WOLF PACK LOAN F BLAKE MCLAUGHLIN TO ECHL’S BLOOMINGTON BISON
By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack
HARTFORD, CT – New York Rangers Assistant General Manager and Hartford Wolf Pack General Manager Ryan Martin announced that the club has loaned forward Blake McLaughlin to the ECHL’s Bloomington Bison.
McLaughlin, 24, has scored 22 points (10 g, 12 a) in 26 games with the Bison this season. He is currently third on the club in goals, and fifth in points.
The native of Grand Rapids, MN, has also skated in four games with the Wolf Pack, recording two assists. In 64 career AHL games with the Wolf Pack and San Diego Gulls, he has scored five points (1 g, 4 a).
McLaughlin was selected in the third round, 79th overall, by the Anaheim Ducks in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft. He inked a contract with the Wolf Pack on Aug. 12.
Hartford Wolf Pack transactions during the 2024-25 season are powered by Verizon.
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 www.hartfordwolfpack.com or call 860-722-9425 for more details!
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WOLF PACK WEEKEND RECAP: FEBRUARY 10th, 2025
By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack
HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack snapped their seven-game losing streak on Saturday night, knocking off the Lehigh Valley Phantoms at the PPL Center.
The win was the club’s 19th of the season and kept them within six points of the final playoff spot in the Atlantic Division.
Friday, February 7th, 2025, Vs. Charlotte Checkers (0-3 L): The Checkers picked up their first victory in the head-to-head matchup against the Wolf Pack this season on Friday night at the XL Center.
Justin Sourdif opened the scoring 11:33 into the game, scoring his ninth goal of the season. The unassisted tally, potted from the slot area, would prove to be the game-winning goal.
Rasmus Asplund tacked on the insurance marker just 54 seconds into the second period, ripping a shot from the right-wing circle by Louis Domingue for his 14th goal of the campaign.
Will Lockwood put the game out of reach 8:05 into the third period, firing a shot from the left-wing by Domingue for his eighth goal of the season.
Sandis Vilmanis notched two assists in the victory for the visitors, while Cooper Black picked up his third shutout of the season, making 20 saves.
The Wolf Pack’s 20 shots on goal were a season-low mark.
Despite the loss, the Wolf Pack still hold a record of 4-1-0-0 against the Checkers this season.
Saturday, February 8th, 2025, at Lehigh Valley Phantoms (4-2 W): The Wolf Pack snapped their losing skid on Saturday night, doubling up the Phantoms in Allentown to earn a season series split.
Alexis Gendron opened the scoring 9:49 into the game, taking a pass from Helge Grans off a faceoff win. Brendan Furry won the draw to Grans, who hit Gendron. Gendron then worked his way into the left-wing circle and beat Domingue by the glove.
Bo Groulx evened the tilt 1:31 into the second period, striking shorthanded. Groulx entered the offensive zone, maneuvered his way into the left-wing circle, and snapped his 15th goal of the season by Keith Petruzzelli.
Oscar Eklind’s first goal in 33 games restored the lead for the Phantoms at 4:13. Eklind intercepted an outlet pass, walked down the middle and ripped a shot by Domingue to make it a 2-1 game. Anton Blidh responded at 5:41, blasting a rebound by Petruzzelli after the netminder denied a point shot from Connor Mackey.
Brett Berard gave the Wolf Pack the lead for good at 15:07, entering in on the left-wing side and electing to shoot on a two-on-one. Berard roofed the puck by Petruzzelli for his ninth goal of the season and his third game-winning tally of the campaign.
Blidh ended the intrigue at 19:43, firing the puck into an empty net for his 15th goal of the season. The goal marked Blidh’s second multi-goal outing against the Phantoms this season.
With the win, the Wolf Pack completed their head-to-head matchup with the Phantoms with a record of 3-1-1-1.
Quick Hits:
- Domingue made 31 saves to collect the victory on Saturday night in Allentown. It was the veteran netminder’s 100th career AHL victory.
- With his two goals on Saturday night, Blidh has set a new career-high in goals with 15. His previous best was 13 goals during the 2022-23 season, a campaign he split between the Wolf Pack and Colorado Eagles.
- The Wolf Pack’s penalty kill was a perfect six-for-six over the weekend. They killed both power plays for the Checkers on Friday night, then denied the Phantoms on all four of their skater advantages on Saturday.
- The penalty kill ended the weekend with a +1 goal differential thanks to Groulx’s shorthanded tally on Saturday. It was the club’s sixth shorthanded goal of the season.
- Groulx’s shorthanded goal was his 15th of the season. His career-high is 18 goals, scored during the 2022-23 season as a member of the San Diego Gulls.
The Week Ahead:
- Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025, Vs. Bridgeport Islanders (7:00 p.m., XL Center)
- Saturday, Feb. 15, 2025, at Charlotte Checkers (4:00 p.m., Bojangles Coliseum)
- Sunday, Feb. 16, 2025, at Charlotte Checkers (4:00 p.m., Bojangles Coliseum)
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LOUIS DOMINGUE SECURES 100TH CAREER VICTORY AS WOLF PACK BEAT PHANTOMS 4-2 (2/8/25)
By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack
ALLENTOWN, PA – The Hartford Wolf Pack snapped their seven-game losing streak on Saturday night, doubling up the Lehigh Valley Phantoms 4-2 at the PPL Center in Allentown, PA. Louis Domingue made 31 saves to secure his 100th career AHL victory, while Anton Blidh struck twice.
Chad Ruhwedel sent a perfect pass from deep in his own zone to Dylan Roobroeck in the neutral zone late in the second period. Roobroeck tapped the puck to Brett Berard, who entered down the left-wing side and sniped home his ninth goal of the season at 15:07.
The goal was Berard’s second point (1 g, 1 a) of the period and would stand as the game-winning tally.
Alexis Gendron drew first blood for the Phantoms, striking for the 13th time this season. Brendan Furry won a faceoff in the Wolf Pack zone to Helge Grans, who fed the puck to Gendron. Gendron worked into the left-wing circle and beat Domingue by the glove to break the ice at 9:49.
Late in the period, Brandon Scanlin was whistled for interference, giving the Phantoms 1:51 of power play time entering the middle stanza.
Casey Fitzgerald connected with Bo Groulx late in the penalty kill in the neutral zone. Groulx entered in on the right-wing side, worked around a defenseman into the left-wing circle, and snapped home the club’s sixth shorthanded goal of the season at 1:31 to tie the game 1-1.
Less than three minutes later, however, a turnover ended up in the Wolf Pack’s net. An outlet pass was intercepted by Oscar Eklind, who walked down the middle and ripped a shot by Domingue for his first goal in 33 games. The tally, scored at 4:13, was Eklind’s fifth of the season.
1:28 later, the Wolf Pack evened the tilt again. Connor Mackey’s blast was denied by Keith Petruzzelli, but the rebound came right to Blidh. The veteran forward blasted his 14th goal of the season by Petruzzelli at 5:41, tying the game 2-2.
Blidh’s 14th goal of the season marked a new career-high.
Berard then broke the tie at 15:07, giving the Wolf Pack the lead for good.
For the second straight period, the Wolf Pack were whistled for a penalty late. This time, it was Bryce McConnell-Barker who was sent off for interference at 19:13.
Groulx was sprung in on a shorthanded breakaway early in the third period, but was denied by the stick of Petruzzelli.
The Phantoms pushed hard in the final period but could not solve Domingue. The veteran goaltender made five saves to preserve his 100th career AHL victory.
Blidh hit the empty net at 19:43, potting his 15th goal of the season to end the intrigue.
The Pack is back at the XL Center on Wednesday, Feb. 12, when the Bridgeport Islanders come to town!
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WOLF PACK LOSE SEVENTH IN A ROW 3-0 TO CHECKERS
By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack
HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack returned from the All-Star Break on Friday night but were unable to snap their six-game losing streak. The Wolf Pack were shutout for the fifth time this season, falling 3-0 to the Charlotte Checkers.
Justin Sourdif opened the scoring 11:33 in, potting his ninth goal of the campaign. Sourdif found a loose puck on the right-wing side, danced through the circle and made his way around a defender and to the front of the net. There, he beat Louis Domingue through the five-hole to break the ice. It marked the first time in the season series that the Checkers drew first blood.
Rasmus Asplund extended the lead to 2-0 just 54 seconds into period two. Sandis Vilmanis connected with Asplund in the right-wing circle, where the veteran forward snapped a quick shot that beat Domingue.
Domingue was strong in the middle frame, making 13 saves to keep the Wolf Pack within striking distance entering the final period of play.
Will Lockwood put the game out of reach 8:05 into the third period, however, snapping his eighth goal of the season by Domingue to make it a 3-0 game. His shot came from the left-wing side.
Michael Benning picked up the primary assist on the goal, his 17th of the campaign. Vilmanis had the secondary helper, his second of the game.
Cooper Black made five saves in the third period, keeping the Wolf Pack at bay for his third shutout of his rookie season.
The loss marked the Wolf Pack’s seventh in a row (0-5-2-0). It was also the club’s seventh straight regulation loss at the XL Center, a franchise record.
The Wolf Pack hit the road for a showdown with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms tomorrow night at 7:05 p.m. at the PPL Center. Coverage is available starting at 6:50 p.m. on AHLTV on FloHockey and Mixlr with ‘Wolf Pack Pregame’.
The Pack is back at the XL Center on Wednesday, Feb. 12, when the Bridgeport Islanders come to town!
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WOLF PACK WEEKEND RECAP: FEBRUARY 4th, 2025
By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack
HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack played two highly entertaining games over the weekend in Laval against the top team in the North Division, the Laval Rocket.
Despite a pair of strong efforts, the Wolf Pack came up empty handed and saw their losing streak extend to a season-high six games (0-4-2-0).
Friday, January 31st, 2025, at Laval Rocket (1-3 L): The Wolf Pack opened the weekend with a strong effort at Place Bell in Laval.
Owen Beck opened the scoring 2:22 into the game, scoring on the first shot of the night for the Rocket. Jared Davidson intercepted a pass deep in the Hartford zone, then sent a centering feed to Beck from the left-wing corner.
Beck’s tap-in broke the ice, his eleventh goal of the season and second against Hartford.
Alex Belzile tied the game 8:02 into the third period, scoring his second goal of the season against his former club. While the sides battled four-on-four, Belzile picked up a loose puck and worked his way through the right-wing circle and into the slot area.
There, he beat Cayden Primeau with a backhander for his 14th goal of the season.
Just 1:40 later, however, the Rocket regained the lead on the ensuing power play. Rafaël Harvey-Pinard fired a shot that was denied by Louis Domingue, but the rebound sat to the goaltender’s right. Florian Xhekaj located the puck and lifted the rebound over Domingue’s right pad at 9:42 of the third period.
Laurent Dauphin cemented the two points at 19:58, hitting the empty net for his 14th goal of the season.
Saturday, February 1st, 2025, at Laval Rocket (4-5 OTL): The Wolf Pack jumped out to leads of 3-0 and 4-1 on Saturday afternoon, but ultimately saw their losing streak extended to six games.
Lucas Edmonds scored his first goal with the team 4:31 in, jamming home a loose puck. Brandon Scanlin fired a shot that Anton Blidh tipped by Primeau. With the puck sitting behind the netminder, Edmonds poked it home to break the ice.
Brennan Othmann extended the lead to 2-0 at 11:00, lifting a loose puck over the left pad of Primeau for a power play goal. During a five-on-three advantage, a shot from Matthew Robertson hit a defender and came right to Othmann. The second-year forward’s goal was his eighth of the season and fifth in his last six games.
Edmonds’ second goal of the night came at 12:50, as he perfectly deflected a centering pass from Chad Ruhwedel over the right shoulder of Primeau.
Sean Farrell got the Rocket on the board at 16:41, finding a rebound in the slot and rifling home a power play goal to make it a 3-1 game through 20 minutes.
4:13 into the second period, Casey Fitzgerald muscled his way from the left-wing corner to the front of the net and stuffed a puck by the glove of Primeau for his fourth goal of the season.
The Rocket were awarded a penalty shot at the 11:00 mark, when Dylan Roobroeck closed his hand on the puck in the crease. Davidson took the penalty shot and beat Dylan Garand, bringing over 10,000 fans to their feet and creating a tidal wave of momentum.
3:10 after the penalty shot goal, Farrell took a centering pass from Alex Barré-Boulet and ripped home his second goal of the game.
Later in the period, Blidh was assessed a four-minute, double-minor for high-sticking. Just eleven seconds after the penalty, Barré-Boulet tied the game when he collected a rebound and beat Garand over the left pad at 19:36.
After the third period failed to produce a winner, the sides went to overtime for the first time this season. With just under ten seconds left in the overtime frame, Xhekaj rifled a shot from the right-wing circle that beat Garand to complete the weekend sweep.
The goal was Xhekaj’s second game-winning goal of the weekend.
Quick Hits:
- With this weekend’s defeats, the Wolf Pack are 1-6-1-1 all-time at Place Bell.
- The Wolf Pack finished their road trip with a record of 0-2-2-0.
- With his goal on Saturday, Othmann has scored in five of his last six games. He has five goals during that span.
- On Saturday, New York Rangers President and General Manager Chris Drury announced that defenseman Erik Brännström will join the Wolf Pack following the All-Star Break. Brännström was acquired by the Rangers from the Vancouver Canucks on Friday night.
- Following his two assist performance on Saturday, Belzile currently sits second in the AHL in points with 43 (14 g, 29 a). He is two points behind San Jose Barracuda forward Andrew Poturalski, who has 45 points.
- Belzile’s career-high in points is 54, set during the 2018-19 season as a member of the Rocket.
The Week Ahead:
- Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, Vs. Charlotte Checkers (7:00 p.m., XL Center)
- Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025, at Lehigh Valley Phantoms (7:05 p.m., PPL Center)
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WOLF PACK FALTER AFTER EARLY LEAD, DROP SIXTH IN A ROW TO ROCKET 5-4 IN OVERTIME
By: Emily Vance, Hartford Wolf Pack
LAVAL, QC – The Hartford Wolf Pack saw leads of 3-0 and 4-1 evaporate on Saturday afternoon in Laval as they fell 5-4 in overtime to the Rocket. The loss was the Wolf Pack’s season-high sixth in a row (0-4-2-0). The club finished their four-game road trip with a record of 0-2-2-0.
Florian Xhekaj ripped home the overtime winner 4:50 into the extra session, completing the comeback for the home side. His shot from the right-wing circle beat Dylan Garand for the club’s fourth unanswered goal.
Lucas Edmonds opened the scoring 4:31 into the hockey game, potting his first goal as a member of the Wolf Pack. Brandon Scanlin fired a shot from the right-wing side that Anton Blidh tipped through the five-hole of Cayden Primeau. As the puck trickled by Primeau, Edmonds batted it in for his second goal of the season and first in 24 games.
With Gustav Lindström in the penalty box for interference, the Rocket were whistled for a too many men bench minor. On the ensuing five-on-three, a shot from Matthew Robertson clipped a defenseman out front and came right to Brennan Othmann, who lifted the puck over the left pad of Primeau to make it 2-0.
The goal, Othmann’s eighth, gave him goals in five of the last six games.
Edmonds extended the lead to 3-0 1:50 later. Chad Ruhwedel drove into the right-wing circle and sent a perfect centering pass to Edmonds, who tipped the puck top shelf over the right shoulder of Primeau for his second goal of the hockey game.
Alex Belzile picked up the secondary assist, his second of the period and team-leading 29th of the season.
The Rocket responded with a power play goal of their own at 16:41, as Sean Farrell pounced on a rebound in the slot and buried his fifth goal of the season to make it a 3-1 spread through 20 minutes.
Casey Fitzgerald restored the three-goal lead 4:13 into the second period, stuffing home his fourth goal of the season. Blake McLaughlin won a puck in the left-wing corner, getting it to Fitzgerald. The captain muscled his way to the net and beat Primeau by the glove to make it a 4-1 game.
The Rocket were awarded a penalty shot at 11:00 of the frame, as Dylan Roobroeck closed his glove on the puck in the crease. Jared Davidson took the penalty shot and beat Dylan Garand for his team-leading 16th goal of the season.
The goal sent over 10,000 fans into a frenzy, creating a tsunami of momentum for the Rocket.
3:10 later, Alex Barré-Boulet sent a pass into the slot for Farrell who ripped home his second goal of the game to make it 4-3. Farrell’s goal, scored at 14:10, was his third against the Wolf Pack this season.
At 19:25, Blidh was assessed a double-minor for high-sticking, giving the Rocket a power play opportunity in the period’s final minute.
Barré-Boulet wasted no time and tied the game at 19:36. Barré-Boulet ripped a shot from the right-wing circle that Garand was able to stop, but the rebound came right back to the veteran forward who scored his tenth goal of the season.
The goal was Barré-Boulet’s third point (1 g, 2 a) of the hockey game.
Each team had numerous chances in the final frame, but both Garand and Primeau held strong to force overtime. Garand made 15 saves in the final frame, while Primeau made ten.
In overtime, Xhekaj scored his second game-winning goal of the weekend to secure the sweep for the Rocket.
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!
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WOLF PACK BATTLE BUT DROP FIFTH STRAIGHT TO ROCKET, 3-1 (1/31)
By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack
LAVAL, QC – The Hartford Wolf Pack battled until the bitter end on Friday night but came up short against the top team in the North Division. A power play goal against in the third period was difference as the Laval Rocket skated away with a 3-1 victory over the Wolf Pack.
On their fourth power play of the night, the Rocket retook the lead for good compliments of Florian Xhekaj. Rafaël Harvey-Pinard fired a shot that was denied by Louis Domingue, but the rebound sat to the goaltender’s right. Xhekaj located the puck and lifted the rebound over Domingue’s right pad at 9:42 of the third period.
The goal was Xhekaj’s third game-winning tally of the season.
The Rocket opened the scoring 2:22 into the hockey game, as Owen Beck tapped home his eleventh goal of the season. A turnover by the Wolf Pack saw Jared Davidson pick up the puck in the left-wing corner. The second-year forward sent a pass to the front of the net that Beck tapped home for his second goal against the Wolf Pack this season.
It marked the fourth time in five games that the Wolf Pack have surrendered the first goal.
Domingue made a terrific save late in the second period, denying Davidson. Davidson took a pass on the left-wing side just outside the blue paint and sent it toward the goal, but Domingue’s right pad held the line and kept it a 1-0 game.
Domingue and Cayden Primeau both made nine saves in the period to send the sides to the final stanza with a one goal spread.
The Wolf Pack took advantage of a turnover 8:02 into the third period while the sides played four-on-four. Alex Belzile picked up a loose puck on the right-wing side after Laurent Dauphin misplayed it. Belzile danced through the right-wing circle, cut to the front of the net, and beat Primeau on the backhand for his 14th goal of the season.
Just 1:42 later, however, the Rocket retook the lead on the ensuing power play with Xhekaj’s ninth goal of the season.
It marked the third time during the club’s current five-game losing streak (0-4-1-0) in which they tied the game in the third period but were unable to come away with a point.
Despite a terrific late push, the Wolf Pack could not find the equalizing goal against Primeau. With just over a second remaining in the game, Dauphin hit the empty net to secure the two points. His goal was his 14th of the season.
The road trip concludes tomorrow with the rematch between the Wolf Pack and Rocket. The puck drop is set for 3:00 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.
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WOLF PACK LOSE FOURTH STRAIGHT, 6-5 TO SENATORS (1/29)
By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack
BELLEVILLE, ON – The Hartford Wolf Pack had two two-goal leads on Wednesday night at the CAA Arena in Belleville but could not put away the Belleville Senators. Two goals early in the third period by the Senators forced overtime, where they completed the comeback for a 6-5 overtime victory.
Garrett Pilon sprung Jeremy Davies into the Wolf Pack’s zone in the opening seconds of the overtime period. Davies, seeing his shooting lane had evaporated, elected to pass to Cole Reinhardt. Reinhardt, in his first AHL game since Dec. 14, snapped home the game-winning goal 16 seconds into overtime.
His goal was the third straight by the Senators, completing their comeback victory.
Brennan Othmann extended his goal-scoring streak to four games just 20 seconds into the game. Alex Belzile ripped a shot from the right-wing side that Michael Simpson denied, but the rebound came right into the slot. Othmann found the puck and deposited his seventh goal of the season to make it 1-0.
Stephen Halliday drew the Senators even at 9:50, scoring on the club’s first power play. Halliday made his way to the net and beat Dylan Garand through the five-hole. Initially, the play was called no goal on the ice, but after a very lengthy review, the call on the ice was overturned.
The goal extended Halliday’s goal-scoring streak to three games.
Moments later, Anton Blidh intercepted an outlet pass and quickly fed Dylan Roobroeck in the right-wing circle. Roobroeck snapped a shot over the glove of Simpson for his eighth goal of the season at 11:11, restoring the lead.
The assist gave Blidh points in three straight games (2 g, 1 a).
Blidh extended his goal-scoring streak to three games 6:07 into the second period, jamming home a rebound for his 13th goal of the season. Connor Mackey fired a shot that Simpson denied, but the rebound came right to Roobroeck. Roobroeck was unable to put the loose change home but was able to find Blidh for a tap-in goal.
Two power play goals for the Senators, however, would tie the game 3-3.
First, it was Jan Janik jamming home a rebound at 12:23 for his sixth goal of the season. Garrett Pilon muscled his way to the goal but was denied by Garand. Janik located the rebound and poked it home to make it a 3-2 contest.
Just under five minutes later, at 17:10, Angus Crookshank found a loose puck to the left of Garand and lifted a backhander over the goalie’s left shoulder. The goal, Crookshank’s team-leading 16th of the season, pushed the Senators to three-for-three on the power play through 40 minutes.
87 seconds after Crookshank’s goal, the Wolf Pack retook the lead with their fourth five-on-five goal of the game. Jamieson Rees blew a tire along the right-wing boards, allowing Adam Sýkora to gain possession and fling a pass up to Jaroslav Chmelař. Chmelař entered the zone on a two-on-none and elected to shoot, snapping his sixth goal of the season by Simpson at 18:37.
Belzile restored the two-goal lead 25 seconds into the third period. Bo Groulx won an offensive zone faceoff on the left-wing side to Belzile, who snapped a quick shot by Simpson for his 13th goal of the season.
The Sens responded just 61 seconds later, making it a 5-4 affair. Blidh was denied on a breakaway by Simpson, with the rebound going right to Davies. Davies sprung Wyatt Bongiovanni in on a breakaway, and he beat Garand at 1:26 for his 15th goal of the season.
Moments later, Garand tried to play the puck up the wall, but Keean Washkurak was able to knock it down and gain possession. Washkurak sent a centering pass to Oskar Pettersson in front, who hit an empty net at 3:17 to tie the game.
In overtime, Reinhardt struck on the first shift to hand the Wolf Pack their second loss this season when leading after two periods of play.
The road trip continues on Friday night when the Wolf Pack head to Place Bell to take on the Laval Rocket. The puck drop is set for 7:00 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!
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WOLF PACK WEEKEND RECAP: JANUARY 27th, 2025
By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack
HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack completed their third of four three-in-three weekends this season on Sunday afternoon. Despite strong pushes in each of the three games, the Wolf Pack were unable to come away with any points, going 0-3-0-0.
Friday, January 24th, 2025, Vs. Laval Rocket (3-4 L): The Wolf Pack opened the weekend with a heartbreaking 4-3 loss to the high-flying Laval Rocket on Friday night.
Logan Mailloux opened the scoring 7:45 into the game, beating Louis Domingue with a shot from the slot for his seventh goal of the season. Bo Groulx got the Wolf Pack even at 14:44, blasting home a one-timer from the right-wing circle on the club’s first power play of the game.
1:08 later, at 15:52, Owen Beck restored the lead for the Rocket with his tenth goal of the season. After a turnover at the offensive blueline by the Wolf Pack, Filip Mešár gained possession and darted into the Wolf Pack’s zone.
Mešár dropped a pass to Beck, who snapped home a shot to make it 2-1.
Laurent Dauphin poked home a rebound 1:30 into the second period, giving the Rocket a 3-1 lead through 40 minutes.
Brett Berard got the Wolf Pack back within one at 10:52 of the third period, converting on a two-on-one with Blake Hillman. Hillman took a pass from Berard before returning the puck for a tap-in goal, Berard’s eighth.
With Domingue lifted for the extra attacker, the Wolf Pack were able to tie the contest at 18:10. Groulx sent a pass from behind the net to the slot for Brennan Othmann, who quickly snapped home his fourth goal of the season to make it a 3-3 game.
1:14 later, however, a defensive breakdown led to Mailloux taking a pass in the slot. The second-year defenseman snapped home his second goal of the game at 19:24, stunning the crowd and sending the Wolf Pack home empty-handed.
Saturday, January 25th, 2025, Vs. Rochester Americans (3-6 L): The Wolf Pack fell behind 3-0 by the 8:38 mark of the second period on Saturday night. Mason Jobst broke the ice 9:08 into the game, converting a centering feed from Brett Murray on the game’s first power play. Isak Rosén made it 2-0 at 19:57, beating Dylan Garand through the five-hole for his 17th goal of the season.
Kale Clague struck 8:38 into the second period, beating Garand from the left-wing circle.
Anton Blidh got the Wolf Pack on the board at 19:12, scoring on a brilliant individual effort for his eleventh goal of the season.
The Americans’ power play would strike twice in the third period, however, putting the result out of doubt. Rosén potted his second goal of the game at 4:10 of the final frame on a five-on-three power play, then Murray tipped in a Rosén shot at 6:20 on a five-on-four, making it 5-1.
Rosén’s second goal would stand as the game-winner.
Two goals in 63 seconds got the Wolf Pack within two but would not be enough. Jaroslav Chmelař struck at 7:07, scoring on a shot from the slot. Othmann made it 5-3 at 8:10, ripping a laser from the left-wing circle on the power play.
Despite a late push, Noah Östlund hit the empty net at 19:32 to cement the victory for the visitors.
Sunday, January 26th, 2025, at Springfield Thunderbirds (2-3 L): Nikita Alexandrov opened the scoring 36 seconds into the game, tipping home a Matthew Kessel shot for his seventh goal of the season. Kessel made it 2-0 at 7:49, tipping home a centering pass from Alexandrov at the top of the crease.
Othmann got the Wolf Pack on the board at 3:01 of the second period, burying a centering pass from Alex Belzile on the power play.
Blidh tied the game 3:19 into the third period, snapping home his 12th goal of the season. Connor Mackey entered down the left-wing side and hit Blidh with a perfect pass in the slot while the sides played four-on-four.
Matthew Peca’s 100th career AHL goal broke the tie at 8:27, as he tipped home a Samuel Johannesson shot on the power play. The goal would prove to be the game-winning tally, as the Wolf Pack’s late push failed to produce an equalizer.
Quick Hits:
- The Wolf Pack’s loss on Saturday night was their sixth consecutive regulation loss at home. That is tied for the longest regulation losing streak at home in franchise history.
- Othmann has scored in three straight games entering action this week, while Blidh has struck in back-to-back contests.
- Alexandrov’s goal on Sunday afternoon 36 seconds in was the fastest goal surrendered by the Wolf Pack this season to start a game.
- The Wolf Pack are now 3-17-1-0 when surrendering the first goal in a game this season.
The Week Ahead:
- Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025, at Belleville Senators (7:00 p.m., CAA Arena)
- Friday, Jan. 31, 2025, at Laval Rocket (7:00 p.m., Place Bell)
- Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, at Laval Rocket (3:00 p.m., Place Bell)
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WOLF PACK STUMBLE EARLY, FALL 4-2 TO THUNDERBIRDS (1/26/25)
By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack
SPRINGFIELD, MA – The Hartford Wolf Pack lost for the third straight time in regulation on Sunday afternoon as they were doubled up by the rival Springfield Thunderbirds 4-2. The loss saw the club finish their three-in-three weekend with a record of 0-3-0-0, dropping them to 18-20-2-1 on the season.
The Thunderbirds struck on their first shot of the game, taking a 1-0 lead at the 36 second mark. Matthew Kessel fired a shot from the right-wing point that Nikita Alexandrov got a piece of in the slot. The change in direction beat Louis Domingue, giving Alexandrov his seventh goal of the season.
The goal was the fastest goal surrendered by the Wolf Pack to start a game this season.
Kessel extended the lead to 2-0 at 7:49, tipping home a centering pass. Alexandrov fired a pass from the left-wing circle, looking for Matt Luff at the back door. Kessel won a battle in front of the crease, got his stick on the puck, and beat Domingue for his fourth goal of the season.
The goal gave both Kessel and Alexandrov two points (1 g, 1 a) in the opening frame. Corey Shueneman picked up the secondary assist, his second in as many games against the Wolf Pack.
Brennan Othmann drew the Wolf Pack within one at 3:01 of the second period, extending his goal scoring streak to three games. Jake Leschyshyn dumped a puck into the offensive zone on the club’s second power play of the game. The puck took a friendly bounce off the glass and came to Alex Belzile. Belzile tried to tuck home the bouncing puck but hit the side of the net.
Belzile stuck with it, carried possession behind the net, and sent a centering pass to Othmann. Othmann made no mistake, beating a sprawled out Colten Ellis for his sixth goal of the season.
Anton Blidh tied the contest 3:19 into the third period, burying a shot from the slot on a four-on-four sequence. Connor Mackey worked down the left-wing wall before hitting Blidh in the slot with a centering pass. The veteran forward scored his 12th goal of the season and second in as many nights.
Just 5:08 later, Matthew Peca restored the lead for the Thunderbirds with his 100th career AHL tally. Late in the Thunderbirds’ fourth power play of the game, Samuel Johannesson fired a shot from the point that Peca perfectly deflected from between the hashmarks.
The goal, scored at 8:27, would be the game-winning goal.
Despite a late push, the Wolf Pack could not equalize. Hugh McGing hit the empty net at 19:59, applying the dagger.
The Wolf Pack’s four-game road trip continues on Wednesday night when they make their lone trip to the CAA Arena to take on the Belleville Senators. The puck drop is set for 7:00 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!
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