PRE-GAME REPORT: WOLF PACK LOOK TO WRAP UP TWO POINTS BEFORE HOLIDAY BREAK
Dec 22, 2021
HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack will look to build on the momentum from Sunday’s thrilling comeback win this evening when they conclude their pre-holiday slate at the XL Center in downtown Hartford. Round six of the ‘Battle of Connecticut’ between the Wolf Pack and Bridgeport Islanders will drop the puck at 7:00 p.m.
Tale of The Tape:
This is the sixth of ten meetings between the Wolf Pack and the Islanders during the 2021-22 AHL regular season. This is the fourth of five meetings between the foes at the XL Center this season and the first of two meetings in December between the rivals. They’ll meet again in Bridgeport next Wednesday night at 7:00 p.m. The final meeting in Hartford will take place on Sunday, March 6th, 2022, at 3:00 p.m.
The Wolf Pack have taken four of the first five meetings in this series. Last meeting, on November 17th, the Pack scored a 4-3 comeback victory on home ice. Justin Richards opened the scoring 2:48 into the contest, but the Islanders scored three unanswered goals to take a 3-1 lead into the first intermission. Islanders forward Blade Jenkins had two tallies in the opening frame to pace the Bridgeport offense.
Hartford countered with three goals of their own in the middle stanza, with Morgan Barron scoring the eventual winner on a five-on-three powerplay at 18:15. Tanner Fritz and Alex Whelan also lit the lamp for Hartford in the win.
The lone Islanders victory came on November 7th at Webster Bank Arena, when forward Kyle MacLean scored at 19:35 of the third period to break a 2-2 tie.
The Wolf Pack are 3-0-0-0 at home against the Islanders this season, and 26-14-4-1 overall in the ‘Battle of Connecticut’ over the last five seasons.
Wolf Pack Outlook:
The Wolf Pack snapped a four-game losing streak in dramatic fashion on Sunday afternoon with a 4-3 shootout victory over the Springfield Thunderbirds. The Pack fell behind 3-0 but were sparked by a Tim Gettinger goal at 18:40 of the second period. Hunter Skinner’s blast from the point at 7:47 of the third period got Hartford within one, while Jonny Brodzinski tied the game at 19:26 with a shot through traffic.
Gettinger’s goal in the bottom of the third round gave Hartford the dramatic shootout win, their third of the season. The win also kept Hartford in second place in the Atlantic Division.
Brodzinski leads the team in both points with 21 (9 g, 12 a) and goals with nine. Goaltender Keith Kinkaid leads the way in goal with a 10-1-1 record. He has won five straight decisions dating back to the November 7th defeat in Bridgeport.
Forward Anthony Greco has a four-game point streak in which he has scored seven points (1 g, 6 a). Gettinger’s shootout tally on Sunday puts him at 3-for-4 on the season. He has all three Wolf Pack shootout goals and winners this season. Kinkaid has stopped all 13 shooters he has faced in the shootout. The Pack are 9-2-0-0 at home this season.
Islanders Outlook:
The Islanders enter tonight’s game with a 9-14-1-3 record and a points percentage of .407, good for seventh in the Atlantic Division. The Isles split a set of games in Charlotte this past weekend against the Checkers, taking a 5-1 decision on Saturday night before falling 3-1 on Sunday afternoon.
Jeff Kubiak had the game winner on Saturday, while Cole Bardreau had the lone goal on Sunday. Kubiak’s goal was his first of the season. Bardreau scored in both games and finished the weekend with three points (2 g, 1 a). Forward Michael Dal Colle also scored in Saturday night’s victory. It was his first game back in the lineup since October 31st.
Veteran forward Chris Terry, a seven-time 20 goal scorer, leads the team in both points with 22 (9 g, 13 a) and goals with nine. Forward Otto Koivula is second with 20 points (6 g, 14 a). Goaltender Jakub Skarek leads the way in net with a 6-7-2 record.
Game Information:
WATCH: AHLTV
LISTEN: https://mixlr.com/hfd-wolf-pack/
Be sure to ring in the New Year with us at the XL Center on Friday, December 31st, at 3:00 p.m. when the Pack take on the Providence Bruins! The first 1,500 fans will receive a 2022 Team Calendar courtesy of HDI! $2 beers and $1 hot dogs will also be available thanks to our friends at Nomads, while ‘First Night Out’ will be giving away pins to commemorate the night! In addition, post-game fireworks will take place at Bushnell Park at 6:00 p.m. This is also the annual ‘Teddy Bear Toss’ game! Please bring with you a teddy bear to toss out onto the ice when the Wolf Pack score their first goal!
Tickets for both tonight’s game against the Islanders and the New Year’s Eve showdown with the Bruins are available 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.