PRE-GAME REPORT: WOLF PACK CONCLUDE THREE-IN-THREE WEEKEND WITH VISIT TO PROVIDENCE
Feb 18, 2024HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack put their season-long three-game road winning streak on the line this afternoon as they conclude their third three-in-three weekend of the season. Today, the Pack make the 90-minute trek east to Rhode Island to battle the Providence Bruins.
The puck drop is set for 4:05 p.m. and coverage is available on AHLTV and Mixlr.
Tale of The Tape:
This is the seventh of ten meetings between the Wolf Pack and the Bruins this season. It is the third of five meetings between the foes at the Amica Mutual Pavilion. The sides will next meet right back in Providence on Sunday, March 3rd.
The Bruins snapped a two-game losing streak in the head-to-head matchup last time, taking a 4-1 decision at the XL Center on February 10th. Georgii Merkulov opened the scoring 13:48 into the game, walking into the high-slot and snapping home his 18th goal of the season.
Patrick Brown potted the game-winning goal 1:42 into the middle frame, converting on a three-on-one pass from Jayson Megna. Megna ballooned the lead to 3-0 at 6:21, burying a shorthanded breakaway for his 12th goal of the season.
Brennan Othmann got the Wolf Pack on the board 8:38 into the second period, blasting home a one-timer on the powerplay. John Farinacci turned out the lights 13:56 into the third period however, tipping in a Brett Harrison pass to end any hopes of a Wolf Pack comeback bid.
Each team has won three of the first six meetings in the head-to-head matchup this season. The Wolf Pack has posted a record of 3-2-1-0, while the Bruins are 3-1-1-1.
Hartford is 1-0-1-0 at the Amica Mutual Pavilion this season. The club has a six-game point streak in Providence (4-0-2-0). Including the 2023 Calder Cup Playoffs, the Wolf Pack are 6-0-2-0 in their last eight trips to Rhode Island.
Wolf Pack Outlook:
The Wolf Pack snapped a two-game losing skid on Saturday night, beating the Bridgeport Islanders 2-1 in overtime at Total Mortgage Arena.
Turner Elson opened the scoring 5:21 into the game, deflecting a Nikolas Brouillard shot home shorthanded. The Wolf Pack earned an offensive zone faceoff after the Islanders played the puck with a high-stick. Artem Anisimov won the draw back to Connor Mackey, who slid the puck to Brouillard. Brouillard stepped into a drive that Elson tipped past Jakub Skarek for the Pack’s sixth shorthanded goal of the season.
The Islanders found the equalizer late in regulation time, as Daylan Kuefler scored the tilt’s only five-on-five goal. Kyle MacLean drove into the offensive zone on the right-wing side, connecting with Matthew Maggio on a cross-ice feed. Maggio was denied by Dylan Garand, but Kuefler collected the rebound and potted his first career AHL goal at 12:10.
For the first time this season, overtime was required between the Wolf Pack and Islanders. After each team generated a good look early, it would be Hartford scoring late to end the proceedings. Brett Berard walked into the high-slot and rifled his 16th goal of the season by Skarek at 4:04 to earn Hartford the second point. It was Berard’s second career overtime game-winning goal.
Berard leads the Wolf Pack in goals with 16 on the season. Alex Belzile leads the team in points with 37 (14 g, 23 a), while Mac Hollowell leads the way in assists with 31.
On Friday, the parent New York Rangers (NHL) recalled forward Matt Rempe from the Wolf Pack.
Bruins Outlook:
The Bruins had Saturday night off after dropping an entertaining 3-2 affair to the Islanders on home ice Friday night.
The Isles jumped out to a great start, as Maggio broke the ice just 2:38 into the game. Otto Koivula extended the lead to 2-0 at 16:57, potting his ninth goal of the season. The Isles took that 2-0 lead into the third period but couldn’t hold off the Bruins in the final 20 minutes.
Marc McLaughlin got the B’s on the board at 7:49, scoring his fifth goal of the season. Just under seven minutes later, at 14:19, Justin Brazeau tied the game with his 18th goal of the campaign.
Despite losing their two-goal lead, the Islanders stuck with it and were rewarded in the final minute of regulation time. Cole Bardreau found the game-winner at 19:25, stunning the Bruins and sending the Isles home with their second victory of the season in the head-to-head matchup.
Anthony Richard, currently recalled by the parent Boston Bruins (NHL), leads the Bruins in goals with 19. Merkulov, meanwhile, leads the club in both assists with 26 and points with 44 (18 g, 26 a).
Game Information:
Play-by-play voice of the Wolf Pack Alex Thomas will have ‘Wolf Pack Pregame’ starting live at 3:50 p.m. on both AHLTV and Mixlr.
The Pack is back at the XL Center on Wednesday, February 21st, to kick off the fourth three-in-three set of the season. The Pack plays host to the Islanders in Round 8 of the ‘Battle of Connecticut’. The puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m. and tickets are available at www.hartfordwolfpack.com.
# # #
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.