PRE-GAME REPORT: WOLF PACK WELCOME GRIFFINS TO TOWN FOR RARE MATCHUP
Oct 30, 2024HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack conclude their three-game homestand tonight at the XL Center with a rare visit from the Grand Rapids Griffins. This marks the first of six games against the Central Division this season for the Wolf Pack.
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 Griffins this season. The sides will meet in Grand Rapids on Wednesday, March 12. The sides did not meet during the 2023-24 season, but did play twice during the 2022-23 campaign.
That season, the Wolf Pack swept the home-and-home series, starting with a 4-0 victory at the XL Center on Dec. 10, 2022. Will Cuylle’s goal 6:57 into that contest was the eventual game-winning goal, while Dylan Garand made 21 saves to collect a shutout.
On Dec. 16, 2022, in Grand Rapids, the Wolf Pack completed the sweep with a 6-4 victory. Gustav Rydahl’s goal at 19:01 of the third period, which gave the Wolf Pack a 5-3 lead at the time, would be the game-winning goal. The sides combined for three goals in the game’s final 59 seconds, with Taro Hirose making it a 5-4 game at 19:53 before Zac Jones hit the empty net at 19:59. Louis Domingue made 32 saves on 36 shots to collect the victory.
Prior to their meetings during the 2022-23 campaign, the Wolf Pack and Griffins had not met since the 2008-09 season. The teams split those two games, giving the Wolf Pack an all-time record of 3-1-0-0 against the Griffins.
The Griffins won the first-ever meeting on Nov. 14, 2008, in Grand Rapids by a score of 3-2. Defenseman Jakub Kindl scored the game-winning goal that evening. The Wolf Pack then took a 3-1 decision at the XL Center on Jan. 2, 2009, with Mike Ouellette potting the winner.
Wolf Pack Outlook:
The Wolf Pack suffered their first loss at home this season on Sunday afternoon against the Springfield Thunderbirds by a tally of 5-2.
Bo Groulx opened the scoring with his fourth goal of the season 8:16 into the contest, but that would be the Wolf Pack’s only lead of the hockey game.
Drew Callin tied the game 1-1 at 11:12, stuffing home a wraparound for his first goal of the season. That would be the first of five unanswered goals for the Thunderbirds. Dalibor Dvorsky’s goal at 8:52 of the second period gave the visitors the lead for good, while Tanner Dickinson’s wired shot from the high-slot at 11:08 would be the eventual game-winner.
Marcus Sylvegard and Hunter Skinner each tacked on insurance markers in the third period.
Rookie forward Dylan Roobroeck jammed home a rebound at 10:32 of the third period, making it 5-2. The goal was Roobroeck’s first career professional goal and point. Bryce McConnell-Barker collected the secondary assist on the goal, the first point of his professional career.
Brett Berard (5 g, 3 a) and Groulx (4 g, 4 a) are tied for the team lead in points with eight each. Berard’s five goals lead the team in that category.
Griffins Outlook:
The Griffins won their fifth straight game on Sunday afternoon, defeating the Lehigh Valley Phantoms 4-3 in a shootout at the PPL Center.
Trailing 3-2 late in regulation time, the Griffins pulled the goaltender in favor of a six-on-five advantage. With the extra attacker, Sheldon Dries scored his second goal of the afternoon and of the season to even the affair. The goal, scored at 18:10, forced the game to overtime.
After five combined shots failed to produce a winning tally, the foes went to the shootout. There, Amadeus Lombardi scored the lone goal, while Carter Gylander stopped all three shooters to give the Griffins the win.
Gylander made 33 saves to collect his first career AHL victory.
Lombardi (4 g, 2 a) and Dominik Shine (2 g, 4 a) are tied for the team lead in points with six each. Lombardi’s four goals lead the club in that department.
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 hit the road for two games this weekend. The club will visit the Syracuse Crunch on Friday night at 7:00 p.m., before visiting the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on Saturday night at 6:05 p.m. Coverage of both games is available on AHLTV on FloHockey and Mixlr, with ‘Wolf Pack Pregame’ starting 15 minutes prior to puck drop.
The Pack is back at the XL Center on Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, when the Crunch make their lone visit to Hartford this season. 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.