WOLF PACK BLANKED 3-0 BY ISLANDERS
WOLF PACK BLANKED 3-0 BY ISLANDERS
By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack
HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack surrendered three quick goals on Friday night and were unable to dig themselves out of the hole as they fell 3-0 to the rival Bridgeport Islanders in the first of 12 meetings in the ‘Battle of Connecticut’ this season.
The Islanders shocked the crowd at PeoplesBank Arena with a three-goal opening frame. Joey Larson opened the scoring 3:38 into the contest, ripping a shot from the left-wing circle that beat Dylan Garand over the right shoulder.
The goal was Larson’s second of the season.
Larson picked up his second point of the period, an assist, at 8:01 when Garand denied his shot. Matthew Highmore was on the doorstep, however, and won the battle for the puck. Highmore lifted the rebound over the right pad of Garand for his first goal as an Islander.
Sean Day was the recipient of a turnover by the Wolf Pack deep inside their own zone just moments later. Day fed Gleb Veremyev in front, who quickly released a shot for his first goal of the season at 10:07.
Garand was lifted at that point, having made five saves on eight shots. Talyn Boyko entered the game for the Wolf Pack.
The Wolf Pack outshot the Islanders 13-7 in the second period, but Marcus Hogberg denied all 13 attempts to keep it a 3-0 spread. Hartford had three power plays in the period but were unable to breakthrough.
Hogberg then turned aside 12 more shots in the final stanza, completing a 33-save shutout for his first win of the campaign. Boyko, in 48:49 of relief, stopped all 25 shots he faced for the Wolf Pack.
With the loss, the Wolf Pack is now 1-4-0-0 on the season and 1-2-0-0 on home ice.
The Wolf Pack conclude the weekend tomorrow night when they visit the Springfield Thunderbirds. The puck drop is set for 6:05 p.m., with ‘Wolf Pack Pregame’ set to begin at 5:50 p.m. on AHLTV on FloHockey and Mixlr.
The Pack is back at the newly renovated PeoplesBank Arena on Wednesday night when the Charlotte Checkers come to town! The puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m. Tickets are available here.
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 PeoplesBank Arena. The Wolf Pack has been home to some of the Rangers newest faces including Igor Shesterkin, Will Cuylle, and Matt Rempe. Follow the Wolf Pack on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Flickr, and TikTok.
