty to cheer about.
FINLEY POSTS FIRST MULTI-POINT GAME
Quinn Finley put together a standout performance Thursday night, recording three assists to earn the first multi-point game of his professional career.
The University of Wisconsin product made his pro debut earlier this season and scored his first career AHL goal last Friday against the Laval Rocket. The rookie continued to build on that early success, playing a key role in Hamilton’s overtime victory.
HEALEY PICKS UP FIRST PRO POINT
Healey recorded his first career professional point Thursday night, picking up an assist on Highmore’s second-period power-play goal that gave the Hammers their first lead of the game.
The 22-year-old blueliner joined the professional ranks after a four-year collegiate career at Harvard University, where the Massachusetts native tallied 55 points (19 goals, 36 assists) in 130 games.
BACK ON THE ROAD
Hamilton heads back out on the road Friday to take on the Syracuse Crunch before wrapping up the weekend with a Sunday matchup against the Utica Comets. Catch both games live on AHLTV on FloHockey.
The Hammers return to TD Coliseum on November 4 to host the Toronto Marlies for Student Night presented by Mohawk College. The matchup kicks off a three-game homestand, with the Providence Bruins and Lehigh Valley Phantoms also set to visit Hamilton. Tickets are available at HamiltonHammers.com.