Game Preview
Dec 22, 2017Game Day Info:
Hartford Wolf Pack vs. Providence Bruins
Puck Drop: Friday, Dec. 22 at 7:15 p.m.
Game Preview:
The Wolf Pack and Bruins have met twice previously this season and the Bruins have won both, 5-0 on November 4 at the XL Center and 4-3 in a shootout December 8 in Providence.
The Bruins are coming off a big 6-2 win over the Hershey Bears Friday night, and have won nine of their last 10 games. The Bruins sit in first place in the Atlantic Division with a 18-7-2-0 record and a 0.704 win percentage.
Last Time Out:
On Wednesday night, the Wolf Pack played to a 5-4 overtime win at the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. John Gilmour, Tony DeAngelo and Caleb Herbert all had a two-point night, as the trio produced a goal and an assist each, while Ryan Gropp and Gabriel Fontaine added two more goals. Marek Mazanec made 30 saves in his fourth straight start in net and the Wolf Pack extended their point streak to a season-high eight games. The Pack have yet to lose in regulation time in the month of December.
Thus far, the Pack are 12-12-3-3 on the season and are back to a .500 win percentage, which places them sixth in the ultra-competitive Atlantic Division with 30 points from 30 games played. Next in the standings are the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, who are in fifth place with a 13-11-2-1 record and 29 points from 27 games played. The Providence Bruins currently lead the division, while the Charlotte Checkers and Lehigh Valley Phantoms fall close behind in the tight race.
Players to Watch:
#3 John Gilmour
In 25 games played, second year defenseman John Gilmour has scored five goals and notched 12 assists for a total of 17 points. Gilmour’s 17 points leads Wolf Pack defenders and is good enough for fifth on the team in points. In his last three games, Gilmour has had three goals and three assists, and he is no stranger to offensive production, as he finished second among Wolf Pack defensemen in points, goals and assists (6G-19A-25 pts) last season. The Montreal native came to Hartford from Providence College, where he notched the second-most points (23) and goals (9) among Providence College defensemen in his 2015-16 senior season.
#27 Austin Czarnik
Austin Czarnik currently has eight goals and 17 assists for a team-leading 25 points in 21 games with Providence. The 24-year-old center was with the Boston Bruins for a large part of the 2016-17 season, where he scored five goals and added eight assists for 13 points in 49 games. In 17 games throughout the 2017 Calder Cup Playoffs, the Michigan native had three goals and four assists. Czarnik went undrafted during his two draft classes, but signed with Boston in 2015.
Coming Up Next:
The Wolf Pack will be back home at the XL Center tomorrow for a matchup against the Bridgeport Sound Tigers at 3 p.m. Fans are encouraged to bring their skates and stick around for a post-game skate on the XL Center ice. For tickets and information, visit the Hartford Wolf Pack ticketing site or call 866-762-6451.