BY: Bob Crawford, Hartford Wolf Pack
HARTFORD, CT – The Wolf Pack (8-1-0-3, 19 pts.) finished a stretch of four straight road games with their only trip of the season to Canada this week, coming home with two shootout losses and a regulation defeat. The journey began with the Wolf Pack’s first, and so far only, regulation loss on the year Wednesday, a 4-1 setback at Laval. Tim Gettinger tied the score for Hartford late in the second period, but the Rocket rang up three markers in the third to tip the scales in their favor. In a rematch at Place Bell in Laval Friday night, the Rocket prevailed 2-1 in a shootout, with a Joey Keane goal 49 seconds into the second period, and 27 saves by Adam Huska, earning the Wolf Pack a standings point. The trip concluded in Belleville on Saturday night with another game that went all the way to a shootout, a back-and-forth affair won by the Senators, 5-4. Former Senator Nick Ebert and captain Steven Fogarty had a goal and an assist apiece in that contest.
For the latest AHL standings, click here.
This week:
The Wolf Pack return home to the XL Center for a pair of games, a 7:15 PM date with the Hershey Bears on Friday night and a 7:30 meeting with Belleville on Saturday. A three-game weekend then concludes with the Wolf Pack’s first encounter with the Providence Bruins, a 3:05 PM face-off on Sunday.
Friday, November 8 vs. the Hershey Bears (Washington) at the XL Center, 7:15 PM
- This and every Friday-night Wolf Pack home game features $1 hot dogs, and $2 draft beers and fountain sodas, through the start of the second period, presented by Nomads Adventure Quest.
- The Bears are 6-4-1-1 on the season, for 14 points, and have won their last two games after starting this past weekend with an 8-1 loss at Springfield Friday night.
- This is the first of six games on the year between the Wolf Pack and the Bears, and the first of three XL Center visits for Hershey. The Wolf Pack were 0-5-0-1 in last year’s season series, 0-3-0-0 at home.
- Veteran centerman Mike Sgarbossa leads the Bears in scoring to this point, with 5-6-11 in 11 games.
- At this and every Wolf Pack Friday or Saturday home game, fans are encouraged to come early for “Hockey Happy Hour” in the XL Center’s Coliseum Club. From 5:15 PM until puck drop, a $5 wrist band gives fans access to the “Chill Zone” of the Coliseum Club, which features an appetizer buffet and $2 beers, presented by Minuteman Press.
- Tickets for this and all 2019-20 Wolf Pack home games are on sale now at the Sunwave Gas & Power Ticket Office at the XL Center, on-line at hartfordwolfpack.com and by phone at (877) 522-8499. Tickets purchased in advance for kids 12 or younger start at just $10 each, and all tickets will have a $3 day-of-game increase.
- Broadcast – live with Bob Crawford and Mark Bailey on on-line at hartfordwolfpack.com. Video streaming at ahllive.com.
Saturday, November 9 vs. the Belleville Senators (Ottawa) at the XL Center, 7:30 PM
- This game features the Wolf Pack’s annual “Teddy Bear Toss”. Fans are invited to bring soft toys to the game, and fling them on to the ice when the Wolf Pack score their first goal. All the toys collected will be donated to Operation ELF and NBC Connecticut’s Toys for Tots.
- This is already the conclusion of a two-game season series between the Wolf Pack and the Senators, who defeated the Wolf Pack 5-4 in a shootout in the teams’ first encounter Saturday night in Belleville.
- Jordan Szwarz had a goal and an assist in regulation, and scored the only goal of the shootout, in the Senators’ 5-4 home victory over the Wolf Pack Saturday night.
- Saturday’s two points against the Wolf Pack lifted Belleville (4-6-0-0, 8 pts.) into a tie with Binghamton for seventh place in the North Division standings.
- At this and every Wolf Pack Friday or Saturday home game, fans are encouraged to come early for “Hockey Happy Hour” in the XL Center’s Coliseum Club. From 5:30 PM until puck drop, a $5 wrist band gives fans access to the “Chill Zone” of the Coliseum Club, which features an appetizer buffet and $2 beers, presented by Minuteman Press.
- Broadcast – live with Bob Crawford and Mark Bailey on-line at hartfordwolfpack.com. Video streaming at ahllive.com.
Sunday, November 10 at the Providence Bruins (Boston) at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center Providence, 3:05 PM
- The Bruins are three points behind the Wolf Pack in the Atlantic Division standings, with a record of 7-4-0-2 for 16 points. Providence has won only one of its four home games thus far (1-2-0-1), after going 24-9-4-1 on home ice last season.
- This is the first of ten games on the year between the Wolf Pack and Bruins, and the first of five Wolf Pack trips to Providence. Last season the Wolf Pack went 5-3-2-0 against the Bruins, including a 2-3-0-0 mark at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center Providence.
- Defenseman Alex Petrovic is part of a three-way tie atop the Bruin point-scoring list, with 1-9-10 in 13 games, and is tied for tops among AHL defensemen in points.
- Broadcast – live with Bob Crawford on-line at hartfordwolfpack.com. Video streaming at ahllive.com.
Wolf Pack Community Appearances:
The Wolf Pack have the following appearances scheduled this week. For further information on these, or any other Wolf Pack community initiatives, contact Wolf Pack community relations manager Frank Berrian, at (860) 541-4728:
- Saturday, November 9, 9:00 AM, Farmington High School, 10 Monteith Dr.,
Farmington, CT
The Wolf Pack’s beloved mascot, Sonar, joins in the festivities of the Farmington Schools Walk-a-thon.
- Saturday, November 9, 2:00 PM, Westminster School, 995 Hopmeadow St., Simsbury, CT
Sonar helps cheer on the teams in a hockey battle between the Simsbury Police and Fire departments.
Recent Transactions:
Filip Chytil – recalled from the Wolf Pack by the New York Rangers October 28.
Ryan Lindgren – recalled from the Wolf Pack by the New York Rangers October 28.
Jeff Taylor – recalled by the Wolf Pack from Maine (ECHL) October 28.
Lewis Zerter-Gossage – recalled by the Wolf Pack from Maine (ECHL) October 28.
Ryan Gropp – reassigned by the parent New York Rangers from the Wolf Pack to Maine (ECHL) November 2.
Ryan Dmowski – recalled by the Wolf Pack from Maine (ECHL) November 3.
Pack Tracks:
On Saturday, November 16, when the Wolf Pack battle the Providence Bruins at 7:00 PM, it’s “Hockey Fights Cancer Night” at the XL Center. The Wolf Pack will be teaming up with Hockey Fights Cancer to support those who are battling cancer, and their families. Also, the first 2,000 fans will receive a free Wolf Pack lanyard, courtesy of CM Concessions.
The Wolf Pack’s annual “Sonar’s Edu-skate” school-day game is coming up Wednesday, November 20 vs. the Syracuse Crunch, with face-off at 11:00 AM. Lots of educational fun will be on tap throughout the day, and for information on bringing a school group to the Edu-Skate game, contact the Wolf Pack ticket office at (860) 722-9426.
Each of the Wolf Pack’s Sunday and Wednesday home games will feature the Wolf Pack’s “Click It or Ticket Hat Trick Pack”. The Hat Trick Pack includes two tickets, two sodas and a large popcorn, all for just $40. The next Hat Trick Pack game is the “Sonar’s Edu-skate” school-day game Wednesday, November 20 vs. the Syracuse Crunch, with face-off at 11:00 AM.
In partnership with the Hartford Chamber of Commerce, the Wolf Pack this year will be offering “Suit to Sweater Wednesdays”, to wash away the mid-week work blues. Any fan showing a company ID at the Sunwave Gas & Power Ticket office can purchase Blue-Level tickets to Wolf Pack Wednesday home games for only $15 each (limit two tickets per ID). The Wolf Pack’s first Wednesday home date is November 20, the 11:00 AM “Sonar’s Edu-skate” school-day game vs. the Syracuse Crunch.
Once again this season, fans can enjoy $1 hot dogs, and $2 draft beers and fountain sodas, at every Friday Wolf Pack home game, through the start of the second period, presented by Nomads Adventure Quest. After this Friday, the Wolf Pack’s next Friday-night home outing is December 13, when they entertain the Lehigh Valley Phantoms in a 7:15 PM game.
Wolf Pack home game tickets can be purchased at the Sunwave Gas & Power Ticket Office at the XL Center, on-line at hartfordwolfpack.com and by phone at (877) 522-8499. Tickets purchased in advance for kids 12 or younger start at just $10 each, and all tickets will have a $3 day-of-game increase.
To speak with a Wolf Pack representative about season or group tickets, or any of the Wolf Pack’s many ticketing options, call (860) 722-9425, or click here to request more info. To visit the Wolf Pack on line, go to hartfordwolfpack.com.
TRACK THE PACK ON-LINE AT HARTFORDWOLFPACK.COM
