PRE-GAME REPORT: WOLF PACK VISIT ISLANDERS FOR ‘BATTLE OF CONNECTICUT’ SHOWDOWN
Jan 5, 2025BRIDGEPORT, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack conclude a back-to-back weekend set this afternoon against the rival Bridgeport Islanders at the Total Mortgage Arena.
The puck drop is set for 3:00 p.m., and coverage is available on AHLTV on FloHockey and Mixlr.
Tale of The Tape:
This is the fifth of ten meetings between the Wolf Pack and the Islanders this season. It is the third of five meetings between the foes in Bridgeport.
Each side has claimed two victories in the first four meetings, with the Wolf Pack posting a 2-2-0-0 record and the Islanders a mark of 2-1-1-0. The Wolf Pack cruised to a 6-1 victory in the last meeting on Dec. 4, picking up their first victory on the road this season in the process.
Alex Belzile opened the scoring 18:15 into the hockey game, blasting home a power play goal from the right-wing circle. Alex Jefferies tied the game 6:32 into the middle frame, scoring a power play goal of his own from the same spot as Belzile.
From there, however, it would be all Wolf Pack. Belzile restored the lead at 16:11 of the second period, picking up his second power play goal of the night. Anton Blidh then extended the lead at 19:02, scoring his fifth marker of the season. Belzile completed the hat-trick at 8:47, striking yet again on the power play. His three power play goals matched a Wolf Pack franchise record for power play goals in a single game.
The goal kicked off a stretch of three goals in 52 seconds, the fastest three goals in club history. Matt Rempe tipped in a Casey Fitzgerald shot at 9:32 to make it 5-1, then Bryce McConnell-Barker struck seven seconds later to make it 6-1.
The Wolf Pack also claimed a 5-4 overtime victory on Oct. 19 at the XL Center. The Islanders picked up their wins on Oct. 20 by a score of 4-0 on home ice, and 4-1 at the XL Center on Nov. 24.
Wolf Pack Outlook:
The Wolf Pack were shutout for the third time this season on Saturday night, falling 5-0 to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.
Rutger McGroarty potted the eventual game-winning goal 13:44 into the hockey game, collecting possession behind the net and wrapping around his fourth goal of the season.
McGroarty then made it 2-0 5:11 into the second period, scoring on the power play. McGroarty took a pass at the backdoor from Vasily Ponomarev and tapped it by the blocker of Talyn Boyko.
Late in the period, Ponomarev potted his sixth of the season to make it 3-0. He took a feed from Filip Král on the left-wing side and beat Boyko at 18:25.
Emil Bemström tacked on two goals in the third period, scoring at 36 seconds and 10:54 to balloon the lead to 5-0. Filip Larsson made 33 saves, collecting his fourth shutout of the season.
Belzile leads the Wolf Pack in both goals with ten and points with 29 (10 g, 19 a).
Islanders Outlook:
The Islanders were doubled up by a score of 6-3 on Saturday night at home by the Rochester Americans.
Liam Foudy opened the scoring 2:41 into the hockey game, converting on a breakaway bid for his ninth goal of the season.
The Americans would strike twice in less than three minutes, however, to take a 2-1 lead. Mason Jobst tied the game 1-1 at 8:52, then Aleksandr Kisakov made it 2-1 for the Americans at 11:45 with his second goal of the season.
Jefferies struck on the power play at 59 seconds of the second period, but the 2-2 tie lasted only 54 seconds. Graham Slaggert restored the lead at 1:53, a lead the Amerks would not lose. Jobst’s second of the game, which would be the game-winning tally, came at 4:40 and made it 4-2 at the time.
William Dufour sent the sides to the third period with a 4-3 spread thanks to his goal at 9:03, but that was as close as the Islanders were able to draw it.
Lukas Rousek and Brett Murray both struck into the empty net to extend the lead and cement the two points for the visitors.
Brian Pinho leads the Islanders in goals with 15, while Chris Terry paces the club in points with 24 (4 g, 20 a) on the season.
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 2:45 p.m. on both AHLTV on FloHockey and Mixlr.
The Wolf Pack conclude their four-game road trip on Friday night when they visit the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. The puck drop is set for 7:05 p.m.
The Pack is back at the XL Center on Saturday, Jan. 11, when the Phantoms come to town! Join us as we celebrate a special milestone, 50 years of professional hockey in Hartford!
The puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m.
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.