By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack
SPRINGFIELD, MA – The Hartford Wolf Pack dropped their fourth straight game (0-3-1-0) on Saturday evening, dropping a 4-1 decision to the rival Springfield Thunderbirds at the MassMutual Center.
Nathan Sucese would be whistled for a hooking call at 15:32, giving the Thunderbirds their first power play. Less than a minute later, at 16:09, Dalibor Dvorsky made it a 2-1 game with his eighth goal of the season. Matthew Peca set up Dvorsky in the right-wing circle, where he beat a diving Domingue.
The goal was Dvorsky’s third against the Wolf Pack in four games this season and his fourth point (3 g, 1 a).
Matt Luff opened the scoring with his second goal in as many games against the Wolf Pack 3:35 into the contest. Luff intercepted a clearing attempt in the offensive zone, weaved his way into the high slot, and ripped a shot by the blocker of Domingue for his fifth goal of the season.
The tally came on the Thunderbirds’ fifth shot of the contest, as they started the game with a 5-0 edge in shots.
Brandon Scanlin got the Wolf Pack on the board at 12:40, blasting home his third goal of the campaign. Bo Groulx won an offensive zone faceoff and got the puck to Alex Belzile, who quickly snapped a pass to Scanlin near the point on the left-wing side.
Scanlin stepped into a blast that breezed by Colten Ellis, giving him points in back-to-back games.
The goal gave both Groulx and Belzile a three-game point streak.
Dvorsky’s power play goal moments later gave the Thunderbirds the lead back for good and stood as the game-winning tally.
The sides played a relatively even second period, with the Thunderbirds controlling the first half of the frame before the Wolf Pack pressured in the final part of the stanza.
Anton Blidh had the best chance of the period to tie the affair but was denied on a rebound opportunity by the right pad of Ellis.
Ellis made seven saves in the period, while Domingue made eight saves to keep the Wolf Pack within one entering the final period.
Mathias Laferriere extended the lead to 3-1 at 2:43 of the third period as he won a footrace to gain puck possession in the offensive zone. Laferriere breezed to the goal and lifted a shot by Domingue for his first goal of the season.
Luff would hit the empty net for the second straight head-to-head meeting, this time making it a 4-1 game at 16:49. It would be Luff’s third point (2 g, 1 a) of the contest.
The Wolf Pack conclude their brief two-game road trip on Wednesday night when they visit the Bridgeport Islanders. The puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m., and coverage is available on AHLTV on FloHockey and Mixlr starting at 6:45 p.m. with ‘Wolf Pack Pregame.’
The Pack is back at the XL Center on Friday, Dec. 6, when the Rockford IceHogs make their second-ever visit to the Connecticut capital. $2 drafts and $2 hot dogs will be available until the end of the first intermission.
The puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m.
Full-season tickets, 20-game plans, 12-game plans, flex plans, and single-game tickets for the 2024-25 season are on sale now! Visit hartfordwolfpack.com or call 860-722-9425 for more details!
About Oak View Group (OVG): Oak View Group (OVG) is the global leader in live experience venue development, management, premium hospitality services, and 360-degree solutions for a collection of world-class owned venues, and a client roster of arenas, convention centers, music festivals, performing arts centers, and cultural institutions. Founded by Tim Leiweke and Irving Azoff in 2015, OVG is the leading developer of major new venues, either open or under development across four continents. Visit OakViewGroup.com, and follow OVG on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and X.
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.
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