Game Preview

Jan 6, 2018

Game Day Info:

Hartford Wolf Pack vs. Syracuse Crunch

Puck Drop: Saturday, Jan. 6 at 7:00 p.m.

Game Preview:

The Hartford Wolf Pack are hosting the Syracuse Crunch for the first time this season at the XL Center. This is the first of two meetings between the two teams in the 2017-18 season. The Pack will next face the Crunch for an away game on February 9.

The Crunch are coming off a 5-0 win over the Binghamton Devils on December 31, and have won 14 of their last 17 games. Syracuse sits in third place in the North Division with a 28-12-1-2 record and a 0.591 win percentage.

Last Time Out:

Last night, the Wolf Pack played to a 3-2 win over the Providence Bruins at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center. John Gilmour, Steven Fogarty and Chris Langkow all found the back of the net, while Marek Mazanec made 37 saves in net to secure the win.

Thus far, the Pack are 14-15-3-3 on the season with a .486 win percentage, which places them seventh in the ultra-competitive Atlantic Division with 34 points from 35 games played. The Providence Bruins currently lead the division, while the Lehigh Valley Phantoms and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins fall close behind in the tight race.

Players to Watch:

#3 John Gilmour

In 30 games played, second year defenseman John Gilmour has scored six goals and notched 14 assists for a total of 20 points. Gilmour’s 20 points leads Wolf Pack defenders and is good enough for fifth on the team in points. The defender was chosen to the 2018 AHL All-Star Classic for his play this season. Gilmour is no stranger to offensive production, as he finished second among Wolf Pack defensemen in points, goals and assists (6G-19A-25 pts) last season. The Montreal native came to Hartford from Providence College, where he notched the second-most points (23) and goals (9) among Providence College defensemen in his 2015-16 senior season.

#27 Alexander Volkov

Alexander Volkov had consecutive two-goal performances in the club’s last two games to move into the Syracuse goals lead, with 10 goals. The rookie forward also has 11 assists, totaling to 21 points. Volkov was a second-round pick in the 2017 NHL draft by the Tampa Bay Lightning after he spent the 2016-17 season in his native Russia.

Coming Up Next:

The Pack will be back home at the XL Center tomorrow for a matchup against the Utica Comets at 5 p.m. For tickets and information, visit the Hartford Wolf Pack ticketing site or call 866-762-6451.