WOLF PACK CELEBRATES 50 YEARS OF PROFESSIONAL HOCKEY IN FRONT OF 10,074 FANS
Jan 11, 2025HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack celebrated 50 years of professional hockey in Hartford on Saturday night in front of 10,074 fans at the XL Center in downtown Hartford. Despite the great turnout and emotional night, the Wolf Pack fell 3-0 to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.
Neither side was able to light the lamp in the opening stanza, as both Parker Gahagen and Louis Domingue made eight saves.
Gahagen’s best save came on an opportunity in front for Jake Leschyshyn. Domingue, meanwhile, made a few key saves of his own in the frame.
The Phantoms struck iron twice, nearly breaking the ice in the final moments when Samu Tuomaala rifled a shot off the goal post.
Garrett Wilson opened the scoring 14:07 into the second period, blasting home his eighth goal of the season. On the Wolf Pack’s first power play of the night, the puck crept out into the neutral zone, where a defenseman blew a tire. That allowed Wilson to gain the offensive zone and fire a slapshot from between the hashmarks that beat Domingue.
The shorthanded tally was the fourth allowed by the Wolf Pack this season.
Emil Andrae extended the lead 8:19 into the third period, sniping his second goal of the season. Andrae gained the offensive zone and then waited out a defender, pulling off a toe-drag before beating Domingue for the insurance marker.
The goal was Andrae’s second in three games.
Despite a late push from the Wolf Pack, Gahagen held the fort by making six saves in the frame. Rhett Gardner then flung a puck from the neutral zone that hit the empty net at 18:01 to cement the victory.
The Pack is back tomorrow at the XL Center to conclude their second three-in-three weekend of the season! The ‘I-91 Rivalry’ takes center stage as the Springfield Thunderbirds roll into town.
The puck drop is set for 5:00 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 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.