TWO MINUTES FOR THOUGHTS: NOVEMBER 20TH, 2024
Nov 20, 2024The Hartford Wolf Pack are halfway through their season-long, six-game homestand. So far, the club has managed to win all three games, improving to 8-1-0-0 at the XL Center this season. They’ve won five straight on home ice and have jumped into second place in the Atlantic Division.
Things are going well for the Pack, but a rivalry weekend awaits in downtown Hartford as the Springfield Thunderbirds and Bridgeport Islanders roll into town for games.
Onto the blog!
1. The Wolf Pack’s eight home victories this season are the most in the AHL, one more than the Calgary Wranglers. Their .889 points percentage at home ranks third in the league, trailing only the Laval Rocket (1.000, 6-0-0-0) and Toronto Marlies (.929, 6-0-0-1).
2. Alex Belzile’s performance on Tuesday morning was quite special. The veteran forward notched his second career hat trick, and his first as a member of the Wolf Pack. He previously lit the lamp three times on Jan. 14, 2023, as a member of the Rocket in a 6-2 win over the Cleveland Monsters.
What made his hat trick so unique was the way he did it. Belzile picked up a five-on-five goal, a shorthanded goal, and a power play goal.
Of course, he also notched the shootout winner to help the Wolf Pack complete a wild 5-4 victory over the Charlotte Checkers.
3. The victory also says a lot about this Wolf Pack team. Allowing three goals in a span of 7:30 is never ideal. When it comes in the third period and turns a 3-1 lead into a 4-3 deficit? That can be a backbreaking turn of events.
It wasn’t for this Wolf Pack team. In fact, Belzile’s third goal came just 46 seconds after Kyle Criscuolo gave the Checkers their first lead of the contest. It was the exact response a strong veteran team with a good leadership group delivers more often than not.
It’s a good sign to see that kind of fight from this team. It won’t be smooth sailing all season for any team. How you respond is key. The Wolf Pack passed a key test with flying colors on Tuesday.
4. Let’s give some love to the Wolf Pack’s penalty kill so far on this homestand. Yes, they have allowed three goals, but they have scored twice shorthanded and stepped up in some key moments.
Overall, the penalty kill is 11-for-14 on the homestand and has an even goal differential (2-2) in two games against the league’s top power play in the Checkers.
5. Louis Domingue picked up career victories 96 and 97 in the AHL, defeating the Checkers on both Friday and Tuesday. Domingue made 21 saves on 23 shots in Friday night’s 4-2 victory but was arguably even better on Tuesday despite giving up four goals.
Domingue made 41 saves on 45 shots and came up huge in the second period, making 20 saves on 20 shots.
He then was a perfect three-for-three in the shootout to preserve the victory for the Wolf Pack.
It certainly looks like the veteran netminder is feeling himself right now.
6. We can’t leave Dylan Garand out of this conversation. He was very good on Saturday night, making 32 saves on 34 shots in the club’s 4-2 victory over the Providence Bruins. His best sequence was in the second period when he made 13 saves on 13 shots to keep the game tied 1-1 heading into the third period.
Garand is now 5-0-0 at home and 5-1-1 overall on the season. He mentioned on Tuesday that his strong playoff performance last spring helped build confidence heading into this season. You can see it on a nightly basis. This is one confident, strong goaltender.
7. Matt Rempe had his fingerprints all over the game on Saturday night. He led the Wolf Pack with seven shots on goal and picked up his first two points of the season. He assisted on Casey Fitzgerald’s go-ahead goal 5:42 into the third period, then sniped home a massive response goal at 16:35 to cement the two points.
8. Adam Sýkora doesn’t get enough love for his hard work. Sýkora’s strong effort down low led to Fitzgerald’s goal against the Bruins on Saturday night. Later in that same third period, it was his chip out of the zone that led to Rempe’s two-on-one goal.
On Tuesday, Sýkora’s efforts shorthanded set up Belzile for the second goal of his hat trick.
As a rookie in 2023-24, Sýkora recorded 23 points (8 g, 15 a) in 66 games. Through 15 games this season, he has nine points (3 g, 6 a). His hard work and penalty-killing ability are huge assets for this club, and his play on this homestand has been a big reason why the Wolf Pack have won all three games.
9. To say there was an offensive outburst from Wolf Pack defensemen over the last three games would be an understatement. All four goals on Friday night were scored by defensemen, with five of the six defensemen recording points in the victory.
On Saturday night, the first three goals in the game were scored by defenders.
Seven straight goals were scored by defenders, with Connor Mackey and Casey Fitzgerald leading the way with two goals each.
Blake Hillman, meanwhile, has points in two straight games (1 g, 1 a) and points in three of his last four outings (1 g, 2 a).
10. Some transactions recently for the Wolf Pack: Forward Adam Erne was released from his professional tryout agreement (PTO) on Saturday, while forward Blake McLaughlin was recalled from loan to ECHL Bloomington on Monday.
McLaughlin is tied for third on the Bison in goals and points, having recorded three goals and four assists through ten games.
# # #
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.