PRE-GAME REPORT: WOLF PACK AND THUNDERBIRDS RENEW RIVALRY IN POST-THANKSGIVING SHOWDOWN
Nov 24, 2023
SPRINGFIELD, MA – The Hartford Wolf Pack and Springfield Thunderbirds renew their rivalry tonight at the MassMutual Center with a holiday edition of the ‘I-91 Rivalry’. It is the first of two games this weekend for the Wolf Pack and their lone road contest in a span of seven games.
The puck drop is set for 7:05 p.m. and coverage is available on both AHLTV and Mixlr.
Tale of The Tape:
This is the fourth of ten meetings between the Wolf Pack and the Thunderbirds this season. It is also the second of five meetings between the teams at the MassMutual Center. They’ll next meet back in Springfield on December 27th before the series shifts back to the XL Center on February 3rd.
The Wolf Pack have claimed two of the first three meetings between the foes, including the most recent one on November 15th. That morning, in the ‘School Day Game’ at the XL Center, the Wolf Pack scored three times in the first period to cruise to a 5-1 victory.
Jonny Brodzinski opened the scoring 5:05 into the contest, scoring his eighth goal of the season on the powerplay on a feed from Alex Belzile. Brodzinski returned the favor just over five minutes later, as he set up Belzile in front for his fourth goal of the season at 10:59.
The first-period barrage ended at 18:53 when Turner Elson fed Adam Sýkora in the right-wing circle. Sýkora snapped his first career AHL goal over the glove of Vadim Zherenko to give Hartford a 3-0 lead through 20 minutes.
Nikolas Brouillard extended the lead to 4-0 at 12:58 of the middle frame when he poked home a rebound. Adam Edström capped the scoring 5:44 into the third period when he deflected a Matthew Robertson shot into the goal.
Mathias Laferriere scored the lone goal for the Thunderbirds on the morning at the 15:20 mark of the second period.
The Wolf Pack claimed a 3-1 victory back on October 14th in their only visit to the MassMutual Center so far this season. Brodzinski scored twice in the win while Dylan Garand made 23 saves.
A 5-2 decision in Hartford on October 27th is the T-Birds' lone win in the season series to this point.
Wolf Pack Outlook:
The Wolf Pack won their second straight game on Wednesday night, storming back to beat the Providence Bruins by a final score of 6-4.
Marc McLaughlin opened the scoring just 30 seconds in, pumping a centering feed by Garand for his third goal of the season. Karl Henriksson tied it with just 2.7 seconds left in the first period, taking a pass from Mac Hollowell in front of the net and snapping it by Michael DiPietro.
Brodzinski gave the Wolf Pack their first lead of the night 1:46 into the middle frame, burying a feed from Belzile from the bottom of the left-wing circle. Just 2:12 later, however, the Bruins responded with a one-timer from Luke Toporowski in the right-wing circle.
Michael Callahan restored the Bruin lead at 14:53, firing a shot into traffic that Garand never saw. 40 seconds later, at 15:33, Joey Abate tucked home a rebound for his first goal of the season, giving the Bruins a 4-2 lead.
The Wolf Pack stormed back with a single-period season-high four goals in the third period to earn their first victory of the season when trailing after 40 minutes. Belzile scored his sixth goal of the season on a five-on-three powerplay at 8:51, giving the Wolf Pack life.
Shortly after serving a bench minor, Brennan Othmann would tie the game with his third goal of the season. Othmann was sprung in on a breakaway by Brodzinski and slid the puck through DiPietro at 12:15.
In the final minute, at 19:16, Belzile collected a rebound and fired it by a diving DiPietro for his second tally of the hockey game. The goal would stand as the game-winner, Belzile’s third of the season. Edström hit the empty net at 19:53 for good measure.
Hollowell notched a career-high four assists in the victory, while both Belzile (2 g, 1 a), and Brodzinski (1 g, 2 a) recorded three-point nights.
Brodzinski leads the club in both goals with eleven and points with 21 (11 g, 10 a). He sits tied for second in the league in goals and second in points. Hollowell, meanwhile, leads the team in assists with 13 in just eleven games.
Thunderbirds Outlook:
The Thunderbirds rattled off their second straight victory on Wednesday night, doubling up the Bridgeport Islanders by a final score of 4-2 on home ice.
Matthew Peca built a two-goal lead for the club, scoring at 11:47 of the first period and 13:46 of the middle frame. The goals were his third and fourth of the season. Otto Koivula drew the Islanders within one at 15:31 of the second period, but just 37 seconds later Hugh McGing would bury the game-winning goal. McGing’s marker at 16:08 was his third of the season.
Jeff Kubiak brought back some intrigue at 17:12 with his third goal of the season, but Wyatt Kalynuk fired home his second of the year at 9:21 of the final frame to allow the Thunderbirds to pull away.
Zherenko made 32 saves to collect the victory.
Adam Gaudette leads the Thunderbirds in both goals with 13 and points with 22 (13 g, 9 a). He also leads the AHL in both categories. Peca, meanwhile, leads the team in assists with 12.
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 Pack is back at the XL Center tomorrow night when the Belleville Senators come to town for the only time this season! Tickets are available at www.hartfordwolfpack.com, and the puck drop is set for 7:30 p.m.
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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.