WOLF PACK STOPPED BY AMERICANS 6-3 IN WILD GAME
By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack
HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack and Rochester Americans combined for 160 penalty minutes on Saturday night at the XL Center in downtown Hartford. When the dust settled, the Americans prevailed with a 6-3 victory.
Mason Jobst opened the scoring 9:08 into the hockey game, converting on the power play for his ninth goal of the season. Brett Murray sent a centering pass to Jobst, who positioned himself in front of the net. The veteran forward snapped his six-game scoring drought when he beat Dylan Garand, giving the Amerks a lead they would not lose.
In the final seconds of the period, Isak Rosén made it 2-0 with his 17th goal of the season. A turnover in the defensive zone saw the puck bounce out to the neutral zone, where Rosén picked up possession. Rosén sped into the offensive zone on a breakaway and beat Garand through the five-hole at 19:57
Kale Clague extended the lead to 3-0 8:38 into the middle frame, firing a shot from the left-wing circle that beat Garand through the five-hole. The goal was Clague’s eighth of the season and his first in nine games.
Anton Blidh got the Wolf Pack on the board with a terrific effort play, potting his eleventh goal of the season at 19:12. Blidh entered the zone down the right-wing side and then muscled his way to the net and beat Felix Sandström but struck the goal post. Blidh stayed with the play, picked up the loose puck, and drew the Wolf Pack within two goals.
After the horn sounded to end the period, chaos ensued in the Rochester zone, and multiple fights broke out. The result was a power play to begin the final period for the Americans.
Adam Sýkora was assessed a high-sticking minor 2:15 into the period, giving the Americans a five-on-three. Rosén scored his second goal of the night at 4:10, making it 4-1 for the visitors. The goal would stand as the game-winning tally.
Rosén then scored a five-on-four goal at 6:20, completing the hat trick. His 19th goal of the season was his sixth point (4 g, 2 a) against the Wolf Pack this season.
The Wolf Pack refused to go quietly, however. Two goals in 63 seconds made it a 5-3 game, bringing the crowd of 8,494 to their feet.
Jaroslav Chmelař made it 5-2 at 7:07, beating Sandström with a shot from the slot. The goal was the rookie’s fifth of the season and his first in eleven games.
Brennan Othmann then lasered home a power play goal at 8:10 from the left-wing circle, his second in as many nights and fifth of the season.
Despite a strong push late, the hole was too large to climb out of. Noah Östlund hit the empty night at 19:32, cementing the two points for the Americans.
The weekend concludes tomorrow when the Wolf Pack opens a four-game road trip against the Springfield Thunderbirds at the MassMutual Center. The puck drop is set for 3:05 p.m.
The Pack is back at the XL Center on Friday, Feb. 7, when they welcome the Charlotte Checkers to town. Join us for $2 drafts and $2 hot dogs until the end of the first intermission!
The puck drop is set for 6:00 p.m.
Tickets are available at hartfordwolfpack.com.
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 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.
