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WOLF PACK WEEKEND PREVIEW: JANUARY 18th, 2024

Mitch Beck — Fri, 19 Jan 2024 01:38:15 +0000

By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack

HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack wrapped up their four-game road trip to kick off the 2024 slate last weekend. While the club started the weekend with a defeat in Allentown, they bounced back in a big way on Saturday night in the first home game of the New Year.

Trailing 2-1 after two periods of play, the Pack stormed back to claim a 3-2 overtime victory.

The club remains at home for a key Atlantic Division tilt on Friday night before heading an hour south on Saturday night for the ‘Battle of Connecticut.’

Friday, January 19^th, 2024, Vs. Hershey Bears (7:00 p.m.): For the first time since May 17^th, 2023, the Hershey Bears visit the XL Center. It is the first of just two trips to Hartford this season for the Bears and the second of four overall meetings between the sides.

While the Bears swept the Atlantic Division Final back in May, completing the sweep in Hartford in Game 3 on May 17^th, the Pack got a little revenge earlier this month. Brett Berard’s goal 23 seconds into the third period on January 6^th broke a 3-3 tie, giving the Wolf Pack a lead they wouldn’t lose in an eventual 5-3 victory.

Jake Leschyshyn, assigned back to the Wolf Pack by the parent New York Rangers (NHL) on Saturday night, scored twice in the victory.

The Bears are coming off a 2-1 shootout loss in Bridgeport to the Islanders on Monday afternoon. The Wolf Pack, meanwhile, are fresh off a 3-2 overtime victory over the Providence Bruins on Saturday night.

The sides next meet in Hershey on March 17^th, then wrap up the season series on March 30^th in Hartford.

Saturday, January 20^th, 2024, @ Bridgeport Islanders (7:00 p.m.): The ‘Battle of Connecticut’ rages on at Total Mortgage Arena on Saturday night. It is the fifth of ten meetings between the rivals this season and the third of five in Bridgeport.

The Wolf Pack have taken three of the first four meetings, including each of the last two. Both of those games followed a similar script, as the Wolf Pack and Islanders were tied 2-2 after two periods of play on both nights.

On December 30^th, Cristiano DiGiacinto tipped home a Connor Mackey shot 6:57 into the third period to put the Wolf Pack ahead for good in a 3-2 win at the XL Center. On January 4^th, in Bridgeport, Artem Anisimov played the role of hero when he scored 1:13 into the third period to give the Pack a 3-2 edge.

The Wolf Pack are 10-6-0-0 against the Islanders dating back to the start of last season and have won five straight games at Total Mortgage Arena.

The sides next play at the XL Center on February 9^th.

Quick Hits:

Following Karl Henriksson’s powerplay goal on Saturday night against the Bruins, the Wolf Pack powerplay sits third in the AHL with a 23.7% success rate. That ranks first in the Eastern Conference and trails only the Chicago Wolves (24.8%) and Texas Stars (24.6%).
The Wolf Pack penalty kill remains top ten in the AHL following a five-for-six performance on Saturday night. The Pack have an 84.2% success rate on the penalty kill, tied with the Abbotsford Canucks for ninth-best in the league.
Defenseman Mac Hollowell extended his point streak to six games with a goal on Saturday night against the Bruins. He now sits in third in the AHL in points among defensemen with 28 (2 g, 26 a). Only Ontario’s Brandt Clarke (32 points) and Chicago’s Matt Donovan (31 points) have more.
Defenseman Brandon Scanlin’s overtime goal on Saturday night was the first game-winning goal of his professional career.
The Wolf Pack’s 33 games played are the fewest in the Atlantic Division. The Lehigh Valley Phantoms have played the next fewest games, 35.

About OVG360: OVG360, a division of Oak View Group, is a full-service venue management and hospitality company that helps client partners reimagine the sports, live entertainment, and convention industries for the betterment of the venue, employees, artists, athletes, and surrounding communities. With a portfolio of more than 200 client partners spanning arenas, stadiums, convention centers, performing arts centers, cultural institutions, and state fairs around the globe, OVG360 provides a set of services, resources, and expertise designed to elevate every aspect of business that matters to venue operators. Service-oriented and driven by social responsibility, OVG360 helps facilities drive value through excellence and innovation in food services, booking and content development, sustainable operations, public health and public safety, and more.

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 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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WOLF PACK WEEKEND RECAP: JANUARY 15TH, 2024

Mitch Beck — Fri, 19 Jan 2024 01:16:54 +0000

By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack

HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack concluded their four-game road trip on Friday night in Allentown, opening a weekend back-to-back set. The club then trekked through the night back to Hartford before playing their first home game of 2024 on Saturday night.

The Pack earned the weekend split thanks to Saturday night’s comeback effort and now sit at 19-9-5-0.

Friday, January 12^th, 2024, @ Lehigh Valley Phantoms (4-1 L): Olle Lycksell scored twice in the opening period for the Phantoms, giving them a 2-0 lead after 20 minutes that they never lost. His goal 19:32 into the opening frame, a one-timer from the right-wing circle, would stand as the game-winner.

Brandon Scanlin scored his second goal in as many games 4:39 into the second period, getting Hartford within one. However, that would be as close as the Pack would get, as the Phantoms added two goals in the third period to pull away.

Jacob Gaucher potted a rebound 2:41 into the third period to make it a 3-1 game, then Victor Mete scored at 12:07 to extend the lead to 4-1.

The win was the Phantoms’ first regulation victory in the season series and snapped the Wolf Pack’s seven-game head-to-head point streak (6-0-1-0). Despite the loss, the Wolf Pack did win the season series 4-2 (4-1-1-0).

Saturday, January 13^th, 2024, Vs. Providence Bruins (3-2 OTW): For the second time this season, the Wolf Pack defeated the Providence Bruins when trailing after two periods of play. It was also the second time this season that the Pack picked up a victory over the Bruins in a game they never led.

Jayson Megna got the Bruins on the board 15:43 into the hockey game, potting a powerplay goal. The Pack responded with a powerplay goal of their own 10:44 into the middle frame, as Karl Henriksson fired a shot from the left-wing circle home.

Just 28 seconds later, Alec Regula restored the lead with a shot from the slot for his third goal of the season.

For the second time in as many meetings, the Pack would storm back when trailing after two against the Bruins. Mac Hollowell tied the contest 10:42 into the period when he blasted home a shot from the right-wing point. The goal was his second as a member of the Wolf Pack.

1:44 into overtime, Scanlin would complete the comeback when he jammed home a loose puck at the side of the goal. The tally was Scanlin’s first career game-winning goal in overtime.

Quick Hits:

Scanlin’s goal on Saturday night wasn’t just his first career overtime game-winning goal but also gave him his first career three-game goal-scoring streak.
Hartford’s comeback over the Bruins on Saturday night was their second victory this season when trailing after two periods of play. They defeated the Bruins 6-4 on November 22^nd after trailing 4-2 after two periods.
On Saturday night, the parent New York Rangers (NHL) assigned forward Jake Leschyshyn to the Wolf Pack.
On Sunday, the Rangers assigned forward Anton Blidh to the Wolf Pack.
Over the weekend, the Wolf Pack released two players from professional tryout agreements (PTO). First, the club released defenseman Grant Gabriele on Saturday night. Then, the club released forward Blade Jenkins on Sunday morning. Jenkins previously signed with the club on Saturday.
The Wolf Pack will be well-represented at the NHL All-Star Game in Toronto next month. In addition to Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin, the following Wolf Pack alumni will be at the event: goaltender Alexandar Georgiev (Colorado Avalanche), goaltender Cam Talbot (Los Angeles Kings), and forward J.T. Miller (Vancouver Canucks).
Hollowell has a six-game point streak following his goal on Saturday night. The defenseman has one goal and five assists in that span. It is his second-point streak of six games or more this season.

The Week Ahead:

Friday, January 19^th, 2024, Vs. Hershey Bears (7:00 p.m., XL Center, New York Rangers Night)
Saturday, January 20^th, 2024, @ Bridgeport Islanders (7:00 p.m., Total Mortgage Arena)

HARTFORD WOLF PACK

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WOLF PACK DROP ROAD TRIP FINALE 4-1 TO PHANTOMS

Mitch Beck — Sat, 13 Jan 2024 06:46:46 +0000

By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack

ALLENTOWN, PA – Brandon Scanlin scored his second goal in as many games on Friday night at the PPL Center in Allentown, but it would not be enough to push the Wolf Pack to victory against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. The Phantoms scored twice in the first period, then tacked on two more in the third as they prevailed 4-1 in the season finale between the two teams.

At 18:26 of the first period, the Wolf Pack went to the penalty kill for the second time in the contest when Connor Mackey’s clearing attempt ended up out of play. On the ensuing powerplay, the Phantoms extended their lead to 2-0 via Olle Lycksell’s second tally of the night.

Tanner Laczynski’s pass from the left-wing side found Lycksell on the backdoor, and he one-timed home his second goal of the night at 19:32. The goal was Lycksell’s fifth in six games against the Wolf Pack this season.

For the second time in as many meetings, the Phantoms opened the scoring. A clearing attempt failed to exit the Wolf Pack zone, instead ending up on the stick of defenseman Ronnie Attard. Attard quickly turned and fired a puck toward the goal, which clipped the stick of Lycksell and found the back of the net at 14:47.

The goal, Lycksell’s 13^th of the season, was his first goal since November 24^th. It snapped a 12-game drought for the forward.

Lycksell’s second goal of the night at 19:32, his 14^th of the season, would prove to be the game-winning goal.

The Wolf Pack drew within one early in the second period, as Scanlin found the back of the net for the fifth time this season. Mac Hollowell fired a pass to Scanlin, who was pinching in on the left-wing side. Scanlin collected the puck and quickly snapped home his second goal in as many games.

Hollowell’s assist was his 26^th of the season and 27^th point. That establishes a new career high for the blueliner.

The second period also saw a pair of fights, as Matt Rempe dropped the gloves with Rhett Gardner at 10:54. Then, at 16:08, Louis Domingue got into a scrap with Phantoms’ captain Garrett Wilson. The tussle would result in game misconducts for both Domingue and Wilson, ending their nights.

That forced Dylan Garand into action for the final 23:52 of regulation time.

2:41 into the third period, the Phantoms expanded their lead when Jacob Gaucher found a rebound and roofed his third goal of the season. Then, at 12:07, Victor Mete put the game out of reach with his first goal of the campaign.

Mete’s shot from the blue line missed the net but bounced off the boards behind the Hartford goal, hit the skate of Garand, and found the back of the net.

The win was the Phantoms’ first regulation victory over Hartford since February 10^th, 2023. It snapped a seven-game point streak (6-0-1-0) for the Wolf Pack against the Phantoms.

Hartford’s first home game of 2024 will be tomorrow night as they host the Providence Bruins at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available at hartfordwolfpack.com.

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ROSTERS UNVEILED FOR 2024 AHL ALL-STAR CLASSIC

Mitch Beck — Sat, 13 Jan 2024 04:26:08 +0000

By: Jason Chaimovich, AHL

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. … Today, the American Hockey League announced the playing rosters for the 2024 AHL All-Star Classic presented by Tech CU, to be held February 4-5 in San Jose, Calif.

Twelve players will represent each of the AHL’s four divisions. Committees of AHL coaches determined rosters, and at least one All-Star represents all 32 AHL teams.

The 2024 rosters feature 41 first-time AHL All-Stars and 13 rookies, as well as 14 former first-round NHL draft choices and ten second-round picks. In addition, 23 of the All-Stars named have also played in the National Hockey League already this season, including Rochester’s Jiri Kulich and Isak Rosen (Buffalo), Hartford’s Brennan Othmann (N.Y. Rangers), Grand Rapids’ Simon Edvinsson and Jonatan Berggren (Detroit), Tucson’s Dylan Guenther (Arizona), and reigning AHL MVP Dustin Wolf (Calgary). Utica’s Graeme Clarke (New Jersey) and Ontario’s Brandt Clarke (Los Angeles) have both been selected and will become just the second pair of brothers to skate in the same AHL All-Star Classic after Peter and Chris Ferraro in 1997 and 2003.

Hershey Bears head coach Todd Nelson, Cleveland Monsters head coach Trent Vogelhuber, Texas Stars head coach Neil Graham, and Calgary Wranglers head coach Trent Cull will serve as coaches for the event.

The 2024 AHL All-Star Skills Competition on Sunday, Feb. 4 (8 ET/5 PT) will pit the All-Stars from the two Eastern Conference divisions against those from the two Western Conference divisions in seven skills events. In the 2024 AHL All-Star Challenge on Monday, Feb. 5 (9 ET/6 PT), the four teams will participate in a 3-on-3, round-robin tournament featuring six games of 10 minutes each. At the end of the round-robin, the two teams with the best records will face off for the championship, a six-minute, 3-on-3 game.

Ticket packages start as low as $56, including admission to the Skills Competition and the Challenge. For more information, fans can visit sjbarracuda.com/allstar.

The 2024 AHL All-Star Classic presented by Tech CU will feature the top young talent in the American Hockey League: since 1995, more than 94 percent of All-Star Classic participants have gone on to compete in the National Hockey League, including Cam Atkinson, Drake Batherson, Jordan Binnington, Thomas Bordeleau, John Carlson, Thatcher Demko, Lukas Dostal, Connor Hellebuyck, Tristan Jarry, Jordan Kyrou, Jonathan Marchessault, Jacob Markstrom, J.T. Miller, Brandon Montour, William Nylander, Kyle Palmieri, Mikko Rantanen, Dylan Strome, Tyler Toffoli, Linus Ullmark, Vitek Vanecek and Mats Zuccarello, as well as current San Jose Sharks Logan Couture, Mike Hoffman, Luke Kunin, Kaapo Kahkonen, Mackenzie Blackwood and Jacob MacDonald.

Since 1936, the American Hockey League has been the top development league for the players, coaches, managers, executives, broadcasters, and staff of all 32 National Hockey League teams. Nearly 90 percent of today’s NHL players are American Hockey League graduates, and more than 100 honored members of the Hockey Hall of Fame spent time in the AHL in their careers.

Atlantic Division All-Stars
G Joel Blomqvist, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (1st appearance)
D Lucas Carlsson, Charlotte Checkers (1st)
D Dylan Coghlan, Springfield Thunderbirds (1st)
F Ethen Frank, Hershey Bears (2nd)
F Adam Gaudette, Springfield Thunderbirds (1st)
D Mac Hollowell, Hartford Wolf Pack (1st)
F Ruslan Iskhakov, Bridgeport Islanders (2nd)
D Dylan McIlrath (“C”), Hershey Bears (1st)
F Georgii Merkulov, Providence Bruins (1st)
F Brennan Othmann, Hartford Wolf Pack (1st)
G Clay Stevenson, Hershey Bears (1st)
F Samu Tuomaala, Lehigh Valley Phantoms (1st)
Coach Todd Nelson, Hershey Bears (4th)

North Division All-Stars
D Jake Christiansen, Cleveland Monsters (2nd appearance)
F Graeme Clarke, Utica Comets (1st)
F Angus Crookshank, Belleville Senators (1st)
F Trey Fix-Wolansky, Cleveland Monsters (1st)
F Gage Goncalves, Syracuse Crunch (1st)
G Jet Greaves, Cleveland Monsters (1st)
D Max Guenette, Belleville Senators (1st)
G Dennis Hildeby, Toronto Marlies (1st)
F Jiri Kulich, Rochester Americans (1st)
D Logan Mailloux, Laval Rocket (1st)
F Isak Rosen, Rochester Americans (1st)
F Alex Steeves, Toronto Marlies (1st)
Coach Trent Vogelhuber, Cleveland Monsters (1st)

Central Division All-Stars
G Yaroslav Askarov, Milwaukee Admirals (1st appearance)
F Jonatan Berggren, Grand Rapids Griffins (1st)
F Matej Blumel, Texas Stars (1st)
F Mavrik Bourque, Texas Stars (1st)
D Ethan Del Mastro, Rockford IceHogs (1st)
D Simon Edvinsson, Grand Rapids Griffins (1st)
F Rocco Grimaldi, Chicago Wolves (2nd)
F Brad Lambert, Manitoba Moose (1st)
F Nic Petan, Iowa Wild (1st)
F Logan Stankoven, Texas Stars (1st)
D Spencer Stastney, Milwaukee Admirals (1st)
G Jesper Wallstedt, Iowa Wild (2nd)
Coach Neil Graham, Texas Stars (2nd)

Pacific Division All-Stars
F Arshdeep Bains, Abbotsford Canucks (1st appearance)
D Brandt Clarke, Ontario Reign (1st)
F Matt Coronato, Calgary Wranglers (1st)
F Adam Cracknell (“C”), Henderson Silver Knights (1st)
D Ryker Evans, Coachella Valley Firebirds (2nd)
F Dylan Guenther, Tucson Roadrunners (1st)
F Danil Gushchin, San Jose Barracuda (1st)
F Raphael Lavoie, Bakersfield Condors (1st)
F Riley Tufte, Colorado Eagles (1st)
G Matthew Villalta, Tucson Roadrunners (1st)
G Dustin Wolf, Calgary Wranglers (2nd)
D Olen Zellweger, San Diego Gulls (1st)
Coach Trent Cull, Calgary Wranglers (1st)

AHL

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WOLF PACK SEND FORWARD BRENNAN OTHMANN TO RANGERS

Mitch Beck — Sat, 13 Jan 2024 03:34:57 +0000

Credit: Jim McIsaac

By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack

HARTFORD, CT – New York Rangers President and General Manager Chris Drury announced today that the club has assigned forward Brennan Othmann to the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack.

Othmann, 20, has scored 23 points (9 g, 14 a) in 28 games with the Wolf Pack this season, his rookie professional campaign in North America. His 23 points rank him fourth on the Wolf Pack this season and tied for ninth in the AHL among rookies.

Additionally, Othmann’s nine goals have him tied for 12^th in the AHL among rookies, and his 14 assists are tied for ninth among all rookies league-wide.

During his stint with the Rangers, Othmann appeared in three games with the club. He made his NHL debut on January 4^th against the Chicago Blackhawks at Madison Square Garden, recording five shots.

Before joining the Wolf Pack this season, Othmann professionally played the 2020-21 season for EHC Olten in the Swiss National League, scoring 16 points (7 g, 9 a). The native of Scarborough, ON, played his junior hockey in the OHL, appearing in 177 games and notching 197 points (96 g, 101 a) for the Flint Firebirds and Peterborough Petes.

Othmann led the Petes to an OHL Championship in 2023, scoring 25 points (8 g, 17 a) in 23 playoff games. He is also a two-time IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship Gold Medal winner with Team Canada (2022 & 2023).

Othmann was selected in the first round, 16^th overall, of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft by the New York Rangers.

The Wolf Pack conclude their four-game road trip on Friday night when they visit the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. The puck drop is set for 7:05 p.m., with coverage available on both AHLTV & Mixlr.

Hartford’s first home game of 2024 will be on Saturday, January 13^th, as they host the Providence Bruins at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available on hartfordwolfpack.com.

ABOUT OVG360:

OVG360, a division of Oak View Group, is a full-service venue management and hospitality company that helps client partners reimagine the sports, live entertainment, and convention industries for the betterment of the venue, employees, artists, athletes, and surrounding communities. With a portfolio of more than 200 client partners spanning arenas, stadiums, convention centers, performing arts centers, cultural institutions, and state fairs around the globe, OVG360 provides a set of services, resources, and expertise designed to elevate every aspect of business that matters to venue operators. Service-oriented and driven by social responsibility, OVG360 helps facilities drive value through excellence and innovation in food services, booking and content development, sustainable operations, public health and public safety, and more.

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 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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WOLF PACK WEEKEND RECAP: JANUARY 8TH, 2024

Mitch Beck — Fri, 12 Jan 2024 05:43:20 +0000

By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack

HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack kicked off the 2024 calendar year with three road games in four days. The club played their first Thursday night game of the season against the Bridgeport Islanders, then trekked to Pennsylvania for a pair of contests.

Although the weekend ended in defeat, the Wolf Pack ended with two victories over divisional opponents to begin the New Year.

Thursday, January 4^th, 2024, @ Bridgeport Islanders (3-2 W): Artem Anisimov scored his first regular-season goal as a member of the Wolf Pack since 2009 just 1:13 into the third period to break a 2-2 tie on Thursday night. The goal would be the game-winner, Anisimov’s first with Hartford in the regular season at Albany since March 27^th, 2009.

Matt Rempe opened the scoring 2:28 into the contest, while Brett Berard buried a powerplay goal from the right-wing circle 4:29 into the middle frame.

The Wolf Pack went one-for-one on the powerplay, while their penalty kill stood strong with a four-for-five effort.

Dylan Garand picked up his second win at Total Mortgage Arena this season, making 28 saves.

The win was the Wolf Pack’s second straight victory, both coming over the Islanders. It marked the first time since December 1^st and 2^nd, both against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, that Hartford had won back-to-back games.

This was also the second straight game in which the Wolf Pack used an early third-period goal to break a 2-2 tie. They pulled the same trick on the Isles at the XL Center on December 30^th.

The Wolf Pack are now 2-0-0-0 at Total Mortgage Arena this season and have won five straight games in Bridgeport.

Saturday, January 6^th, 2024, @ Hershey Bears (5-3 W): It was a physical, intense, emotional game on Saturday night at the Giant Center in Hershey as the Wolf Pack and Bears met for the first time since the 2023 Atlantic Division Final last May.

Jake Leschyshyn got the Wolf Pack on the board 11:30 into the game, pushing home a rebound on the powerplay for his second goal of the season.

The defending Calder Cup Champions tied the game just over six minutes later via a double deflection, then took a 3-1 lead early in the second period. In just 39 seconds, a 1-1 game became a 3-1 lead for the Bears when Jimmy Huntington and Henrik Rybinski lit the lamp at 1:37 and 2:16, respectively.

Despite facing the top team in the AHL this season, who, besides being the defending Calder Cup Champions, also had a six-game home winning streak and nine-game overall winning streak heading into the game, the Wolf Pack did not back down. Matthew Robertson drew the club within one at 12:33 of the second, rifling a wrist shot from the left-wing circle.

Then, at 16:57, Connor Mackey tied the game with a blast from the right-wing side off a feed from Bobby Trivigno.

The Wolf Pack carried the momentum into the third period, scoring 23 seconds in to retake the lead for good. Brett Berard fired a puck from the right-wing circle that snuck in for his tenth goal of the season.

Leschyshyn added the insurance at 18:17, hitting an empty net while the Wolf Pack were killing off a penalty.

The win marked the third straight game that the Wolf Pack scored early in the third period to break a tie and win in regulation.

Sunday, January 7^th, 2024, @ Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (2-1 L): Despite a late push on Sunday afternoon, the Wolf Pack dropped their weekend finale to the Penguins at the Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza.

Sam Poulin buried a rebound 7:27 into the hockey game, while Jonathan Gruden tacked on the insurance 11:44 into the second period while shorthanded. Gruden’s goal would prove to be the game-winner.

Brandon Scanlin got the Wolf Pack on the board 7:58 into the third period, but it wasn’t enough despite Hartford’s push. Joel Blomqvist made 12 third-period saves to preserve the victory.

Gruden’s shorthanded marker was his second game-winning goal against the Wolf Pack this season. It was also the Penguins’ second shorthanded goal against the Wolf Pack during the 2023-24 campaign.

Quick Hits:

Thanks to an assist in all three games this past weekend, defenseman Mac Hollowell is now tied for fourth in the AHL in assists with 25. He sits three behind the league leader, Chicago Wolves defenseman Matt Donovan.
After scoring goals in three straight games, rookie forward Brett Berard is now tied for sixth in the AHL in goals among rookies. He is tied with Laval’s Joshua Roy, Lehigh Valley’s Samu Tuomaala, Manitoba’s Nikita Chibrikov, Milwaukee’s Fedor Svechkov, and Abbotsford’s Max Sasson.
Berard’s goal on Saturday night in Hershey was his second career game-winning goal. He previously notched the winner in the home opener on October 20^th against the Penguins.
Thanks to his victory over the Bears, Louis Domingue is now tied for tenth in the AHL in wins with ten this season.
Following this weekend’s results, the Wolf Pack sit third in the Atlantic Division with 41 points, one behind the Providence Bruins (42). The Wolf Pack, however, have four games in hand on the Bruins.
Forward Brennan Othmann made his NHL debut with the parent New York Rangers on Thursday night against the Chicago Blackhawks. He became the second Wolf Pack player to make his NHL debut this season, joining forward Adam Edström.

The Week Ahead:

Friday, January 12^th, 2024, @ Lehigh Valley Phantoms (7:05 p.m., PPL Center)
Saturday, January 13^th, 2024, Vs. Providence Bruins (7:30 p.m., XL Center)

HARTFORD WOLF PACK

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WOLF PACK WEEKEND PREVIEW: JANUARY 11th, 2024

Mitch Beck — Fri, 12 Jan 2024 05:10:29 +0000

By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack

HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack opened the 2024 calendar year with three road games in four nights. The Pack prevailed in their first two contests, defeating the rival Bridgeport Islanders and defending Calder Cup Champion Hershey Bears.

Although the Wolf Pack dropped their finale in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton at the hands of the Penguins on Sunday, the club came home with four of a possible six points.

Now, the Wolf Pack get set for their first home game of 2024. The club will play a set of back-to-back games this weekend, starting back in Pennsylvania on Friday night.

Friday, January 12^th, 2024, @ Lehigh Valley Phantoms (7:05 p.m.): The Wolf Pack and Phantoms will wrap up their 2023-24 season series on Friday night at the PPL Center in Allentown.

The Wolf Pack have won four of the first five meetings between the foes and collected points in all five games (4-0-1-0). Most recently, the Wolf Pack swept a back-to-back set at the XL Center on December 1^st and 2^nd, prevailing by scores of 7-3 and 5-4 in overtime.

The lone victory in the head-to-head matchup for the Phantoms came back on November 3^rd with a final score of 5-4 in overtime.

The Wolf Pack are 1-0-1-0 at the PPL Center this season and 3-0-1-0 in their last four visits. Dating back to last season, the Wolf Pack have points in seven straight games against the Phantoms (6-0-1-0).

This will be the first head-to-head season series in the division that the Wolf Pack complete this year.

Saturday, January 13^th, 2024, Vs. Providence Bruins (7:30 p.m.): The Bruins roll into town for the third time this season on Saturday night. It’ll be the fifth of ten overall meetings between the foes during the 2023-24 campaign.

Each team has won two meetings, one at home and one on the road. The Bruins claimed a 2-0 victory in Hartford on November 11^th, then took a 3-2 overtime decision at home the next afternoon. The Wolf Pack, meanwhile, opened their season with a 3-2 shootout victory over the Bruins on October 13^th at the Amica Mutual Pavilion.

The Pack even the season series last time out, scoring four unanswered goals in the third period to win 6-4. The victory was Hartford’s first multi-goal comeback of the season. It is also the only time so far during the 2023-24 season that the club has won a game when trailing after two periods of play.

Mac Hollowell, named to the 2024 AHL All-Star Classic, scored a career-high four assists in the Wolf Pack’s win at home on November 22^nd, the last meeting between the foes.

Quick Hits:

On Tuesday, the parent New York Rangers (NHL) assigned forward Brennan Othmann to the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack. The Rangers then recalled forward Jake Leschyshyn.
Othmann is currently tied for second in the AHL among rookies in powerplay goals. He has scored five this season, one behind rookie league leader Kyle McDonald of the Texas Stars.
On Wednesday, the AHL announced the 2024 AHL All-Star Classic rosters, set to take place in San Jose, CA, on February 4^th and 5^th. Othmann and Hollowell were named to the game as the Wolf Pack’s representatives on the Atlantic Division roster.
Also on Wednesday, the Rangers recalled defenseman Matthew Robertson from the Wolf Pack. Robertson notched his second goal of the season in the club’s 5-3 victory at Hershey on Saturday night.
Following a nine-for-ten performance over the weekend in Hershey and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, the Wolf Pack penalty kill is now ninth in the league with an 84.5% kill rate.

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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 the XL Center. The Wolf Pack has been home to some of the Ranger’s newest faces, including Igor Shesterkin, Filip Chytil, and Ryan Lindgren. Follow the Wolf Pack on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok.

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WOLF PACK COME UP SHORT AGAINST PENGUINS

Mitch Beck — Fri, 12 Jan 2024 04:26:40 +0000

By Gerry Cantlon, Howlings

WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON, PA – The Hartford Wolf Pack faced a defensive brick wall and solid goaltending in the third period from the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and were defeated 2-1 before 3,238 at the Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza Sunday afternoon.

Penguins’ netminder Joel Blomquist (20 saves) battled Hartford’s solid net-front presence throughout the entire third period. The Pack was only able to beat Blomquist one at 7:58. Brandon Scanlin was 55 feet away from the net when he received a Mac Hallowell pass. Scanlin then launched a seeing-eye blast that found its way through a maze of legs and sticks and snuck past Blomquist to slice the Penguin’s lead in half and would prove to be the game’s final score.

Late in the second period, the Penguins had a golden opportunity to expand their lead when the Pack took two penalties 17 seconds apart. At 13:32, Ryder Korczak was called for Interference. Then 13:49, Alex Belzile was whistled and sent into isolation for Tripping. The Pack penalty-killing unit rose to the occasion stifling the two-man Penguins advantage. The PK unit rose to the occasion again early in the third period when the Penguins could have broken the game wide-open when Jake Leschyshyn was sent off for a High-sticking call.

GAME CENTER

Offensively, the second period was begun quite slowly for the Rangers’ AHL affiliates. They posted just one shot in the first nine minutes and three in total for the entire period. The Pens defense just stifled the usually potent Hartford offense down.

What would prove to be the game winner came off a shorthanded two-on-one as the Pack’s Nikolas Brouillard was the only defender back in the defensive zone. Jon Gruden came into the attack zone with Colin White. Brouillard went to White leaving Grudent to go mano-e-mano with Pack netminder, Dylan Garand.

Gruden fired past Garand’s glove hand into the top shelf for his seventh tally of the season unassisted at 11:44. That made the score 2-0

The Penguins took the 1-0 lead on a SAm Poulin goal at 7:27 of the first period after White forced an Adam Sýkora neutral zone turnover.

White marched down the ice, toe dragged past an ineffective stick check by Matt Robertson and fired it at Garand. The puck rebounded off his pad right to Poulin, the son of ex-Hartford Whaler Patrick Poulin, who was behind the goal line. He then jammed home his fifth goal of the season.

LINES:

Alex Belzile-Jake Leschyshyn-Brett Berard
Karl Henriksson-Anton Blidh-Adam Sýkora
Artem Anisimov-Turner Elson-Bobby Trivigno
Matt Rempe-Ryder Korczak-Matej Pekar

Mac Hollowell-Brandon Scanlin
Blake Hillman-Connor Mackey
Nikolas Brouillard-Matt Robertson

Dylan Garand
Louie Domingue

SCRATCHES:

D Ben Harpur (upper body, indefinitely)
F Riley Nash (lower body, week to week)
D Zach Berzolla (lower body, week to week)
Adam Edström (upper body, week to week)
D Grant Gabriele (healthy)
Cristiano DiGiacinto (healthy)

NOTES:

The Pack shuffled their D pairings by moving one player from each set.

Penguins featured several ex-Connecticut connected players. Marc Johnstone of Sacred Heat University (AHA) Poulin, St. Ivany and scratched was Alexander Nylander is the son of ex-Whaler/Ranger Michael Nylander.

The Wolf Pack are in third place, 17 points behind the Hershey Bear who won 3-2 in OT over the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. The Providence Bruins reclaimed second place 6-3 over struggling Springfield, hurt by callups and have lost five in a row.

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WOLF PACK PREPARE FOR THE WEEKEND

Mitch Beck — Fri, 05 Jan 2024 17:16:37 +0000

By: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings

HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack got ready for the weekend with a fluid lineup.

Riley Nash has a lower-body injury and is still two weeks away from being able to play again. Defenseman Zach Berzolla is also out with a lower-body injury and is roughly a week away.

Not all the news, however, is bad. There is good news, too.

Artem Anisimov signed a professional try-out contract and practiced with the team on Wednesday before scoring the game-winning goal against the Bridgeport Islanders on Thursday night.

Adam Sýkora has returned from the WJC tournament in Sweden. He will likely play either Saturday in Hershey against the Bears or Sunday in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton against the Penguins depending upon how he feels from the adjustments from jet lag.

Ex-Pack and current New York Ranger, Filip Chytil, is dealing with the lingering effects of a severe concussion, believed to be his fourth. He has been sent home to Czechia to deal with it and to perhaps ponder the next steps in his career.

Brennan Othmann was recalled by the Rangers on Wednesday and made an impressive debut against the Chicago Blackhawks. He has compiled 23 points in 20 AHL games. The Rangers had wanted Othmann to marinate a little longer in Hartford, but Tyler PItlik’s leg injury expedited the process. He skated on a line with Nick Bonino and his former Wolf Pack linemate, Johnny Brodzinski.

NOTES:

The Bridgeport Islanders are playing goalie chess. First Ken Appleby was recalled by the parent club. Then, the team recalled Henrik Tikkanen, who played in Springfield. Jakub Skarek is still on the team and is on the outside looking in.

Islanders defenseman Trevor Cosgrove, who was just recalled from the Worcester Railers, was named to the ECHL All-Star Game on January 15th in Savannah, Georgia. So was Patrick Grasso, the nephew of former New Haven Nighthawk, Tom Mullen.

Two ex-Pack’s were also named to the AHL All-Star Classic in San Jose as captains. Dylan McIlrath of Hershey, and Adam Cracknell of the Henderson Silver Knights.

Media reports confirm the 2026 WJC is coming to Minneapolis/St. Paul. The last two times a US venue was used were both in Buffalo back in 2018 and 2011. The last time the WJC was held in Minnesota was when it was a dual location with Grand Forks, North Dakota, and Thief Rive, Minnesota back in 2005. The last time in Minneapolis/St. Paul was in 1982. That was the first time the WJC was ever held in the US.

The WJC was held in Boston in 1996 in a very poorly marketed effort. Prior to that, they held it in Anchorage, Alaska in 1989.

The 2025 WJC will be in Ottawa. Canada has hosted the WJC tourney 18 times, the most of any country.

Drew Worrad’s contract has been terminated by the Wolf Pack by mutual consent. He is free to pursue new ventures or end his career. The same goes for Tristan Mullin, who was acquired in a minor-league free-agent signing in mid-August. He split last year between the Coachella Valley Firebirds (AHL) and Kansas City Mavericks (ECHL). He never showed up for training camp. His organizational involvement is finished. He is free to do as he pleases.

Ex-Pack Jacob Hayhurst was named the ECHL Player of the Week.

Ethan De Jong (Quinnipiac University) is sent from the Bakersfield Condors (AHL) to the Ft. Wayne Komets (ECHL).

Odeen (Odie) Tufto (Quinnipiac University) heads overseas. After being suspended by the Iowa Heartlanders (ECHL) he goes to EHC Olten (Switzerland-LNB),

Joe Masonius (UCONN-HE) moves from the Newfoundland (St. John’s) Growlers (ECHL) to the Wolf Pack’s ECHL affiliates, the Cincinnati Cyclones. He started out the year in the Erste League with SC Csikszeda (Romania-MOL). Kyle Howarth (UCONN-HE) is recalled from the Indy Fuel (ECHL) by the Rockford IceHogs.

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PRE-GAME: WOLF PACK OPEN ROAD TRIP AGAINST ISLES

Mitch Beck — Fri, 05 Jan 2024 00:29:20 +0000

By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack

BRIDGEPORT, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack opens the 2024 calendar year with a four-game road trip against the Bridgeport Islanders tonight. This is the first of three games in four nights for the club. The Wolf Pack will visit the Hershey Bears and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins this weekend.

The puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m., and coverage is available on both AHLTV and Mixlr.

Tale of The Tape:

This is the fourth meeting of the season between the Wolf Pack and the Islanders. In total, the sides will face off ten times this season. Tonight is the second of five games at Total Mortgage Arena between the foes.

Hartford holds a 2-1 edge in the season series thanks to wins in the first and third meetings. The Wolf Pack blanked the Islanders 3-0 in their lone visit to Total Mortgage Arena on November 10^th, with Anton Blidh potting the game-winning goal. Riley Nash scored twice in the win, while Dylan Garand made 37 saves to collect the shutout.

After a wild 5-4 Islanders victory in Hartford on December 22^nd, the Wolf Pack struck back with a 3-2 win in their last outing on December 30^th at the XL Center.

The Islanders jumped out to a 2-0 lead thanks to a pair of first-period redirections. Samuel Asselin kicked off the scoring 4:47 into the game, tipping a Robin Salo shot past Louis Domingue on the powerplay. Ruslan Iskhakov extended the lead at 13:42, deflecting a bid from Seth Helgeson while at five-on-five.

The Wolf Pack roared back with a pair of second-period powerplay goals, tying the affair through two periods of play. Karl Henriksson’s first career powerplay goal got Hartford on the board 4:16 into the frame as he fired a shot from the left-wing circle. At 7:32, Brett Berard drew the Wolf Pack even when he jammed a rebound by Ken Appleby for his eighth goal of the season.

Cristiano DiGiacinto potted his sixth career goal against the Islanders 6:57 into the third period, putting the Wolf Pack ahead for good. DiGiacinto got a piece of a Connor Mackey shot, fooling Appleby for his first goal of the season in his third appearance.

Louis Domingue preserved the victory with 14 saves in the third period. He improved to 9-2-2 on the campaign.

The rivals next meet at the XL Center on February 9^th, 2024. That game will be the 2,000^th game in Wolf Pack history.

Wolf Pack Outlook:

The Wolf Pack’s victory on Saturday night over the Islanders snapped the club’s five-game (0-3-2-0) losing streak. It was their longest losing streak of the season. The victory improved the Wolf Pack to 7-5-3-0 when surrendering the first goal and 5-4-1-0 when trailing after one period of play.

The win was Hartford’s sixth (6-2-0-0) this season when tied after two periods of play. The Wolf Pack are 15-2-2-0 when either tied or winning through 40 minutes of play this season.

This was the fifth time this season that the Wolf Pack had overcome a two-goal deficit to win a hockey game. It’s the first time they have done so since trailing 2-0 and 3-1 in Laval on December 8^th, a game they won 4-3 in a shootout over the Rocket.

Alex Belzile and Jonny Brodzinski, on recall with the parent New York Rangers (NHL), lead the Wolf Pack in goals with eleven each. Belzile leads the team in points with 26 (11 g, 15 a), while Mac Hollowell leads the team in assists with 22.

On Tuesday, the Wolf Pack inked veteran forward Artem Anisimov to a professional tryout agreement (PTO). Anisimov has yet to appear in a game this season. The 771-game NHL veteran played for the AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms a season ago, recording 36 points (19 g, 17 a) in 55 games. He will wear #42 with the Wolf Pack.

On Wednesday, the Rangers recalled forward Brennan Othmann. Othmann is third on the Wolf Pack, scoring 23 points (9 g, 14 a) in 28 games. He sits in the top ten in the AHL among rookies in points (23, T-6^th), goals (9, T-7^th), and assists (14, T-8^th).

Islanders Outlook:

The loss to the Wolf Pack on Saturday night dropped the Islanders to 4-12-1-0 on the road this season. It also snapped a four-game point streak (3-0-1-0) for the club on the road.

Over their last six games, the Islanders’ powerplay has erupted. The unit is 6-for-21 (28.57%) over that time. The team has collected points in four of those six games, going 3-2-1-0.

Saturday’s loss was the first time since December 15^th at Charlotte (3-0 L) that the Islanders failed to score at least three goals in a game.

Tonight opens a busy stretch of home games for the Islanders. The club will play their next five games at Total Mortgage Arena and seven of their next eight at home. During this five-game homestand, the Isles will also welcome the Charlotte Checkers to town on Saturday (7:00 p.m.) and Sunday (3:00 p.m.), the Springfield Thunderbirds on Wednesday night (7:00 p.m.), and finally the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on January 13^th (7:00 p.m.).

The Islanders’ next road game, the only one in their next eight contests, is on January 14^th at Providence against the Bruins (3:05 p.m.)

Iskhakov leads the club in both goals with ten and points with 24 (10 g, 14 a). He and Dennis Cholowski are tied for the team lead in assists with 14 each.

On Wednesday, the parent New York Islanders (NHL) recalled goaltender Ken Appleby from Bridgeport. Appleby is 1-1-0 against the Wolf Pack this season.

Game Information:

WATCH: AHLTV
LISTEN: Mixlr

Play-by-play voice of the Wolf Pack, Alex Thomas, will have ‘Wolf Pack Pregame’ starting live at 6:45 p.m. on both AHLTV and Mixlr.

The Wolf Pack continue their four-game road trip on Saturday night when they visit the Hershey Bears for a 2023 Atlantic Division Final rematch. The puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m., and coverage is available on both AHLTV & Mixlr starting at 6:45 p.m.

The Pack is back at the XL Center on Saturday, January 13^th, when they host the Providence Bruins. The puck drop is set for 7:30 p.m.; tickets are available at hartfordwolfpack.com.

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