Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins - Howlings

WOLF PACK WEEKEND RECAP: MARCH 18th, 2024

Mitch Beck — Fri, 22 Mar 2024 21:18:15 +0000

By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack

HARTFORD, CT—The Hartford Wolf Pack dropped their fifth straight contest on Sunday evening, falling 4-0 to the Hershey Bears. This is the second time this season that the Wolf Pack has suffered five consecutive losses.

The team packed up and drove to Rochester, NY, on Sunday night, where they’ll set up shop for the next three days. The Pack will take on the Rochester Americans for the second and final time this season on Wednesday night as part of their current four-game road trip.

Saturday, March 16^th, 2024, Vs. Utica Comets (4-2 L): Brett Berard got the Wolf Pack on the board 6:57 into the hockey game, deflecting an Alex Belzile shot by Akira Schmid on the powerplay to give the Wolf Pack a 1-0 lead.

The Comets scored the game’s next three goals, however, taking a lead they would never lose. At 13:19 of the first period, Graeme Clarke was left alone in front of Olof Lindbom and beat the goaltender with his glove to even the tilt at 1-1.

2:06 later, the Comets took the lead for good when a Ryan Schmelzer shot hit the stick of Lindbom, clipped the goal post, and trickled over the line to make it 2-1.

Schmelzer’s second of the night came via a redirection at 12:59 of the second period. The Comets’ captain slipped behind the Wolf Pack defense, saw a shot clip off his leg, and beat Lindbom.

Adam Sýkora got the Wolf Pack back within a goal 66 seconds later, beating Schmid from the left-wing circle for his seventh goal of the season.

Despite a good third-period push, the Wolf Pack could not solve Schmid to equalize the game. Kyle Criscuolo ended the intrigue at 18:29, scoring his 13^th goal of the season into an empty net.

The season series ended in a split, with each team winning one game. The road team finished the season series with a 2-0-0-0 record.

Sunday, March 17^th, 2024, @ Hershey Bears (4-0 L): The Wolf Pack were shut out on Sunday for the fourth time this season and the second time in the last three games. On Wednesday night, they also suffered a 4-0 defeat in Charlotte against the Checkers.

Ethen Frank scored the game-winning goal just 1:19 into the contest, snapping a shot by Dylan Garand’s glove from the left-wing circle. The goal came eight seconds into Hershey’s first powerplay of the night.

The Wolf Pack carried the play in the second period but could not solve Hunter Shepard. At 19:44 of the middle frame, Alex Limoges jammed home a rebound for his 19^th goal of the season, ballooning the lead to 2-0.

The Bears took advantage of two turnovers by the Wolf Pack in the third period to extend the lead to 4-0. First, Riley Sutter wrapped around his ninth goal of the season at 11:18 after a turnover behind the net. Then, Ryan Hofer blasted his fourth goal of the season by Garand at 14:13 after a puck deflected off two Wolf Pack players and came right into the slot for Hofer.

Shepard made 26 saves for his third shutout of the season.

Quick Hits:

Berard’s goal on Saturday night was his team-leading 23^rd of the season. He is now third in the AHL in goals among rookies, one behind Logan Stankoven of the Texas Stars and Josh Doan of the Tucson Roadrunners.
Berard (23 g, 17 a) and Brennan Othmann (14 g, 26 a) are in the top ten rookie points in the AHL. They both have 40 and are tied for seventh.
Sunday was the fourth time this season that the Wolf Pack was shut out. In addition to Sunday’s loss, the Pack fell 4-0 to the Checkers in Charlotte on March 13^th, 3-0 to the Providence Bruins in Rhode Island on February 18^th and 2-0 to the Bruins at the XL Center on November 11^th.
The Wolf Pack’s magic number to clinch a spot in the Calder Cup Playoffs is 19. They currently sit in fifth place with 67 points. The Wolf Pack are one point behind the Checkers for fourth and two points behind the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins for third.

The Week Ahead:

Wednesday, March 20^th, 2024, @ Rochester Americans (7:05 p.m., Blue Cross Arena)
Saturday, March 23^rd, 2024, @ Toronto Marlies (4:00 p.m., Coca-Cola Coliseum)
Sunday, March 24^th, 2024, @ Belleville Senators (2:00 p.m., CAA Arena)

# # #

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 safety, and more.

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.

HARTFORD WOLF PACK

HOWLINGS

The post WOLF PACK WEEKEND RECAP: MARCH 18th, 2024 first appeared on Howlings.

WOLF PACK WEEKEND PREVIEW: FEBRUARY 2nd, 2024

Mitch Beck — Fri, 02 Feb 2024 04:41:10 +0000

By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack

HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack opened a season-long, six-game homestand on Wednesday night at the XL Center. Unfortunately, despite a powerplay goal and a shorthanded goal, the Wolf Pack came up short against the Charlotte Checkers by a final score of 4-2.

The Pack are back on the ice this morning, preparing for two more home games before the All-Star break. The club will look to make up ground in the Atlantic Division and possibly jump to third place.

Friday, February 2^nd, 2024, Vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (7:00 p.m.): “We owe them one in our building,” interim head coach Steve Smith said Wednesday night about Friday’s matchup with the Penguins. After taking a 5-0 decision over the Pens on October 20^th, the Wolf Pack have dropped three straight in this head-to-head series.

The Penguins got off to quick starts in all three games at the Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza, winning all three games in regulation time. They claimed a 4-2 victory on October 28^th, then won both meetings in January by scores of 2-1 (January 7^th) and 4-1 (January 24^th).

In all three games, the Penguins opened the scoring early. Most recently, on January 24^th, the Pens led 2-0 just 3:42 into the hockey game.

The good news for the Wolf Pack is that the home team has largely dominated this head-to-head matchup as of late. The Wolf Pack went 2-0-0-1 against the Penguins at home last season and have won three straight at the XL Center against the Penguins.

Following Friday night’s matchup, these two rivals won’t see each other again until April 19^th at the XL Center.

Saturday, February 3^rd, 2024, Vs. Springfield Thunderbirds (7:00 p.m.): The ‘I-91 Rivalry’ takes center ice at the XL Center on Saturday night in the final game before the All-Star break. This will be the sixth of ten meetings between the foes and the first of two in February. They’ll meet again at the MassMutual Center on February 23^rd.

This is the season’s third meeting at the XL Center and the first since November 15^th. The T-Birds took a 5-2 decision on their first visit on October 27^th, but the Pack paid them back with a 5-1 triumph on November 15^th.

Each of the last two meetings has taken place in Springfield, with each team picking up a victory. Matt Rempe scored the game-winning goal on November 24^th in a 4-2 Wolf Pack win, while the T-Birds scored a 3-1 decision on December 27^th.

The Wolf Pack lead the season series with a 3-2-0-0 record through five meetings thus far.

Quick Hits:

Thanks to his goal on Wednesday night, rookie forward Brett Berard now leads the Wolf Pack in goals with 13 on the season.
Berard’s shorthanded marker 12:00 into the third period was his first career shorthanded goal as a pro.
On Wednesday night, Rookie forward Brennan Othmann recorded an assist on Karl Henriksson’s first-period powerplay goal. Othmann is currently riding a career-high six-game point streak (1 g, 5 a, 6 pts).
Earlier on Thursday, the Wolf Pack agreed to terms with defenseman Bryan Yoon on a one-year AHL contract for the remainder of the 2023-24 season. Yoon made his AHL debut with Hartford on January 19^th.
With an assist on Wednesday night, defenseman Nikolas Brouillard picked up his 20^th point of the season. It is the third consecutive season that Brouillard has hit the 20-point plateau. He recorded a career-high 39 points in both the 2021-22 (13 g, 26 a) and 2022-23 (6 g, 33 a) seasons while a member of the San Diego Gulls.

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.

HARTFORD WOLF PACK

HOWLINGS

The post WOLF PACK WEEKEND PREVIEW: FEBRUARY 2nd, 2024 first appeared on Howlings.

WOLF PACK WEEKEND RECAP: JANUARY 29th, 2024

Mitch Beck — Wed, 31 Jan 2024 19:15:05 +0000

By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack

HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack split the first two games of their four-game road trip, winning in Bridgeport on January 20^th before falling 4-1 in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton last Wednesday night.

Over the weekend, the Wolf Pack made their first trip to Cleveland, OH, since November 2008. On Friday and Saturday night, the Pack battled the North Division’s top team, the Cleveland Monsters.

The results? Two huge wins kicked off the second half of the season for the Wolf Pack.

Friday, January 26^th, 2024, @ Cleveland Monsters (4-2 W): Brett Berard was the hero for the Wolf Pack on Friday night, notching the first multi-goal game of his career. At 14:26 of the third period, Berard stuffed home a second-chance opportunity on the powerplay, breaking a 2-2 tie. The goal would be the game-winner, the third of Berard’s career.

His second goal of the night would be the dagger, as Berard scored an empty-net goal at 19:23 to end the intrigue.

Anton Blidh and Adam Sýkora also both scored in the victory. Blidh’s goal was the icebreaker at 5:26 of the second period, as he lifted a shot over the shoulder of Jet Greaves. The goal was set up by Artem Anisimov, who also had an assist in Hartford’s only other visit to Cleveland before this past weekend.

Sýkora’s goal was a terrific effort while shorthanded. He won a foot race to a loose puck behind the Monsters’ goal, then fought to the front of the net and got three cracks at potting the first shorthanded tally of his career.

The win improved the Wolf Pack to 11-0-2-0 when leading after two periods of play this season.

Saturday, January 27^th, 2024, @ Cleveland Monsters (3-2 W): The Pack completed the weekend sweep thanks to another late tiebreaking goal on Saturday night. This time, Matt Rempe pounced on a rebound and buried his seventh goal of the season at 14:14 of the third period to put the Pack ahead 3-2.

It was Rempe’s second of the night. He opened the scoring 7:30 into the game when he tipped home a Cristiano DiGiacinto shot. 59 seconds later, Blake Hillman’s first goal of the season put the Wolf Pack ahead 2-0.

Brendan Gaunce (PPG) and Jake Christiansen scored to get the Monsters even by the 7:48 mark of the second period, but Louis Domingue was perfect over the game’s final 32:12 to preserve his eleventh win.

Rempe’s game-winning goal is his second of the season and the third of his career. He also recorded the game-winning goal on November 24^th against the Springfield Thunderbirds.

The Wolf Pack are now 3-0-0-0 all-time in Cleveland.

Quick Hits:

Rempe’s two goals on Saturday night marked his second career multi-goal game. He also had two goals on January 10^th, 2023, at Charlotte.
Mac Hollowell assisted Hillman’s goal on Saturday night, his career-high 29^th of the season. His 29 assists rank him T-5^th in the AHL and second among defensemen, one behind Chicago’s Matt Donovan.
The goal was Hillman’s second of the season and his first since December 9^th at Laval. This marks the first time in the versatile defenseman’s career that he scored multiple goals in a regular season. Last spring, Hillman had two goals in seven Calder Cup Playoff games with the Wolf Pack.
The weekend sweep of the Monsters moves the Wolf Pack to 6-2-3-0 against the North Division this season. They are 2-0-1-0 against the Monsters.
Hartford’s next North Division opponent is the Laval Rocket, who come to town for the first two visits on February 16^th (7:00 p.m.).
Saturday night’s victory improved the Wolf Pack to 9-2-0-0 when tied after two periods of play. It was the first time this season that the Monsters lost a game in regulation when tied after two periods (8-1-1-0).

The Week Ahead:

Wednesday, January 31^st, 2024, Vs. Charlotte Checkers (7:00 p.m., XL Center)
Friday, February 2^nd, 2024, Vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (7:00 p.m., XL Center, $2 beers & $2 hot dogs)
Saturday, February 3^rd, 2024, Vs. Springfield Thunderbirds (7:00 p.m., XL Center, youth jersey giveaway, Women in Sports Night presented by Nissan)

# # #

HARTFORD WOLF PACK

HOWLINGS

The post WOLF PACK WEEKEND RECAP: JANUARY 29th, 2024 first appeared on Howlings.

WOLF PACK WEEKEND PREVIEW: JANUARY 25th, 2024

Mitch Beck — Sat, 27 Jan 2024 09:43:56 +0000

By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack

HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack continued their four-game road trip on Wednesday night, visiting the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins for the third and final time this season. The Pack surrendered the game’s first four goals, falling 4-1 to even their record to 1-1-0-0 on the trip.

The team will spend Thursday on the road, traveling to Cleveland, OH, for the first time since November 2008.

Friday, January 26^th, 2024, & Saturday, January 27^th, 2024, @ Cleveland Monsters (7:00 p.m.): The Wolf Pack will roll into Cleveland for their first game in the city since November 16^th, 2008. That night, the Wolf Pack scored a 5-3 victory in their first-ever meeting with the then-Lake Erie Monsters. Bobby Sanguinetti’s powerplay goal at 19:37 of the second period would be the game-winning goal.

The Wolf Pack would sweep the two-game series that year, defeating the Monsters by a final score of 6- 2 when they visited Hartford on February 13^th, 2009.

The Monsters claimed their first-ever head-to-head victory over the Wolf Pack in the first of four meetings this season back on December 6^th. Luca Del Bel Belluz scored the game-winning goal 2:28 into overtime to give the Monsters the 4-3 victory.

The sides will play both Friday and Saturday night, wrapping up the Cleveland portion of this season series in roughly 27 hours. The season series concludes on Thursday, February 22^nd, when the Monsters return to the XL Center.

The Monsters lead the North Division with 52 points (25-11-1-1), four clear of the second-place Syracuse Crunch. They defeated the Toronto Marlies 7-5 in their last outing on Wednesday night.

Individually, Owen Sillinger led the way for the Monsters on December 6^th, scoring three assists in the victory. Carson Meyer lit the lamp twice for the Monsters, while Cameron Butler scored his first, and to this point only, goal in the AHL.

Brennan Othmann, Brett Berard, and Brandon Scanlin scored the goals for the Wolf Pack in defeat.

Quick Hits:

Current Wolf Pack forward Artem Anisimov is the only active player in the AHL who played for the club on their last visit to Cleveland on November 16^th, 2008. Anisimov picked up an assist in the victory and fired three shots on goal.
Thanks to his assist on Othmann’s third-period powerplay goal on Wednesday night, defenseman Mac Hollowell now sits T-3^rd in the AHL in powerplay assists with 14 on the season.
Othmann’s powerplay goal puts him T-2^nd among rookies in the AHL in powerplay goals this season. Texas Stars forward Kyle McDonald leads the league with seven.
Following this weekend’s two road games, the Wolf Pack will open a six-game homestand from January 31^st through February 16^th.
During that span, the Wolf Pack will host the Charlotte Checkers (1/31/24), Penguins (2/2/24), Springfield Thunderbirds (2/3/24), Bridgeport Islanders (2/9/24), Providence Bruins (2/10/24), and Laval Rocket (2/16/24).

HARTFORD WOLF PACK

HOWLINGS

The post WOLF PACK WEEKEND PREVIEW: JANUARY 25th, 2024 first appeared on Howlings.

WOLF PACK MET PENS FOR MIDWEEK SHOWDOWN

Mitch Beck — Sat, 27 Jan 2024 09:39:45 +0000

By Gerry Cantlon, Howlings

WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON, PA – The Hartford Wolf Pack saw Alex Nylander lead Wilkes-Barre/Scranton with a goal and an assist, leading the Penguins to a 4-1 win before 3,164 at the Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza on Wednesday.

The game’s first goal came off Jesse Puljujärvi’s stick. At 1:05, he came down the right wing while being challenged by Pack d-man Matt Robertson after Radim Zahorna launched a shot. The puck hit Pack starter Louie Domingue’s arm and went into the net. It was not a good goal and one he would want back.

The Penguins kept the heat on after potting their first tally and would double their advantage with Nylander scoring what would prove to be the game-winner.

Peter Abbadonato one-timed a pass to the left-wing side through the box. Nobody was there to intercept the puck or to check Alex Nylander, the son of the former Hartford Whaler and New York Ranger, Michael Nylander. Mac Hollowell confronted Nylander but went for a fake, allowing him to move to the center, where he wired in his 13th goal of the season past Domingue at 3:42, and it was 2-0.

Already down a pair, the Pack would see the deficit grow again at 10:44 in the second period.

Marc Johnstone won the draw cleanly from Ryder Korczak, the only natural center the Pack were playing with on the day, and it went back to defenseman Ty Smith.

Smith moved it quickly over at the left point to one-time Yale University Bulldog Jack St. Ivany. Matt Rempe was bearing down on him, and St. Ivany uncorked a howitzer that sailed past Domingue for his second tally of the year. The Pack trailed by three.

The Pack would score their only goal of the contest at 7:48 of the third period while on the power play. Hollowell made a cross-ice pass to Brennan Othmann, who was open in the right-wing circle. Othmann, in turn, buried his tenth of the campaign past an otherwise brilliant netminder, Joel Blomqvist, extending his point-scoring streak to three games.

Blomqvist stopped 27 of 28 in the contest, while Domingue was 27 of 31 in the evening.

The Wolf Pack had a golden chance to get closer when Artem Anisimov had a breakaway attempt and went backhand-to-forehand but Blomquist flexed his right pad to stop him.

A few minutes later, the Penguins expanded their lead to 4-0.

Alex Belzile was in the left-wing corner. His pass attempt to find Blake Hillman instead found Jesse Puljujärvi, and Sam Poulin took off down the other way on an odd-man rush the other way.

Belzile hustled back to close the gap, but it wasn’t enough, as Puljujärvi sent a pass over to Poulin.

Blake Hillman, who also had hustled back, got a piece of the puck. Despite the bouncing puck, Poulin was able to chip it over an aggressive Domingue, who had come out of his net to challenge the play and got caught. The game’s final goal was scored at 13:01.

This weekend, the Pack will continue their travels in Cleveland with a two-game set against ex-Pack Alex Whalen (Quinnipiac University).

GAME SHEET

LINES:

Karl Henriksson-Brennan Othmann-Brett Berard
Adam Sýkora-Alex Belzile-Anton Blidh
Turner Elson-Artem Anisimov-Matt Rempe
Ryder Korczak-Bobby Trivigno-Cristiano DiGiacinto

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

Louie Domingue
Dylan Garand

SCRATCHES:

Ben Harpur (upper body, indefinite)
Riley Nash (lower body, day-to-day)
Zach Berzolla (lower body, week-to-week)
Matej Pekar (lower body, week-to-week)
Adam Edström (upper body, week-to-week),
Bryan Yoon (healthy)

NOTES:

In the first periods of this season series, the Wolf Pack have been outscored 7-0.

The Pack scrambled to put their lineup together after the late afternoon recall of Jake Leschyshyn playing with 12 forwards.

Adam Erne (North Branford) cleared waivers from the Edmonton Oilers and was reassigned to the Bakersfield Condors.

Nick DeSimone (CT Oilers) was placed on waivers by the Calgary Flames.

Kris Knoblauch’s Oilers will play the Blackhawks in Chicago to attempt to beat the record for consecutive wins in team history. Knoblauch has top guns Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaital, but they are getting lots of secondary scoring.

D Adam Karashik (Ridgefield/ UCONN/AOF) was sent to the Reading Royals (ECHL) on a conditioning assignment. Ex-Pack emergency goalie Parker Gahagen was recalled. The recall came about because the Flyers summoned Cal Peterson after Carter Hart and four other pros from the 2018 Canadian WJC stand accused of sexual assault. They need to turn themselves in to the Canadian authorities in London, Ontario.

Patrick Harper (New Canaan/AOF) was released by the South Carolina Stingrays (ECHL) with just 16 points in 31 games.

Stefano Pietrantonio, via Quebec (Kent School/Yale Jr. Bulldogs), will commit to Dartmouth College (ECACHL) for 2025-26.

HARTFORD WOLF PACK

HOWLINGS

The post WOLF PACK MET PENS FOR MIDWEEK SHOWDOWN first appeared on Howlings.

WOLF PACK FALL TO PENGUINS 4-1 WED

Mitch Beck — Sat, 27 Jan 2024 03:49:59 +0000

By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack

WILKES-BARRE, PA – The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins jumped out to a lead just 65 seconds into the contest on Wednesday night, never looking back en route to a 4-1 victory over the Hartford Wolf Pack at the Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza.

For the third time in a row, the Penguins opened the scoring. This time, Jesse Puljujarvi did the honors, scoring his third goal of the season. Puljujarvi took a pass from Radim Zohorna and galloped down the right-wing side. Puljujarvi then snapped a shot that snuck through Louis Domingue just 1:05 into the game to give the Penguins a lead they never lost.

Alex Nylander extended the lead moments later, snapping home his 13^th goal of the season at 3:42. After a shift in which the Penguins controlled the puck, Nylander took a feed from Peter Abbandonato and walked into the left-wing circle. Nylander fired a shot into traffic that beat Domingue by the glove to provide the Penguins with some insurance. The goal would prove to be the game-winning tally, Nylander’s third of the season.

Jack St. Ivany ballooned the lead to 3-0 10:44 into the second period, blasting home a one-timer on a setup from Ty Smith. The goal was St. Ivany’s second of the season, giving him his second point of the night (1 g, 1 a). Smith’s assist was his second of the game, as he also collected a helper on the night’s first tally.

Puljujarvi set up the goal that made it 4-0, rushing up the ice and entering the Wolf Pack zone on the left-wing side. Puljujarvi sent a pass to Sam Poulin, who tipped the puck into the net at 13:01 for his ninth goal of the season.

The Wolf Pack did get on the board in the third period, converting on their third powerplay of the night. Brennan Othmann fired a one-timer from the right-wing circle for his tenth goal of the campaign at 7:48. Mac Hollowell picked up his 28^th assist and 30^th point of the season on the goal, making him the second Wolf Pack player to hit 30 points this year. Alex Belzile collected the secondary assist on the goal, giving him his team-leading 31^st point.

The Wolf Pack continue their road trip on Friday night when they visit the Cleveland Monsters for a back-to-back set. The puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m., and coverage will be available at 6:45 p.m. on AHLTV and Mixlr.

The Pack is next back at the XL Center on January 31^st when the Charlotte Checkers come to town. Tickets are available at hartfordwolfpack.com.

HARTFORD WOLF PACK

HOWLINGS

The post WOLF PACK FALL TO PENGUINS 4-1 WED first appeared on Howlings.

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

HOME

The post WOLF PACK WEEKEND RECAP: JANUARY 15TH, 2024 first appeared on Howlings.

CINCINNATI CYCLONES DROPS ONE IN WICHITA

Mitch Beck — Sun, 14 Jan 2024 10:24:27 +0000

Thunder take the season series against the Cyclones

By: Dana Grey, Cincinnati Cyclones

WICHITA, KS – The Wichita Thunder bested the Cincinnati Cyclones 6-4 on home ice inside the Intrust Bank Arena. Wichita wins the regular season series against Cincinnati 2-1-0-0.

Cincy got on the board first less than three minutes in with a Nick Isaacson wrist shot. After Wichita tied the game 1-1, Zack Andrusiak picked up a 5-on-3 power play goal to give the ‘Clones the lead right back.

Thunder leading scorer Peter Bates also converted on a 5-on-3 power play in the second period. Cincinnati got the lead right back with help from Lincoln Griffin, who whacked a rebound just outside of the crease. Back-to-back goals from Wichita’s Jay Dickman and Michal Stinil gave the Thunder a 4-3 lead entering the 3rd period.

Peter Bates collected his second goal of the game while Wichita was shorthanded early in the 3rd period. 17 seconds later, Tim Doherty grabbed a power play goal to bring the ‘Clones back within one, 5-4. Wichita added an empty-net goal in the final 10 seconds of the game.

Up next, Cincinnati rounds out the road trip with the first visit to Coralville this season. The Cyclones take on the Iowa Heartlanders this Monday, January 15th, at Xtream Arena.

Call (513) 421-PUCK for tickets and more information, and stay on top of all the latest team updates and information on Facebook, Twitter (@CincyCyclones), and Instagram, along with our website, www.cycloneshockey.com.

CINCINNATI CYCLONES

HOME

The post CINCINNATI CYCLONES DROPS ONE IN WICHITA first appeared on Howlings.

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

HOME

The post ROSTERS UNVEILED FOR 2024 AHL ALL-STAR CLASSIC first appeared on Howlings.

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.

HARTFORD WOLF PACK

HOME

The post WOLF PACK SEND FORWARD BRENNAN OTHMANN TO RANGERS first appeared on Howlings.