By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack
HERSHEY, PA – The Hartford Wolf Pack has arrived in Chocolatetown, USA, for the 2023 Atlantic Division Finals. The Wolf Pack opens the best-of-five series against the Hershey Bears tonight with Game One at the Giant Center.
Puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m., and coverage is available on both AHLTV and Mixlr.
Tale of The Tape:
The Wolf Pack and Bears met six times during the 2022-23 regular season, with the Bears taking four of the six meetings. Hershey posted a record of 4-2-0-0, while the Wolf Pack managed points in three games, going 2-3-0-1. The Wolf Pack posted a 1-2-0-0 record at the Giant Center, with their lone victory coming on November 20th by a final score of 4-2.
The sides last met on February 11th in Hershey, with the Bears prevailing by a final score of 2-1. Mike Sgarbossa opened the scoring 12:13 into the tilt, potting his 16th goal of the season. Just under three minutes later, at 15:08, Henrik Rybinski made it a 2-0 game with the first shorthanded goal of his career. The Bears’ two goals in the opening frame would be enough, despite a strong effort from the visitors.
Hartford outshot Hershey 13-7 in the middle stanza and got on the board courtesy of Will Cuylle. The rookie’s 15th goal of the season put the Wolf Pack within one, but Hunter Shepard slammed the door shut from there. Shepard made 33 saves to cement the victory, earning first-star honors on the night.
The Bears won each of the final three meetings between the sides, including the February 11th tilt. Hershey also took a 2-1 regulation decision on November 25th and a 1-0 shootout verdict on November 26th. Both of those games were in Hartford.
Wolf Pack Outlook:
The Wolf Pack advanced to the Atlantic Division Finals thanks to a 4-0 shutout of the Providence Bruins in Game Four of their Atlantic Division Semifinals series. The victory gave the Wolf Pack a 3-1 series decision. Hartford is 5-1 through six games during the 2023 Calder Cup Playoffs.
Turner Elson scored his first goal of the playoffs 3:40 into Game Four, giving the Wolf Pack a lead they would not lose. Elson became the fifth different Wolf Pack skater to record a game-winning goal during the postseason. Jake Leschyshyn potted a rebound at 4:49 of the middle frame to extend the lead to 2-0. The goal was his first career Calder Cup Playoff marker. Ryan Carpenter then buried a rebound from the right-wing circle at 15:23, essentially ending the intrigue on this night.
Leschyshyn put home an empty net goal, his second of the night, 12:18 into the third period to make it a 4-0 game. Dylan Garand made 32 saves for his second career Calder Cup Playoff shutout.
Defenseman Ty Emberson leads the Calder Cup Playoffs in +/- with a +13 rating. Forward Anton Blidh is second in the league with a +11.
Tim Gettinger (2 g, 5 a) and Tanner Fritz (1 g, 6 a) lead the Wolf Pack in points through two rounds of the Calder Cup Playoffs. Lauri Pajuniemi, meanwhile, leads the team in goals with three through six games.
Bears Outlook:
The Bears completed a 3-1 series victory over the Charlotte Checkers with a 6-2 win in Game Four over the Charlotte Checkers on May 4th. Jake Wise and Riley Nash scored at 2:00 and 7:54 of the opening stanza, respectively, to give the Checkers a 2-0 lead after one. It would be all Bears from there, however.
Mason Morelli got Hershey on the board at 10:15 into the middle stanza. Then Beck Malenstyn tied the game at 19:44. Aliaksei Protas broke the tie 8:59 into the third period, firing home a powerplay goal that would stand as both the game-winning and series-winning tally. Protas’ second goal at 10:57 gave Hershey the insurance they needed to close out the series.
Riley Sutter and former Wolf Pack defenseman Dylan McIlrath both hit the empty net in the final few minutes to end the suspense.
Sam Anas leads the Bears in points with six (2 g, 4 a) through four games. Protas, meanwhile, leads the Bears in goals with three.
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.
Game Two of the Atlantic Division Finals takes place this Saturday, May 13th, at 7:00 p.m. at the Giant Center in Hershey. The series shifts back to Hartford for Game Three on Wednesday, May 17th, at 7:00 p.m. For playoff ticket information, please visit HERE.
ABOUT THE HARTFORD WOLF PACK:
The Hartford Wolf Pack has been a premier franchise in the American Hockey League since the team’s inception in 1997. The Wolf Pack is the top player-development affiliate of the NHL’s New York Rangers and plays at the XL Center. The Wolf Pack has been home to some of the Rangers’ newest faces, including Igor Shesterkin, Filip Chytil, and Ryan Lindgren. Follow the Wolf Pack on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok.
Related
Related posts
Top picks
SHAY COSTA REPORTING…CATCHING UP ON PAST COLLEGE AND WOLF PACK
EDITOR’S NOTE: Shay Costa worked hard covering these games and deserved to have them published. my full-time job has caused me to have to work close to 100 hours a week, and I haven’t had the time to post them. Getting them all posted here is important. She deserves respect for the effort she put in… – Mitch Beck All…
WOLF PACK – CATCHING UP ON PAST NEWS
By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack RANGERS RECALL 13 FROM WOLF PACK HARTFORD, CT – New York Rangers President and General Manager Chris Drury announced today that the club has recalled 13 players from the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack. The club recalled seven forwards, five defensemen, and one goaltender from Hartford. Forwards: Alex Belzile, Brett Berard, Anton Blidh, Jake Leschyshyn,…
WOLF PACK ENJOYS STRONG 2023-24 SEASON IN THE COMMUNITY AND AT THE BOX OFFICE
By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack completed another successful season both on and off the ice last week. On the ice, the club advanced to the Atlantic Division Finals of the Calder Cup Playoffs for the second consecutive season, winning two playoff rounds in the process. Off the ice, the Wolf Pack enjoyed…
WOLF PACK SIGN DEFENSEMAN CARTER BERGER TO ONE-YEAR DEAL
By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack HARTFORD, CT – New York Rangers Assistant General Manager and Hartford Wolf Pack General Manager Ryan Martin announced today that the club has agreed to terms with defenseman Carter Berger on a one-year, standard AHL player contract. Berger, 24, scored 20 points (4 g, 16 a) in 36 games with Western Michigan University during…
SHAY COSTA REPORTING…CATCHING UP ON PAST COLLEGE AND WOLF PACK
EDITOR’S NOTE: Shay Costa worked hard covering these games and deserved to have them published. my full-time job has caused me to have to work close to 100 hours a week, and I haven’t had the time to post them. Getting them all posted here is important. She deserves respect for the effort she put in… – Mitch Beck All…
WOLF PACK – CATCHING UP ON PAST NEWS
By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack RANGERS RECALL 13 FROM WOLF PACK HARTFORD, CT – New York Rangers President and General Manager Chris Drury announced today that the club has recalled 13 players from the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack. The club recalled seven forwards, five defensemen, and one goaltender from Hartford. Forwards: Alex Belzile, Brett Berard, Anton Blidh, Jake Leschyshyn,…
WOLF PACK ENJOYS STRONG 2023-24 SEASON IN THE COMMUNITY AND AT THE BOX OFFICE
By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack completed another successful season both on and off the ice last week. On the ice, the club advanced to the Atlantic Division Finals of the Calder Cup Playoffs for the second consecutive season, winning two playoff rounds in the process. Off the ice, the Wolf Pack enjoyed…
WOLF PACK SIGN DEFENSEMAN CARTER BERGER TO ONE-YEAR DEAL
By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack HARTFORD, CT – New York Rangers Assistant General Manager and Hartford Wolf Pack General Manager Ryan Martin announced today that the club has agreed to terms with defenseman Carter Berger on a one-year, standard AHL player contract. Berger, 24, scored 20 points (4 g, 16 a) in 36 games with Western Michigan University during…
SWAMP RABBITS RELEASE 2024-25 SCHEDULE
The season begins at home on October 18th in the Kelly Cup Playoff rematch By: Mark Binetti, Greenville Swamp Rabbits GREENVILLE, S.C. – The Greenville Swamp Rabbits, the proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings, announced the team’s schedule for the 2024-25 ECHL Season, presented by Bon Secours. A schedule detailing promotions and specialty jerseys will be revealed…
CINCINNATI CYCLONES RELEASE 2024-25 SCHEDULE
72-game regular season schedule is revealed By: Dana Grey, Cincinnati Cyclones CINCINNATI, OH – The Cincinnati Cyclones, along with the ECHL, have released the 2024-25 regular season schedule. Cincinnati begins the 72-game slate on the road against Kalamazoo on Saturday October 19th. The Cyclones then return to the Heritage Bank Center ice for “First Faceoff” the next weekend on Saturday…
ECHL ANNOUNCES SWAMP RABBITS AS AWARDS FINALIST
Team up for six different awards to be announced at ECHL Summer Meetings By: Mark Binetti, Greenville Swamp Rabbits GREENVILLE, S.C. – The ECHL announced today that the Greenville Swamp Rabbits organization, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings, is a finalist in six different categories for the 2023-24 ECHL Awards, presented by SponsorCX. The winners will be…
SWAMP RABBITS ANNOUNCE PROTECTED LIST
The first domino of offseason roster construction features 29 players By: Mark Binetti, Greenville Swamp Rabbits GREENVILLE, S.C. – The Greenville Swamp Rabbits, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings, announced in conjunction with the ECHL their 2024 Protected List. The protected list is considered the first stage of the hockey operations off-season in roster maintenance to complete…