WOLF PACK FALTER AFTER EARLY LEAD, DROP SIXTH IN A ROW TO ROCKET 5-4 IN OVERTIME

Feb 1, 2025

LAVAL, QC – The Hartford Wolf Pack saw leads of 3-0 and 4-1 evaporate on Saturday afternoon in Laval as they fell 5-4 in overtime to the Rocket. The loss was the Wolf Pack’s season-high sixth in a row (0-4-2-0). The club finished their four-game road trip with a record of 0-2-2-0. 

Florian Xhekaj ripped home the overtime winner 4:50 into the extra session, completing the comeback for the home side. His shot from the right-wing circle beat Dylan Garand for the club’s fourth unanswered goal.

Lucas Edmonds opened the scoring 4:31 into the hockey game, potting his first goal as a member of the Wolf Pack. Brandon Scanlin fired a shot from the right-wing side that Anton Blidh tipped through the five-hole of Cayden Primeau. As the puck trickled by Primeau, Edmonds batted it in for his second goal of the season and first in 24 games.

With Gustav Lindström in the penalty box for interference, the Rocket were whistled for a too many men bench minor. On the ensuing five-on-three, a shot from Matthew Robertson clipped a defenseman out front and came right to Brennan Othmann, who lifted the puck over the left pad of Primeau to make it 2-0.

The goal, Othmann’s eighth, gave him goals in five of the last six games.

Edmonds extended the lead to 3-0 1:50 later. Chad Ruhwedel drove into the right-wing circle and sent a perfect centering pass to Edmonds, who tipped the puck top shelf over the right shoulder of Primeau for his second goal of the hockey game.

Alex Belzile picked up the secondary assist, his second of the period and team-leading 29th of the season. 

The Rocket responded with a power play goal of their own at 16:41, as Sean Farrell pounced on a rebound in the slot and buried his fifth goal of the season to make it a 3-1 spread through 20 minutes.

Casey Fitzgerald restored the three-goal lead 4:13 into the second period, stuffing home his fourth goal of the season. Blake McLaughlin won a puck in the left-wing corner, getting it to Fitzgerald. The captain muscled his way to the net and beat Primeau by the glove to make it a 4-1 game.

The Rocket were awarded a penalty shot at 11:00 of the frame, as Dylan Roobroeck closed his glove on the puck in the crease. Jared Davidson took the penalty shot and beat Dylan Garand for his team-leading 16th goal of the season.

The goal sent over 10,000 fans into a frenzy, creating a tsunami of momentum for the Rocket. 

3:10 later, Alex Barré-Boulet sent a pass into the slot for Farrell who ripped home his second goal of the game to make it 4-3. Farrell’s goal, scored at 14:10, was his third against the Wolf Pack this season.

At 19:25, Blidh was assessed a double-minor for high-sticking, giving the Rocket a power play opportunity in the period’s final minute.

Barré-Boulet wasted no time and tied the game at 19:36. Barré-Boulet ripped a shot from the right-wing circle that Garand was able to stop, but the rebound came right back to the veteran forward who scored his tenth goal of the season. 

The goal was Barré-Boulet’s third point (1 g, 2 a) of the hockey game. 

Each team had numerous chances in the final frame, but both Garand and Primeau held strong to force overtime. Garand made 15 saves in the final frame, while Primeau made ten.

In overtime, Xhekaj scored his second game-winning goal of the weekend to secure the sweep for the Rocket.

The Pack is back at the XL Center on Friday, Feb. 7, when they welcome the Charlotte Checkers 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 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.