By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack
HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack dropped both games on the road over the weekend, losing back-to-back games in regulation for the first time this season.
With the defeats, the club is now 5-5-1-1 on the season and 0-4-1-1 on the road.
Friday, November 8th, 2024, at Rochester Americans (6-3 L): Dylan Roobroeck and Bryce McConnell-Barker each recorded their first career multi-point games on Friday night, finishing with a goal and an assist.
That would not be enough, however, as the Wolf Pack allowed a season-high six goals in their loss to the Americans.
Three goals in 3:26 would be the difference, as the Americans turned a 2-1 hockey game into a 5-1 affair. Viktor Neuchev kicked off the flurry at 10:34 of the second period, electing to shoot from the right-wing side on a two-on-one.
Konsta Helenius buried the game-winning goal 13:32 into the middle frame, ripping a shot from the slot by Louis Domingue. Josh Dunne’s one-timer from the right-wing circle at 14:00 would cap off the offensive outburst.
Bett Berard scored 70 seconds into the third period, jamming home a rebound for his team-leading sixth goal of the season, while McConnell-Barker scored at 11:44.
Roobroeck’s goal came 13:54 into the hockey game on a centering feed from McConnell-Barker, cutting the deficit to 2-1 at the time. The Americans earned their 2-0 lead with a pair of power play goals from Brett Murray and Jiri Kulich.
The loss was the Wolf Pack’s sixth straight in Rochester (0-6-0-0), dating back to Dec. 22, 2018.
Sunday, November 10th, 2024, at Providence Bruins (4-2 L): Bo Groulx opened the scoring 9:57 into the game, getting the benefit of a good bounce. Groulx flung the puck into the Bruins’ zone from just outside the blueline, where it hit the boards behind the net. The puck bounced off the boards, hit goaltender Michael DiPietro, and bounced into the net for Groulx’s fifth goal of the season.
The Bruins tied the game at 10:40 of the second period, as Max Jones buried a rebound for his first goal with the club. Tyler Pitlick gave the Bruins the lead for good at 15:45, tipping in a shot from Ian Mitchell on the power play.
Marc McLaughlin tallied the game-winning goal at 2:12 of the third period, beating Dylan Garand through the five-hole on a breakaway.
Adam Sýkora got the Wolf Pack within one at 5:59 of the third period, deflecting a shot by DiPietro, but Patrick Brown’s empty net goal at 18:34 would end the intrigue.
Quick Hits:
- Groulx’s goal on Sunday afternoon was his 100th career point in the AHL. He leads the Wolf Pack with ten points (5 g, 5 a) this season.
- Chad Ruhwedel collected his first point as a member of the Wolf Pack on Friday night against the Americans with an assist. He tacked on a second assist on Sunday on Groulx’s goal.
- The Wolf Pack open a season-long, six-game homestand on Friday night.
The Week Ahead:
- Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, Vs. Charlotte Checkers (7:00 p.m., XL Center, $2 drafts & $2 hot dogs, Hispanic Heritage Night)
- Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, Vs. Providence Bruins (6:00 p.m., Military Appreciation Night)
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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 are the top player-development affiliate of the NHL’s New York Rangers and play 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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