PRE-GAME REPORT: WOLF PACK LOOK TO KEEP CALDER CUP DREAMS ALIVE IN GAME 3
May 22, 2024HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack will face elimination for the third time during the Calder Cup Playoffs. Tonight, the Wolf Pack returns home for Game 3 of the Atlantic Division Finals against the Hershey Bears. The Bears lead the series 2-0 and can clinch a spot in the Eastern Conference Finals with a win tonight.
The puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m., and coverage is available on AHLTV and Mixlr.
Tale of The Tape:
The Wolf Pack and Bears met four times during the regular season, with the Bears taking three of the four meetings. The Wolf Pack posted a record of 1-2-0-1, while the Bears went 3-1-0-0. The Bears have won each of the last five head-to-head meetings, including Game 1 and Game 2 of the Atlantic Division Finals.
Hershey took their stranglehold on the series with a 4-2 triumph in Game 2 on Saturday night at the Giant Center. Ivan Miroshnichenko opened the scoring 2:50 into the hockey game, beating Dylan Garand over the right shoulder on the game’s first powerplay.
Miroshnichenko extended the lead to 2-0 at 13:32 of the second period, scoring his second goal of the game and third of the series on a beautiful individual effort. Ethen Frank potted the eventual game-winning goal, his second of the series, at 4:25 of the third period. He took a pass in front of the net from Lucas Johansen and snuck a shot by Garand for his fifth goal of the Calder Cup Playoffs.
Hendrix Lapierre then deflected a Jake Massie shot home at 8:30 to balloon the lead to 4-0.
The Wolf Pack scored twice late, converting on a pair of redirections. Jake Leschyshyn got the club on the board at 17:02, tipping in a shot from Victor Mancini. Anton Blidh then got a piece of a Nikolas Brouillard bid at 19:11, cutting the deficit to 4-2.
Time would run out, however, as the Bears hung on for a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five series.
Wolf Pack Outlook:
The Wolf Pack are 2-0 when facing elimination during the 2024 Calder Cup Playoffs. They defeated the Charlotte Checkers 3-2 in overtime in Game 2 of their First Round series on April 27th. The Wolf Pack completed the comeback the next day, winning Game 3 3-1 to win the series 2-1.
Brett Berard led the Wolf Pack with four shots in Game 2. He has a team-high 29 through nine playoff games. Mancini posted a +2 +/- rating in the Game 2 loss on Saturday night. He leads the team in playoff +/- with a +6 rating.
Leschyshyn’s goal in Game 2 was the fourth consecutive goal he scored for the Wolf Pack. He notched both goals in the team’s 2-1 overtime victory in Game 4 against the Providence Bruins on May 10th and the club’s only goal in their 6-1 loss in Game 1 to the Bears.
Leschyshyn leads the Wolf Pack with five goals during the 2024 Calder Cup Playoffs. His six points (5 g, 1 a) are tied with Riley Nash (4 g, 2 a) and Berard (1 g, 5 a) for the team lead. Berard’s five assists lead the club in that department.
Bears Outlook:
The Bears, thanks to their 4-2 victory in Game 2, are now 4-0 at the Giant Center during the 2024 Calder Cup Playoffs. Including the regular season, the Bears are now 33-7-0-0 at home this season.
Miroshnichenko now has goals in three straight games. Game 2 was his second career multi-goal outing in the Calder Cup Playoffs. The rookie notched two goals in the club’s Game 4 victory over the Lehigh Valley Phantoms on May 11th.
Pierrick Dubé led the Bears with six shots in Game 2.
Through two games in the Atlantic Division Finals, the Bears hold a +4 advantage on special teams. The club is three-for-nine on the powerplay and nine-for-nine on the penalty kill with a shorthanded goal.
Frank and Miroshnichenko lead the Bears in goals this postseason with five each. Lapierre, meanwhile, paces the club in points with eight (3 g, 5 a) through six games.
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.
Single-game tickets for Game 3 and Game 4 of the Atlantic Division Finals are on sale now!
For playoff information, please visit www.hartfordwolfpack.com/tickets/playoff-information.
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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.