WOLF PACK WEEKEND RECAP: NOVEMBER 4th, 2024
By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack
HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack took to the road for their first set of back-to-back games away from the XL Center this season.
Despite a pair of strong efforts, the club suffered two straight losses for the first time this season. The Wolf Pack opened in November with a record of 0-1-1-0.
Friday, November 1st, 2024, at Syracuse Crunch (3-2 OTL): The Wolf Pack and Crunch played a wildly entertaining game on Friday night at the Upstate Medical University Arena.
Dylan Duke opened the scoring 5:23 into the hockey game, burying a rebound after Dylan Garand denied Logan Brown’s initial bid. Duke’s goal was his fourth of the season and came on the Crunch’s first power play of the night.
The Wolf Pack evened the game at 13:52 of the second period when Anton Blidh scored his second goal of the season. Blidh exited the defensive zone, danced through the neutral zone, and entered the offensive zone with possession. Blidh dished a pass to Dylan Roobroeck, who returned the puck through the legs of Derrick Pouliot. Blidh deposited the Wolf Pack’s second shorthanded goal of the season at the backdoor behind Brandon Halverson.
Blade Jenkins gave the Wolf Pack their only game lead at 17:27, electing to shoot on a two-on-one from the right-wing side.
Niko Huuhtanen tied the game at 1:31 of the third period, deflecting a centering pass from Declan Carlile by Garand. Carlile’s pass came from the left-wing circle, firing it into traffic.
Max Crozier gave the Crunch the second point 41 seconds into overtime after chaos ensued in the Wolf Pack zone. Gabriel Szturc’s wraparound attempt rolled off his stick and into the right-wing circle, where Crozier stepped into a drive to bury his first goal of the season.
Saturday, November 2nd, 2024, at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (2-1 L): The Wolf Pack fell behind 2-0 on Saturday night in Wilkes-Barre, eventually dropping the game by a final score of 2-1.
Isaac Belliveau’s first career AHL goal came just 33 seconds into the second period, giving the Penguins a lead they never lost. Ville Koivunen, who picked up the primary assist on Belliveau’s goal, blasted home the game-winning goal at 10:54 of the second period.
Boris Katchouk’s cross-ice pass found Koivunen in the right-wing circle. Once he received the pass, Koivunen blasted a one-timer by Louis Domingue for his second goal of the season.
Roobroeck got the Wolf Pack on the scoreboard at 16:30, chipping a shot from the left-wing circle by the glove of Tristan Jarry for his third goal of the season.
However, the Penguins would stifle the Pack in the third period, holding them to five shots to push a victory over the finish line.
Quick Hits:
- Roobroeck’s four-game point streak (3 g, 1 a) is the longest by a Wolf Pack player this season.
- The Wolf Pack held the Crunch to 23 shots during regulation time on Friday night. That is the fewest shots allowed during regulation time by the Wolf Pack this season.
- Defenseman Casey Fitzgerald recorded an assist on Jenkins’ goal Friday night against the Crunch. He has six assists on the season, the most among Wolf Pack players.
- Garand (3-0-1) has helped the Wolf Pack secure seven possible eight points in games he has started this season.
- Roobroeck recorded an assist on Blidh’s shorthanded goal on Friday night. The assist was the first of his professional career and his first career shorthanded point.
The Week Ahead:
- Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, Vs. Syracuse Crunch (7:00 p.m., XL Center)
- Friday, Nov. 8, 2024, @ Rochester Americans (7:05 p.m., Blue Cross Arena)
- Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024, @ Providence Bruins (3:05 p.m., Amica Mutual Pavilion)
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ABOUT THE HARTFORD WOLF PACK: The Hartford Wolf Pack has been a premier franchise in the American Hockey League since its 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.
