PRE-GAME REPORT: WOLF PACK AIM FOR WEEKEND SPLIT AGAINST BEARS
Jan 23, 2022HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack will look to rebound this afternoon after being shutout for just the second time during the 2021-22 season. The Pack take the ice at the Giant Center against the Hershey Bears in search of a weekend split as they conclude their two-game road trip in Chocolate town.
Puck drop is set for 3:00 p.m.
Tale of The Tape:
This is the third of six meetings this season between the Wolf Pack and the Bears. It’s also the second of three meetings at the Giant Center in 2021-22, and the middle of three meetings in a span of eleven days. The sides will meet again on Wednesday, February 2nd at the Giant Center. The Bears don’t make their next trip to Hartford until March 5th.
The Wolf Pack took the first meeting of the season by a 7-3 decision on November 20th in Hartford. After building a 2-0 lead in the first period, the Pack found themselves trailing 3-2 after 40 minutes. Lauri Pajuniemi tied the contest at 2:53, then gave Hartford the lead at 3:57 of the third period as the Pack pulled away for two points thanks to five third period goals.
Last night, the Bears got their revenge with a 5-0 drubbing of the Wolf Pack. Axel Jonsson-Fjallby scored a hat-trick in the victory, while Brian Pinho and Joe Snively also lit the lamp. Pheonix Copley made 23 saves for the shutout.
The Wolf Pack are just 5-12-2-1 against the Bears over the course of the last five seasons.
Wolf Pack Outlook:
The Wolf Pack had a two-game winning streak snapped last night against the Bears. It was just the second time in 2021-22 that the Wolf Pack were shutout. The other occurrence was a 4-0 defeat against the Providence Bruins on December 31st, 2021.
Forward Austin Rueschhoff had his four-game goal scoring streak snapped on Saturday night. He had scored six goals during that span. It was the longest goal scoring streak on the Wolf Pack this season. Tanner Fritz, returning after a one-game suspension that he served on Wednesday night, also saw his point streak snapped. Fritz had collected points in three straight outings.
On Saturday, the parent New York Rangers recalled forward Anthony Greco and defenseman Tarmo Reunanen to the taxi squad. The club also assigned goaltender Tyler Wall to the Wolf Pack.
Fritz leads active Wolf Pack skaters with 19 points (4 g, 15 a) on the season. Rueschhoff leads active skaters in goals with nine.
Bears Outlook:
The Bears enter today’s game with a record of 19-11-3-2 following last night’s 5-0 victory over the Wolf Pack. The Bears had lost three straight contests (0-1-1-1) heading into last night’s game.
Joe Snively leads the Hershey attack with 35 points (12 g, 23 a) on the season. He had three points (1 g, 2 a) in last night’s win. Jonsson-Fjallby, thanks to his hat-trick, leads the team with 13 goals. Garrett Pilon and Snively are tied for second with 12 goals each on the campaign. Five different Bears players have scored double-digit goals this season.
Game Information:
WATCH: AHLTV
The Pack is back with three home games in four nights next week! First, the club hosts the rival Springfield Thunderbirds on Wednesday, January 26th. Then, the Providence Bruins come to town on Friday, January 28th! Join us for $2 beers and $1 hot dogs, compliments of our friends at Nomads Entertainment. Lastly, we travel to a galaxy far, far away on January 29th when the Lehigh Valley Phantoms come to town for ‘Star Wars Night’ at the XL Center! All games start at 7:00 p.m.
Tickets for all three games are available at www.hartfordwolfpack.com!
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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 are the top player-development affiliate of the NHL's New York Rangers and play 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.