By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack
HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack’s season-long point streak of eight games stopped on Saturday afternoon at Place Bell in Laval, Quebec. The defeat, the club’s first in regulation since November 17th, sends Hartford back home with a record of 15-5-3-0.
On Monday, the team was back on the ice preparing for two more North Division opponents. The Wolf Pack will see the Rochester Americans and Toronto Marlies at the XL Center this weekend.
Friday, December 8th, 2023, @ Laval Rocket (4-3 SOW): Emotions were high on Friday night as Alex Belzile returned to Laval. The former Rocket captain is the franchise’s all-time leader in games played (174), goals (54), assists (76), and points (130). He received a terrific tribute video pregame, accompanied by a standing ovation from the fans who adored him throughout five seasons.
The Rocket rode the crowd’s emotion to a 2-0 lead, scoring powerplay goals at 3:47 and 4:10 of the first period to stun the Wolf Pack. Belzile silenced the crowd with a powerplay goal of his own at 6:01, but 38 seconds later, the roar was restored when Riley McKay made it 3-1 Rocket.
The Pack battled back, tying the game with two goals in just 21 seconds in the second period. First, Turner Elson tipped home a shot from Bobby Trivigno at 7:53 to make it a 3-2 game. Then, at 8:14, Ryder Korczak jammed home a rebound for his fourth goal of the season to make it 3-3.
After a scoreless third period and overtime, a shootout was required. In a hockey mecca, it was fitting that great theater was seen at the end of this dramatic comeback.
Belzile, to a chorus of boos, snapped home the game-winning shootout goal in the bottom half of the first round. Fellow Quebec native Louis Domingue stopped both Rocket shooters, while Brett Berard clinched the victory with his first career shootout goal in the second round.
The win was the first in Wolf Pack history at Place Bell and extended the club’s point streak to eight games (7-0-1-0) at the time.
Saturday, December 9th, 2023, @ Laval Rocket (5-1 L): Blake Hillman got the party started on Saturday, scoring his first regular-season goal as a member of the Wolf Pack just 2:14 into the contest. The lead wouldn’t last, however, as the Rocket notched the game’s final five goals to cruise to a 5-1 victory.
Rocket forward Riley Kidney recorded his career’s first three-point (2 g, 1 a) game. He tied the game 1-1 at 4:45 of the first period, scoring the Teddy Bear Toss goal at Place Bell. He also extended the lead to 3-1 at 8:32 of the second period and assisted on Nolan Yaremko’s goal, making it 4-1 at 17:27.
Brandon Gignac scored the game-winning goal 6:03 into the second period while shorthanded. It was the Rocket’s league-leading seventh shorthanded goal.
The win snapped a nine-game losing streak for the Rocket (0-5-2-2) and improved them to 6-0-0-1 all-time against the Wolf Pack on home ice.
Quick Hits:
- The Wolf Pack and Rocket will meet twice more this season, with both games at the XL Center. The Rocket come to town on February 16th (7:00 p.m.) and March 1st (7:00 p.m.).
- After scoring a goal on Friday night and picking up an assist on Saturday, Ryder Korczak now has points in back-to-back games for the first time in his professional career.
- After denying both Rocket shooters in the shootout on Friday night, Wolf Pack goaltender Louis Domingue is 2-0 in the shootout and has stopped all five shooters faced this season.
- Gignac’s shorthanded goal in the second period on Saturday afternoon was the third allowed by the Wolf Pack this season. It was the first allowed since a 4-2 loss at the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on October 28th.
- After scoring five goals over the weekend, the Wolf Pack now sit second in the AHL in goals scored with 83 on the season. They trail only the Texas Stars (89).
- Wolf Pack captain Jonny Brodzinski, who still sits third in the AHL in points with 25 (11 g, 14 a), scored a goal and an assist for the parent New York Rangers (NHL) on Sunday night against the Los Angeles Kings. Brodzinski has six points (1 g, 5 a) in seven games with the Rangers this season.
The Week Ahead:
- Friday, December 15th, 2023, Vs. Rochester Americans (7:00 p.m., XL Center, Toy Drive, $2 Beers & $2 Hot Dogs)
- Sunday, December 17th, 2023, Vs. Toronto Marlies (3:00 p.m., XL Center, Toy Drive, Sonar’s Birthday Celebration, Postgame Photos with Players)
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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.
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