Game Preview
Nov 25, 2017Game Day Info:
Hartford Wolf Pack vs. Hershey Bears
Puck Drop: Saturday, Nov. 25 at 7 p.m.
Game Preview:
This is the second meeting of the season between the Wolf Pack and Bears, and Hershey’s first visit to the XL Center. In the season series opener Oct. 29 in Hershey, the Bears posted a 4-3 win. The Wolf Pack were 3-4-1-0 in last year’s season series vs. Hershey, with a 2-2-0-0 record at home.
The Bears came into this week at exactly at .500, but now have a record of 8-9-0-2 for 18 points, after their 2-1 loss to the Springfield Thunderbirds on Wednesday. The Bears are currently one point ahead of the Wolf Pack in the Atlantic Division standings and have gone 7-4-0-1 in their last 12, after a 1-5-0-1 start.
Bears veteran forward, and former Wolf Pack player, Chris Bourque leads the AHL in both points and assists, with 7-18-25 in 19 games.
Last Time Out:
Last night, the Wolf Pack played to a 7-3 loss to the Bridgeport Sound Tigers at Webster Bank Arena. Adam Cracknell scored two goals, his first with the Wolf Pack, while Steven Fogarty added his fourth goal of the season. Alexander Georgiev took the loss in net.
Thus far, the Pack are 7-9-2-1 on the season, which places them seventh in the ultra-competitive Atlantic Division, one spot ahead of the Springfield Thunderbirds. The Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins currently lead the division with a 12-3-0-1 record, while the Lehigh Valley Phantoms and Providence Bruins fall close behind in the tight race.
Players to Watch:
# 17 Scott Kosmachuk
New to the Wolf Pack this season, Kosmachuk has had a solid start with two goals and seven assists in 18 games. The right wing is playing in his fourth season of pro hockey, as he spent his first three years with the Winnipeg Jets organization. With the Manitoba Moose, the Toronto native scored 11 goals and registered 17 assists in the 2016-17 season.
# 17 Chris Bourque
Chris Bourque has an AHL-leading 25 points in 19 games for the Bears, with seven goals and 18 assists. The left wing is a former member of the Hartford Wolf Pack, where he had a 66-point season in the 2014-15 AHL season. He is the AHL’s active leading scorer and was drafted by the Washington Capitals in the second round of the 2004 NHL Draft.
Coming Up Next:
The Wolf Pack will be back home at the XL Center on Wednesday, Nov. 29 for a matchup against the Springfield Thunderbirds at 7 p.m. If the Wolf Pack win, fans in attendance will get a ticket to the Pack’s next home game on Saturday, Dec. 9 (some restrictions apply.) For tickets and information, visit the Hartford Wolf Pack ticketing site or call 866-762-6451.