PRE-GAME REPORT: WOLF PACK LOOK TO REBOUND IN ROAD TRIP FINALE

Mar 4, 2023

BRIDGEPORT, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack conclude their longest road trip of the season tonight in the middle game of a three-in-three weekend. The Wolf Pack pay a visit to the rival Bridgeport Islanders for the latest installment of the ‘Battle of Connecticut’.

Puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m. and coverage is available on both AHLTV and Mixlr.

Tale of The Tape:

This is the eighth of twelve meetings between the rivals, and the fifth of six at Total Mortgage Arena in Bridgeport. The sides will next meet on Wednesday, March 15^th, at the XL Center in Hartford. The Wolf Pack make their final trip to Bridgeport on Saturday, March 18^th. The season series wraps up with games in Hartford on March 29^th and April 7^th.

The Islanders have won both of the meetings so far in 2023, taking two convincing decisions in Hartford. Most recently, the Islanders used a strong final 30 minutes to skate away with a 6-3 victory on February 17^th. Arnaud Durandeau and Ryan Carpenter traded first period goals before Tim Gettinger put Hartford ahead just 41 seconds into the middle stanza with a deflection that beat Jakub Skarek.

Chris Terry would draw the Islanders even at 7:34, starting a stretch of three unanswered goals for the visitors. Jeff Kubiak put the Isles ahead for good at 14:51. Jimmy Lambert tacked on the insurance 12:17 into the final frame, scoring his first career AHL goal. That would stand as the game-winner. Jonny Brodzinski drew Hartford within one at 15:07, but William Dufour and Otto Koivula would polish off the two points with goals at 17:53 and 19:15.

The Wolf Pack did score a 7-3 victory in their last visit to Bridgeport on December 27^th. Ryan Carpenter collected a hat trick that night, while Karl Henriksson scored his first career AHL goal.

Wolf Pack Outlook:

The Wolf Pack dropped a thrilling 1-0 shootout loss to the Springfield Thunderbirds last night at the MassMutual Center. Louis Domingue made a season-high 42 saves, while the Wolf Pack penalty kill went five-for-five on the night.

Joel Hofer was perfect in the Springfield net, however, making 27 saves for a shutout of his own. Matthew Highmore and Adam Clendening, in his Wolf Pack debut, traded shootout goals in the sixth round of the skills competition, but Matthew Peca would win it with a rocket over the glove of Domingue in the seventh round.

On Friday, the parent New York Rangers (NHL) traded forward Gustav Rydahl to the Colorado Avalanche in…