TWO MINUTES FOR THOUGHTS: MARCH 31ST, 2022
Mar 31, 2022What a whirlwind the month of March was for the Hartford Wolf Pack. The month started with a bang, as the club collected points in three straight games (2-0-1-0) to position themselves quite nicely in the Atlantic Division playoff race. Since then, however, it’s been an up-and-down stretch that has the Wolf Pack sitting fifth in the division and looking to get back on track.
The good news? Hartford is still in playoff position. The Wolf Pack absolutely control their own destiny, and the club starts the month of April with two games on home ice. That’s important when you consider what you, the fans, have made the XL Center in recent months. This is a darn tough place to play.
In this installment of ‘Two Minutes for Thoughts’, we will discuss the upcoming stretch of games, newest members of the Wolf Pack, and much more!
It’s Go Time
When the Wolf Pack skated to a 4-1 victory over the Bridgeport Islanders on March 6th, everyone was feeling good. The Pack opened March with points in three straight games and swept a key weekend against division rivals in the Islanders and Hershey Bears.
Following that victory, the Wolf Pack hit the road for five straight games. That’s where the season’s first true bump in the road popped up. The Pack lost each of the trip’s first four games and came home with a record of 1-4-0-0. Their season-long four-game homestand immediately following that? A dramatic 4-3 shootout victory over the Bears this past Saturday night was the highlight in a 1-3-0-0 segment.
Last night, Hartford returned to the road and dropped a 5-1 decision to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, a team fighting for their playoff lives.
In their last ten games, the Wolf Pack are just 2-8-0-0. It’s the club’s driest spell of the season, but also not a reason to panic. The Wolf Pack are fifth in the Atlantic Division and still absolutely in control of their destiny. Their magic number of 20 still well within reach.
The Pack have 12 games remaining on their schedule, and a good chunk of them are against teams right in the playoff race with them. The Wolf Pack will face the Charlotte Checkers four more times, while also getting a crack at the Providence Bruins, Bridgeport Islanders, and Penguins. If the Pack take care of their business, they’ll comfortably be in the Calder Cup Playoffs.
This is officially the home stretch, and the Wolf Pack have everything they can ask for in front of them. The club has complete control of their own destiny, something every team would love to be able to say. In addition, they kick off the stretch with two home games. It’s a perfect chance to set the tone for April.
Home Sweet Home
Over 10,000 fans packed the XL Center for the Wolf Pack’s two home contests last weekend. Yes, you read that right. You, the fans, have done a great job of setting the tone inside this building and it isn’t going unnoticed. Veteran defenseman Jarred Tinordi made sure to note how “the building was rocking” last weekend when I caught up with him at the first intermission of Monday night’s game against the Utica Comets.
Numerous other players and staff have pointed out how fun it has been to play in a crowded and loud XL Center, and how much the support from the Wolf Pack fanbase is appreciated. I can also tell you from a broadcasting standpoint, these last few months have been some of the most fun of my young career. A major reason why is the noise that YOU bring on a nightly basis.
The support hasn’t gone unnoticed, but it’s also never been needed quite like the Pack need it now. This Friday night, the Wolf Pack host the Belleville Senators to kick off the month of April. On Saturday, the Syracuse Crunch are in town. This is a chance for the Pack to set the train back on the tracks.
It’s time to believe Hartford. It’s time to pull the believer’s bandwagon into the XL Center and blow the roof off this place just like last weekend. The most fun time of the year for hockey fans is here. These are playoff-like games with massive stakes.
This N’ That
Transactions have been dotting the newswire lately when it comes to the Wolf Pack. At the NHL’s trade deadline, the Wolf Pack saw the club impacted via a pair of trades. First, Morgan Barron was included in the deal that brought Andrew Copp to the New York Rangers from the Winnipeg Jets. Then, the Rangers swung a one-for-one trade with the San Jose Sharks that brought Nick Merkley to town in exchange for Anthony Bitetto. Brandon Scanlin signed an entry-level contract with the Rangers and was assigned to Hartford as well in the lead up to the deadline.
At the AHL trade deadline this past Monday, the Wolf Pack were again in the news. This time, the Rangers and Carolina Hurricanes agreed to a transaction that sent Tarmo Reunanen to the AHL’s Chicago Wolves, while Maxim Letunov became Hartford’s newest forward.
Letunov, wearing number 91, has scored a career-high 13 goals this season and is quite familiar with the area after a three-year career at UConn. He’s also a big-bodied center, which fills an area of need for the club. Merkley has slid right into the Pack’s top-six forward group and has played both wing positions and center. Scanlin, meanwhile, has looked like a gem while playing top-four minutes alongside Zac Jones.
Stick taps to Anthony Greco, who became the first Wolf Pack player to hit the 50-point mark this season with a goal on Wednesday night. Through this recent slump, Greco has been a consistent bright spot. He’s playing arguably his best hockey of the season and is an offensive threat every time he hops over the boards.
As mentioned above, we have two more huge games at the XL Center for you this weekend! On Friday night, join us for $2 beers and $1 hot dogs courtesy of our friends at Nomads Entertainment. On Saturday night, join us for Hartford Sports Weekend and a coffee mug giveaway! The first 1,500 fans will receive a Wolf Pack coffee mug courtesy of Xfinity.
Both games are set for 7:00 p.m. puck drops, and 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 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.