Wolf Pack Host Islanders in First Installment of the 'Battle of Connecticut'

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AHL Hartford Wolf Pack

Wolf Pack Host Islanders in First Installment of the 'Battle of Connecticut'

October 19, 2024 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Hartford Wolf Pack News Release


HARTFORD, CT - Home opening weekend continues for the Hartford Wolf Pack tonight at the XL Center. The club opens a back-to-back, home-and-home set with the Bridgeport Islanders, marking the start of the 'Battle of Connecticut' for the 2024-25 campaign.

The puck drop is set for 6:00 p.m., and coverage is available on AHLTV on FloHockey and Mixlr.

Tale of The Tape:

This is the first of ten meetings between the Wolf Pack and the Islanders during the 2024-25 season. The sides will meet once more in October, tomorrow afternoon at 3:00 p.m. at Total Mortgage Arena. That game will conclude the Wolf Pack's first three-in-three set of the season.

The rivalry shifts back to the XL Center for the third meeting of the season on Sunday, Nov. 24, at 4:00 p.m.

A season ago, the Wolf Pack won the season series from the Islanders thanks to a record of 7-2-0-1. Out of 20 available points, the Wolf Pack claimed 15. The road team won six of the ten matchups, with the Islanders winning twice in the Connecticut capital and the Wolf Pack winning four of their five visits to Bridgeport.

The Islanders did claim the final two meetings, however. The Isles scored a 3-2 shootout decision on March 9 at Total Mortgage Arena, snapping a seven-game Wolf Pack winning streak in the building.

Then, in the final meeting on April 3, the Islanders cruised to a 4-1 victory at the XL Center.

Hartford's last home victory over the Islanders came on Feb. 21, a 2-1 decision in which Brennan Othmann recorded the game-winning goal 4:14 into the second period. Jake Leschyshyn collected two points (1 g, 1 a) in the win.

Wolf Pack Outlook:

The Wolf Pack improved to 1-0-0-1 thanks to a 6-5 victory over the Springfield Thunderbirds on Friday night. Brett Berard's second goal of the season at 10:47 of the third period would prove to be the game-winning goal, making it 6-4 at the time.

Jaroslav Chmelaø collected the lone assist on Berard's goal, his first of the season. Chmelaø scored twice in the win, striking at 17:05 and 19:55 of the first period. His first goal of the night was a power play marker, Hartford's second of the hockey game.

It was the rookie's first career two-goal and three-point outing.

Othmann scored twice, getting the Wolf Pack on the board at 4:27 of the first period with a power play goal and making it 2-1 at 6:31 of the opening frame.

Defenseman Connor Mackey recorded his first two points of the season, picking up a pair of assists in the win.

In his 200 th career AHL appearance, Louis Domingue made 29 saves to collect his 95 th career win.

Berard and Othmann are tied for the team lead in points with four each (2 g, 2 a) through two games.

Islanders Outlook:

The Islanders fell to 0-3-0-0 on the season with a 3-2 loss at home against the Hershey Bears on Wednesday night. Alex Jefferies and Chris Terry scored their first goals of the season at 12:24 and 16:39, respectively, of the second period to turn a 1-0 hole into a 2-1 lead after two periods of play.

Mike Sgarbossa's goal 8:56 into the third period on the power play would tie the game 2-2, his first of the season. 65 seconds after the power play equalizer, Ivan Miroshnichenko ripped home his fourth goal of the season to give the Bears a lead they never lost.

The defeat marked the third straight home loss for the Islanders to open the season. Tonight is the club's first road contest of the year.

The Islanders were 2-3-0-0 at the XL Center during the 2023-24 season.

Jefferies leads the club in points with three (1 g, 2 a) through three games this season.

Game Information:

WATCH: AHLTV on FloHockey

LISTEN: Mixlr

Play-by-play voice of the Wolf Pack Alex Thomas will have 'Wolf Pack Pregame' starting live at 5:45 p.m. on both AHLTV on FloHockey and Mixlr.

The Wolf Pack conclude their first three-in-three set of the season tomorrow afternoon at 3:00 p.m. when they visit the Islanders. 'Wolf Pack Pregame' starts live at 2:45 p.m. on AHLTV on FloHockey and Mixlr.

The Pack is back at the XL Center on Friday, Oct. 25, at 7:00 p.m. when the Lehigh Valley Phantoms come to town for the first of three visits this season. Join us for $2 hot dogs and $2 drafts until the end of the first intermission! Tickets are available at www.hartfordwolfpack.com.

Check out the Hartford Wolf Pack Statistics

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