PRE-GAME REPORT: THE ‘I-91 RIVALRY’ COMES TO HARTFORD AS WOLF PACK HOST THUNDERBIRDS
Mar 29, 2024
HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack continues a key four-game homestand tonight at the XL Center as the Springfield Thunderbirds come to town for the latest installment of the ‘I-91 Rivalry’.
The puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m., and coverage is available on AHLTV and Mixlr.
Tale of The Tape:
This is the eighth of ten meetings between the Wolf Pack and Thunderbirds in the 2023-24 edition of the ‘I-91 Rivalry’. It is the fourth of five meetings between the sides at the XL Center. The Pack hosts the T-Birds again on April 12th, before the season series wraps up at the MassMutual Center on April 20th.
The Thunderbirds hold a 4-3 edge in the season series thanks to victories in each of the last three meetings. On February 23rd, the Thunderbirds doubled up the Wolf Pack by a score of 6-3 in Western Massachusetts.
Tyler Pitlick and Matthew Robertson struck 38 seconds apart at 10:57 and 11:35, respectively, of the first period to give the Pack a quick 2-0 lead. A pair of powerplay goals from the Thunderbirds sent the game to the first intermission tied 2-2, however. Dylan Coghlan struck at 12:30 on a five-on-three, and then 51 seconds later Adam Gaudette tied the game with a five-on-four tally.
A second five-on-three goal, this one at 7:46 of the second period from Ryan Suzuki, gave the T-Birds a 3-2 lead through 40 minutes of play.
Pitlick struck just 20 seconds into the third period to even the affair 3-3, but the Wolf Pack could not complete the comeback. For the second time in as many meetings, Zach Dean broke a 3-3 tie and earned the game-winning goal. Dean’s tally 6:50 into the third period would be enough on this night for the home side. Joseph Duszak and Gaudette both struck late in the period to help the T-Birds pull away.
Springfield also won 6-3 on February 3rd in their last visit to Hartford. The Wolf Pack’s last win in the head-to-head matchup was a 4-2 triumph in Springfield on November 24th.
Wolf Pack Outlook:
The Wolf Pack dropped their eighth game in the last nine outings on Wednesday night, falling 3-0 to the Charlotte Checkers at the XL Center. It was the third time in the last nine games that the Pack were held off the scoreboard.
Wilmer Skoog buried a rebound 1:46 into the hockey game on the powerplay to give the Checkers a lead they never lost. Alexander True extended the lead to 2-0 at 14:06 of the third period, while Casey Fitzgerald struck four-on-four at 15:23 to end the intrigue.
Spencer Knight made 19 saves for his second straight shutout against the Wolf Pack.
Brett Berard leads the Wolf Pack in goals with 23 on the season. Alex Belzile leads the club in points with 46 (18 g, 28 a), while Mac Hollowell leads the way in assists with 37.
Thunderbirds Outlook:
The Thunderbirds picked up a wild 6-4 victory over the Syracuse Crunch on Saturday night at the MassMutual Center.
Mikhail Abramov’s eleventh goal of the season at 17:46 of the second period gave the T-Birds a 5-2 lead at the time and would prove to be the eventual game-winning tally. Ilya Usau and Cole Koepke made things interesting with third-period goals that got the Crunch within one but Will Bitten’s hat-trick tally at 18:59 preserved two key points.
Bitten also struck 3:37 into the hockey game and 9:59 into the second period. Suzuki also scored in the victory.
Gaudette leads the club in both goals with 37 and points with 57 (37 g, 20 a). His 37 goals are tied for the league lead with Ontario Reign forward Samuel Fagemo. Captain Matthew Peca and defenseman Calle Rosen lead the way in assists with 29 each.
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 continue their homestand tomorrow night when they welcome the Hershey Bears to town for the final meeting this season between the foes. Be sure to join us for a postgame skate with Wolf Pack players following the game! 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.