PRE-GAME REPORT: WOLF PACK HEAD NORTH FOR WEEKEND SERIES WITH ROCKET
Dec 8, 2023LAVAL, QC – The Hartford Wolf Pack continue a stretch of five straight games against North Division opponents tonight when they visit Place Bell to take on the Laval Rocket. This is the first of a two-game weekend set between the foes.
The puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m. and coverage is available on both AHLTV and Mixlr.
Tale of The Tape:
This is the first of four meetings between the Wolf Pack and the Rocket this season. They’ll meet again tomorrow at Place Bell to wrap up the Laval portion of the season series. The Rocket will make two trips to the XL Center this season, stopping in the Connecticut capital on February 16th and March 1st.
This is the first meeting between the teams since March 18th, 2022. That night, the sides played a wild one that ended with the Rocket taking the two points by a final score of 7-4. Each team struck three times in a crazy first period, sending the game to the middle stanza tied 3-3.
The Rocket would pull away in the second, scoring all three goals to take a 6-3 lead. Kevin Roy put the Rocket ahead for good 1:53 into the period, while Joël Teasdale scored the eventual game-winning goal at 8:47. Teasdale, who also scored in the first period, completed his hat-trick 7:52 into the third period.
Teasdale (3 g, 1 a) was one of two Rocket to score four points in the win. Brandon Gignac (1 g, 3 a) was the other. Zac Jones, Ty Ronning, Anthony Greco, and Tanner Fritz had the goals for Hartford.
The Wolf Pack are 0-4-0-1 in franchise history at Place Bell. Their last win over the Rocket came by a final score of 4-0 at the XL Center on January 15th, 2022. Keith Kinkaid made 31 saves to collect the shutout that night.
Wolf Pack Outlook:
The Wolf Pack saw their six-game winning streak come to an end on Wednesday night as they fell 4-3 in overtime to the Cleveland Monsters.
Cameron Butler opened the scoring for the Monsters 3:04 into the game, as he deflected a Jake Christiansen shot home for his first career AHL goal. The Pack would respond, however, scoring twice to take a 2-1 lead into the intermission.
Brennan Othmann fired his ninth goal of the season from the right-wing circle at 7:42 while on the powerplay to tie the game 1-1. The goal gives Othmann tallies in four straight games, and the Wolf Pack at least one powerplay goal in nine straight contests.
Then, just over two minutes later at 9:54, Brett Berard gave the Pack the lead when he busted down the slot and fired his sixth goal of the season by Daniil Tarasov.
Carson Meyer was the star of the second period, scoring twice to give the Monsters a 3-2 lead. He tied the game at 8:56 with a rocket from the right-wing circle, then batted home a loose puck at the side of the net at 12:47 to give Cleveland the lead.
After some strong penalty kill work by the Wolf Pack early in the third period, they were able to find the equalizer thanks to some sustained pressure in the offensive zone. Brandan Scanlin fired a shot from the right-wing point that clanked the iron and went in at 10:36, evening the tilt 3-3 and forcing overtime.
In overtime, however, Luca Del Bel Belluz danced to the front of the net and tucked home his first career overtime game-winning goal at 2:28 to give the Monsters the extra point.
Despite the loss, the Wolf Pack are still working on a season-high seven-game point streak (6-0-1-0).
Jonny Brodzinski, currently recalled by the parent New York Rangers (NHL), leads the Wolf Pack in both goals with eleven and points with 25 (11 g, 14 a). His 25 points are good for third in the AHL. Mac Hollowell leads the club in assists, meanwhile, with 20. Those 20 assists are good for the league lead.
On Thursday, the parent New York Rangers (NHL) recalled forward Riley Nash from the Wolf Pack.
Rocket Outlook:
The Rocket returned home from a trip to Abbotsford on Wednesday night to host the Belleville Senators. The Senators opened the game with five unanswered goals, however, cruising to a 5-2 victory over the Rocket. The loss was Laval’s eighth straight defeat.
Garrett Pilon scored twice for the Senators in the victory, while Lassi Thomson notched two points (1 g, 1 a). Riley McKay and Lucas Condotta scored the goals for the Rocket in defeat.
The Rocket’s last victory came on November 15th at Place Bell. That night, they defeated the Senators by a final score of 6-4. The Senators jumped out to a 4-0 lead in that game, but the Rocket rallied with six unanswered goals. Mitchell Stephens, currently on recall with the parent Montreal Canadiens (NHL), scored the game-winning goal.
Rookie Joshua Roy and veteran Lias Andersson lead the Rocket in goals with seven each. Gignac, meanwhile, leads the club in points with 19 (6 g, 13 a). Roy is tied for third in the AHL in points among rookies with 18 (7 g, 11 a) on the season.
Game Information:
Play-by-play voice of the Wolf Pack Alex Thomas will have ‘Wolf Pack Pregame’ starting live at 6:45 p.m. on both AHLTV and Mixlr.
The Wolf Pack will conclude their two-game trip to Laval tomorrow with an afternoon tilt at Place Bell. The puck drop is set for 3:00 p.m., and coverage will be available on both AHLTV and Mixlr.
The Pack is back at the XL Center on Friday, December 15th, when they welcome the Rochester Americans to town for their lone visit of the season! Be sure to join us for $2 beers and $2 hot dogs until the end of the first intermission! The puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m.
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.