PRE-GAME REPORT: WOLF PACK SET TO MEET ICEHOGS FOR FIRST TIME AT XL CENTER
Dec 3, 2022HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack will face off against a Western Conference opponent for the first time in over a decade tonight when the Rockford IceHogs come to town to open a back-to-back weekend for the Pack. Hartford will hit the road tomorrow to visit the Providence Bruins.
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 two meetings between the Wolf Pack and IceHogs this season, and the first-ever meeting between the sides. The Wolf Pack will make their first trip to Rockford later this month when they visit the BMO Harris Bank Center on December 17th.
This is the first time the Wolf Pack has faced off against a team in the Western Conference since February 11th, 2011. On that date, the Wolf Pack beat the Hamilton Bulldogs 3-2 at Copps Coliseum. The Wolf Pack played four games against the Western Conference that season, two against the Bulldogs and two against the Toronto Marlies. They’ll play six games against the Western Conference this season.
This opens a stretch in which the Wolf Pack will face Western Conference opponents in six of their next eight games. The IceHogs, meanwhile, began their first-ever trip to New England last night with a visit to the Springfield Thunderbirds.
Wolf Pack Outlook:
The Wolf Pack dropped their third consecutive game last time out, falling 1-0 in a shootout to the Hershey Bears. Goaltender Dylan Garand made 38 saves for his first career shutout, but Mike Sgarbossa would score in the bottom half of the third round of the shootout to push the Bears to victory.
It was the first time this season that the Wolf Pack was shut out. It was just the sixth-ever 1-0 shootout game in Wolf Pack history. The club is 3-3 in those games. The last 1-0 shootout game was a loss to the Springfield Falcons on December 6th, 2014.
Tim Gettinger (6 g, 4 a) and Andy Welinski (3 g, 7 a) lead the Wolf Pack in scoring with ten points each on the season. Gettinger, meanwhile, leads the Wolf Pack in goals with six.
The Wolf Pack recalled forward Ryan Lohin from loan to ECHL Jacksonville last weekend. He will wear number 18 with the club.
IceHogs Outlook:
The IceHogs opened this rare weekend in New England with a 4-2 victory over the Springfield Thunderbirds last night at the MassMutual Center. Lukas Reichel, Buddy Robinson, and Cole Guttman helped the IceHogs jump out to a 3-2 lead after 40 minutes, while Luke Philp tacked on the insurance marker just 39 seconds into the final frame.
The IceHogs have now won four of their last five games, with their lone defeat in this stretch coming last Saturday night in Milwaukee.
Forward Brett Seney leads the IceHogs in scoring with 26 points (10 g, 16 a), while David Gust (10 g, 13 a, 23 p) and Reichel (9 g, 12 a, 21 p) have also hit the 20-point mark.
The IceHogs currently sit tied for third place in the Central Division with a record of 10-7-0-1. Their 21 points are even with the Manitoba Moose. Rockford is 6-3-0-1 in their last ten games, and the club holds a +10 goal differential (73-63) 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. Be sure to tune in all season long for Hartford Wolf Pack hockey!
Coming to tonight’s game? Please bring a new or gently used jacket to donate to ‘Coats for Kiddos’! For more information on the organization, click here. Join us on the ice postgame for a postgame skate! It is highly encouraged that postgame skate participants donate a coat to the coat drive.
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.