PRE-GAME REPORT: WOLF PACK BATTLE THUNDERBIRDS ON ‘HOCKEY FIGHTS CANCER’ NIGHT
Nov 23, 2024HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack look to win four straight games for the first time this season as they welcome the Springfield Thunderbirds to town on ‘Hockey Fights Cancer’ night at the XL Center.
The puck drop is set for 6:00 p.m., and coverage is available on AHLTV on FloHockey and Mixlr.
Tale of The Tape:
This is the third of ten meetings between the Wolf Pack and the Thunderbirds this season. It is the third of five meetings between the foes at the XL Center. The next three meetings will come at the MassMutual Center, as the sides face off on Saturday, Nov. 30, Friday, Dec. 27, and Wednesday, Dec. 31.
The rivals have split the first two games of this head-to-head matchup, with each claiming one victory in regulation time.
The Wolf Pack scored a 6-5 victory on Oct. 18 in their home opener. Brett Berard notched the game-winning goal at 10:47 of the third period, making it 6-4 at the time. Brennan Othmann and Jaroslav Chmelař both scored twice in the victory.
The Thunderbirds answered back with a 5-2 victory on Oct. 27, handing the Wolf Pack their lone home loss of the season. Tanner Dickinson scored the game-winning goal 11:08 into the second period, as five different Thunderbirds lit the lamp in the victory.
Dylan Roobroeck scored his first career professional goal in the loss for the Wolf Pack.
Wolf Pack Outlook:
The Wolf Pack improved to 8-1-0-0 at the XL Center with a 5-4 shootout victory over the Charlotte Checkers on Tuesday.
Bo Groulx opened the scoring 14 seconds into the hockey game, scoring the Wolf Pack’s fastest goal to start a game this season. Alex Belzile recorded his first hat trick as a member of the Wolf Pack, scoring five-on-five, shorthanded, and on the power play.
His power play goal came at 10:23 of the third period, tying the game 4-4. The Wolf Pack led 3-1 after two periods of play, but three goals in 7:30 by the Checkers had them leading before Belzile’s power play marker.
Ryan McAllister scored at 2:07 for the Checkers to make it a 3-2 game before Justin Sourdif tied the game at 5:45. Kyle Criscuolo gave the Checkers the lead at 9:37, but Belzile responded 46 seconds later.
Belzile would then score the only goal of the shootout to propel the Wolf Pack to victory. Louis Domingue made 41 saves to collect his second straight win. The veteran netminder also recorded his second assist of the season in the win.
Berard and Groulx are tied for the team lead in goals with six, while Berard leads the club in points with 12 (6 g, 6 a).
Thunderbirds Outlook:
The Thunderbirds picked up a 4-3 overtime victory over the Checkers at home on Friday night.
Nikita Alexandrov and Matthew Peca struck 11:49 and 13:52 into the hockey game to put the T-Birds ahead 2-0, but the Checkers would strike twice to tie the tilt. Criscuolo netted his eighth goal of the season at 19:50 on the power play, then tied the game with his ninth goal of the season 8:42 into the middle stanza.
Early in the third period, Aleksanteri Kaskimaki scored his third goal of the season to restore the lead for the T-Birds. John Leonard answered for the Checkers, however, striking on the power play at 3:13 to tie the game 3-3 and force an eventual overtime.
In overtime, former Checker Matt Luff would score on a breakaway at 3:38 to give the T-Birds the second point.
Alexandrov, Dalibor Dvorsky, and Marcus Sylvegard are tied for the team lead in goals with six each. Alexandrov and Dvorsky are tied for the team lead in points with 12 (6 g, 6 a).
Game Information:
WATCH: AHLTV on FloHockey
LISTEN: Mixlr
Play-by-play voice of the Wolf Pack Alex Thomas will have ‘Wolf Pack Pregame’ starting live at 5:45 p.m. on both AHLTV on FloHockey and Mixlr.
The Pack is back tomorrow when the Bridgeport Islanders come to town for the third installment of the ‘Battle of Connecticut’ this season.
Have you ever wanted to be a wizard?! We can help! The first 1,500 fans in attendance on Sunday will receive a wizard wand giveaway. We hope that the right wand chooses the right wizard! We’ll have wizardly games and areas for you to work on casting spells throughout the concourse.
The puck drop is set for 4:00 p.m.
Tickets 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 is the top player-development affiliate of the NHL's New York Rangers and plays 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.