WOLF PACK BLANK ROCKET 4-0 ON THE STRENGTH OF TWO AUSTIN RUESCHHOFF GOALS

Jan 15, 2022

HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack struck just 96 seconds into the contest on Saturday night, gaining a lead they would not lose in a 4-0 victory over the visiting Laval Rocket. The win gives Hartford points in three of their last four games.

Austin Rueschhoff scored his third goal in as many games just 1:36 into the contest, banging a puck by Rocket starter Kevin Poulin. The goal, which was Rueschhoff’s third straight tally for the Wolf Pack, stood up as the game winner on this night.

Lauri Pajuniemi tacked on the insurance marker 10:56 into second period. The rookie forward, in his second game back from the Rangers’ taxi squad, ran out of room as he tried to tuck a backhand shot by Poulin. Pajuniemi maintained possession behind the net, electing to shoot it off the veteran goaltender’s leg. The puck bounced off Poulin’s pads and found its way into the net to make it a 2-0 game.

Hartford found itself in some penalty trouble in the final 30 minutes of the affair. The Wolf Pack were shorthanded four times in the final 32:10 of the hockey game but killed off all the infractions. On the weekend, the Pack killed off eleven of twelve penalties taken over the course of two games.

In the third period, the Rocket pushed hard. They fired 15 shots on Kinkaid, but the veteran goaltender denied all their bids to cement his eleventh victory of the campaign and the club’s first shutout of the season.

Patrick Khodorenko and Rueschhoff both hit the empty net to punctuate the scoring, with their goals coming at 16:27 and 19:47 respectively. In addition to Rueschhoff’s two goals, Justin Richards and Anthony Bitetto both finished the night with a pair of assists.

The Pack is back at the XL Center on Wednesday night when the Toronto Marlies come to town. Puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m. and tickets are still 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 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.