Game Preview
Dec 10, 2017Game Day Info:
Hartford Wolf Pack vs. Springfield Thunderbirds
Puck Drop: Sunday, Dec. 10 at 5 p.m.
Game Preview:
The Thunderbirds have taken the last two head-to-head battles in the I-91 rivalry, after the Wolf Pack won two of the first three. The two clubs have split two earlier encounters in Hartford, with the Wolf Pack winning 4-2 on Nov. 5 and the Thunderbirds countering with a 3-1 triumph last Wednesday.
After posting their seventh victory in nine games with last Wednesday’s 3-1 verdict over the Wolf Pack, Springfield lost both ends of a two-game visit to Charlotte, falling 4-1 last Friday night and 4-3 last Sunday. The Thunderbirds are coming off a 4-3 win over the Bridgeport Sound Tigers last night, but the Springfield team lost 2-1 to the Rochester Americans on Friday night.
The Thunderbirds sit in eighth place in the Atlantic Division. With a 10-16-1-0 record, Springfield has a 0.389 win percentage.
Last Time Out:
Last night, the Wolf Pack played to a 3-2 shootout win over the Rochester Americans at the XL Center. Hartford goals in regulation time were provided by Peter Holland. Holland scored his first and second goals with the Wolf Pack.
Thus far, the Pack are 9-12-3-2 on the season, which places them seventh in the ultra-competitive Atlantic Division with 23 points from 26 games played. The Providence Bruins currently lead the division with a 15-6-2-0 record, while the Charlotte Checkers and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins fall close behind in the tight race.
Players to Watch:
#95 Vinni Lettieri
In 25 games played, Vinni Lettieri has scored nine goals and notched seven assists for a total of 16 points. Lettieri’s nine goals places him only behind Peter Holland for the team lead in goals. The rookie center came to Hartford from the University of Minnesota, where he helped Minnesota capture four-straight Big Ten regular-season championships as well as the 2015 Big Ten Tournament title.
# 18 Curtis Valk
Curtis Valk is in his first season with the Springfield Thunderbirds after spending the previous three with the Utica Comets. The center has seven goals and 15 assists for 22 points in 24 games. Valk’s 22 points puts him in second for the most points on the team, only behind Alexandre Grenier’s 23 points. Valk made his NHL debut on Nov. 14 of this year with the Florida Panthers, where he recorded no points in the one game.
Coming Up Next:
The Wolf Pack will be back home at the XL Center on Friday for an 80’s Night matchup against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. For tickets and information, visit the Hartford Wolf Pack ticketing site or call 866-762-6451.