PRE-GAME REPORT: WOLF PACK MAKE LONE VISIT TO ROCHESTER TO BATTLE AMERICANS
Mar 20, 2024
ROCHESTER, NY – The Hartford Wolf Pack continue their four-game road trip tonight at the Blue Cross Arena as they make their lone trip to Rochester to take on the Rochester Americans.
The puck drop is set for 7:05 p.m., and coverage is available on AHLTV and Mixlr.
Tale of The Tape:
This is the second and final meeting of the season between the Wolf Pack and the Americans. It is Hartford’s lone trip to Rochester this season.
The Americans opened the season series with a 3-2 overtime victory on December 15th, coming from behind in the third period to take two points.
Karl Henriksson opened the scoring 19:01 into the hockey game, potting his fourth goal of the season to give the Wolf Pack a 1-0 lead through 20 minutes. Brandon Biro equalized 2:21 into the second period, burying an unassisted shorthanded goal.
The Pack got the lead back on Brett Berard’s seventh goal of the season at 17:05 of the second period. The marker, assisted by Matthew Robertson and Riley Nash, would give the Wolf Pack a lead through two periods of play.
For the first time during the 2023-24 season, however, the Wolf Pack were unable to win a game when leading after two periods.
Jiri Kulich blasted home his 14th goal of the season at 16:27 of the third period, just seconds after the Amerks’ second powerplay of the night concluded. The goal tied the game 2-2 and forced overtime at the XL Center.
In overtime, Alex Belzile would take a hooking penalty at 1:10 to give the Amerks a four-on-three powerplay. While on the advantage, Kulich snapped his second goal of the night and 15th of the season by Louis Domingue to complete the comeback at 2:51.
The win was the second straight in the all-time head-to-head series between the Wolf Pack and the Americans. The Amerks took an 8-4 decision at the Blue Cross Arena on March 10th, 2023.
The Wolf Pack’s last win in the head-to-head matchup came on January 21st, 2023, at the XL Center by a score of 4-1.
Wolf Pack Outlook:
The Wolf Pack suffered their fifth straight defeat on Sunday afternoon. The club was shutout for the second time in three outings, falling 4-0 to the Hershey Bears at the Giant Center.
Ethen Frank opened the scoring just 1:19 into the hockey game. A puck was pushed into the left-wing circle by Alex Limoges. Frank collected the puck and snapped a shot over the glove of Dylan Garand for his 22nd goal of the season.
The Wolf Pack pushed hard in the second period but were unsuccessful in trying to solve Hunter Shepard. Limoges extended the Bears’ lead to 2-0 at 19:44 of the middle frame, stuffing home a rebound for his 19th goal of the campaign.
Riley Sutter made it a 3-0 game at 11:18 of the third period, converting on a turnover behind the Wolf Pack net. Sutter found a loose puck and wrapped it around for his ninth goal of the season.
Ryan Hofer blasted a shot from the slot at 14:13, making it 4-0 Bears. The goal came after a puck was turned over and popped right into the slot for the rookie forward.
Shepard made 26 saves to collect his third shutout of the season. It was the fourth time this year that the Wolf Pack were blanked.
Berard leads the Wolf Pack in goals with 23. Belzile (16 g, 26 a) leads the team in points with 42, while Mac Hollowell leads the way in assists with 34.
Americans Outlook:
The Americans saw their three-game winning streak snapped on Saturday by the Toronto Marlies via a 7-3 defeat at the Coca-Cola Coliseum.
After neither side was able to light the lamp in the opening frame, Nick Abruzzese got the Marlies on the board 1:51 into the second period. The middle stanza would prove to be a wild one, as Dylan Gambrell extended the lead to 2-0 at 5:17.
The Americans responded with two goals of their own to tie the game 2-2. Biro got the Amerks on the board at 8:33, then Viktor Neuchev fired home the equalizer at 15:33.
Logan Shaw restored the lead for the Marlies at 18:44, but 21 seconds later Mason Jobst again drew the Americans even.
The 3-3 stalemate lasted only 63 seconds into the third period. Kieffer Bellows broke the tie with his 24th goal of the season, the eventual game-winner. Bellows tacked on a second goal at 13:58, his 25th of the year.
Both Joseph Blandisi (17:08) and Mikko Kokkonen (19:21) would hit the empty net.
Jobst and Kulich are tied for the team lead in goals with 18 each on the season. Jobst’s 42 points (18 g, 24 a) lead the team in that category. Lukas Rousek, currently on recall with the parent Buffalo Sabres (NHL) leads the club in assists with 28.
Game Information:
WATCH: AHLTV
LISTEN: Mixlr
Play-by-play voice of the Wolf Pack Alex Thomas will have ‘Wolf Pack Pregame’ starting live at 6:50 p.m. on both AHLTV and Mixlr.
The Wolf Pack continue their four-game road trip Saturday afternoon when they visit the Toronto Marlies. The puck drop is set for 4:00 p.m., with coverage starting at 3:45 p.m. on AHLTV & Mixlr with ‘Wolf Pack Pregame’.
The Pack is back at the XL Center on Wednesday, March 27th, when the Charlotte Checkers come to town for the third time this season. The puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m.
Tickets 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 is the top player-development affiliate of the NHL's New York Rangers and plays 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.