Game Preview
Nov 3, 2017
Game day info:
Hartford Wolf Pack vs. Springfield Thunderbirds
Puck Drop: Friday, Nov. 3 at 7:05 p.m.
Game Preview:
This is the second of 12 matchups on the year between the Wolf Pack and their I-91 rivals, and Hartford’s second of six trips to the MassMutual Center. In the season’s first encounter on Oct. 14 in Springfield, the Wolf Pack came away with a 4-3 win.
With a 1-8-1-0 record, the Thunderbirds sit in last place in the Atlantic Division. The team picked up its first win of the season on Sunday, Oct. 22 at home vs. Belleville in a 7-4 result, but has gone 0-2-1-0 in the three games since. The Massachusetts team has 23 goals for and 37 against thus far in the season.
Last Time Out:
Last Sunday, the Wolf Pack played to a 4-3 road loss against the Hershey Bears. Steven Fogarty scored his first two goals of the season, while Dan De Salvo added another, but the Bears scored two power-play goals to hang on for the win.
Thus far, the Pack are 4-5-0-1 on the season, which places them fifth in the Atlantic Division, one spot ahead of the Sound Tigers. The Providence Bruins currently lead the division with a 6-2-0-0 record, while the Phantoms and Penguins fall close behind in the tight race. Though Hartford sits in fifth place with nine points, the division-leading Bruins only have a three-point advantage, with 12.
Players to Watch:
#17 Scott Kosmachuk
In 10 games played, Scott Kosmachuk has scored one goal and notched five assists for six points, which ties him for the team lead in assists. The right wing is new to Connecticut, but is no stranger to AHL success, as he was tied for the Manitoba Moose team lead in goals (19) two seasons ago. He additionally finished tied for third on that team in points (36.) The Ontario native recorded his first NHL point on Oct. 13 of 2016 with an assist in Winnipeg’s 3-2 win over the Colorado Avalanche.
# 41 Juho Lammikko
Juho Lammikko had a goal and an assist in the first game of the year between the Wolf Pack and Thunderbirds. The Finland native is tied for the team lead in points with eight. The 21-year-old has scored two goals and has added six assists this year while playing for the Thunderbirds. Lammikko was drafted 65th overall in the second round of the 2014 NHL Draft by the Florida Panthers.
Coming Up Next:
The Pack will be back at the XL Center tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. for a Country Night game against the Bruins and on Sunday for a 5 p.m. faceoff against the Springfield Thunderbirds. For tickets and information, visit the Hartford Wolf Pack ticketing site or call 866-762-6451.