Game Preview
Oct 21, 2017Game day info:
Hartford Wolf Pack vs. Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins
Puck Drop: Saturday, Oct. 21 at 7:05 p.m.
Game Preview:
The Wolf Pack are on the road at the Mohegan Sun Arena to take on the Penguins in the first matchup of the season between the two teams. Tonight’s game will be the first of three visits to play the Penguins on their home turf in the 2017-18 season, with the remaining three matchups between the two set for the XL Center.
Last season, the Penguins won all eight games against the Wolf Pack in the season series. A division rival, the Penguins currently sit in fourth place in the Atlantic Division with a 3-2-0 record with 21 goals for and 14 against. The hockey club has played to two losses, which came at the hands of the Charlotte Checkers and Lehigh Valley Phantoms. The Penguins are on a two-game winning streak, with points picked up against the Laval Rocket and the Syracuse Crunch.
Last Time Out:
Last night, the Wolf Pack played to a 5-1 loss at home to the Belleville Senators. With a quick 1-0 lead for the Senators in the first period, the Wolf Pack answered shortly after with Cole Schneider’s third goal of the season. The goal was assisted by Filip Chytil, who picked up his fourth point in his third Wolf Pack game. The rest of the game would be played in favor of Ottawa.
Thus far, the Wolf Pack are 3-2 on the season, which places them in fifth place in the Atlantic Division, just one spot behind the Penguins. The Checkers currently lead the division with a 4-1 record, while the Providence Bruins and Phantoms fall close behind in the tight race. Thought Hartford sits in fifth place with six points, the division-leading Checkers only have a two-point advantage, with eight.
Players to Watch:
#24 Cristoval Nieves
In 5 games, Cristoval Nieves has scored two goals and notched one assist for a total of three points. Nieves is off to a nice start, as last season he tallied six goals and 12 assists in 40 games with the Wolf Pack. The 2012 New York Rangers second round draft pick has been in Hartford since 2015-16.
# 11 Daniel Sprong
Daniel Sprong currently leads Wilkes-Barre Scranton in points with seven goals and three assists in five games. The right wing currently leads the AHL with 10 points and is no stranger to offensive production, as he scored five goals and tallied two assists in 10 games in the 2016 Calder Cup Playoffs. Sprong has played in 18 NHL games and was a 2015 second round draft selection at 46th overall for the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Coming Up Next:
The Wolf Pack are on a two-game road trip this weekend with today’s game against the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins and a 3:00 Sunday matchup with the Bridgeport Tigers. The Pack will be back at the XL Center next Friday, Oct. 27 at 7:15 p.m. for a Howl-O-Ween game against the Tigers. Fans can expect trick-or-treating on the concourse and a costume parade, as well as other in-game elements. For tickets and information, visit the Hartford Wolf Pack ticketing site or call 866-762-6451.