WOLF PACK WEEKEND PREVIEW: NOVEMBER 21ST, 2024
By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack
HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack have enjoyed quite a bit of success on home ice this season. Following a 5-4 shootout victory over the Charlotte Checkers on Tuesday, the Wolf Pack are 8-1-0-0 at the XL Center this season.
Now 3-0-0-0 on their current six-game homestand, the Wolf Pack look to keep the ball rolling this weekend with back-to-back tilts against geographic rivals.
Saturday, November 23rd, 2024, Vs. Springfield Thunderbirds (6:00 p.m.): Round three of the ‘I-91 Rivalry’ takes the stage at the XL Center on Saturday night during the annual ‘Hockey Fights Cancer’ game.
The sides have split two high-scoring affairs already this season, with each team grabbing a regulation victory. In the club’s home opener, the Wolf Pack opened the head-to-head series with a 6-5 triumph at the XL Center on Oct. 18, 2024.
Brennan Othmann and Jaroslav Chmelař struck twice in the first period as the Pack jumped out to a 4-2 lead. Brett Berard’s goal 10:47 into the third period made it a 6-4 game at the time and would stand as the game-winning goal.
Brandon Scanlin also lit the lamp for the Wolf Pack, while Louis Domingue made 29 saves to pick up the victory.
The Thunderbirds got their revenge on Oct. 27, 2024, beating the Wolf Pack 5-2 at the XL Center. Dalibor Dvorsky’s goal 8:52 into the second period gave the Thunderbirds a lead they never lost, while Tanner Dickinson’s first goal of the season at 11:08 of the middle stanza would prove to be the game-winning goal.
Dylan Roobroeck made it a 5-2 game at 10:32 of the third period, potting his first career professional goal.
Sunday, November 24th, 2024, Vs. Bridgeport Islanders (4:00 p.m.): The ‘Battle of Connecticut’ returns to Hartford on Sunday for the third installment of this season’s head-to-head series. Each team has claimed one victory, with the sides splitting a home-and-home set in October.
At the XL Center, the Wolf Pack won 5-4 in overtime on Oct. 19, 2024. Bo Groulx scored twice in the victory, recorded two assists, and had a career-high nine shots on goal.
Berard also lit the lamp twice, with his second goal being the difference. Berard ripped home a power play marker 1:38 into overtime, propelling the Wolf Pack to victory.
The next day, at Total Mortgage Arena, Brian Pinho’s shorthanded goal 6:59 into the second period was both the icebreaker and the game-winning tally. Alex Jefferies, Marc Gatcomb, and William Dufour scored for the Islanders, while Jakub Skarek made 24 saves to collect the shutout.
Quick Hits:
- The Wolf Pack are 8-1-0-0 at home this season. They have the most home wins in the AHL and the third-best points percentage (.889).
- Forward Alex Belzile recorded his second career hat trick and his first as a member of the Wolf Pack on Tuesday. Belzile scored a power play goal, shorthanded goal, five-on-five goal, and the shootout game-winning tally.
- Thanks to his victory on Tuesday, Domingue currently sits at 97 career AHL victories.
- Forward Adam Sýkora has three assists in his last two games and six on the season.
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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.
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