WOLF PACK WEEKEND PREVIEW: FEBRUARY 8th, 2024
Feb 8, 2024
HARTFORD, CT – The All-Star break has come and gone for the Hartford Wolf Pack, who return to the ice this afternoon to prepare for a back-to-back set this weekend. The Wolf Pack will be continuing a season-long, six-game homestand with a pair of Atlantic Division tilts against nearby rivals.
Friday, February 9th, 2024, Vs. Bridgeport Islanders (7:00 p.m.): The ‘Battle of Connecticut’ returns to the XL Center for the first time in 2024 on Friday night. It will be the sixth of ten meetings between the Wolf Pack and Islanders this season, and the third of five in downtown Hartford.
The Wolf Pack have won four of the first five meetings and taken each of the last three. The Pack scored a 3-2 victory at the XL Center on December 30th, then beat the Islanders at Total Mortgage Arena on January 4th (3-2) and January 20th (3-0).
Dylan Garand has been sensational against the Islanders this season, posting a record of 3-0-0 with a .980 save percentage and two shutouts. Garand made 37 saves in a 3-0 victory on November 10th, then turned aside 34 shots on January 20th in another 3-0 victory.
Karl Henriksson notched the game-winning goal 4:01 into the second period on January 20th, his first game-winning goal of the season and the third of his career.
The sides have split two games at the XL Center this season. The Wolf Pack won 3-2 on December 30th, while the Islanders scored a 5-4 decision on December 22nd.
Saturday, February 10th, 2024, Vs. Providence Bruins (7:00 p.m.): It’s the sixth of ten meetings between the Wolf Pack and Bruins on Saturday night in a rematch of a 2023 Atlantic Division Semifinals series.
This will be the fourth of five visits to Hartford for the Bruins, who will return on March 8th. Three of the final four meetings after Saturday night will be played at the Amica Mutual Pavilion, with the first of those matchups coming on Sunday, February 18th (4:05 p.m.).
The Wolf Pack have won each of the last two meetings against the Bruins and have points in three straight matchups (2-0-1-0).
In each of the last two meetings, the Bruins have carried a lead into the third period only to see the Pack storm back. On November 22nd, the Wolf Pack trailed 4-2 after two periods before striking four times in the third period to steal a 6-4 decision.
On January 13th, in the last head-to-head matchup, Mac Hollowell tied the game in the third period after the Bruins entered the frame with a 2-1 edge. Brandon Scanlin then scored the overtime winner to complete the comeback.
Three of the first five meetings between these opponents have required overtime this season. The Wolf Pack won in a shootout on opening night in Providence, then took a 3-2 decision in overtime on January 13th. The Bruins spoiled interim head coach Steve Smith’s debut on November 12th with a 3-2 overtime win.
Quick Hits:
- On Sunday, the Wolf Pack announced that forward Cristiano DiGiacinto’s standard player contract (SPC) had been terminated. DiGiacinto signed with HC Bozen-Bolzano (Italy) on Wednesday.
- Friday night marks the 2,000th game in Wolf Pack franchise history. The club’s first game came on October 3rd, 1997, against the Providence Bruins. The first home game took place the next night, October 4th, 1997, against the Portland Pirates.
- The first ‘Battle of Connecticut’ between the Wolf Pack and Bridgeport Sound Tigers took place in Bridgeport on October 12th, 2001. The next night, on October 13th, the sides met for the first time in Hartford.
- Mac Hollowell scored three points (1 g, 2 a) in four games with the Atlantic Division All-Star team on Monday night at the 2024 AHL All-Star Classic in San Jose.
- Rookie forward Brennan Othmann recorded two assists in four games for the Atlantic Division All-Star team.
- Seven of the Wolf Pack’s nine remaining games in February will come against the Atlantic Division. The lone outliers are home games against the Laval Rocket on February 16th and the Cleveland Monsters on February 22nd.
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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 playerdevelopment 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.