PRE-GAME REPORT: WOLF PACK WELCOME ISLANDERS TO TOWN FOR ‘BATTLE OF CONNECTICUT’
Feb 12, 2025HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack return home tonight looking to snap a seven-game losing streak (0-7-0-0) at the XL Center as they take on the Bridgeport Islanders.
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 sixth of ten meetings between the Wolf Pack and the Islanders this season. It is the third of five meetings between the foes at the XL Center.
The ‘Battle of Connecticut’ resumes on Wednesday, Mar. 5, back in Hartford.
The Wolf Pack are 3-2-0-0 through the first five games of this head-to-head series, while the Islanders have posted a record of 2-2-1-0.
Hartford has won each of the last two meetings, outscoring the Islanders by a combined 11-2 margin.
Most recently, the Wolf Pack cruised to a 5-1 victory at Total Mortgage Arena on Jan. 5. Bo Groulx opened the scoring 19:34 into the game, striking four-on-four to give the Wolf Pack the lead for good. Groulx tacked on his second goal of the night 3:27 into the second period, potting a power play marker that would stand as the game-winning goal.
Adam Sýkora notched a breakaway goal at 4:32, while Anton Blidh extended the lead to 4-0 at 9:52. Brian Pinho struck on the power play at 10:49, burying a rebound to get the Islanders on the board.
Nathan Sucese restored the four-goal lead at 18:40, cashing in off a turnover for his second goal of the season.
The Wolf Pack also took a 6-1 decision in Bridgeport on Dec. 4. In Hartford, each team has claimed victory once. The Wolf Pack won 5-4 in overtime on Oct. 19, while the Isles won 4-1 on Nov. 24. Bridgeport won 4-0 at home on Oct. 20, their other victory in the season series.
Wolf Pack Outlook:
The Wolf Pack snapped their seven-game losing streak (0-5-2-0) on Saturday night, doubling up the Lehigh Valley Phantoms 4-2.
Alexis Gendron opened the scoring 9:49 in for the Phantoms, ripping a shot from the left-wing circle by the glove of Louis Domingue.
Groulx got the clubs on even footing 1:31 into the second period, scoring his 15th goal of the season. He entered the offensive zone, made his way to the left-wing circle, and snapped home the club’s sixth shorthanded goal of the campaign.
Oscar Eklind pounced on a turnover and beat Domingue by the blocker from the slot at 4:13, putting the Phantoms up 2-1. Just 88 seconds later, at 5:41, Blidh blasted a rebound by Keith Petruzzelli to tie the game 2-2. Brett Berard notched his third game-winning goal of the season at 15:07, taking a pass from Dylan Roobroeck and entering the zone on the left-wing side. There, he snapped home his ninth goal of the season to make it 3-2.
Blidh hit the empty net at 19:43, cementing the two points.
Domingue made 31 saves to collect his 100th career AHL victory.
Blidh and Groulx lead the club in goals with 15 each. Alex Belzile leads the club in points with 42 (14 g, 28 a).
Islanders Outlook:
The Islanders blasted the Charlotte Checkers 5-1 on Saturday on home ice.
Kyle Criscuolo opened the scoring 18:50 into the hockey game, giving the visitors a 1-0 lead through 20 minutes. Just 2:19 into the second frame, Matthew Maggio struck for the fifth time this season to even the affair 1-1.
Liam Foudy then put the Isles ahead at 10:31, potting his 17th goal. 32 seconds later, at 11:03, Cam Thiesing’s second career goal extended the lead to 3-1.
Tyce Thompson and Samuel Bolduc both added insurance markers in the final frame, scoring at 14:39 and 15:21, respectively.
The win was just the third all season (3-17-0-2) for the Islanders on home ice. The club is 8-14-2-0 on the road this season.
Pinho leads the club in goals with 18 on the season, while Chris Terry leads the team in points with 43 (14 g, 29 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 hit the road for three straight games, starting with a weekend back-to-back in Charlotte this Saturday and Sunday. The series begins with a 4:00 p.m. puck drop on Saturday afternoon, with coverage starting at 3:45 p.m. on AHLTV on FloHockey and Mixlr.
The Pack is back at the XL Center on Friday, Feb. 21, when the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins come 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.