PRE-GAME REPORT: WOLF PACK RETURN HOME FOR FIRST MEETING WITH SENATORS SINCE 2019
Mar 2, 2022
HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack return home to the XL Center in Hartford this evening to open a three-game homestand as they welcome the Belleville Senators to town for the first time since November of 2019. The Wolf Pack will also host the Hershey Bears on Saturday night and the Bridgeport Islanders on Sunday afternoon during this homestand.
Puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m.
Tale of The Tape:
This is the first of four meetings between the Wolf Pack and the Senators during the 2021-22 season. The sides will meet again at the XL Center on Friday, April 1st, while they will also play a pair of games in Belleville on March 19th and April 13th. After not meeting during the truncated 2020-21 season, this is the first time that the Pack and the Sens will meet since November 9th, 2019.
That night, at the XL Center, the Senators skated to a 4-3 shootout victory. Vitaly Abramov scored at 17:22 of the third period to force overtime, while Jordan Szwarz and Drake Batherson scored in the shootout. Tim Gettinger scored for the Wolf Pack in the loss, while Adam Húska made 22 saves.
The Wolf Pack finished the 2019-20 season 0-0-0-2 against the Sens. The also fell 5-4 in a shootout in Belleville on November 2nd, 2019. Hartford’s last win against the Senators came on October 19th, 2018, by a score of 4-3. Cole Schneider scored the winning goal.
The Wolf Pack have a four-game point streak (1-0-1-2) against the Senators.
Wolf Pack Outlook:
The Wolf Pack suffered a 6-3 setback to the Providence Bruins last time out on Sunday afternoon, dropping their record to 25-16-4-2. The Pack scored three powerplay goals for the third time this season, with Anthony Greco, Ty Ronning, and Gettinger lighting the lamp. The Bruins, however, scored three powerplay goals of their own to force a split of the home-and-home set. The Pack went 2-1-0-0 in their three-in-three weekend. They defeated the Springfield Thunderbirds 3-1 on Friday night, and the Bruins 5-2 on Saturday.
Jonny Brodzinski leads the club in scoring with 39 points (18 g, 21 a) on the season. His 18 goals are also tops on the Wolf Pack. He recorded his 100th career assist in the AHL on Sunday afternoon. Greco sits second on the club in scoring with 35 points (10 g, 25 a) on the season. He currently sits at 99 career AHL goals. Defenseman Nils Lundkvist collected two assists in the loss Sunday. It was his second career multi-point effort in the AHL. He now has points in back-to-back games for the first time in the AHL.
The parent New York Rangers (NHL) signed Brodzinski to a two-year contract extension on Monday morning. He was recalled to the club on Tuesday afternoon, while defenseman Zac Jones was assigned.
Senators Outlook:
The Senators enter this evening’s tilt with a record of 23-21-0-0 following a 4-3 victory over the Laval Rocket on Saturday. The Senators trailed 3-0 in the third period before scoring the game’s final four goals in the last 10:18 of regulation time. Michael Del Zotto tied the contest at 12:24 of the third period, while Roby Jarventie’s second goal of the stanza put the Senators ahead for good at 19:06.
Egor Sokolov and Jake Lucchini lead the Sens in scoring with 31 points each this season. Both players have scored 14 goals and 17 assists. Sokolov, Lucchini, and Andrew Agozzino are all tied for the goal scoring lead in Belleville with 14 tallies each. Mads Sogaard leads the way in goal with a record of 11-11-0-0.
Game Information:
WATCH: AHLTV
LISTEN: https://mixlr.com/hfd-wolf-pack/
The Pack is back at the XL Center this weekend for two games! First, the Wolf Pack welcome the Hershey Bears to town on Saturday night. Puck drop is set for 7:30 p.m. on ‘Military Appreciation Night’. The first 1,500 fans into the building will receive a Wolf Pack T-Shirt courtesy of CTDOT. On Sunday, the ‘Battle of Connecticut’ rages on as the Wolf Pack host the Bridgeport Islanders at 3:00 p.m. Join us for Sonar’s birthday and Mascot Madness, and don’t forget to purchase your CTDOT ‘Hat-Trick Pack’! Packs include three tickets, three hot dogs, and three fountain drinks!
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 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.