By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack
HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack picked up their season’s first two victories over the weekend, posting a record of 2-1-0-0 in their first three-in-three set of the campaign. The club now sits at 2-1-0-1 heading into the final weekend of October and will begin a three-game homestand on Friday night at the XL Center.
Friday, October 18th, 2024, Vs. Springfield Thunderbirds (6-5 W): Grant Potulny picked up his first victory as the Head Coach of the Wolf Pack on Friday night in Round 1 of the ‘I-91 Rivalry’.
A wild first period saw the Wolf Pack jump out to a 4-2 lead thanks to two goals from Brennan Othmann and Jaroslav Chmelař. Brandon Scanlin notched his first goal of the season 5:50 into the second period, the second goal of the season by a Wolf Pack defenseman.
Brett Berard tallied his second goal of the season 10:47 into the third period, tucking in a wraparound to make it 6-4. That goal would stand as the eventual game-winning goal.
Defenseman Connor Mackey picked up two assists in the win, while Chmelař (2 g, 1 a) and Berard (1 g, 2 a) each finished with three points.
Chmelař’s performance marked his first career multi-goal and three-point performance.
The win was the Wolf Pack’s third straight over the Thunderbirds, dating back to the 2023-24 campaign.
Saturday, October 19th, 2024, Vs. Bridgeport Islanders (5-4 OT W): The Wolf Pack snapped a two-game losing streak in their head-to-head matchup with the Islanders on Saturday night thanks to a wild 5-4 overtime victory.
Bo Groulx struck twice in the win, opening the scoring 14:13 into the game and then tying it 2-2 at the 12:26 mark of the second period. His second goal, a power play tally, came just 47 seconds after Wyatt Newpower gave the Islanders a 2-1 lead.
Berard’s third goal of the season at 15:53 of the middle frame put the Wolf Pack ahead 3-2 heading into the third period, but the Islanders refused to go quietly.
The visitors tied the game twice, eventually getting it to 4-4 at 17:48 of the third period on Fredrik Karlström’s second goal of the hockey game.
Marc Gatcomb was assessed a boarding minor at 20:00 of the third period, giving the Wolf Pack a power play entering overtime. Following a timeout call, the Wolf Pack ended the game with their second power play goal of the night 1:38 into overtime when Berard blasted a shot from the right-wing circle.
Sunday, October 20th, 2024, @ Bridgeport Islanders (4-0 L): The Wolf Pack suffered their season’s first regulation loss on Sunday, getting shut out 4-0 by the Islanders.
Brian Pinho’s shorthanded goal 6:59 into the second period broke the ice and was the eventual game-winning goal. The tally was Bridgeport’s second shorthanded goal of the season, while it was the first shorthanded goal allowed by the Wolf Pack.
Alex Jefferies and Gatcomb also struck in the second period, with Gatcomb’s goal at 12:44 being the club’s third goal in 5:51.
Jakub Skarek made 24 saves to collect his first shutout and victory this season. He also recorded his first career AHL assist.
Quick Hits:
- Bo Groulx scored a career-high four points (2 g, 2 a) and recorded a career-high nine shots in Saturday night’s victory of the Islanders.
- The Wolf Pack recorded a season-high 42 shots on Saturday night in their victory over the Islanders.
- Goaltender Louis Domingue appeared in his 200th career AHL game on Friday night against the Thunderbirds. His victory in the game was his 95th in the AHL.
- Grant Potulny is the second straight Wolf Pack Head Coach to record his first victory against the Thunderbirds. Interim Head Coach Steve Smith earned his first victory on Nov. 15, 2023, against the Thunderbirds.
The Week Ahead:
- Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, Vs. Lehigh Valley Phantoms (7:00 p.m., XL Center, $2 drafts & $2 hot dogs)
- Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024, Vs. Springfield Thunderbirds (4:00 p.m., CTDOT Family Value Pack, Postgame Skate with Wolf Pack Players)
WOLF PACK SIGN BRETT BUDGELL TO AHL CONTRACT, COMPLETE SERIES OF TRANSACTIONS
HARTFORD, CT – New York Rangers Assistant General Manager and Hartford Wolf Pack General Manager Ryan Martin announced today that the club has agreed to terms with forward Brett Budgell on a standard player contract for the remainder of the 2024-25 season.
Budgell has been loaned to the ECHL’s Bloomington Bison.
Additionally, the Wolf Pack have recalled defenseman Case McCarthy from loan to the Bison.
Defenseman Griffin Luce has been released from his professional tryout agreement (PTO) and will return to the ECHL’s Worcester Railers. Luce made his Wolf Pack debut in Sunday’s 4-0 loss to the Bridgeport Islanders.
Rangers President and General Manager Chris Drury also announced today that the club has reassigned goaltender Hugo Ollas to the Bison from the Wolf Pack.
Budgell, 23, recorded an assist in two games with the Bison during the club’s opening weekend on Saturday and Sunday against the Toledo Walleye. Budgell appeared in 44 games with the ECHL’s Iowa Heartlanders a season ago and 19 contests with the AHL’s Iowa Wild. He recorded one assist with the Wild and 30 points (14 g, 16 a) with the Heartlanders.
The native of St. John’s, NL, attended Wolf Pack training camp on a PTO this fall.
McCarthy, 23, scored a goal in two appearances with the Bison over the weekend. A season ago, McCarthy appeared in 39 games with Boston University, scoring nine points (4 g, 5 a). He served as captain of the Terriers.
The native of Troy, NY, dressed in two games with the Wolf Pack following the conclusion of his NCAA career. He debuted professionally on April 19 against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.
WOLF PACK BLANKED BY ISLANDERS 4-0 IN WEEKEND FINALE
BRIDGEPORT, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack were shut out for the first time this season on Sunday afternoon, dropping a 4-0 decision to the rival Bridgeport Islanders at Total Mortgage Arena. Despite the loss, the Wolf Pack concluded the season’s first three-in-three weekend with a winning 2-1-0-0 record.
The physicality from Saturday night’s contest carried over into the first period of Sunday’s affair, as numerous post-whistle scrums populated the frame. However, the Islanders received the only power play, getting an advantage 9:35 into the stanza. The Wolf Pack’s penalty kill stood firm, limiting the looks for the Islanders.
The Wolf Pack took the better shots in the first 20 minutes, outshooting the Islanders 8-4. Louis Domingue and Jakub Skarek were sharp in the period, but they kept it 0-0.
The Wolf Pack earned their second power play of the hockey game at 5:40 of the middle stanza when Eetu Liukas was whistled for hooking. Just over a minute into the power play, the ice would finally be broken in the game by a surprising culprit.
A turnover inside the offensive zone sprung Brian Pinho in on a two-on-one with Liam Foudy. Pinho elected to shoot from the left-wing side, rocketing a shot by Domingue for his second goal of the season at 6:59. Bridgeport’s goal was their second shorthanded marker this season.
With a scrum developing behind the play, Alex Jeffries extended the lead at 10:16 when he beat Domingue from the right-wing circle for his third goal of the season and his second of the weekend. Marshall Warren and Skarek picked up the assists on the goal, with the netminder’s helper being the first of his career.
Marc Gatcomb ended a flurry of three goals in 5:51 for the Islanders when he tucked home his first with the club at 12:44. Wyatt Newpower connected with Gatcomb streaking down the left-wing side. He then went to the backhand and snuck his shot by Domingue.
The Islanders defended their lead throughout the third period, outshooting the Wolf Pack 12-6. William Dufour put an exclamation point on the victory with his first goal of the season at 18:21, electing to shoot on a two-on-one to make it 4-0 for the Islanders.
Skarek made 24 saves to collect his first victory and shutout of the season.
The Pack is back at the XL Center on Friday, Oct. 25, at 7:00 p.m. when the Lehigh Valley Phantoms come to town for the first of three visits this season. Join us for $2 hot dogs and $2 drafts until the end of the first intermission!
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!
WOLF PACK INK GRIFFIN LUCE TO PTO
HARTFORD, CT – New York Rangers Assistant General Manager and Hartford Wolf Pack General Manager Ryan Martin announced today that the club has agreed to a professional tryout agreement (PTO) with defenseman Griffin Luce.
Luce joins the Wolf Pack from the ECHL’s Worcester Railers.
Luce, 26, has skated in one game with the Railers this season, recording two shots and a +1 +/- rating on Oct. 19 against the Reading Royals.
The native of Williamsville, NY, appeared in 63 ECHL games with the Atlanta Gladiators during the 2023-24 season, scoring 12 points (3 g, 9 a). He also appeared in seven games with the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals, recording two assists.
Luce has appeared in 93 career AHL games with the Admirals, Springfield Thunderbirds, and Rochester Americans, scoring 12 points (2 g, 10 a).
Verizon powers Hartford Wolf Pack transactions during the 2024-25 season.
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 hartfordwolfpack.com or call 860-722-9425 for more details!
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ABOUT THE HARTFORD WOLF PACK: The Hartford Wolf Pack has been a premier franchise in the American Hockey League since its 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.
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