PRE-GAME REPORT: WOLF PACK CONCLUDE SEASON SERIES WITH ROCKET AT XL CENTER
Mar 1, 2024
HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack open a road-heavy month of March with a key home game tonight at the XL Center. The North Division’s Laval Rocket flies into town to wrap up the four-game season series.
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 fourth and final meeting this season between the Wolf Pack and the Rocket. It is the second and final meeting between the sides at the XL Center. The Rocket have won each of the last two meetings in this head-to-head matchup and have collected five out of a possible six points in the season series with a 2-0-0-1 record.
The Wolf Pack, who won the first meeting 4-3 in a shootout on December 8th, are 1-2-0-0 in the season series.
The Rocket took a 5-2 decision in the most recent meeting on February 16th in Hartford. Anton Blidh opened the scoring 51 seconds into the game, stuffing home a rebound for his sixth goal of the season. The Rocket, however, scored the next four goals to cruise to victory.
Mitchell Stephens tied the game at 19:00 of the first period on the powerplay, beating Louis Domingue through the five-hole. Jared Davidson then gave the Rocket a lead they never lost 15:20 into the second period when he blazed into the Wolf Pack zone and snapped home his sixth goal of the season.
Tobie Bisson blasted home the eventual game-winning goal at 19:00 of the middle stanza from the top of the left-wing circle. Davidson’s powerplay marker 11:13 into the third period essentially ended the intrigue, putting the Rocket ahead 4-1.
Brett Berard scored at 15:29 with the extra attacker to pique the interest of the crowd, but Davidson would complete the hat-trick into an empty net at 18:38 to seal the victory.
Wolf Pack Outlook:
The Wolf Pack dropped their third consecutive game on Wednesday night, falling 2-1 in overtime to the Charlotte Checkers.
After a goalless opening period, Matt Kiersted put the Checkers on the board at 4:19 of the middle frame. He snuck behind the defense and buried his fourth goal of the season on a feed from Mackie Samoskevich.
The Pack answered back 4:36 into the final period when Blade Jenkins converted on a two-on-one with Blake Hillman for his first goal with the team. The goal was Jenkins’ eleventh in the AHL.
The Wolf Pack banked a key point but couldn’t find victory in extra time. Samoskevich ended the contest with his 14th goal of the season at 3:48, giving the Checkers the second point.
Berard leads the Wolf Pack in goals with 17 on the season. Alex Belzile leads the team in points with 37 (14 g, 23 a), while Mac Hollowell leads the way in assists with 31. Belzile remains on recall with the parent New York Rangers (NHL).
Yesterday, the Wolf Pack loaned defenseman Zach Berzolla to the ECHL’s Cincinnati Cyclones. They also released forward Ethan Keppen from his professional tryout agreement (PTO).
Rocket Outlook:
The Rocket erupted for four goals in a span of 7:29 on Wednesday night in a 4-0 victory over the Bridgeport Islanders.
Philippe Maillet opened the scoring with the eventual game-winning goal at the 8:24 mark of the second period. 34 seconds later, at 8:58, Davidson made it 2-0 with his tenth goal of the season.
Filip Cederqvist extended the lead to 3-0 at 15:33, then 20 seconds later at 15:53 Emil Heineman put the game out of reach with his tenth goal of the campaign. Jakub Dobeš made 35 saves to collect his first career shutout in the AHL. The win improves the rookie netminder to 16-11-5 on the season.
Maillet, Brandon Gignac, and former Wolf Pack forward Lias Andersson lead the Rocket in goals with 14 each. Gignac, meanwhile, leads the team in both assists with 28 and points with 42 (14 g, 28 a).
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.
Join us tonight for $2 drafts and $2 hot dogs until the end of the first intermission! Additionally, DJ Meechie will be the in-arena DJ for this game!
Lastly, stick around postgame for autographs with your favorite Wolf Pack players on the concourse! 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.