PRE-GAME: WOLF PACK CAN CLOSE OUT BRUINS TONIGHT
PRE-GAME REPORT: WOLF PACK LOOK TO CLOSE OUT SERIES AGAINST BRUINS AT XL CENTER
By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack
HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack welcome the Providence Bruins to town tonight for Game 4 of their Atlantic Division Semifinals series. Thanks to an overtime victory in Game 3 on Wednesday night, the Wolf Pack lead the series 2-1 and can advance with a victory tonight.
The puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m., and coverage is available on AHLTV and Mixlr.
Tale of The Tape:
The Wolf Pack and Bruins met ten times during the regular season, with each team winning five games. The Wolf Pack posted a record of 5-4-1-0, while the Bruins went 5-3-1-1.
This is the seventh all-time Calder Cup Playoff series between the rivals and the second meeting in as many springs. Each team has claimed three of the first six series, with the Wolf Pack winning the last two in 2015 and 2023.
Hartford took Game 1 by a final score of 4-3 last Wednesday night at the Amica Mutual Pavilion, but the Bruins struck back in a big way in Game 2, winning 6-0. Hartford returned fire in Game 3, winning 3-2 in overtime to take a 2-1 edge in the series.
Marc McLaughlin opened the scoring 5:23 into the game, converting on a chance in the slot for his first career Calder Cup Playoff goal. Riley Nash answered back at 7:04, potting a loose puck from outside the crease. Adam Sýkora banked the puck off the legs of a defenseman to the front of the net, where Nash located it and fired it home.
Brennan Othmann gave the Wolf Pack their first lead of the night at 8:39, burying a rebound for his first career Calder Cup Playoff goal on the powerplay. Jayson Megna equalized at 18:07, tipping in an Ian Mitchell shot for his second goal of the series.
The final 40 minutes passed without a goal, as both Dylan Garand (14 saves) and Brandon Bussi (13 saves) held strong and forced overtime.
In the extra session, Nash deflected a Blake Hillman shot from the point at 4:52 to give the Wolf Pack the 3-2 victory.
Including the regular season, the Wolf Pack are 4-2-0-0 against the Bruins at the XL Center this season.
Wolf Pack Outlook:
Wednesday night’s overtime victory pushed the Wolf Pack to 2-0 in overtime during the 2024 Calder Cup Playoffs. Alex Belzile scored 8:11 into overtime in Game 2 against the Charlotte Checkers on April 27th during Hartford’s First Round series victory.
Nash and Ryder Korczak led the way with three shots each in Game 3. Nash’s three-point (2 g, 1 a) outing is the second by a Wolf Pack player during the Calder Cup Playoffs. Tyler Pitlick recorded three points (1 g, 2 a) in Game 1 against the Bruins.
For the second time in six Calder Cup Playoff games this spring, the Wolf Pack did not surrender a powerplay goal in Game 3. They went four-for-four on the penalty kill.
Nash leads the Wolf Pack in both goals with four and points with six (4 g, 2 a) during the Calder Cup Playoffs. His four goals are tied for the most in the Calder Cup Playoffs with Tyler Madden of the Ontario Reign and Cole Schwindt of the Calgary Wranglers.
Brett Berard leads the Wolf Pack in playoff assists with four through six games.
Bruins Outlook:
McLaughlin’s goal in Game 1 was the first Calder Cup Playoff goal of his career. John Farinacci picked up the primary assist, the first point of his Calder Cup Playoff career.
After firing 20 shots on goal in the first period, the Bruins were held to just 15 shots over the game’s final 44:52 of play.
Georgii Merkulov and Frederic Brunet led the Bruins with five shots each in Game 3. After killing the first seven powerplays for the Wolf Pack in the series, the Bruins went one-for-two on the penalty kill in Game 3.
Megna, Vincent Arseneau, and Jimmy Lambert are tied for the team lead in goals with two each during the Calder Cup Playoffs. Merkulov’s three assists lead the team in that category.
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.
Single-game tickets for Game 4 of the Atlantic Division Semifinals are on sale now!
For playoff information, please visit www.hartfordwolfpack.com/tickets/playoff-information.
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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.
