TWO MINUTES FOR THOUGHTS: OCTOBER 20TH, 2022
Oct 20, 2022
Welcome back to hockey, Wolf Pack fans. The 2022-23 season got underway this past weekend in Charlotte, where the Pack opened the campaign on the road for the first time since 2014. The results weren’t what the club was hoping for, a pair of losses, but the Wolf Pack do come home with a point in the bank and plenty to build on.
We’re back for year two of ‘Two Minutes for Thoughts’, where this week we take a look back at the first two games of the season, look ahead to this weekend’s home opener, and more!
And They’re Off!
Sure, the Wolf Pack would have loved to come away with a victory from Bojangles’ Coliseum over the weekend, but there are plenty of positives to take away as the Pack return to Connecticut to prepare for Saturday night’s home opener.
Goaltending was understandably a question coming into the season but was stellar in both games. All four goaltenders who saw action for the club last season, Keith Kinkaid, Adam Húska, Tyler Wall, and François Brassard, moved on in free agency over the summer. Veteran Louis Domingue and rookie Dylan Garand have been tasked with the duties in between the pipes this season.
Domingue, an established veteran at the AHL level with solid NHL experience, was otherworldly in his debut. Domingue made 40 saves, including 13 in the third period, to secure a point in the season opener. Garand, meanwhile, made 28 saves on 30 shots and was not beaten at five-on-five in his first start on Saturday night.
It’s early, but both Domingue and Garand gave the club a chance to win in their first starts. That bodes well for the upcoming season.
Julien Gauthier also came as advertised this weekend, scoring in his Wolf Pack debut. If Gauthier spends the entire season in Hartford, it’s a pretty good bet that he’ll light the lamp 25-30 times. Gauthier has strong finishing ability and is a proven scorer at the AHL level. He’s also a Calder Cup Champion, who knows how to win. He provided an impact right away.
Turner Elson also chipped in during his first weekend with the club, scoring two points (1 g, 1 a). As Elson told me on media day, he takes great pride in the defensive aspect of his game. We saw that on display this weekend too, as Elson took on a key role on the penalty kill.
Other strong performances this weekend? Matthew Robertson played a poised pair of games, seeing time on the powerplay and scoring a pair of assists. Will Cuylle scored a goal, added an assist, and fired a team-high eight shots in two games. He’s primed for a huge rookie year alongside Captain Jonny Brodzinski. The two displayed instant chemistry in North Carolina.
A Look Ahead
The Wolf Pack will look to get into the win column this weekend when they play two more games. First, the club welcomes the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins to town on Saturday night for the home opener. Puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m., but you’ll want to be in your seat earlier for the opening night festivities. In addition, the first 1,500 fans will receive a magnetic 2022-23 Wolf Pack schedule courtesy of our friends at Pepsi Zero Sugar.
The Wolf Pack and Penguins played a fun season series a year ago, with the sides splitting six games. The home team won all six, so the Wolf Pack will be hoping that trend continues. Interestingly enough, both teams lost a game in extra time while on the road, so each side took home seven of a possible twelve points available to them.
On Sunday, the ‘Battle of Connecticut’ begins. The Wolf Pack and Bridgeport Islanders will meet for the first time this season at Total Mortgage Arena at 3:00 p.m. The rivals met twice in the preseason, with the Wolf Pack winning both games and scoring ten total goals. Hartford also won the season series last year, but the Islanders got the last laugh by taking the final playoff spot by a single point over the Pack.
This N’ That
You may have noticed that we were live in Charlotte this past weekend for both of the Wolf Pack’s games. That’s because this season I’m happy to share that we’ll have coverage of all 72 Hartford Wolf Pack regular season games. You can catch my call live on AHLTV and Mixlr each and every game, with pre-game coverage starting 15 minutes prior. I’m very much looking forward to bringing you the action all season long!
Stick taps to Jamie Tardif, who made his AHL coaching debut over the weekend. Tardif joined the staff of Kris Knoblauch as an Assistant Coach over the summer after spending the last few years as an assistant with the OHL’s Soo Greyhounds. Tardif, a third round pick of the Calgary Flames in 2003, played 487 career games in the AHL, while also suiting up in a pair of NHL contests. He and Steve Smith are this season’s assistants.
It was great to see our season ticker holders this past Monday night at our ‘Meet the Team’ event at the XL Center. The turnout was outstanding, and it was great to meet some fans of the team! Quite frankly, it was a perfect way to kick off home opener week. Want to be at the next event? No problem, come run with the Pack today! Visit us at https://www.hartfordwolfpack.com/tickets.
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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.