PRE-GAME REPORT: WOLF PACK VISIT BEARS FOR WEEKEND SET
Apr 5, 2025HERSHEY, PA – The Hartford Wolf Pack continue their five-game road trip tonight as they visit the Hershey Bears for the first of a two-game weekend series.
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 third of four meetings between the Wolf Pack and the Bears this season. The sides will conclude their season series tomorrow at 5:00 p.m. at the Giant Center.
The Wolf Pack are 2-0-0-0 in the current season series thanks to a pair of victories on home ice. They opened the series with a 3-0 victory at the XL Center on Dec. 11, then took a 4-3 decision in the last meeting on Mar. 21.
Hendrix Lapierre opened the scoring for the Bears 4:39 into the hockey game, potting his fifth goal of the season on a shot from the left-wing side. Noah Laba drew the Wolf Pack even at 8:17, however, scoring a shorthanded marker for his first career goal as a pro.
Brad Hunt put the Bears back on top at 12:59, however, ripping a shot from the left-wing circle for his fourth goal of the season. Riley Sutter extended the lead 3:33 into the middle frame, tapping home a backdoor feed from Brennan Saulnier.
Bryce McConnell-Barker started the rally for the Wolf Pack 10:00 into the second period, firing a shot from distance that beat Clay Stevenson to make it 3-2. Dylan Roobroeck then tied the game at 17:28, firing a shot from just inside the right-wing circle over the right shoulder of Stevenson.
Roobroeck then potted his 15th goal of the season 14:34 into the third period, taking a pass from Blade Jenkins to complete his second straight multi-goal outing. The goal stood as the game-winning strike, the first of Roobroeck’s professional career.
The Wolf Pack are looking to win the season series against the Bears for the first time since the 2021-22 campaign. That year, the Wolf Pack went 5-1-0-0 against Hershey.
Wolf Pack Outlook:
The Wolf Pack dropped a 2-1 decision to the Providence Bruins on the road last Saturday night. The loss snapped the club’s four-game point streak (3-0-1-0) and dropped them to 0-1-1-0 on their current five-game road trip.
Alex Belzile opened the scoring 19:08 into the game, settling down a bouncing puck and then beating Brandon Bussi from the left-wing side. The goal was Belzile’s second in as many games.
Bussi slammed the door shut from there, however, making 24 saves in the final 40 minutes to keep the Wolf Pack at just one goal. Tyler Pitlick drew the Bruins even 2:05 into the third period, driving down the right-wing side before cutting to the goal and depositing a backhander by Dylan Garand for his 18th goal of the season.
Jaxon Nelson then took a centering pass from Riley Tufte at 14:54 and beat Garand for his second goal of the season. The goal would stand as Nelson’s first career game-winning tally.
The loss was the second time this season that the Wolf Pack dropped a game in regulation time when leading after two periods of play. They lost 5-2 to the Bruins in Providence on Mar. 2 after leading 2-1 through two periods of play.
Belzile leads the Wolf Pack in both goals with 18 and points with 54 (18 g, 36 a).
Bears Outlook:
The Bears opened a three-in-three weekend with a 2-1 victory last night in Allentown, PA, against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.
Luke Philip’s seventh goal of the season broke the ice 2:41 into the second period, giving the Bears a lead they never lost. Spencer Smallman tacked on the insurance at 9:13, scoring his tenth goal of the campaign. That goal, which made it 2-0, would stand as the game-winning strike.
Alexis Gendron’s 20th goal of the season got the Phantoms on the board 11:59 into the third period, but that was the only puck to beat Stevenson on this night. The netminder made 32 saves to collect the victory and snap a brief two-game losing streak for the Bears.
Pierrick Dube and Ivan Miroshnichenko lead the Bears in goals with 19 each, while Ethan Bear paces the club in points with 45 (10 g, 35 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 Wolf Pack continue their road trip tomorrow with the weekend finale against the Bears. The puck drop is set for 5:00 p.m. Coverage is available on AHLTV on FloHockey and Mixlr.
The Pack is back at the XL Center on Friday, Apr. 11, when the Bruins come to town! Join us for $2 drafts and $2 hot dogs until the end of the first intermission.
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.