PRE-GAME REPORT: WOLF PACK CONCLUDE BACK-TO-BACK SET WITH VISIT TO THUNDERBIRDS
Dec 28, 2022SPRINGFIELD, MA – The Hartford Wolf Pack conclude a brief two-game road trip tonight when they head north to visit the Springfield Thunderbirds in the latest installment of the ‘I-91 Rivalry’.
Puck drop is set for 7:05 p.m. and coverage is available on both AHLTV and Mixlr.
Tale of The Tape:
This is the fourth of twelve meetings between the Wolf Pack and Thunderbirds during the 2022-23 season. It is the second of six meetings at the MassMutual Center, and the second of three meetings during the month of December. The clubs will meet again on New Year’s Eve, December 31st, at the XL Center.
The Thunderbirds spoiled the party at the XL Center last Thursday night, scoring a 4-2 victory in the most recent meeting. Ty Emberson opened the scoring 11:42 into the game for the Wolf Pack, sending a backhand shot by Joel Hofer for a shorthanded goal. The Thunderbirds took over in the middle frame, however, scoring three times to take the lead for good.
Mitchell Hoelscher tied the game at 2:53 with his first career AHL goal, beating Louis Domingue from an angle. Jake Neighbours put the T-Birds ahead at 11:33, following up a Will Bitten chance for his fourth goal of the season. Martin Frk concluded the second period outburst with a powerplay blast from the point at 18:30 for his sixth goal of the campaign.
Gustav Rydahl got the Wolf Pack within one at 3:51 of the final stanza, but Hugh McGing restored the two-goal lead and ended the intrigue at 6:30.
The Thunderbirds won the only meeting thus far at the MassMutual Center by a score of 5-1 on November 4th. Hartford’s lone victory in the season series came on November 9th, a 2-1 shootout victory at the XL Center.
Wolf Pack Outlook:
The Wolf Pack won their second consecutive game last night, blasting the Bridgeport Islanders by a final score of 7-3. Cristiano DiGiacinto opened the scoring 11:55 into the game, giving the Wolf Pack a lead they never lost. Gustav Rydahl muscled his way to the goal and was denied by Jakub Skarek, but DiGiacinto found and buried the rebound for his second goal in as many games.
Ryan Carpenter extended the lead to 2-0 at 13:38 with his fifth goal of the season. Austin Rueschhoff fed Carpenter in the slot, and he snapped home the insurance marker for his third goal in four periods against the Isles.
Carpenter would score again just 2:46 into the second period, this time on the powerplay. A Lauri Pajuniemi shot grazed the leg of Carpenter and found its way into the goal to make it 3-0 Hartford. Samuel Bolduc’s blast from the point found twine at 14:07 to get the Islanders on the board, but six seconds later Pajuniemi would wire the eventual game-winning goal by Skarek.
Chris Terry’s controversial goal at 16:04 got the Isles within 4-2, but 25 seconds later Bobby Trivigno would score his fifth goal of the season. Trivigno fired a one-timer by Skarek that was set up by Zac Jones.
Carpenter would complete the hat-trick in the third period, while Karl Henriksson tacked on his first career AHL goal to end the proceedings. Carpenter’s hat-trick was the first by a Wolf Pack player since Tim Gettinger scored three goals against the Bridgeport Sound Tigers on April 7th, 2021.
Turner Elson leads the Wolf Pack in points with 15 (5 g, 10 a) on the season. Carpenter, Pajuniemi, and Will Cuylle, meanwhile, are tied for the team’s goal scoring lead with seven each.
Thunderbirds Outlook:
This is the Thunderbirds’ first game since the holiday break. The club dropped a 2-1 decision to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms in their last outing on December 23rd at the MassMutual Center. Artem Anisimov scored just 23 seconds into the contest for the Phantoms, giving them a lead they never lost.
Cal O’Reilly’s third goal of the season came at 12:28 of the third period, extending the lead to 2-0. That goal would prove to be a big one, as Hoelscher scored at 15:26 to draw Springfield back within one. Pat Nagle slammed the door shut from there, cementing the victory for the Phantoms. Nagle made 30 saves, while Vadim Zherenko stopped 21 Phantoms shots.
This is the first of three games this week for the Thunderbirds. They’ll host the Islanders on Friday night, then visit the Wolf Pack on New Year’s Eve to conclude their 2022 schedule.
Matthew Highmore leads the Thunderbirds in points with 27 (6 g, 21 a) on the campaign. Nikita Alexandrov, meanwhile, leads the Thunderbirds in goals with nine.
Game Information:
Play-by-play voice of the Wolf Pack Alex Thomas will have ‘Wolf Pack Pregame’ starting live at 6:50 p.m. on both AHLTV and Mixlr. To listen to Alex’s call of the game, click the ‘away audio’ button when selecting tonight’s contest.
The Pack is back at the XL Center on Saturday, December 31st. The ‘I-91 Rivalry’ gets renewed as the Thunderbirds come to town for a special 5:30 p.m. puck drop. 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.