PRE-GAME REPORT: WOLF PACK OPEN THREE-IN-THREE SET WITH VISIT FROM RIVAL ISLANDERS
Feb 17, 2023
HARTFORD, CT – The ‘Battle of Connecticut’ is ready to rage on once more. Tonight, the Hartford Wolf Pack return home to kick off a three-in-three set as they welcome the rival Bridgeport Islanders to the XL Center.
Puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m. and coverage is available on both AHLTV and Mixlr.
Tale of The Tape:
This is the seventh of twelve meetings between the Wolf Pack and Islanders during the 2022-23 season. It is the third of six meetings at the XL Center, and the only matchup between the rivals in the month of February. The sides next meet again on March 4th at Total Mortgage Arena in Bridgeport.
The next installment of the ‘Battle of Connecticut’ in Hartford comes on March 15th.
The Islanders ran away with the last meeting, defeating the Wolf Pack by a final score of 6-2 on January 25th. Otto Koivula, Andy Andreoff, and Paul Thompson struck at 1:29, 4:05, and 7:28, respectively, of the first period, giving the Islanders a 3-0 cushion that was never tested.
Chris Terry tacked on two goals in the final forty minutes, while Vincent Sevigny also lit the lamp in the win. Turner Elson and Sammy Blais struck for Hartford in the loss.
The Islanders’ victory snapped a two-game winning streak for the Wolf Pack in the head-to-head matchup. The Pack took a 4-3 decision on December 23rd in Hartford, and a 7-3 verdict on December 27th in Bridgeport. Hartford is 2-4-0-0 against Bridgeport this season.
Wolf Pack Outlook:
The Wolf Pack dropped their second straight game on Saturday night, falling 2-1 to the Hershey Bears at the Giant Center. Despite outshooting the Bears 34-20, the Pack only managed a Will Cuylle goal 10:46 into the middle stanza. Mike Sgarbossa and Henrik Rybinski struck for the Bears in the first period, while Hunter Shepard made 33 saves for the victory.
Rybinski’s first period goal, a shorthanded marker, stood as the game-winner.
Elson (11 g, 15 a) and Tanner Fritz (4 g, 22 a) are tied for the team lead in points with 26 each on the season. Cuylle leads the way in goals with 15, while Fritz’s 22 assists are tops in that category.
The Wolf Pack open just their second three-in-three weekend of the season tonight. They will host the Providence Bruins tomorrow night (7:00 p.m.) before visiting the Lehigh Valley Phantoms (5:05 p.m.) on Sunday afternoon.
Islanders Outlook:
The Islanders dropped their lone outing last weekend, falling 3-0 to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms at the PPL Center. After a scoreless first period, Elliot Desnoyers struck at both 1:45 and 11:35 of the second period to give the Phantoms a lead they would not lose. Artem Anisimov tacked on an insurance marker on the powerplay 8:04 into the third period, while Samuel Ersson turned aside 15 shots for a shutout victory.
Terry leads the Islanders with 44 points (14 g, 30 a) in 41 games this season. Andreoff, meanwhile, leads the club in goals with 20 on the campaign.
On Thursday, the parent New York Islanders (NHL) recalled Andreoff from Bridgeport. The Bridgeport Islanders, meanwhile, recalled goaltender Henrik Tikkanen from loan to ECHL Worcester on Wednesday.
Game Information:
WATCH: AHLTV
LISTEN: Mixlr
Play-by-play voice of the Wolf Pack Alex Thomas will have ‘Wolf Pack Pregame’ starting live at 6:45 p.m. on both AHLTV and Mixlr.
The Pack is back at the XL Center tomorrow night when they host the Providence Bruins. The puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m. Join us for ‘Hartford Hockey Heritage’ night as we celebrate the past, present, and future of hockey in the Connecticut capital. The Wolf Pack will also welcome six former Hartford Whalers back to the XL Center as part of the night’s festivities. 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.