EARLY HOLE TOO MUCH TO OVERCOME AS WOLF PACK FALL 4-1 TO PENGUINS
By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack
WILKES-BARRE, PA – The Hartford Wolf Pack fell behind 3-0 in the opening period on Saturday night at Mohegan Arena at Casey Plaza. The early hole proved to be too much to overcome as the Wolf Pack fell 4-1 to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.
Gabe Klassen picked up his third goal of the weekend just 7:57 in, breaking the ice on the power play. Klassen worked into the right-wing circle and ripped a shot over the right shoulder of Callum Tung to make it 1-0.
The goal was Klassen’s ninth of the season.
Tristan Broz extended the lead to 2-0 at 10:20. Broz took a pass from Rafael Harvey-Pinard, found space in between the circles, and snapped a shot by the glove of Tung for his 14th goal of the season.
Harvey-Pinard then made it 3-0 at 15:53, finding a blocked shot in the right-wing circle. He used a defenseman to create a screen, preventing Tung from seeing a shot that snuck past him.
The goal concluded a stretch of three goals in 7:56.
Trey Fix-Wolansky got the Wolf Pack on the board 1:27 into the second period. The veteran forward took a pretty pass from Brendan Brisson, went to the backhand, and beat Joel Blomqvist for his team-leading 12th goal of the season to make it a 3-1 game.
The Wolf Pack pushed hard but couldn’t get a second goal by Blomqvist before the Penguins found a response.
Finn Harding buried a backdoor pass from Aidan McDonough at 11:34, restoring the three-goal lead and making it 4-1. The goal was the first of Harding’s AHL career.
Brett Berard struck the goal post on the power play late in the second period, then Connor Mackey found iron early in the third frame. Despite those looks, the Wolf Pack was unable to cut further into the deficit.
The Wolf Pack conclude their six-game season series against the Penguins with a record of 2-4-0-0.
The Wolf Pack conclude their five-game road trip Tuesday night when they battle the Hershey Bears. The puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m.
The Pack is back at the newly renovated PeoplesBank Arena on Jan. 23 when the Bridgeport Islanders come to town. The puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m., with ‘Wolf Pack Pregame’ set to begin at 6:45 p.m. on AHLTV on FloHockey and Mixlr. Tickets are available here.
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By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack
HERSHEY, PA – Wednesday night was a sweet one for the Hartford Wolf Pack. Trailing 2-0 to the Hershey Bears, the Wolf Pack rattled off three unanswered goals to claim a 3-2 overtime victory at the Giant Center.
The Wolf Pack outshot the Bears 11-4 in the first period, but it was the home side who opened the scoring. At 19:50 of the opening frame, David Gucciardi fired home his second goal of the season to break the ice and give the Bears a 1-0 edge heading into the intermission.
4:02 into the middle stanza, Andrew Cristall potted his sixth goal of the campaign to make it 2-0 Bears.
The Wolf Pack would respond with two goals in just under three minutes, however, evening the tilt 2-2.
Dylan Roobroeck’s eighth goal of the season came at 11:54 when he ripped a shot from the top of the right-wing circle that beat Clay Stevenson. Roobroeck was able to gain the zone after Adam Sýkora won a loose puck along the left-wing boards and got the puck to Roobroeck.
Brett Berard then evened the affair at 14:16, potting his fourth goal of the season. Berard took a stretch pass from Casey Fitzgerald and entered the offensive zone on the right-wing side. He cut to the top of the circles and ripped a shot that beat Stevenson to make it 2-2.
The Wolf Pack outshot the Bears 9-5 in the final frame but were unable to beat Stevenson to secure the two points. That forced overtime, the first for the Wolf Pack since Dec. 20 at Lehigh Valley.
In the extra session, Berard notched his second goal of the night to complete the comeback.
Derrick Pouliot fed Trey Fix-Wolansky, who entered the offensive zone with possession. Fix-Wolansky then fed Berard on the left-wing side, where he took possession and worked his way into the right-wing circle. Berard flipped a backhander on goal that snuck through Stevenson at 3:00 to give the Wolf Pack the extra point.
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WOLF PACK SURRENDER SEASON-HIGH FIVE GOALS IN THIRD, FALL 5-1 TO ISLANDERS
By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack
BRIDGEPORT, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack carried a 1-0 lead into the final frame on Sunday afternoon at Total Mortgage Arena against the rival Bridgeport Islanders. The Islanders stunned the Wolf Pack in the third period, however, scoring five straight goals to claim a 5-1 victory.
Each team had stretches of sustained pressure in the opening period, but Dylan Garand and Marcus Hogberg were both perfect. The netminders each made nine saves in the period, keeping the score 0-0.
It marked just the second time in six meetings that no goals were scored in the first period between the rivals.
Jaroslav Chmelař opened the scoring 7:42 into the second period, giving the Wolf Pack a 1-0 lead. Justin Dowling won a faceoff, getting the puck to Brett Berard. Berard fed Brandon Scanlin at the point, who blasted a shot into traffic. Chmelař got a piece of the puck, tipping it by Hogberg for his fifth goal of the season.
Isaiah George got the Islanders even just 2:33 into the third period. Catching the Wolf Pack in a change, George sped in on the left wing and fired a shot that Garand denied. Behind the defense, George was able to pounce on the rebound and beat Garand by the right pad for his second goal of the season.
Hunter Drew put the Islanders ahead for good at 4:16. The veteran forward snapped a 15-game goal-scoring drought with his sixth goal of the season on the power play.
31 seconds later, Eetu Liukas tipped home his third goal of the season to make it 3-1 at 4:47.
Liam Foudy’s eighth goal of the season came at 14:06 while the sides battled at four-on-four. Foudy snapped a shot over the glove of Garand to put the result out of reach. Sean Day added salt to the wound at 17:07, scoring his third of the season from in-close.
The five goals allowed in the third period were the most by the Wolf Pack in a single period this season.
The club finishes their three-in-three weekend with a 1-2-0-0 record.
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WOLF PACK COLLECTS 8,543 BEARS DURING ANNUAL TEDDY BEAR TOSS NIGHT
Bears will be donated to Connecticut Children’s Hospital & Salvation Army
By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack
HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack enjoyed a successful 2026 Teddy Bear Toss night this past Saturday at PeoplesBank Arena.
In front of a season-high crowd of 8,349, the Wolf Pack skated to a 5-1 victory over the rival Providence Bruins. 2:45 into the game, Adam Sýkora scored a shorthanded goal that sent 8,543 stuffed animals flying into the Hartford air.
The 8,543 teddy bears and stuffed animals were collected by Wolf Pack staff and players on the ice during a pause in the action. On Monday, the teddy bears and stuffed animals were counted and donated.
All teddy bears and stuffed animals that were thrown onto the ice were donated to some beary special children at Connecticut Children’s Hospital and to the Salvation Army!
The 8,543 teddy bears and stuffed animals were collected, marking the largest in Wolf Pack history for the ‘Teddy Bear Toss Game’.
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WOLF PACK NOTCH TWO SHORTHANDED GOALS IN 5-1 TRIUMPH OVER BRUINS
By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack
HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack rebounded in a big way on Saturday night, scoring a 5-1 victory over the Providence Bruins in front of 8,349 fans at PeoplesBank Arena in the annual ‘Teddy Bear Toss’ game.
Adam Sýkora let the teddies fly just 2:45 into the hockey game, giving the Wolf Pack a 1-0 lead. While shorthanded, Justin Dowling gained possession on the right-wing side. Dowling sent a pass to Sýkora on the left-wing side, where he beat Simon Zajicek to make it 1-0.
The goal was Sýkora’s second shorthanded tally of the year and the club’s third.
Brett Berard extended the lead to 2-0 at 5:06, ripping his third goal of the season from the right-wing circle.
Dowling sent a cross-ice pass to Berard, who settled the puck and then lasered one by Zajicek to give the Wolf Pack a power play goal in three straight games.
Trey Fix-Wolansky expanded the lead to 3-0 at 16:53 into the second period. The veteran forward rushed into the offensive zone and zipped a shot on Zajicek that the rookie netminder denied. Fix-Wolansky followed up his rebound, however, and potted his team-leading eleventh goal.
Dowling made it 4-0 at 8:38 of the third period, potting the second shorthanded goal of the night for the Wolf Pack. Dowling danced to the goal and deked out Zajicek before stuffing home his sixth goal of the year by the netminder’s right pad.
Riley Tufte got the Bruins on the board at 12:54 with a shorthanded marker of his own, but Jackson Dorrington ended the intrigue at 15:05 when he backhanded home a rebound.
Callum Tung improved to 4-2-0 on the season in net for the Wolf Pack, making 24 saves.
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WOLF PACK NOTCH TWO SHORTHANDED GOALS IN 5-1 TRIUMPH OVER BRUINS
By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack
HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack rebounded in a big way on Saturday night, scoring a 5-1 victory over the Providence Bruins in front of 8,349 fans at PeoplesBank Arena in the annual ‘Teddy Bear Toss’ game.
Adam Sýkora let the teddies fly just 2:45 into the hockey game, giving the Wolf Pack a 1-0 lead. While shorthanded, Justin Dowling gained possession on the right-wing side. Dowling sent a pass to Sýkora on the left-wing side, where he beat Simon Zajicek to make it 1-0.
The goal was Sýkora’s second shorthanded tally of the year and the club’s third.
Brett Berard extended the lead to 2-0 at 5:06, ripping his third goal of the season from the right-wing circle.
Dowling sent a cross-ice pass to Berard, who settled the puck and then lasered one by Zajicek to give the Wolf Pack a power play goal in three straight games.
Trey Fix-Wolansky expanded the lead to 3-0, 16:53 into the second period. The veteran forward rushed into the offensive zone and zipped a shot on Zajicek that the rookie netminder denied. Fix-Wolansky followed up his rebound, however, and potted his team-leading eleventh goal.
Dowling made it 4-0 at 8:38 of the third period, potting the second shorthanded goal of the night for the Wolf Pack. Dowling danced to the goal and deked out Zajicek before stuffing home his sixth goal of the year by the netminder’s right pad.
Riley Tufte got the Bruins on the board at 12:54 with a shorthanded marker of his own, but Jackson Dorrington ended the intrigue at 15:05 when he backhanded home a rebound.
Callum Tung improved to 4-2-0 on the season in net for the Wolf Pack, making 24 saves.
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WOLF PACK GIVE UP FIVE UNANSWERED, LOSE 7-4 TO THUNDERBIRDS
By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack
SPRINGFIELD, MA – The Hartford Wolf Pack held a 4-2 lead late into the second period on Friday night in Springfield. Five unanswered goals flipped the game around, however, as the Springfield Thunderbirds roared back for a 7-4 victory.
A wild first period saw the Thunderbirds jump out to a 2-0 lead. Alek Kaskimäki opened the scoring 4:37 in, taking a pass on the left-wing side, cutting to the goal, and beating Dylan Garand by the right pad. The goal was Kaskimäki’s eighth of the season and came on Springfield’s first shot of the night.
Michael Buchinger extended the lead to 2-0 at 10:25. The defenseman won a puck battle in the offensive zone, got into the right-wing circle, and ripped a shot by a screened Garand for his third goal of the campaign.
Too many men on the ice penalty at 11:01 by the Thunderbirds would completely flip the momentum, however.
Late in the power play, Adam Sýkora dropped a pass in the left-wing circle to Bryce McConnell-Barker. McConnell-Barker took the pass and ripped a shot through the five-hole of Vadim Zherenko to make it a 2-1 game at 12:49.
Less than two minutes later, at 14:16, Brandon Scanlin tied the game. Brennan Othmann forced a turnover in the offensive zone, leading to sustained pressure. Othmann eventually found Scanlin, who cut around a defenseman into the slot and snapped home the equalizer.
Kalle Väisänen gave the Wolf Pack a lead at 16:53 with a quick shot from the right-wing circle. Carey Terrance tapped the puck to Väisänen, who unleashed a rocket over the glove of Zherenko for his second career AHL strike.
Terrance and Daniel Walcott were credited with the assists on the goal.
Othmann made it 4-2 just 3:22 into the middle stanza, ripping his sixth goal of the year from the left-wing circle. Othmann beat Zherenko over the left shoulder, but the play was whistled no goal on the ice. After a review, it was determined that the puck crossed the line.
The lead did not last, however. Late in the period, Dillon Dube was awarded a penalty shot. He cut in on the right-wing side and beat Garand at 17:05 for his second goal of the season.
The goal marked the second penalty shot goal against the Wolf Pack this season.
In the final seconds, Matthew Peca tied the game with his fifth goal of the campaign. Peca’s sharp-angle shot snuck through traffic and Garand, making it 4-4 at 19:43.
Kaskimäki’s second goal of the night, 2:50 into the final stanza, would prove to be the difference. While on the power play, Kaskimäki danced through the defense, made his way into a dangerous area, and beat Garand by the blocker to make it 5-4.
Dylan Peterson then tacked on an insurance marker at 12:01, making it 6-4 when he pounced on a rebound to the right of Garand.
Late in regulation time, the Wolf Pack opted for a six-on-four power play, but Chris Wagner quickly ended the intrigue when he hit the empty net at 15:04.
The Pack is back at the newly renovated PeoplesBank Arena on Jan. 10 when the Providence Bruins come to town. The puck drop is set for 7:30 p.m., with ‘Wolf Pack Pregame’ set to begin at 7:15 p.m. on AHLTV on FloHockey and Mixlr. 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 is the top player-development affiliate of the NHL’s New York Rangers and plays 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.
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