TWO MINUTES FOR THOUGHTS: NOVEMBER 16TH, 2021

Nov 16, 2021

Every team has an identity. Some teams are known as gritty, pesky groups that grind out wins on a nightly basis. Other teams are known as more high-flying operations that are more than willing to get into a shootout each night thanks to their firepower. Being one of those teams can easily be a path to being a good team. The path to being a great team, however, requires more than that. It requires that a team have not just an identity, but an ability to shift and adapt based on the situation on a particular night.

Look, I know it’s still early and there is a lot of hockey still to be played in 2021-22. That being said, the signs are there that this edition of the Hartford Wolf Pack can be a great team. It goes deeper than the club’s 9-3-1-0 record too. If you were paying attention this past weekend, you would have seen the signs.

Sweeping The Road

Hartford’s loss at the hands of the Bridgeport Islanders on Sunday, November 7^th, was heartbreaking. The club battled back to tie the game late but surrendered a goal in the final minute to come away emptyhanded. That’s the kind of game that can hurt a team’s confidence and send them into a bit of a negative spiral. That was the concern heading into a difficult weekend for the Wolf Pack, one that saw them travel to both Springfield and Providence.

If you were nervous after 20 minutes on Friday night, with the Pack trailing the division-leading Springfield Thunderbirds 2-0, you weren’t alone. What happened from that point on, however, was very impressive and should catch the eye of every observer around the AHL.

Hartford scored four unanswered goals in the second period, including the first career goal from Zac Jones, to take a lead they would not lose. A 6-4 victory, one in which the Pack scored a shorthanded and a powerplay goal in, was a sign that this team can win high-scoring affairs.

24 hours later, the Wolf Pack found themselves tied 0-0 after forty minutes in Providence against the Bruins. After giving up the game’s first goal, the Pack locked in, got a goal from Jonny Brodzinski on the powerplay to force overtime, then snagged the second point thanks to a goal from Anthony Greco in overtime. It was a sign that the Wolf Pack can win tight checking, closely contested games. You know, the kind of games that are common come playoff time.

The signs are there. Hartford not only looked comfortable in two completely different games this past weekend, but they came away with victories in both. This team continues to grow and continues to find ways to win games. Again, it’s early, but you get the feeling that this team is primed for a strong season in the AHL’s most competitive division.

The Road Ahead

No rest for the Pack, who have their first mid-week game of the season tomorrow night at the XL Center. It’ll be round five of the ‘Battle of Connecticut’ as the Islanders come calling. While the Wolf Pack are 3-1-0-0 in the first four meetings, I’m expecting an entertaining tilt. The Islanders have a ton of talent and have scored eight goals in their last two games against the Pack.

This weekend will feature another back-to-back, with Hartford back in Providence on Friday night (7:05 pm) before returning home on Saturday. That game on Saturday night is going to be a lot of fun for a few different reasons.

First off, it’s our first look at the Hershey Bears this season, another strong team in the Atlantic Division. Secondly, it’s ‘Hockey Fights Cancer’ night at the XL Center, which is an important night that impacts so many of us. Join us as we celebrate and recognize all of those who have been impacted by this terrible disease.

This N’ That

Great to see Libor Hájek in the lineup on Friday and Saturday night. Hartford has a very talented defense, but it’s a very young group. With Anthony Bitetto not in the lineup, having someone like Hájek gives the team both experience and leadership. Even after not playing a game since the preseason in New York, I thought Hájek looked quite comfortable in both victories.

How about the Wolf Pack powerplay? These things take time, but the powerplay looks to be finding its stride after scoring in both games over the weekend. Jones’ impressive first career goal, Friday’s powerplay marker, was a long time coming. As this group keeps working together, the success of the powerplay unit will only become more consistent. Considering the team’s success at five-on-five and on the penalty kill already this season, that’s bad news for the rest of the Atlantic Division.

Let’s also give some serious credit to Lauri Pajuniemi. The young Finn looks more and more confident each night and is now working on a four-game point streak. The second longest active point streak currently? Jones, who has points in three straight games. We know the veterans on this team are producing on a nightly basis. Getting these results from the young players just makes this team a completer and more dangerous group.

It’s shaping up to be a fun winter in downtown Hartford.

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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.