By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack
HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack split the first two games of their four-game road trip, winning in Bridgeport on January 20th before falling 4-1 in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton last Wednesday night.
Over the weekend, the Wolf Pack made their first trip to Cleveland, OH, since November 2008. On Friday and Saturday night, the Pack battled the North Division’s top team, the Cleveland Monsters.
The results? Two huge wins kicked off the second half of the season for the Wolf Pack.
Friday, January 26th, 2024, @ Cleveland Monsters (4-2 W): Brett Berard was the hero for the Wolf Pack on Friday night, notching the first multi-goal game of his career. At 14:26 of the third period, Berard stuffed home a second-chance opportunity on the powerplay, breaking a 2-2 tie. The goal would be the game-winner, the third of Berard’s career.
His second goal of the night would be the dagger, as Berard scored an empty-net goal at 19:23 to end the intrigue.
Anton Blidh and Adam Sýkora also both scored in the victory. Blidh’s goal was the icebreaker at 5:26 of the second period, as he lifted a shot over the shoulder of Jet Greaves. The goal was set up by Artem Anisimov, who also had an assist in Hartford’s only other visit to Cleveland before this past weekend.
Sýkora’s goal was a terrific effort while shorthanded. He won a foot race to a loose puck behind the Monsters’ goal, then fought to the front of the net and got three cracks at potting the first shorthanded tally of his career.
The win improved the Wolf Pack to 11-0-2-0 when leading after two periods of play this season.
Saturday, January 27th, 2024, @ Cleveland Monsters (3-2 W): The Pack completed the weekend sweep thanks to another late tiebreaking goal on Saturday night. This time, Matt Rempe pounced on a rebound and buried his seventh goal of the season at 14:14 of the third period to put the Pack ahead 3-2.
It was Rempe’s second of the night. He opened the scoring 7:30 into the game when he tipped home a Cristiano DiGiacinto shot. 59 seconds later, Blake Hillman’s first goal of the season put the Wolf Pack ahead 2-0.
Brendan Gaunce (PPG) and Jake Christiansen scored to get the Monsters even by the 7:48 mark of the second period, but Louis Domingue was perfect over the game’s final 32:12 to preserve his eleventh win.
Rempe’s game-winning goal is his second of the season and the third of his career. He also recorded the game-winning goal on November 24th against the Springfield Thunderbirds.
The Wolf Pack are now 3-0-0-0 all-time in Cleveland.
Quick Hits:
- Rempe’s two goals on Saturday night marked his second career multi-goal game. He also had two goals on January 10th, 2023, at Charlotte.
- Mac Hollowell assisted Hillman’s goal on Saturday night, his career-high 29th of the season. His 29 assists rank him T-5th in the AHL and second among defensemen, one behind Chicago’s Matt Donovan.
- The goal was Hillman’s second of the season and his first since December 9th at Laval. This marks the first time in the versatile defenseman’s career that he scored multiple goals in a regular season. Last spring, Hillman had two goals in seven Calder Cup Playoff games with the Wolf Pack.
- The weekend sweep of the Monsters moves the Wolf Pack to 6-2-3-0 against the North Division this season. They are 2-0-1-0 against the Monsters.
- Hartford’s next North Division opponent is the Laval Rocket, who come to town for the first two visits on February 16th (7:00 p.m.).
- Saturday night’s victory improved the Wolf Pack to 9-2-0-0 when tied after two periods of play. It was the first time this season that the Monsters lost a game in regulation when tied after two periods (8-1-1-0).
The Week Ahead:
- Wednesday, January 31st, 2024, Vs. Charlotte Checkers (7:00 p.m., XL Center)
- Friday, February 2nd, 2024, Vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (7:00 p.m., XL Center, $2 beers & $2 hot dogs)
- Saturday, February 3rd, 2024, Vs. Springfield Thunderbirds (7:00 p.m., XL Center, youth jersey giveaway, Women in Sports Night presented by Nissan)
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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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