WOLF PACK WEEKEND PREVIEW: APRIL 10th, 2025
Apr 10, 2025HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack have hit the penultimate weekend of their 2024-25 season. The club will play a pair of games against regional rivals and will conclude the road portion of their schedule on Saturday night.
Friday, April 11th, 2025, Vs. Providence Bruins (7:00 p.m.): The Wolf Pack and Bruins conclude their season series on Friday night in Hartford with their tenth meeting of the season. The Wolf Pack are 3-6-0-0 against the Bruins, while the B’s are 6-3-0-0 through nine games.
The Bruins have won each of the last two meetings, with both coming in Providence. Most recently, the Bruins erased a 1-0 deficit through 40 minutes of play to hand the Wolf Pack their second regulation loss of the season when leading after two periods.
Alex Belzile got the Wolf Pack on the board 19:08 into the hockey game, scoring his 18th goal of the season from the left-wing side. That 1-0 lead would hold until the 2:05 mark of the third period, when Tyler Pitlick would storm down the right-wing side and tuck a backhander by the pad of Dylan Garand to tie the game 1-1.
At 14:54, Riley Tufte fed Jaxon Nelson in the slot after winning a battle deep in the offensive zone. Nelson snapped a shot by the glove of Garand to give the Bruins a 2-1 lead. The goal would be Nelson’s first career game-winning goal in the AHL.
The Wolf Pack’s last win in the head-to-head matchup came on Feb. 22 at the XL Center. Nathan Sucese’s late goal gave the club a 6-5 victory on that night.
Saturday, April 12th, 2025, at Bridgeport Islanders (7:00 p.m.): Round nine of the ‘Battle of Connecticut’ goes on Saturday night in Bridgeport. It is the fifth and final meeting at Total Mortgage Arena this season, where the Wolf Pack are 3-1-0-0.
Overall, the Wolf Pack are 6-2-0-0 against the Islanders this season. The Isles have collected points in four of the eight meetings, posting a record of 2-4-2-0.
The Wolf Pack took a 3-2 decision in Bridgeport in their last meeting on Wednesday night.
Jaroslav Chmelař opened the scoring 8:04 into the first period, driving down the right-wing side and beating Tristan Lennox with a backhander. The shot hit the crossbar, but went off the backside of Lennox and in.
Joey Larson tied the game at 8:54, snapping his first career goal home from the slot to make it a 1-1 game through 20 minutes.
Dylan Roobroeck struck twice in the middle frame, putting the Wolf Pack ahead for good. At 15:34, Roobroeck took a centering pass from Sucese and sniped home his 17th goal of the season. 4:16 later, at 19:50, a puck bounced off the end boards, clipped Roobroeck, and found the back of the net to make it 3-1.
Larson’s second goal of the night came on the power play at 1:54 of the third period, but 3-2 was as close as the Islanders were able to draw it.
Quick Hits:
• The Wolf Pack have played six consecutive one-goal games. They are 2-2-2-0 during that span.
• Thanks to his two goals on Wednesday night, Roobroeck is now tied for the team lead in goals with 18. He is tied for 12th among rookie goal scorers in the league.
• Talyn Boyko made 26 saves on Wednesday night to collect his second career victory in the AHL. He is now 2-1-0 as a member of the Wolf Pack in three starts this season.
• Forward Nathan Aspinall made his professional debut on Wednesday night in Bridgeport. He recorded one shot on goal in the victory.
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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.
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