PRE-GAME REPORT: WOLF PACK LOOK TO GET BACK IN WIN COLUMN WITH VISIT TO ROCHESTER
Mar 10, 2023ROCHESTER, NY – The Hartford Wolf Pack continue their three-game road trip tonight, opening a weekend back-to-back set in the North Division. Tonight, the Wolf Pack make their lone visit of the season to Rochester to take on the Americans.
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 second and final meeting of the season between the Wolf Pack and the Americans. The Wolf Pack claimed a 4-1 victory in the first meeting back on January 21st at the XL Center in Hartford. Turner Elson opened the scoring 12:01 into the game, giving the Wolf Pack a lead they never lost.
Cristiano DiGiacinto ballooned the lead to 2-0 at 17:53, potting the eventual game-winner, his third goal of the season. After a scoreless middle frame, Lauri Pajuniemi put the Pack ahead 3-0 with his ninth goal of the season at 16:09 of the third period. Sean Malone got the Americans on the board at 18:52, scoring a six-on-four powerplay goal with the net empty, but Zach Giuttari ended the intrigue with an empty net goal at 19:58.
This is Hartford’s first visit to Rochester since April 16th, 2022. On that night, the Americans scored a 2-1 victory over the Pack, with Mark Jankowski scoring the game-winning goal.
The Wolf Pack went 0-2-0-0 in Rochester last season and are 2-3-0-0 in their last five games overall against the Americans.
Wolf Pack Outlook:
The Wolf Pack dropped their second game in a row on Wednesday night, falling 4-0 to the Springfield Thunderbirds in the first game of this three-game road trip. Mathias Laferriere both opened the scoring and potted the game-winner 16:30 into the tilt, converting the T-Birds’ first powerplay chance of the night.
Matthew Peca extended the lead just 55 seconds into the second period, burying a shorthanded breakaway for his fifth goal of the season. Matthew Highmore and Martin Frk would tack on insurance markers in the third period, while Joel Hofer made 31 saves for his second shutout in as many outings against the Wolf Pack.
After scoring ten unanswered goals on Saturday night and Sunday afternoon, the Wolf Pack have now surrendered nine unanswered goals over the last four periods of play.
The club currently sits two points behind the Bridgeport Islanders for the final playoff spot in the Atlantic Division with 16 games remaining in the season.
Will Cuylle (19 g, 13 a) and Tanner Fritz (5 g, 27 a) lead the Wolf Pack in points with 32 each on the season. Cuylle’s 19 goals are tops on the club in that category, while Fritz’s 27 assists lead the way in that department.
Americans Outlook:
The Americans come into this game on a skid of their own, having dropped three games in a row. Most recently, the Amerks fell 3-2 to the Belleville Senators on Saturday night.
After falling behind 2-0 via goals from Angus Crookshank and Matthew Boucher, Linus Weissbach got the Americans on the board 6:25 into the second period. Jarid Lukosevicius would strike back just over four minutes later, however, restoring the two-goal lead with his seventh of the season at 10:34. The goal would stand as the game-winner.
Michael Mersch tallied his 13th goal at 14:03 of the second, but it was as close as the Amerks would get.
The Americans pushed hard in the final period, outshooting the Senators 12-1, but they couldn’t find the equalizer.
Brandon Biro leads the club in scoring with 40 points (13 g, 27 a) in 43 games. Lukas Rousek, meanwhile, is second on the club in scoring with 39 points (11 g, 28 a). Weissbach leads the Americans in goals with 17 on the campaign.
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.
The Wolf Pack’s three-game road trip concludes tomorrow evening when they make their lone trip to Toronto this season to battle the Marlies. The puck drop is set for 5:00 p.m. The Pack is back at the XL Center on Wednesday, March 15th, when they welcome the Bridgeport Islanders to town. 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.