WOLF PACK AND GARAND SHUTOUT ISLANDERS 3-0
By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack
BRIDGEPORT, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack continued their strong play in the ‘Battle of Connecticut’ on Saturday night, winning their fourth matchup in five tries this season. The Pack used three different goal scorers to beat the Bridgeport Islanders by a final score of 3-0, winning their sixth straight game at Total Mortgage Arena.
A relatively uneventful first period saw just 19 shots split between the sides, with the Islanders holding a slight 10-9 edge. Each team got one powerplay advantage, but neither side could break the ice. Dylan Garand (ten saves) and Jakub Skarek (nine saves) navigated the first stanza without much trouble.
The Wolf Pack opened the scoring for the third time in as many visits to Total Mortgage Arena, notching the icebreaker 4:01 into the middle frame. Alex Belzile rushed the puck up ice, eventually leaving it in the right-wing corner for Adam Sýkora. Sýkora then sent a pass to Karl Henriksson in the slot, who promptly fired home his seventh goal of the season. The shot beat Skarek by the blocker and was Henriksson’s second goal against the Islanders this season.
Each side had multiple powerplay opportunities late in the stanza, but both penalty-killing units stood firm to send the game to the third period with a 1-0 spread.
Hartford tacked on an insurance marker 92 seconds into the third period, converting on their fourth powerplay of the night. Nikolas Brouillard fired a shot from the point that snuck through traffic and fooled Skarek, providing the Wolf Pack with some much-needed insurance. The goal was Brouillard’s fourth of the season and second in as many nights.
The Wolf Pack kept their special teams advantage moments later when they killed off a four-on-three powerplay for the Islanders that ended with a five-on-four advantage.
With Skarek out of the goal, the Wolf Pack applied the dagger at 18:23 when Bobby Trivigno hit an empty net for his third goal of the season.
Garand made 13 saves in the third period, cementing his second shutout of the season. Garand’s 34-save performance was his second shutout of the Islanders this year. He also blanked them on November 10th, making 37 saves that night.
The Wolf Pack continue their four-game road trip on Wednesday night when they visit the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. The puck drop is set for 7:05 p.m., and coverage is available on AHLTV and Mixlr starting at 6:50 p.m.
The Pack is next back at the XL Center on January 31st when the Charlotte Checkers come to town. Tickets are available at www.hartfordwolfpack.com.
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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.
