PRE-GAME REPORT: WOLF PACK RETURN HOME TO CLOSE OUT 2021
Dec 31, 2021
HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack return home to close out the 2021 portion of their schedule this afternoon. The Pack, 3-2 victors in Bridgeport on Wednesday night, return home for another Atlantic Division battle as they play host to the Providence Bruins. This will be the first of two home games this weekend. After a day off tomorrow, the Wolf Pack will host the Rochester Americans on Sunday at 3:00 p.m.
Puck drop for this afternoon is set for 3:00 p.m.
Tale of The Tape:
This is the fourth of ten meetings between the Wolf Pack and the Bruins during the 2021-22 AHL regular season. This is the second of five meetings between the foes at the XL Center this season and the first since October 17th. The sides will next meet in Hartford on January 28th, with the next meeting in Providence coming 14 days earlier on January 14th.
The Wolf Pack have taken two of the previous three meetings between the rivals, including a 4-3 shootout decision back in October. Tim Gettinger had the shootout winner in that game. Hartford also won 2-1 in overtime on November 13th thanks to an Anthnoy Greco goal 1:05 into the extra frame.
The Bruins took a 2-1 overtime decision of their own on November 19th, with Oskar Steen scoring the winner 26 seconds into OT.
All three games between the Bruins and Wolf Pack this season have gone to overtime. Hartford has collected five of a possible six points, while the Bruins have collected four of a possible six points. The Wolf Pack hold a 23-15-4-2 record over Providence over the course of the last five seasons.
Wolf Pack Outlook:
The Wolf Pack opened their post-holiday schedule with a 3-2 victory in Bridgeport over the Islanders on Wednesday night. Justin Richards scored his second goal of the season at 17:39 of the third period to give Hartford a lead they would not lose. Zach Berzolla scored his first career goal in his AHL debut, while Cristiano DiGiacinto tacked on his fourth tally of the campaign.
François Brassard stopped 31 shots for his first career victory in his AHL debut. Mike Lee, a native of nearby Hamden, Connecticut, also made his AHL debut in the victory.
Jonny Brodzinski leads the team in both points with 24 (10 g, 14 a) and goals with ten. Goaltender Keith Kinkaid leads the way in goal with a 10-1-2 record. Forward Anthony Greco has a six-game point streak in which he has scored nine points (2 g, 7 a). He is now second on the club in scoring with 22 points (7 g, 15 a) on the season. That leads active Wolf Pack players. Hunter Skinner (2 g, 1 a) and Ty Ronning (1 g, 2 a) both have three-game point streaks.
Six Wolf Pack players were recalled by the Rangers to the taxi squad on Tuesday afternoon. They were goaltender Adam Húska, defensemen Zac Jones and Matthew Robertson, and forwards Morgan Barron, Brodzinski and Tim Gettinger. Gettinger and Jones have since been recalled to the Rangers’ roster. Kinkaid was recalled on Monday afternoon to the active roster by the Rangers.
Bruins Outlook:
The Bruins enter today’s game with an 11-8-3-1 record following Wednesday night’s 5-3 loss against the Rochester Americans at Blue Cross Arena. Samuel Asselin, Steen, and Chris Wagner tallied goals for the Bruins, but Ara Nazarian’s first career AHL goal in his debut turned out to be the difference maker for the Americans. The loss was the Bruins’ second in a row. It was also their first game in 12 days.
Steen leads the club in both points with 17 (9 g, 8 a) and goals with nine. Former Wolf Pack forward Steven Fogarty is second on the club with 15 points (5 g, 10 a). Kyle Keyser and Troy Grosenick lead the way in goal with four victories each on the season.
Former Rangers defenseman John Moore was assigned to Providence on Thursday from the parent Boston Bruins (NHL). The club also recalled defenseman J.D. Greenway from loan to the ECHL’s Maine Mariners.
Game Information:
WATCH: AHLTV (FREE GAME OF THE WEEK!)
LISTEN: https://mixlr.com/hfd-wolf-pack/
Be sure to ring in the New Year with us at the XL Center this afternoon! The first 1,500 fans will receive a 2022 Team Calendar courtesy of HDI! $2 beers and $1 hot dogs are also 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 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.