PRE-GAME REPORT: WOLF PACK LOOK TO HEAD INTO ALL-STAR BREAK ON WINNING NOTE

PRE-GAME REPORT: WOLF PACK LOOK TO HEAD INTO ALL-STAR BREAK ON WINNING NOTE

Feb 1, 2025

LAVAL, QC – The Hartford Wolf Pack play their last game before the All-Star Break this afternoon as they conclude a back-to-back set with the Laval Rocket.

The puck drop is set for 3:00 p.m., and coverage is available on AHLTV on FloHockey and Mixlr. 

Tale of The Tape:
This is the fourth and final meeting between the Wolf Pack and the Rocket this season. The Rocket have taken two out of the first three matchups, posting a record of 2-1-0-0. The Wolf Pack are 1-2-0-0 in the head-to-head season series.

The Rocket won 3-1 on Friday night at Place Bell, their second straight victory against the Wolf Pack. Owen Beck struck 2:22 into the game, scoring on the first shot of the night for the Rocket. A Wolf Pack turnover in the defensive zone saw Jared Davidson pick up the puck in the left-wing circle. He centered a pass to Beck at the top of the crease, who tapped home his eleventh goal of the season.

Alex Belzile drew the Wolf Pack even 8:02 into the third period, scoring his 14th goal. Laurent Dauphin fumbled the puck in his own zone, allowing Belzile to gain possession and work from the right-wing circle to the front of the net. There, Belzile beat Cayden Primeau with a backhander for his second goal against the Rocket this season.

Just 1:40 later, Florian Xhekaj lifted a rebound over the right pad of Domingue on the power play to restore the lead. Xhekaj’s ninth goal of the season would turn out to be the game-winning tally, his third of the campaign. Dauphin hit the empty net for his 14th goal of the season at 19:58 to cement the two points for the home side.

The Rocket also defeated the Wolf Pack by a score of 4-3 at the XL Center on Jan. 24. The Wolf Pack’s lone win in the season series was a 4-2 decision in Hartford on Dec. 14. 

All-time, the Wolf Pack are 1-6-0-1 at Place Bell. 

Wolf Pack Outlook:
The Wolf Pack’s loss on Friday night was their fifth straight defeat. They are 0-4-1-0 during that stretch. It is the longest losing streak of the season for the team, which is now 18-21-3-1.

On Friday night, the parent New York Rangers (NHL) traded defenseman Victor Mancini, a conditional 2025 first round draft choice, and forward Filip Chytil to the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for forward JT Miller, defenseman Erik Brännström and defenseman Jackson Dorrington. Mancini scored ten points (3 g, 7 a) in 23 games with the Wolf Pack prior to the trade.

Domingue was named the third star of the game last night, making 22 saves in defeat. 

Belzile led the Wolf Pack in shots on goal with five in the loss. He leads the team in that category with 107 on the season.

Belzile and Bo Groulx are tied for the team lead in goals with 14 each, while Belzile paces the club in points with 41 (14 g, 27 a). Belzile sits tied for second in the AHL in points with Emil Bemström of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.

Rocket Outlook:
The Rocket won their fourth straight game last night. The club is 5-1-0-0 at Place Bell during the month of January, and 14-5-1-1 overall at home. Their 14 wins at home are tied for the third most in the AHL with the San Jose Barracuda.

The Rocket are 27-11-2-1 on the season, good for 57 points. They currently lead the North Division and sit second in the Eastern Conference behind only the Hershey Bears (59 points). Overall, the Rocket are third in the AHL behind the Bears and Calgary Wranglers (58 points).

The Rocket are 7-0-0-1 at home all-time against the Wolf Pack. They have collected 15 of a possible 16 points in the head-to-head matchups at Place Bell.

Beck and defenseman Logan Mailloux will represent the Rocket at the 2025 AHL All-Star Classic in Coachella Valley tomorrow and Monday. 

Davidson, Dauphin, and Joshua Roy are tied for the team lead in goals with 14, while Alex Barré-Boulet leads the team in points with 32 (9 g, 23 a).

Game Information:
WATCH: AHLTV on FloHockey
LISTEN: Mixlr

Play-by-play voice of the Wolf Pack Alex Thomas will have ‘Wolf Pack Pregame’ starting live at 2:45 p.m. on both AHLTV on FloHockey and Mixlr.

The Pack is back at the XL Center on Friday, Feb. 7, when they welcome the Charlotte Checkers to town. Join us for $2 drafts and $2 hot dogs until the end of the first intermission! 

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.   

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