By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack
HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack open their fourth and final three-in-three set of the season tonight as they welcome the Springfield Thunderbirds to town for the latest installment of the ‘I-91 Rivalry’.
Puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m., and coverage is available on both AHLTV and Mixlr.
Tale of The Tape:
This is the tenth of twelve meetings between the Wolf Pack and the Thunderbirds this season. The sides will meet Saturday night at the XL Center at 6:00 p.m. to wrap up a back-to-back set. The season series concludes on April 15th at the MassMutual Center.
The Thunderbirds have won three in a row in the season series, recently taking a 4-2 decision in stunning fashion on March 17th in Hartford. Anton Blidh and Will Cuylle scored just 4:32 and 5:55 into the game to put the Wolf Pack ahead 2-0. That score would be through forty minutes, as Hartford largely controlled the game. The Thunderbirds managed only five shots in the third period but made them count.
Will Bitten scored at 6:21 and 11:41 of the frame, potting each of the club’s first two shots to tie the affair. Martin Frk blasted a point shot that was tipped by Matthew Highmore for the eventual game-winner on the powerplay at 14:39, while Bitten completed his hat trick into an empty net.
The Wolf Pack are just 1-2-0-1 at home against the Thunderbirds this season and 2-5-0-2 against the club overall. The Thunderbirds, meanwhile, have points in eight of the first nine meetings with a record of 7-1-0-1.
Wolf Pack Outlook:
In their last outing, the Wolf Pack scored a massive 3-2 victory on Saturday night against the Bridgeport Islanders. Cole Bardreau scored just 58 seconds in for the Isles, burying the night’s first shot. However, the Pack settled things down and used a three-goal outburst in the second period to nab two points.
Jonny Brodzinski tied the game 29 seconds into the second period on a powerplay, then Ryan Carpenter put Hartford ahead at 7:54 following a turnover in the Bridgeport zone. Brodzinski tacked on his second goal of the night at 17:06, converting on a partial breakaway. Ruslan Iskhakov got the Isles within one at 1:58 of the third, but the Hartford penalty kill would go three-for-three in the period, and Louis Domingue made ten saves to secure the win.
On Tuesday, the Wolf Pack signed forward Brett Berard to an amateur tryout (ATO) for the remainder of the season. Berard also inked a three-year, entry-level deal with the parent New York Rangers (NHL) that starts with the 2023-24 season. He will wear #27.
Cuylle leads the Wolf Pack in both points with 37 (21 g, 16 a) and goals with 21.
Thunderbirds Outlook:
The Thunderbirds dropped their second straight game on Sunday, 3-2, in a shootout to the Providence Bruins in Rhode Island. The loss completed a 1-1-0-1 weekend for the club, who was swept in a home-and-home by the B’s.
Adam Gaudette opened the scoring 7:10 into the second period, giving the club a lead they took into the final frame. Joona Koppanen struck at 10:02 and 17:21, however, putting the Bruins in the driver’s seat. Mathias Laferriere tied the game with a powerplay goal at 19:00, securing a big point for the T-Birds. However, overtime solved nothing, and the sides went to a shootout, where Koppanen completed his afternoon with the dagger in the third round. Vadim Zherenko made 53 saves in the shootout loss for the T-Birds.
Zherenko is 6-0-2 in his last eight starts for the club.
Frk leads the T-Birds in both points with 56 (27 g, 29 a) and goals with 27. His 27 goals are tied for fifth most in the entire AHL, two off the league lead.
Game Information:
Play-by-play voice of the Wolf Pack, Alex Thomas, will have ‘Wolf Pack Pregame’ starting live at 6:45 p.m. on both AHLTV and Mixlr.
The Pack is back at the XL Center tomorrow night, March 25th, when the Thunderbirds return to town for the final time this season. The puck drop is set for 6:00 p.m. Tickets are available at hartfordwolfpack.com.
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