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WOLF PACK WEEKEND PREVIEW: OCTOBER 17TH, 2024

WOLF PACK WEEKEND PREVIEW: OCTOBER 17TH, 2024

Oct 17, 2024

HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack kicked off the 2024-25 season last Saturday night in Allentown, PA. This weekend, the Pack is back at the XL Center to officially kick off the 50th season of professional hockey in the Connecticut capital.

The weekend also marks the first three-in-three set for the club and kicks off a pair of heated rivalries as the ‘I-91 Rivalry’ and the ‘Battle of Connecticut’ get underway.

Friday, October 18th, 2024, Vs. Springfield Thunderbirds (7:00 p.m.): The first of ten installments in the ‘I-91 Rivalry’ takes place on Friday night at the XL Center as the Wolf Pack host the Thunderbirds. Each of the first three meetings in this rivalry will take place in Hartford, with the next two coming on Sunday, Oct. 27, and Saturday, Nov. 23.

The first meeting in Springfield at the MassMutual Center will take place on Saturday, Nov. 30.

In ten meetings last season, each team took home five regulation victories for an even 5-5-0-0 split. Visiting teams enjoyed quite a bit of success, as both the Wolf Pack and Thunderbirds won three times in the opposing building.

The T-Birds will be playing their third game of the season after splitting a pair at home last weekend. After defeating the Laval Rocket 3-1 in the season opener on Saturday night, the Thunderbirds were defeated 4-1 by the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on Sunday afternoon.

Wolf Pack fans fondly remember the Thunderbirds last trip to Hartford, which took place on April 12. That night, Louis Domingue scored the second goalie goal in franchise history, while the Pack clinched their second consecutive Calder Cup Playoff berth.

Saturday, October 19th, 2024, Vs. Bridgeport Islanders (6:00 p.m.): The first 6:00 p.m. start of the season at the XL Center happens on Saturday night when the ‘Battle of Connecticut’ gets underway.

This will be the first of nine Saturday night contests at home that start at 6:00 p.m.

A season ago, the Wolf Pack dominated the ‘Battle of Connecticut’ by posting a record of 7-2-0-1, collecting points in eight of ten meetings. Both of the Wolf Pack’s regulation losses in the series, however, occurred at home. Hartford posted a 3-2-0-0 record at the XL Center against the Islanders in 2023-24.

The Islanders won the last meeting in the ‘Battle of Connecticut’ a season ago, cruising to a 4-1 victory at the XL Center on April 3.

Sunday, October 20th, 2024, @ Bridgeport Islanders (3:00 p.m.): The weekend concludes with the second half of the home-and-home matchup between the Wolf Pack and the Islanders.

In five trips to Bridgeport a season ago, the Wolf Pack posted a 4-0-0-1 record, claiming nine of a possible ten points. The Islanders’ lone victory came in the last meeting on March 9, a 3-2 shootout decision.

Before dropping that game, the Wolf Pack had won seven straight games at Total Mortgage Arena.

Dylan Garand posted a 5-1-1 record against the Islanders last season. He recorded two shutouts in Bridgeport, making 37 saves on Nov. 10, 2023, and 34 saves on Jan. 20, 2024.

Hartford’s last victory at Total Mortgage Arena came on Feb. 17, 2024, by a final score of 2-1 in overtime. Brett Berard fired home the game-winning goal 4:04 into the extra session.

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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.  

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