WOLF PACK WEEKEND RECAP: APRIL 7th, 2025
Apr 7, 2025HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack were swept in a back-to-back set by the Hershey Bears over the weekend in Pennsylvania. With the losses, the Wolf Pack have now lost four straight games (0-2-2-0) by one goal.
Sunday’s regulation loss also eliminated the team from playoff contention.
Saturday, April 5th, 2025, at Hershey Bears (2-3 OTL): Casey Fitzgerald opened the scoring for the Wolf Pack 10:39 into the hockey game, firing a shot from the right-wing circle that beat Garin Bjorklund.
The lead lasted a mere 1:29, however, as the Bears quickly responded at 12:08. Bogdan Trineyev rushed down the right-wing side and snapped a shot that Dylan Garand denied, but the rebound went to the right of the netminder. There, Luke Philp pounced on the loose change and tied the game with his eighth goal of the season.
Late in the period, David Gucciardi scored the first goal of his professional career when he fired a shot into traffic that got by Garand. The goal, scored at 17:37, had the Bears up 2-1 until late in regulation time.
With a six-on-five advantage in the final minutes of the third period, Dylan Roobroeck tied the game with his 16th goal of the season. The rookie deflected Connor Mackey’s shot from the left-wing point by Bjorklund at 18:34 to force overtime.
61 seconds into the extra session, the Bears made the Wolf Pack pay for a defensive zone turnover. Alex Limoges buried his 16th goal of the season to earn the extra point for the Bears.
Sunday, April 6th, 2025, at Hershey Bears (1-2 L): Brendan Brisson ripped home the icebreaker 18:11 into the hockey game, working his way into the slot before snapping a shot by the glove of Clay Stevenson. The goal was Brisson’s seventh of the season and his second as a member of the Wolf Pack.
The Wolf Pack would protect their 1-0 lead until the third period but could not push it over the finish line. Two goals in 95 seconds for the Bears would prove to be the difference in the hockey game.
Ryan Chesley, in his pro debut, fired a shot from the blueline that beat Callum Tung by the glove. The goal, Chesley’s first as a pro, came at 3:24 and tied the game 1-1. Mike Vecchione’s shot from the slot missed by the glove of Tung moments later, bouncing off the end boards and popping to the right of the netminder.
There, Ivan Miroshnichenko collected the puck and lifted it over the right pad of Tung for his 20th goal of the season. The goal would prove to be the game-winning marker.
Quick Hits:
• The Wolf Pack earned five of a possible eight points against the Bears this season, posting a record of 2-1-1-0.
• Sunday’s loss marked the third time this season that the Wolf Pack lost in regulation time when leading after two periods of play. All three losses have come on the road.
• Including the 2024 Calder Cup Playoffs, the Wolf Pack have now lost five straight games at the Giant Center against the Bears.
• The Wolf Pack were eliminated from playoff contention on Sunday. It is the first time since 2022 that the club will miss the Calder Cup Playoffs.
• Forward Sullivan Mack made his professional debut in Sunday’s loss against the Bears.
The Week Ahead:
• Wednesday, Apr. 9, 2025, at Bridgeport Islanders (7:00 p.m., Total Mortgage Arena)
• Friday, Apr. 11, 2025, Vs. Providence Bruins (7:00 p.m., XL Center)
• Saturday, Apr. 12, 2025, at Bridgeport Islanders (7:00 p.m., Total Mortgage Arena)
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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.