PRE-GAME REPORT: WOLF PACK TREK TO BELLEVILLE TO BATTLE SENATORS
Jan 29, 2025BELLEVILLE, ON – The Hartford Wolf Pack continue their four-game road trip this evening with their lone trip to Belleville, ON, this season to take on the Senators.
The puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m., and coverage is available on AHLTV on FloHockey and Mixlr.
Tale of The Tape:
This is the first of two meetings between the Wolf Pack and the Senators this season. The sides will conclude the home-and-home series in Hartford at the XL Center on Sunday, Mar. 9 (5:00 p.m.).
A season ago, the Wolf Pack won both games against the Senators. Hartford drew first blood with a 4-3 overtime victory at the XL Center on Nov. 25, 2023. Brennan Othmann tied the game at 18:46 of the third period, striking for the fifth time during his rookie season. Veteran Riley Nash then potted the game-winning goal 4:19 into overtime.
The Wolf Pack completed the sweep on Mar. 24, taking a 3-1 decision at the CAA Arena. Othmann opened the scoring 1:47 into the hockey game, while Alex Belzile struck twice in the victory. Belzile’s first goal of the game, scored 14:25 in, would be the game-winning tally.
Olof Lindbom made 37 saves to collect his first career AHL victory.
The Wolf Pack is 3-2-1-0 in their last six games against the Senators, while the Senators have posted an identical 3-2-1-0 mark during that span.
Wolf Pack Outlook:
The Wolf Pack dropped their third straight game on Sunday afternoon by a score of 3-2 against the Springfield Thunderbirds.
Nikita Alexandrov struck 36 seconds into the game, tipping a shot from Matthew Kessel by Louis Domingue. Kessel then deflected a centering pass from Alexandrov by Domingue at 7:49, giving the home side a 2-0 lead.
Othmann drew the Wolf Pack within a goal at 3:01 of the second period, potting a centering pass from Belzile for his sixth goal of the season. The tally gives Othmann goals in three straight games.
Anton Blidh evened the affair 3:19 into the third period, taking a centering feed from Connor Mackey and beating Colten Ellis for his 12th goal of the season. The tally came while the sides played four-on-four with Simon Robertsson and Matthew Robertson in the penalty box.
Matthew Peca’s 100th career AHL goal would prove to be the difference, as he put the Thunderbirds back on top at 8:27. While on their fourth power play of the game, Samuel Johannesson fired a shot from the point that Peca perfectly redirected from the slot. His 15th goal of the season would be the game-winner.
The loss dropped the Wolf Pack to 18-20-2-1 on the season, and 2-6-0-0 in the ‘I-91 Rivalry’ this season.
Bo Groulx leads the club in goals with 14, while Belzile paces the club in points with 38 (12 g, 26 a).
Senators Outlook:
The Senators dropped a 5-3 decision to the Hershey Bears on home ice on Saturday night.
Wyatt Bongiovanni struck on the power play at 3:32, putting the Senators ahead 1-0 after one period of play. Alex Limoges tied the game 50 seconds into the second period, scoring a power play goal of his own. Chase Priskie then put the Bears ahead at 14:56, potting the club’s second power play goal of the game.
1:40 after Priskie’s goal, at 16:36, Stephen Halliday countered with his tenth goal of the season to make it a 2-2 game. Jon McDonald answered at 19:54, however, restoring the lead for the Bears and sending them to the intermission on top 3-2.
Zac Funk made it a 4-2 game 2:20 into the third period, scoring the eventual game-winning goal. The Senators pushed, getting the game to 4-3 thanks to Maxence Guenette’s fourth goal of the season at 5:12, but it would not be enough.
Mike Vecchione applied the dagger at 7:40, scoring his eleventh goal of the season to make it 5-3.
With the loss, the Senators are now 3-6-1-0 in their last ten games. They have lost three of their last four outings.
Angus Crookshank leads the Senators in goals with 15 on the season. He has led the club in that category in each of the last two seasons. Halliday, meanwhile, leads the team in points with 27 (10 g, 17 a).
Game Information:
WATCH: AHLTV on FloHockey
LISTEN: Mixlr
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 on FloHockey and Mixlr.
The road trip continues on Friday night when the Wolf Pack head to Place Bell to take on the Laval Rocket. The puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m.
The Pack is back at the XL Center on Friday, Feb. 7, when they welcome the Charlotte Checkers to town. Join us for $2 drafts 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.
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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.