PRE-GAME REPORT: WOLF PACK LOOK TO OPEN 2022 ON WINNING NOTE WITH VISIT FROM AMERICANS
Jan 2, 2022
HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack will look to snap their first two-game losing streak on home ice this season when the Rochester Americans come calling for the first time during the 2021-22 campaign. Hartford opens the 2022 portion of the schedule with their first game against a North Division opponent this season.
Puck drop for this afternoon is set for 3:00 p.m.
Tale of The Tape:
This is the first of four meetings between the Wolf Pack and the Americans this season, and the first of two meetings this month. The sides will meet again on Friday night, January 7th, in Rochester. The Americans will return to Hartford on Saturday, February 12th, before the season series wraps up on April 16th at Blue Cross Arena.
This is the first meeting between the Americans and the Wolf Pack since November 22nd, 2019. On that night, the Americans scored a 4-0 victory on home ice with Andrew Oglevie scoring the winning goal. Andrew Hammond made 25 saves for the shutout victory. The last time Rochester made a visit to Hartford was on October 13th, 2019. The Americans took that game as well, defeating the Wolf Pack 3-2 in the shootout. Tage Thompson scored the winner.
Hartford last defeated Rochester on December 22nd, 2018, in Rochester by a score of 5-1.
Wolf Pack Outlook:
The Wolf Pack suffered a 4-0 setback on Friday afternoon at the hands of the Providence Bruins. The loss snapped a three-game point streak (2-0-0-1) for the club. Hartford has lost back-to-back games on home ice for the first time this season. They are 9-3-0-1 at the XL Center during the 2021-22 campaign, with three of their losses (0-2-0-1) coming in the month of December.
Anthony Greco leads active Wolf Pack skaters in both points with 22 (7 g, 15 a) and goals with seven. He had a six-game point streak snapped on Friday. Tarmo Reunanen leads active defensemen with 12 points (1 g, 11 a) on the season.
The Rangers assigned goaltender Adam Húska to the Wolf Pack on Saturday afternoon. He previously had been reassigned from the Wolf Pack to the taxi squad by the Rangers on December 28th. The club released goaltender Brandon Kasel and defenseman Blake Thompson from their PTO agreements on Saturday as well. Both players will report back to the Adirondack Thunder of the ECHL.
Americans Outlook:
The Americans come into today’s game with a record of 16-9-0-0 following yesterday’s 5-3 defeat at the hands of the Springfield Thunderbirds at the MassMutual Center. The loss snapped a three-game winning streak for the Americans. Forward JJ Peterka led the way with three points (1 g, 2 a) on the afternoon, while Brandon Biro tacked on two assists.
Michael Mersch leads the Americans in both points with 30 (16 g, 14 a) and goals with 16. Rookie Jack Quinn is second on the club with 24 points on the campaign (11 g, 13 a). Veteran goaltender Aaron Dell is a perfect 4-0-0 with a .904 save percentage on the season. He and Michael Houser lead the way among active goalies in terms of wins with four each.
Game Information:
WATCH: AHLTV
LISTEN: https://mixlr.com/hfd-wolf-pack/
Be sure wrap up your New Year’s weekend with the Wolf Pack today at the XL Center! You can purchase the CT-DOT Hat Trick Pack, which includes three tickets, three hot dogs and three fountain sodas! Packages are available in both the red and blue sections. The Wolf Pack will also be hosting a postgame skate following today’s contest!
Tickets are available still at www.hartfordwolfpack.com!
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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.