PRE-GAME REPORT: WOLF PACK BEGIN CALDER CUP JOURNEY IN SPRINGFIELD VS. THUNDERBIRDS
Apr 19, 2023
SPRINGFIELD, MA – The Hartford Wolf Pack open their 2023 Calder Cup Playoff journey in the same spot where their 2022-23 regular season ended. Tonight, the Wolf Pack visit the MassMutual Center for Game One of their Atlantic Division First Round series against the Springfield Thunderbirds.
Puck drop is set for 7:05 p.m. and coverage is available on both AHLTV and Mixlr.
Tale of The Tape:
The Wolf Pack and Thunderbirds met 12 times during the regular season, with the Thunderbirds taking nine of those contests. The T-Birds managed points in ten of 12 games, posting a record of 9-2-0-1. The Wolf Pack, meanwhile, collected points in five of the 12 meetings, accumulating a record of 3-7-0-2.
The sides concluded their season series on April 15th, meeting at the MassMutual Center. Adam Gaudette scored the game’s only goal in a 1-0 victory for the Thunderbirds. Scott Perunovich broke up a potential two-on-one for the Wolf Pack in the neutral zone, then sprung Gaudette in on a breakaway. Gaudette was able to beat Wolf Pack starter Dylan Garand for his 27th goal of the season 17:29 into the game.
Joel Hofer made 35 saves for the shutout victory. It was his fifth shutout of the season, and third against the Wolf Pack. In fact, the Thunderbirds have shut the Wolf Pack out in each of the last two meetings between the sides. Garret Sparks made 21 saves on March 25th in a 4-0 victory in Hartford.
Hofer posted a record of 7-1-1 against the Wolf Pack in the regular season, collecting three shutouts and posting a .955 save percentage. Will Bitten led the club in scoring during the season series, collecting 15 points (8 g, 7 a) in 12 games.
Will Cuylle paced the Hartford attack, scoring nine points (6 g, 3 a) in 12 games. Both Cuylle and Lauri Pajuniemi scored their first career AHL hat tricks against the Thunderbirds during the season series.
Wolf Pack Outlook:
The Wolf Pack had their eight-game winning streak snapped by the Thunderbirds in their regular season finale on Saturday. The club finished with a record of 35-26-4-7, good for 81 points and a fifth place finish in the Atlantic Division. That was an improvement of three victories and nine points over their 2021-22 season results.
Hartford’s playoff berth is also their first since 2015, snapping the longest playoff drought in the American Hockey League.
The Wolf Pack opens tonight’s series on the road. They’ve had plenty of success away from home this season, posting a record of 17-13-4-2. Their 17 road victories are the most in a single season since 2015-16, when they won 21 games away from the XL Center.
Jonny Brodzinski led the Wolf Pack in scoring with 48 points (21 g, 27 a) during the regular season. He was recalled to the parent New York Rangers (NHL) last Friday. Cuylle, meanwhile, leads active Wolf Pack skaters in both points with 45 (25 g, 20 a), and goals with 25. His 25 goals were tops among all Wolf Pack players this season, both active and on recall with the Rangers.
Cuylle finished fifth in the American Hockey League in goals among rookies.
Thunderbirds Outlook:
The Thunderbirds dropped a 7-3 decision at the hands of the Providence Bruins in their regular season finale on Sunday afternoon in Rhode Island.
Chris Wagner and Eduards Tralmaks scored at 7:02 and 7:45 of the first period to put the Bruins ahead, but Mikhail Abramov would score at 13:58 to get the T-Birds on the board. Bitten then tied the game at 18:02, striking on the powerplay.
Vinni Lettieri restored the Providence lead with a powerplay goal of his own at 7:56 of the second period, but again the Thunderbirds had an answer. This time, it was Greg Printz who tied the game 3-3 at the 16:37 mark, firing home his seventh goal of the season.
Third time was the charm for the Bruins with the lead, however, as Jack Ahcan fired home a shorthanded goal 3:16 into the third period. The Bruins didn’t take their foot off the gas up 4-3, as they pumped home three insurance markers from Joona Koppanen, Marc McLaughlin, and Wagner to pull away for good.
The Thunderbirds finished the season with a 38-26-3-5 record, good for 84 points and a fourth place finish in the Atlantic Division.
Martin Frk led the Thunderbirds in scoring with 64 points (30 g, 34 a) in his first season with the club. His 30 goals also led the Thunderbirds and ranked him tied for seventh in the league in goal scoring with Laval’s Anthony Richard, Coachella Valley’s Kole Lind, and Hershey’s Ethen Frank.
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 for Calder Cup Playoff hockey for the first time since 2015 this Friday, April 21st! The puck drop is set for 7:05 p.m. for Game Two between the Wolf Pack and Thunderbirds. For Calder Cup Playoff tickets please visit www.hartfordwolfpack.com/tickets/playoff-information.
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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.