PRE-GAME REPORT: WOLF PACK HOST THE PENGUINS IN HOME OPENER
Oct 20, 2023HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack will look to continue their hot start to the 2023-24 season tonight as the club returns home to the XL Center for the annual home opener. For the second time in franchise history, the Wolf Pack will welcome the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins to town for the 27th home opener in club history.
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 six meetings between the Wolf Pack and Penguins this season and the first of three at the XL Center. The sides will next meet on Saturday, October 28th, in Pennsylvania. The Penguins' next trip to the Connecticut capital comes on February 2nd, 2024, while their final visit will be on April 19th, 2024.
This also marks the second consecutive year that the Wolf Pack hosts the Pens in the annual home opener. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton scored a 4-3 shootout victory to spoil the party last year.
The Wolf Pack won the season series in 2022-23, taking four of the six matchups between the clubs. Hartford has also collected points in seven straight games (5-0-1-1) against the Pens. The Pack is riding a three-game winning streak head-to-head into tonight’s tilt. They defeated the Penguins 8-2 on February 4th, 2023, and 4-0 on April 14th, 2023, at the XL Center. They also took a 5-1 decision on March 26th, 2023, on the road.
Louis Domingue made 28 saves in that 4-0 victory last April, the most recent meeting, while Turner Elson struck twice and Adam Edström notched his first career AHL goal.
Wolf Pack Outlook:
The Wolf Pack opened the season with a pair of victories last weekend on the road. The club got a pair of goals from rookie Brennan Othmann in their season-opening 3-2 shootout victory over the Providence Bruins, with Jonny Brodzinski scoring the winner in the shootout. The next night, Brodzinski struck twice while Alex Belzile potted his first goal with the club in a 3-1 triumph over the Springfield Thunderbirds.
A victory tonight would give the Pack their first 3-0-0-0 start since the 2019-20 season. Hartford enters tonight with 998 victories in franchise history.
Both Othmann and Brodzinski lead the club in goals with two each and points with three apiece (2 g, 1 a). Mac Hollowell, meanwhile, leads the club in assists with two through two games.
Hartford is three-for-13 on the powerplay early this season, and 12-for-13 on the penalty kill.
Penguins Outlook:
The Penguins opened the season with a pair of games in Charlotte against the Checkers last weekend. The club opened their season with a 4-2 victory last Friday night, spoiling the party in Charlotte. After a scoreless first 40 minutes, Austin Rueschhoff, Jonathan Gruden, Xavier Ouellet, and Dmitri Samorukov all found the back of the net, with Ouellet’s marker at 18:37 into an empty net standing as the winner.
Magnus Hellberg made 26 saves in his Penguins’ debut for the win.
The Pens could not complete the sweep, however, as they fell 4-1 on Saturday night to the Checkers. Colin White scored the lone goal, his first with the club.
This is the first of two games for the Penguins this weekend. They will host the Thunderbirds tomorrow night in their home opener at 6:05 p.m.
The Penguins enter this season with a vastly different look than in 2022-23. Hellberg takes over in the net along with rookie Joel Blomqvist, while names like Libor Hájek, Jack Rathbone, and Samorukov have been added to the blue line. Up front, White, Andreas Johnsson, Vinnie Hinostroza, and Joona Koppanen highlight a busy off-season for the organization as additions to the group.
Game Information:
Play-by-play voice of the Wolf Pack Alex Thomas will have an extended edition of ‘Wolf Pack Pregame’ starting live at 6:40 p.m. on both AHLTV and Mixlr.
Be sure to join us tonight to welcome the Pack back home! The first 5,000 fans will receive rally towels courtesy of Carvel & CM Concessions. In addition, $2 beers and $2 hot dogs are available from the opening of doors to the end of the first intermission.
A face painter will also be available in the atrium to help display your Wolf Pack pride!
The Wolf Pack conclude the weekend tomorrow night when the Lehigh Valley Phantoms come to town for a 7:00 p.m. puck drop. The first 1,500 fans into the building will receive a Wolf Pack magnet schedule courtesy of Pepsi! Fans are also welcome to hit the ice after the game for the first postgame skate of the season.
For more details and for tickets, visit 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.