PRE-GAME REPORT: WOLF PACK WELCOME COMETS TO TOWN ON ‘HARTFORD HOCKEY HERITAGE NIGHT’
Mar 16, 2024
HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack return home to the XL Center tonight for a brief stop as they welcome the Utica Comets to town before embarking on a four-game road trip.
The puck drop is set for 6:00 p.m., and coverage is available on AHLTV and Mixlr.
Tale of The Tape:
This is the second and final meeting between the Wolf Pack and the Comets this season. It is the Comets’ lone visit to the XL Center during the 2023-24 campaign.
The Wolf Pack claimed a 3-2 victory over the Comets in the first meeting of the season back on November 4th at the Adirondack Bank Center. T.J. Friedmann opened the scoring 16:31 into the game for the Comets, converting a feed from Timur Ibragimov. Mac Hollowell responded for the Wolf Pack at 19:00, blasting home his first goal with the club on the powerplay.
Zach Berzolla gave the Wolf Pack the lead 13:51 into the second period, scoring his first goal of the season in his season debut with the club. Berzolla activated down the right-wing side and snuck a shot short-side by Erik Kallgren. 1:14 later, Ryan Schmelzer tied the game via a fortunate bounce. Joe Gambardella’s dump-in struck a stanchion and bounced into the slot. Schmelzer was in the right place at the right time and deposited his second goal of the season from the slot.
Adam Edström potted the game-winning goal 3:40 into the third period, jamming home a rebound off a Matthew Robertson shot. Dylan Garand made 31 saves to pick up the victory.
The Wolf Pack have won two straight against the Comets and have points in four of their last five meetings (3-1-0-1) in the head-to-head series.
Wolf Pack Outlook:
The Wolf Pack suffered their third straight loss on Wednesday night as they were blanked 4-0 by the Charlotte Checkers.
Will Lockwood scored the game-winning goal 3:28 into the second period, deflecting a shot from Mike Benning by Garand for his sixth goal of the season. The powerplay marker would be enough on this night, as Spencer Knight made 20 saves to collect his third shutout of the season.
Wilmer Skoog, Patrick Giles, and Mackie Samoskevich also lit the lamp for the Checkers in the victory.
This was just the third time this season that the Wolf Pack were shut out in a game. They had previously been blanked by the Providence Bruins on both November 11th and February 18th.
Brett Berard leads the Wolf Pack in goals with 22. Alex Belzile (16 g, 25 a) and Nic Petan (12 g, 29 a) lead the team in points with 41 each, while Hollowell leads the way in assists with 34.
On Friday, the parent New York Rangers (NHL) recalled Edström from Hartford. Earlier this morning, the Wolf Pack recalled forward Blade Jenkins from loan to the ECHL’s Worcester Railers.
Comets Outlook:
The Comets knocked off the Hershey Bears by a final score of 4-3 last night on home ice. Filip Engaras and Xavier Parent struck at 2:43 and 6:15 of the hockey game, respectively, to help the Comets jump out to a quick 2-0 lead.
The Bears struck for three unanswered goals, however, taking a 3-2 lead by the 8:28 mark of the second period. Riley Sutter got the Bears on the board at 19:13 of the first period, making it 2-1 after one. Alex Limoges then struck at 8:04 and 8:28 of the second period to turn a 2-1 deficit into a 3-2 lead.
The goals came just 24 seconds apart.
Kyle Criscuolo popped home his 12th goal of the season 3:31 into the third period, tying the game and forcing an eventual overtime period.
Robbie Russo took a holding penalty just 46 seconds into overtime, but the Comets’ penalty kill held to push the game to a shootout.
Ibragimov scored the lone shootout goal in the bottom of the third round to give the Comets a 1-0 shootout victory and a 4-3 win in the game.
Graeme Clarke leads the Comets in both goals with 20 and points with 41 (20 g, 21 a). Schmelzer, meanwhile, leads the team in assists with 26.
Game Information:
WATCH: AHLTV
LISTEN: Mixlr
Play-by-play voice of the Wolf Pack Alex Thomas will have ‘Wolf Pack Pregame’ starting live at 5:45 p.m. on both AHLTV and Mixlr.
The Wolf Pack kick off a four-game road trip tomorrow evening when they visit the Hershey Bears. The puck drop is set for 5:00 p.m., with coverage starting at 4:45 p.m. on AHLTV & Mixlr with ‘Wolf Pack Pregame’.
The Pack is back at the XL Center on Wednesday, March 27th, when the Checkers come to town for the third time this season. 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.