Hartford Wolf Pack Look to Bounce Back with Rivalry Weekend on Deck
HARTFORD, CT - After a tough midweek loss, the Hartford Wolf Pack are gearing up for a critical back-to-back set this weekend that features two of their fiercest regional rivals. Friday night brings the latest installment of the “Battle of Connecticut” as the Bridgeport Islanders come to town. Then, it’s a short trip up I-91 on Saturday to face off against the Springfield Thunderbirds in the always-heated “I-91 Rivalry.”
The timing couldn’t be more important. Hartford’s looking to snap a two-game skid - and shake off the sting of a lopsided loss to the Charlotte Checkers on Wednesday night.
A Look Back: The Week That Was
Friday, Jan. 23 - vs. Bridgeport Islanders (3-2 W)
Last Friday, the Wolf Pack got the better of Bridgeport in a gritty 3-2 win at home - a much-needed victory in the ongoing season series. It didn’t start well, with Liam Foudy striking first for the Isles on the power play just under seven minutes in.
But Hartford didn’t flinch.
Juuso Pärssinen answered quickly, tying things up less than a minute later. Then it was Brendan Brisson giving the Pack a lead they wouldn’t surrender, ripping one from the left-wing circle at 10:55.
Veteran forward Justin Dowling iced it with an empty-netter late in the third, which proved crucial after Chris Terry pulled Bridgeport within one. Goaltender Dylan Garand made sure that’s where it stayed, shutting the door in the final moments.
Saturday, Jan. 24 - vs. Toronto Marlies (1-4 L)
Saturday was a different story. Hartford fell behind early and couldn’t climb back in against a sharp Toronto squad.
Vinni Lettieri opened the scoring just over three minutes in, and Cédric Paré added a power-play tally to stretch it to 2-0 before the first intermission.
Brisson gave the home crowd a glimmer of hope with his 11th goal of the season late in the first, but Toronto responded with a quick one-two punch early in the second. Matthew Barbolini and Ryan Tverberg scored just 19 seconds apart to make it 4-1, and the Wolf Pack couldn’t recover. That marked three straight wins for the Marlies in the season series.
Wednesday, Jan. 28 - vs. Charlotte Checkers (1-7 L)
Wednesday night was one to forget. The Checkers came into Hartford and handed the Wolf Pack their worst loss of the season - a 7-1 drubbing that saw Charlotte pull away with four goals in the third period.
Nate Smith got things started for the visitors less than six minutes in, and Ben Steeves followed with what would stand as the game-winner late in the first. Brett Chorske added a third midway through the second on the Checkers’ first shot of the period.
The floodgates opened in the third. Jack Studnicka scored shorthanded, then Chorske, Wilmer Skoog, and Riese Gaber piled on in a five-minute span to make it 7-0. Daniel Walcott finally got Hartford on the board late, breaking up Cooper Black’s shutout bid, but the damage was long done.
Looking Ahead: Rivalry Weekend
**Friday, Jan. 30 - vs. Bridgeport Islanders (7:00 p.m.)
**
The Wolf Pack get another crack at Bridgeport on Friday night at PeoplesBank Arena.
This will be the eighth of 12 meetings between the two clubs this season - and the fourth on Hartford ice.
So far, it’s been a back-and-forth series. Hartford holds a 3-4-0-0 record against the Islanders, while Bridgeport comes in at 4-3-0-0. The Islanders have had the upper hand in Hartford, posting two shutouts - a 3-0 win back in October and a 4-0 blanking on New Year’s Eve.
But last Friday’s 3-2 win showed that the Wolf Pack can break through. With momentum on the line and playoff positioning tightening, this one carries weight.
**Saturday, Jan. 31 - at Springfield Thunderbirds (6:05 p.m.) **
The rivalry road trip continues Saturday with a showdown in Springfield. This will be the seventh meeting of the season between the Wolf Pack and Thunderbirds, and the series has tilted slightly in Hartford’s favor.
The Pack are 4-2-0-0 against Springfield, including a split on the road.
The most recent clash came on Jan. 9, a wild 7-4 win for the Thunderbirds. The game was tied 4-4 heading into the third before Alek Kaskimaki took over.
He scored the go-ahead goal on the power play early in the period and added another for good measure. Dylan Peterson and Chris Wagner sealed it with insurance goals - Wagner’s coming shorthanded into an empty net.
Despite the loss, the Wolf Pack got goals from Bryce McConnell-Barker, Brandon Scanlin, Kalle Väisänen, and Brennan Othmann. They’ll need that kind of balanced scoring again on Saturday if they want to reclaim control in the season series.
Quick Hits
- The New York Rangers recalled forward Brett Berard on Thursday. Berard has been a sparkplug for the Wolf Pack this season, and his absence will be felt.
- In response, Hartford brought up forward Zakary Karpa from the ECHL’s Bloomington Bison. Karpa notched an assist in Bloomington’s win over Tahoe earlier this week.
- Defenseman Connor Mackey was also recalled by the Rangers on Monday, though he didn’t dress for Wednesday’s game against the Islanders.
Where to Watch
Both games this weekend will be streamed on AHLTV via FloHockey. Sean Dufrense will be on the call Friday night, with pregame coverage beginning at 6:45 p.m. on Mixlr. Saturday’s tilt in Springfield will be called by Ryan Smith, the voice of the Thunderbirds.
It’s a pivotal weekend for the Wolf Pack - one that could set the tone for the stretch run. With rivalry bragging rights and crucial points on the table, expect a hungry Hartford squad to hit the ice with purpose.