DYLAN GARAND RECORDS FIRST CALDER CUP PLAYOFF SHUTOUT AS WOLF PACK BLANK BRUINS 1-0 IN GAME ONE
Apr 28, 2023
PROVIDENCE, RI – The Hartford Wolf Pack turned in a terrific effort on Friday night, holding the Providence Bruins to just 14 shots on their way to a 1-0 victory in Game One of their best-of-five Atlantic Division Semifinals series. The 14 shots allowed were the fewest allowed in a single Calder Cup Playoff game in franchise history.
The opening period proved to be a feeling out process for the two well-rested club. The Wolf Pack were playing their first game in a week, having last suited up in their 7-1 Game Two victory over the Springfield Thunderbirds last Friday night. The Bruins, meanwhile, had 12 days off after earning a bye through the First Round thanks to winning the Atlantic Division title in the regular season.
The sides managed only a few chances each in the opening 20 minutes, with Hartford outshooting Providence 10-3.
The second period saw Hartford again outshoot Providence, this time by a 13-6 margin. The Wolf Pack would also generate the first, and only, goal of this game in the middle stanza. Blake Hillman collected the puck just inside of his own blueline and flipped it up ice for Bobby Trivigno. Trivigno entered the zone with possession on the left-wing side, making a dash toward the Bruins goal. Trivigno pulled up to the right of Brandon Bussi and sent a backhand pass to Adam Sýkora, but the pass grazed off a defender and into the goal at 15:23.
The goal was Trivigno’s second of the Calder Cup Playoffs and stood as his first career Calder Cup Playoff game-winning goal. Sýkora, meanwhile, was credited with an assist on the goal, the first of his North American career.
Hartford stood tall defensively in the third period, holding the Bruins to just five shots on goal and tilting the ice at times. Dyland Garand stopped all five shots sent in his direction, ending the night with his first career Calder Cup Playoff shutout. Garand is 3-0 during his first foray into the Playoffs.
The Wolf Pack will face the Bruins in Game Two of the Atlantic Division Semifinals of the Calder Cup Playoffs tomorrow night at the Amica Mutual Pavilion. The puck drop is set for 7:05 p.m.
The Pack return to the XL Center for Game Three of the best-of-five series on Wednesday, May 3rd. The puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m. To get tickets, visit www.hartfordwolfpack.com/tickets/playoff-information.
# # #
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.