TWO MINUTES FOR THOUGHTS: JANUARY 25TH, 2024
Jan 25, 2024
The Hartford Wolf Pack are spending today on the road, bussing from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton to Cleveland for two games against the Monsters. Those two games will wrap up the second four-game road trip of the month for the club and lead into a six-game homestand that opens on Wednesday night.
Onto the blog!
1.) Yes, the Wolf Pack lost 4-2 to the Hershey Bears on Friday night, but there was a lot to like in that game. The Wolf Pack and Bears played to a 1-1 draw at five-on-five, with both sides playing a stingy style of defense. The Bears’ dynamic powerplay, which went two-for-three, was the difference in this game.
Overall, though, the Wolf Pack hung in there yet again against the top team in the AHL. The series, now tied at 1-1, will resume on March 17th back in Hershey.
2.) Interim Head Coach Steve Smith mentioned postgame on Friday night that there were things to like and build on despite the defeat against the Bears. He also said that his club would need to play a patient game 24 hours later when they visited the Bridgeport Islanders. Mission accomplished.
The Wolf Pack didn’t give the Isles much of anything in a 3-0 victory in Bridgeport. Karl Henriksson notched his first game-winning goal of the season, while both Nikolas Brouillard and Bobby Trivigno tacked on third-period insurance markers.
3.) Some matchups are just favorable in sports. For the Wolf Pack, that’s their matchup with the Islanders. Saturday’s victory was their fourth in five tries against the Isles this season. It was also their second shutout, both compliments of Dylan Garand, against their in-state rival this season.
The victory also gives the Wolf Pack a 3-0-0-0 record in Bridgeport. Dating back to last season they have won six straight games at Total Mortgage Arena.
4.) Some matchups just aren’t favorable in sports, too. For the Wolf Pack, that’s their matchup against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins this season. After blowing out the Pens 5-0 on October 20th to give themselves an eight-game point streak (6-0-2-0) in the head-to-head series, the Wolf Pack have lost three straight to the Pens.
All three losses have come on the road, and all three losses have followed a similar script. The Pens jumped out to an early lead, suffocated the Hartford offense, and walked away with two points on home ice.
On Wednesday night, Jesse Puljujarvi (1:05) and Alex Nylander (3:42) gave the Penguins enough run support in the opening four minutes of the hockey game.
The good news? The home team is 4-0-0-0 in this head-to-head matchup this season, and the Wolf Pack will get the honor of hosting the final two meetings of the season series.
5.) We mentioned above that Garand pitched the shutout in Bridgeport on Saturday night in the Pack’s 3-0 victory. It was his second shutout of the season, both against the Islanders. Garand made 37 saves in a 3-0 victory on November 10th in Bridgeport, then tossed aside 34 bids on Saturday night. The victory was his third against the Islanders this season, all on the road, and his tenth overall.
6.) The Wolf Pack lost two forwards last weekend to injury, both of whom will not be available for either game in Cleveland. Forward Riley Nash returned on Friday night, appearing in a game for the first time since December 22nd. Unfortunately, he suffered a lower-body injury and is currently listed as week-to-week.
The next night, forward Matej Pekar also suffered a lower-body injury and is also listed as week-to-week.
7.) Nash and Pekar join three others on the Wolf Pack’s injury list.
Forward Adam Edström (week-to-week, upper-body) remains out upfront. Defensively, it’s status quo for both Ben Harpur (indefinitely, upper-body) and Zach Berzolla (week-to-week, lower-body).
8.) The Wolf Pack also saw forward Jake Leschyshyn depart before their game against the Penguins on Wednesday. The forward, in his second season with the organization, was recalled by the parent New York Rangers (NHL). It’s Leschyshyn’s second recall of the season to New York. He made his season debut with the club on January 11th in St. Louis.
While it’s never fun to lose a key player, it’s also extremely exciting to see someone earn that call to the NHL. Best of luck in New York, Jake!
9.) The circumstances were not easy for Bryan Yoon, but it was hard not to be impressed with the rookie defenseman’s first two AHL appearances. Yoon signed a professional tryout agreement (PTO) with the Wolf Pack on Friday morning, joining the team from the Utah Grizzlies (ECHL).
After Matthew Robertson was recalled to the Rangers, Yoon was tapped on the shoulder for game action. He fit in well, playing on a pairing with Blake Hillman both against the Bears and in Bridgeport.
Yoon is currently Hartford’s seventh defenseman with Robertson back in the fold but has already proven he can be trusted when in the lineup.
10.) Mac Hollowell’s powerplay assist on Brennan Othmann’s goal Wednesday night continues a great first season with the Wolf Pack for the defenseman. Hollowell became the second Wolf Pack player to hit 30 points, the first time he has done that in his career.
His 14 powerplay assists this season rank him tied for third in that category in the AHL. He’s also second in the AHL in assists among defensemen with 28, trailing only Chicago’s Matt Donovan.
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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.