TWO MINUTES FOR THOUGHTS: JANUARY 30TH, 2025
Jan 30, 2025The Hartford Wolf Pack arrived in Laval late last night following their 6-5 overtime loss against the Belleville Senators. The loss was the club’s fourth in a row (0-3-1-0), matching their season-long losing skid.
Despite losses in four straight games, there are a lot of good things happening with this Wolf Pack team.
Onto the blog!
1. Twice during this losing streak, the Wolf Pack battled back to tie hockey games in the third period. Down 3-1 after two against Laval on Jan. 24, the Wolf Pack scored twice in the final frame before Logan Mailloux broke their hearts in the final minute.
On Jan. 26, the Wolf Pack battled back from down 2-0 to tie the game early in the third period before Matthew Peca’s power play tally pushed the Thunderbirds ahead for good.
The battle level for this team is there, there’s no doubting that. It’s a good sign that despite a recent bump in the road, the Wolf Pack are battling until the final horn every night. This is a group determined to turn this around.
2. The Wolf Pack wanted a better start on Wednesday night, and they got it. Brennan Othmann’s goal 20 seconds into the game was the fastest goal to start a game on the road this season, and the second fastest overall.
Dylan Roobroeck also struck in the first period for the Wolf Pack, giving them a 2-1 lead after one period of play.
3. It was 2-1 because rookie forward Stephen Halliday scored a power play goal to tie the game midway through the period for the Senators. The call on the ice was no goal, but a nearly five-minute review ended up seeing the call overturned to a good goal.
If the officials have to look at a play that long, I have a very hard time believing that there is conclusive evidence to overturn the original call. As mentioned on the broadcast, if you can’t figure it out in 90 seconds, then it isn’t conclusive and the call on the ice should stand.
Doesn’t feel like the Wolf Pack have been very fortunate lately with some of the calls on the ice. This was just the latest example.
4. Othmann’s goal on Wednesday night gives him goals in four straight games, tied for the second-longest goal-scoring streak by a Wolf Pack player this season. Othmann has scored six-on-five, on the power play, and at five-on-five during this stretch.
Wednesday night’s game in Belleville, despite the loss, may have been his best overall game of the season. A lot of good signs for the second-year forward.
5. Anton Blidh has played 437 games in the AHL. You can make an argument that his best hockey is being played right now. Blidh scored again on Wednesday, giving him goals in three straight games.
His goal in Belleville was his 13th of the season, tying his previous career-high set during the 2022-23 campaign. Forget his first career 15-goal season, Blidh has a real case to be a 20-goal scorer this season.
6. Another goal and an assist for Alex Belzile on Wednesday night. The veteran forward is now up to 40 points (13 g, 27 a). That is tied for third in the AHL with Calgary’s Dryden Hunt.
Like Blidh, Belzile is a veteran player who is arguably playing the best hockey of his career right now.
7. Connor Mackey and Chad Ruhwedel were steady for the Wolf Pack on Wednesday night despite the team giving up six goals. Both veteran defensemen finished the game with a +3 +/- rating, tied for the best performance turned in by a Wolf Pack skater this season.
Is +/- a bit of an outdated stat? I’d say yes, but when a team surrenders six goals and you have players who post a +3? That’s usually an indication of a pretty good night.
8. If the Wolf Pack are going to return to the Calder Cup Playoffs in April, they’ll need to bring another level of consistency to the table. We have seen the Wolf Pack play and beat some of the best teams in the league this season, but the club has struggled at times to string together strong performances.
At some point, the Wolf Pack will need to rattle off four or five wins in a row to push themselves up the standings. Their ability to bring a consistent game is going to be key.
9. As mentioned on the air Wednesday night, Brett Berard and Blade Jenkins are on the trip with the Wolf Pack despite missing the game with upper-body injuries. For Berard, it was his second straight absence. Jenkins was dinged up in the club’s loss in Springfield last Sunday.
10. You might recall seeing the Thunderbirds beat the Wolf Pack 4-2 on Sunday afternoon. Shortly after the game’s conclusion, it was determined that Hugh McGing’s empty net goal crossed the line after time had expired.
For scoring purposes, the goal was taken off the board, and the final score of the game was 3-2.
# # #
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 are the top player-development affiliate of the NHL's New York Rangers and play 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.