PRE-GAME REPORT: WOLF PACK CELEBRATE 50 YEARS OF PROFESSIONAL HOCKEY IN HARTFORD VS. PHANTOMS
Jan 11, 2025HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack return home from a successful road trip for a historic night at the XL Center. The Wolf Pack host the Lehigh Valley Phantoms on the 50th Anniversary of professional hockey in Hartford.
The puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m., and coverage is available on AHLTV on FloHockey and Mixlr.
Tale of The Tape:
This is the fifth of six meetings between the Wolf Pack and the Phantoms this season. It is the third and final meeting between the foes at the XL Center.
The season series concludes on Feb. 8 at the PPL Center in Allentown.
The rivals have split four games evenly so far this season, with all four games requiring extra time. The Wolf Pack are 2-0-1-1 in the season series, while the Phantoms are 2-0-1-1. Each team has collected six of a possible eight points.
The Wolf Pack picked up their second victory in the season series last night, scoring a 3-2 overtime victory in Allentown.
Massimo Rizzo opened the scoring 8:37 into the hockey game, tipping home his third goal of the season. Louie Belpedio fired a shot from the point that Rizzo caught a piece of in the slot, getting the Phantoms on the board first.
Alex Belzile responded at 18:39, burying a pass from Nathan Sucese from the right-wing circle.
The Wolf Pack took a lead 5:16 into the second period when Adam Sýkora took a centering pass and beat Cal Petersen by the glove for his eighth goal of the season. Alexis Gendron countered at 8:54, beating Dylan Garand on the power play from the right-wing circle. Gendron was set up by Rodrigo Abols, who picked up a rebound and sent a backhand pass to the young forward.
Each side had good looks in the third period, but both goaltenders were perfect to force in overtime. In the extra frame, Victor Mancini elected to shoot on a two-on-one, beating Petersen at 1:41 for his first career overtime game-winning goal in the AHL.
Wolf Pack Outlook:
Last night’s victory marked the first back-to-back victories for the Wolf Pack on the road this season. The club is now 5-3-0-0 in their last eight games on the road and finished their four-game road trip with a record of 3-1-0-0.
Sucese registered two assists in last night’s victory, marking his first multi-point game with the Wolf Pack. He currently has a three-game point streak (1 g, 3 a, 4 pts).
Sýkora’s goal last night gives him eight on the season, matching his total from a season ago. He has scored in back-to-back games and scored four times in as many games on the road trip.
On Wednesday, Belzile and Garand were named to the 2025 AHL All-Star Classic. It is the third trip to the All-Star Game for Belzile and the first for Garand.
On Friday, the parent New York Rangers (NHL) recalled forward Bo Groulx from Hartford and assigned forward Brett Berard. In a corresponding move, the Wolf Pack recalled forward Blake McLaughlin from the ECHL’s Bloomington Bison.
Belzile and Groulx are tied for the team lead in goals with eleven, while Belzile leads the club in points with 32 (11 g, 21 a).
Phantoms Outlook:
Last night’s loss snapped a three-game winning streak for the Phantoms.
The Phantoms are 1-0-1-0 at the XL Center this season. They dropped a 4-3 overtime decision on Oct. 25 and claimed a 5-4 victory in overtime on Nov. 27.
Thanks to an assist last night, forward Samu Tuomaala has six points (4 g, 2 a) in four games against the Wolf Pack this season. Abols, meanwhile, has four points (1 g, 3 a) in four games against the Wolf Pack this season.
Gendron’s power play marker on Friday night gives him goals in three of his last four outings.
Jacob Gaucher leads the Phantoms with 14 goals on the season, while Tuomaala leads the way in points with 25 (8 g, 17 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 6:40 p.m. on both AHLTV on FloHockey and Mixlr.
The Pack is back tomorrow at the XL Center to conclude their second three-in-three weekend of the season! The ‘I-91 Rivalry’ takes center stage as the Springfield Thunderbirds roll into town.
The puck drop is set for 5:00 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.