PRE-GAME REPORT: WOLF PACK LOOK TO SWEEP THREE GAME WEEKEND WITH VISIT TO BRIDGEPORT
Nov 7, 2021
HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack will look for their first four game winning streak of the 2021-22 AHL season this afternoon in round four of the ‘Battle of Connecticut’ in Bridgeport. The Pack attempt to sweep a three-in-three weekend following last night’s 4-3 victory over the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.
Tale of The Tape:
This is the fourth of ten meetings between the Wolf Pack and the Bridgeport Islanders during the 2021-22 AHL regular season. It is the second of five meetings between the teams at Webster Bank Arena this season, and the final of three meetings over the course of a seven-day span. The sides met last Sunday afternoon in Bridgeport and two nights ago in Hartford.
The Wolf Pack claimed a 5-1 victory over the Islanders last Sunday, with five different players finding the back of the net. On Friday night, the Pack claimed a dominating 7-4 victory over the Islanders for their third straight win in the series this season. Forwards Ty Ronning and Tim Gettinger each scored twice for Hartford in the win, while forward Blade Jenkins did the same in a loss.
Forward Alex Whelan and defenseman Tarmo Reunanen each scored their first goals of the season, while goaltender Keith Kinkaid collected his fifth victory. Kinkaid now has points in eight straight appearances to kick off his Wolf Pack career.
Wolf Pack Outlook:
The Pack continued their three-in-three weekend last night with a 4-3 victory against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins at the XL Center. The Pack scored the game’s first four goals, with forward Tanner Fritz and defenseman Anthony Bitetto getting the party started in the first period.
Gettinger and forward Lauri Pajuniemi tacked on tallies before the Penguins scored the game’s final three goals, including a Sam Poulin marker in the final minute with an extra attacker. The win pushed the Wolf Pack to 5-1-0-0 on home ice this season and gives the Pack points in seven of their last eight games and eight of ten overall to start the season.
Hartford went 2-1-0-0 last weekend in a three-in-three, defeating the Penguins 3-2 in a shootout on Friday night and the Islanders 5-1 on Sunday afternoon. Kinkaid leads the way in net with a 5-1-1-0 record. Captain Jonny Brodzinski leads the club with eleven points (3 g, 8 a), while Gettinger has five goals to lead the club. Both Brodzinski and Gettinger are working on point streaks of six games currently.
Islanders Outlook:
The Islanders enter this afternoon with a 3-5-0-2 record following last night’s 4-1 loss against the Springfield Thunderbirds on home ice. Alexy Toropchenko and Logan Brown both scored within the game’s first 62 seconds for the Thunderbirds, putting the Islanders quickly behind in a game Springfield led for final 59:18.
The Islanders opened their three-in-three weekend with Friday’s loss against the Wolf Pack. Jenkins scored a pair in the defeat, while Richard Panik and Anatolii Golyshev each tallied powerplay goals for the Islanders. Bridgeport went two-for-two on the advantage in the loss against the Wolf Pack.
Bridgeport is 3-2-0-2 against teams other than Hartford this season, going 0-3-0-0 against the Pack. Forward Otto Koivula leads the Islanders with nine points (1 g, 8 a) in ten games.
Game Information:
WATCH: AHLTV
The Wolf Pack are kicking off a three-game road trip this afternoon. The Pack will visit the Springfield Thunderbirds for a key divisional matchup on Friday, November 12th, before visiting the Providence Bruins on Saturday, November 13th. The Pack is back at the XL Center on Wednesday, November 17th, when they host the Bridgeport Islanders.
To secure your seats and join the fun for this milestone 25th anniversary season, visit 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 are the top player-development affiliate of the NHL's New York Rangers and play 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.