PRE-GAME REPORT: WOLF PACK WELCOME BRUINS FOR ATLANTIC DIVISON BATTLE
Nov 16, 2024HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack look to win back-to-back games for just the second time this season tonight as they welcome the Providence Bruins to town for the second game of a season-long, six-game homestand.
The puck drop is set for 6:00 p.m., and coverage is available on AHLTV on FloHockey and Mixlr.
Tale of The Tape:
This is the second of ten meetings between the Wolf Pack and the Bruins this season. It is the first of five meetings at the XL Center. The rivals will next meet in Providence on Sunday, Dec. 15. The Bruins make their second appearance in Hartford five days later on Friday, Dec. 20.
The Bruins took the first meeting last Sunday, doubling up the Wolf Pack 4-2 in Providence. Bo Groulx opened the scoring 9:57 into the hockey game, but three unanswered goals would give the Bruins two points.
Max Jones tied the game 10:40 into the second period, pouncing on a rebound. Tyler Pitlick then put the Bruins ahead for good at 15:45, tipping in a shot from Ian Mitchell on the power play. It was the first of two points (1 g, 1 a) in the game for Pitlick.
Marc McLaughlin converted a breakaway attempt 2:12 into the third period, making it 3-1 at the time. The goal would stand as the game-winning tally. Adam Sýkora got the Wolf Pack within a goal at 5:59, but Patrick Brown’s empty net tally at 18:34 cemented the victory.
A season ago, the Wolf Pack posted a 3-2-0-0 record at the XL Center against the Bruins. They then went on to post a 2-0 mark during the 2024 Calder Cup Playoffs at home against the Bruins.
The Bruins, meanwhile, posted a mark of 2-2-1-0 at the XL Center in 2023-24. They lost both of their Calder Cup Playoff appearances in Hartford in overtime.
Wolf Pack Outlook:
The Wolf Pack improved to 6-1-0-0 at the XL Center with a 4-2 victory over the Charlotte Checkers on Friday night.
Connor Mackey and Kyle Criscuolo traded first period goals, leading to a 1-1 stalemate through two periods of play.
In the third period, Victor Mancini gave the Wolf Pack the lead for good 3:23 in, beating Chris Driedger from the right-wing side for his first career AHL goal. Brandon Scanlin blasted home the game-winning goal at 6:25, firing a shot through traffic from the right-wing circle.
John Leonard drew the Checkers within one at 15:05, lifting a loose puck over Louis Domingue for his fifth goal of the season, but Casey Fitzgerald’s shorthanded goal into an empty net at 17:19 would cement the win for the Wolf Pack.
The goal was Hartford’s third shorthanded marker of the season.
Brett Berard leads the club in goals with six, while Groulx paces the team in points with ten (5 g, 5 a).
Bruins Outlook:
The Bruins dropped a 4-3 decision in overtime to the Cleveland Monsters last night on home ice.
Denton Mateychuk struck on the power play 11:09 into the second period, giving the Monsters a 3-2 lead through two periods of play. Frederic Brunet struck 6:23 into the third period, potting his first goal of the season to tie the game and force overtime.
In the overtime, Mateychuk would bury his second goal of the game and fifth of the season at 3:50 to push the Monsters to victory.
The loss dropped the Bruins to 6-6-1-0 on the season.
Vinni Lettieri leads the Bruins in goals with seven. He and Georgii Merkulov are tied for the team lead in points with eleven each.
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 5:45 p.m. on both AHLTV on FloHockey and Mixlr.
The Pack is back Tuesday morning for the annual ‘School Day Game’ against the Checkers! The puck drop is set for 11:00 a.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.