#antonblidh

By: Gerry Cantlon, HowlingsHARTFORD, CT - The Hartford Wolf Pack dug an early hole. Despite a furious Pack rally, the Bridgeport Islanders got a last-second save from Ken Appleby to earn his team their first regulation win of the season and sent the Wolf Pack to their fourth straight defeat before 5,587 at the XL Center on Friday night.The Pack trailed throughout the entire contest but never quit, and looked like they were going to tally the equalizer in the last moments of regulation.Anton Blidh was behind the Islanders' net and out the puck in front of the net. It hit either the Pack's Adam Edström or an Islanders' defenseman’s skate, putting a bouncing biscuit right there loose in the blue paint.Brett Berard was there on the left side of the cage and tried to elevate the puck over Appleby, but he extended his right leg and was able to deny his bid with 3.8 seconds left in regulation.All that remained was a last-second faceoff, which saw the Pack's Riley Nash win it from Brian Pinho over to Brennan Othmann, who tried to feed Mac Hollowell for a shot, but Karson Kuhlman warded him off to end the game.Nash was injured on the play and hobbled to the dressing room.The Pack got themselves in trouble early for the fourth straight game.Connor Mackey went to the penalty box on a cross-checking call at 2:06. At 3:16, William Dufour, just off the Injured List, was on the left wing escaped the defender, and zinged his fourth goal of the season off the post to make it 1-0.It only took 6:29 for the Islanders to double The Pack deficit and do it on the power play again.Matt Rempe was in the penalty box for Tripping at 8:37, and just under a minute later at 9:35, Ruslan Ishkarov was able to get a rebound past Pack starting netminder, Louie Domingue from the left-wing side. While the puck was under his pads, as he stood up, it was over the goal line. There was a lengthy review, and it was determined that Ishkarov had earned his eighth goal of the season, and it was 2-0.A Pack turnover led directly to the Islanders' third goal at 12:20.Pinho retrieved the puck after a Mackey miscue in the left-wing corner. He wheeled around and fired it over to Dufour, who was wide open. He then slipped his fifth goal of the season and second goal of the night past Domingue. It was 3-0.The Islanders were not done yet as they would add a fourth goal just 1:18 into the second period when Robin Salo fired one just inside the blue line. Otto Koivula was in front of the net with the inside position on the Pack's Matt Robertson and tipped in his fifth goal of the season past Domingue.Things looked bleak for the New York Rangers' top development team, but in a span of 1:32, they would score two goals and start to claw their way back into the game.At 5:54, Brandon Scanlin was on the back door coming off the left point and accepted a short pass from Robertson after Ryder Korczak, who'd come off the right point, fired a surgical cross-ice pass to his regular defensive partner.The Pack made it 4-2 when Robertson, who was at the middle of the blue line, registered his first goal of the year, taking advantage of a double screen in front of the net. Korczak won the faceoff and got it back to him for the helper.Korczak, who's now on the third line, continues to improve and has become a more integral part of the offense and contributing on the defensive side of the ice as well.Korczak's biggest defensive contribution in this game came with 3:32 left in the second period. Ex-Pack, Tanner Fritz, was open on the right side. He took Kyle MacLean’s feed and dished to Salo, who was stopped by Domingue off the inside of his left wing, but the Pack netminder lost his stick in the process. Korczak, coming back defensively, cleared the Fritz shot out of the blue paint area just before it was on the goal line to keep it a two-goal game.“(Korczak) is getting better and better all the time," Wolf Pack Interim Head Coach Steve Smith said. "He’s skating very well. Defensively, he’s playing very well right now. He has a good stick right now and it's good to see that he got a couple of assists tonight.“With 52 seconds left in the second period, Dufour was called for Boarding. That led to a fight between Dufour and Turner Elson. Eetu Liukas would serve the boarding penalty, and the Pack would start the third period on the man advantage.It would be the break they would need.The Pack would score on the power play, draw them even closer, and set a franchise record as they scored just six seconds into the third period to make it 4-3.Othmann got ahead of Salo off the opening faceoff. So did Alex Belzile. They outskated a diving Islanders' captain Seth Helgeson. Othmann fed Belzile with a perfect lead pass and he beat Appleby to draw the Pack within a goal.The Pack went on the attack and had numerous chances to get the equalizer.Edström had a great chance that was stopped by Appleby at 35 seconds.Blidh had his chance midway through the third on the power play. Korczak and Mackey had their chances too.But then Jeff Kubiak's shot found Cole Bardeau at 12:42 to make it 5-3 after the rebound hit Brandon Scanlin’s skate.Belzile nabbed his second of the night and 11th of the season to return it to a one-goal game from the left side of the net with 3:31 left.“We took foolish penalties, weren’t mentally prepared early on, and gave them several power plays they shouldn’t have had and it ends up in the back of the net. We were soft, but we recovered well,” Smith said.GAME SHEET LINES:Karl Henriksson - Brett Berard - Adam EdströmAlex Belzile - Riley Nash - Brennan Othmann Ryder Korczak - Turner Elson - Anton Blidh Matt Rempe - Matej Pekar - Bobby TrivignoMac Hollowell - Connor MackeyNikolas Brouillard - Blake Hillman Brandon Scanlin - Matt RobertsonLouie DomingueDylan GarandSCRATCHES:D Ben Harpur (Upper-Body, Indefinitely)F Jake Leschyshyn (Upper-Body, Week-To-Week) D Zach Berzolla (Lower-Body, Week-To-Week ) D Grant Gabriele (Healthy) F Drew Worrad (Not In Residence)NOTES:Elson was back in the lineup with Adam Sýkora’s absence. He came to Robertson’s aid at center ice after Dufour's blind side hit.Hershey leads the Atlantic Division and the second-place Wolf Pack by nine points and incredibly 29 points over Bridgeport, and the defending Calder Cup champs have lost just six games so far.Ex-Pack Alex Whalen was recalled from the Atlanta Gladiators (ECHL) by the Cleveland Monsters (AHL).As Howlings reported three weeks ago, the Pack’s Adam Sýkora was loaned to the Slovak WJC team, was named captain, and they will kick off the Christmas time tournament against their neighbor and traditional Czechia (Czech Republic) on December 26th at 6 AM EST on the NHL Network.HARTFORD WOLF PACKHOME

By: Gerry Cantlon, HowlingsHARTFORD, CT - The Hartford Wolf Pack clawed out a 5-4 overtime win on Brennan Othman's power play game-winner, capping a weekend series sweep of the Lehigh Valley Phantoms at 5,534 at the XL Center Saturday night.For Othman, it was his first AHL game-winner and the team's sixth straight victory.The Pack tallied on the man advantage when they connected on the four-on-three power play in overtime.Nikolas Brouillard was low in the right-wing circle and found Othmann up top. The rookie forward then waited patiently for Tanner Lacyzinski to slide past him, wired his second goal of the night and eighth of the season, and past Phantoms' goaltender Felix Sandstrom at 3:52.Othmann, who has put up ten points in his last seven games and is on a three-game goal-scoring streak, credits his father for his poise and patience."I give credit to my dad (Gery). He played pro hockey over in Switzerland (EHC Basel/EHC Visp and HC Thurgau). He was a good hockey player and has a hockey school back at home," Othmann said. "I thrived with that. I did all my training with him. It's called Pro Sports Hockey. That's the name he had. It was three days a week as a kid, with him. It was shooting and patience. He was there when I was a kid and taught me about patience and waiting-out players. I gotta give him the credit sometimes."Othmann is still adjusting to playing the professional game."I've had adversity in my life and been able to handle it. The older guys in this locker room have been great. Not only (coaching) staff but also the equipment staff and support staff. The trainers in the gym. Not only us younger guys but the veteran players as well. The players have helped me. Everybody is helping everyone."The staff was so helpful. I was playing well but not playing my best hockey. They sat with me and did a lot of videos. They told me to stick with it. Your shot is what got you here; keep shooting, stay with it, use your creativity, and don't be afraid to do that."It's really cliché. It's just the little details that fans upstairs might not see, but the organization might see. That's what they're looking at, and I've been able to nail those details down."I'll need to sharpen up a couple more things. I think I'm starting to learn the pro-style and details every day," Othmann said.In the third period, Pack starting netminder Dylan Garand made a vital early save for the Pack to maintain the lead, stopping the Phantoms' Samu Tuomaala on his doorstep.The Wolf Pack, off a left-wing rush, extended the lead to two goals when Brett Berard fired a skillful shot over Sandstrom's shoulder at 5:29 to take a 4-2 lead.The Phantoms fought back in the Wolf Pack zone 33 seconds later when defenseman Emil Andrae had the puck at the left point. He fired a cross-ice pass to an open Jordy Bellerive in the right-wing circle. Bellerive then tallied his first goal of the year at 6:02.Having just completed a league-imposed suspension, Garrett Wilson tied the score at 16:01 when he redirected Ronnie Attard's left point shot for his fifth goal of the campaign, which tied the score at four. It was the third time in the game that a two-goal was blown.With 1:22 left, Connor Mackey leveled Elliot Desnoyers coming across into the Pack zone with his head down on the left wing side. After the hit in which his helmet spun off, a small scrum ensued, and Mackey was tagged with a minor for elbowing.At the buzzer, the Phantoms saw Garland rob Olle Lycksell as he was wide open on the right side of the net. He went down to one knee, and the left-handed shot tried to convert a pass from Lacyzinski for the game-winner, but Garand came up a glove save for his third, colossal stop.The Phantoms had the puck in the Pack zone for the entire last minute of regulation.TEDDY BEAR TOSSThe Pack opened the second period, bringing the rain of the teddy bears in the annual promotion.At 1:13 and on the powerplay, Riley Nash won a draw from Desnoyers. Alex Belizle retrieved the loose biscuit and shoveled it to Brouillard at the blue line. Brouillary then advanced the puck to Othmann. From 40 feet out, Othmann turned and wristed a blast at the net. Nash screened Sandstrom and, tallied his seventh goal of the year, and set off the downpour of Teddy Bears."I very rarely talk to him about scoring goals. He has a lot of hockey sense. He was squeezing his stick there for a while, trying to score. I know he's gonna score goals," Pack Interim Head Coach Steve Smith said. "He has a natural shot, an ability. The team has taken him under their collective wing and made him feel comfortable, and your personal success will lead to team success."Smith added, "We talk about backtracking on a daily basis, and how well he entered the (offensive) zone. What he's doing on the wall. How physical he is. We're talking all-around hockey. The goals are gonna come, and they have been for the last little while. In all honesty, we're trying the develop an all-around hockey player here."Smith loved the goal and the idea of the Teddy Bear toss, but there was a downside to it, according to the coach."You know we scored the goal, and they tossed the teddy bears. It kind of killed the momentum there for a little bit," He said.The Pack has now tallied at least one power play goal in eight straight games.The Pack struck again 24 seconds after the collection of the Bears to tie the game.Matt Rempe was at the right side of the net and redirected Matej Pekar's pass for his first AHL point. It gave the Wolf Pack a 3-2 lead at 1:37.At the period's midway point, Garand recorded his first of several huge saves on the night. Right-handed shooting Lacynski, on the left wing, was stopped after Garand got a piece of his shot with the shaft of his stick redirecting it off the post."That save was fantastic," Smith said. "Our goaltenders have been making big saves at big times."Before the period expired, the Pack would take the lead as the North Atlantic trio struck again.Blidh started the whole scoring sequence with a perfect feed from the right wing and went straight to the net. Karl Henriksson took advantage of plenty of net traffic while cruising in front of the net. He redirected Mac Hollowell's point shot at 16:52 for his third goal of the season and gave Hartford a 3-2 lead."We've been able to roll four lines. There are stretches in games where we get outplayed, but we never quit," said Smith.PHANTOMS TALLY FIRSTLehigh Valley struck first with a power play goal after strong passing up to the blue line to Victor Mete, the lone rearguard in their man-advantage formation. Mete passed it off to Ronnie Attard, who was stationed in the left-wing circle. He then ripped a shot that Garand stopped. But Wade Allison, who was unmarked at the left side of the net, put home the rebound, his third goal of the year at 10:36.The Phantoms added another power play goal to go up 2-0 after Olle Lycksell got it started sending the uck to Laczynski. In turn, he chipped it over to Helge Grans. He then came off the right point on a deep, sharp angle to beat Garand to the short side for his first of the season at 13:43.The Pack's fortunes then changed."We told them to be simple early on. They're a good hockey team and can skate, and put the puck behind us, and got some opportunities early."We finally decided we're gonna play our game, and things started going our way. It's amazing. Goals start going in when you take away a goalie's eyes. There are a lot of good goaltenders in this league, and not only the guys scoring the goals, it's the guys going to the net. Guys like Othmann and Berard are going to the net, and it hurts sometimes (getting hit) going to the net, "said Smith.The Pack will conclude their longest homestand of the season on Wednesday, December 6th, in a rare game with the Cleveland Monsters, a team they haven't played since 2004.GAME SHEET LINES:Karl Henriksson - Anton Blidh - Adam Sýkora Turner Elson -Riley Nash - Brennan Othmann Brett Berard - Bobby Trivigno - Alex Belzile Matt Rempe - Ryder Korczak - Matej PekarMac Hollowell - Connor Mackey Nikolas Brouillard - Blake Hillman Matt Robertson - Brandon ScanlinDylan Garand Louie DomingueSCRATCHES:D Ben Harpur (Upper Body, indefinitely) F Jake Leschyshyn (Upper Body, week-to-week) D Zach Berzolla (Lower Body, week-to-week) F Adam Edström (Illness, day-to-day) F Cristiano DiGiacinto (healthy) D Grant Gabriele (healthy) F Drew Worrad (not in residence)NOTES:The Rangers recalled Anton Blidh. He could play on Sunday against San Jose.Jonny Brodzinski's younger brother Bryce scored a late power play goal. Still, his seventh-ranked Minnesota Golden Gophers were upset 6-3 by the #18 Penn State Nittany Lions at Pegula Arena in Happy Valley, PA, splitting the weekend series. The Rangers' Tyler Pitlick's cousin, Rhett Pitlick, scored the first goal for Minnesota.The independent Chicago Wolves (AHL) have the second-worst winning percentage, .313, with only the San Diego Gulls at .294 being worse.Hershey is comfortably in first place in the Atlantic Division, ahead of Hartford and the winners of nine in a row.Adam Edström sat out his second in a row with an illness.HARTFORD WOLF PACKHOME

By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf PackHARTFORD, CT – New York Rangers President and General Manager Chris Drury announced today that the club has recalled forward Anton Blidh from the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack.Blidh, 28, has scored seven points (4 g, 3 a) in 18 games with the Wolf Pack this season. He has recorded an assist in each of the club’s last three games and notched a season-high two points (1 g, 1 a) in the team’s 7-3 victory over the Lehigh Valley Phantoms on Friday night.The native of Mölnlycke, SWE, is in his second season with the Wolf Pack. The Rangers acquired him via trade from the Colorado Avalanche on March 3rd, 2023. Since then, Blidh has skated in 35 regular season contests with the Wolf Pack, scoring 18 points (11 g, 7 a). He has also dressed in nine playoff games, recording seven points (2 g, 5 a).Blidh has appeared in 349 career AHL contests with the Wolf Pack, Colorado Eagles, and Providence Bruins, scoring 118 points (63 g, 55 a). He has also played in 84 career NHL games with the Avalanche and Boston Bruins, tallying 12 points (4 g, 8 a).He was selected in the sixth round, 180th overall, of the 2013 NHL Entry Draft by the Bruins.The Wolf Pack wrapped up a four-game homestand on Wednesday night when they welcomed the Cleveland Monsters to town for the first of four meetings this season! The puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m.; tickets are available at hartfordwolfpack.com.About OVG360: OVG360, a division of Oak View Group, is a full-service venue management and hospitality company that helps client partners reimagine the sports, live entertainment, and convention industries for the betterment of the venue, employees, artists, athletes, and surrounding communities. With a portfolio of more than 200 client partners spanning arenas, stadiums, convention centers, performing arts centers, cultural institutions, and state fairs around the globe, OVG360 provides a set of services, resources, and expertise designed to elevate every aspect of business that matters to venue operators. Service-oriented and driven by social responsibility, OVG360 helps facilities drive value through excellence and innovation in food services, booking and content development, sustainable operations, public health and public safety, and more.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 is the top player-development affiliate of the NHL's New York Rangers and plays 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.HARTFORD WOLF PACKHOME

By: Gerry Cantlon, HowlingsHARTFORD, CT - The Hartford Wolf Pack defeated the Bellville Senators 4-3 in Overtime, riding Riley Nash's late-game heroics and Brennan Othmann's two goals at the XL Center on Saturday.The Senators, last in the AHL North Division, sure didn't play that way."Teams like that, you don't play a lot. Early on, it's a feeling-out process," Nash said in the post-game press conference. "We played well in the second period). They took it to us in the third, but we stood our ground, and G (Garand) made big saves for us."Nash said his approach to overtime play has a "science" to it."You always hope to catch somebody flat-footed," he said while holding his son Rett in his lap.On the game-tying goal with just 1:12 remaining in regulation and playing with the net empty on a 6-on-4 power play, Jonny Brodzinski shuffled a short pass to Nash, who was open on the left side of the net. Nash then forwarded a cross-the-crease pass to Othmann, who was coming via the back door, and made it count, guaranteeing the Pack at least a point for the evening."It's been our thing to find a way to get ourselves out of situations we're in," Nash said. "It's been our MO this week. We come back late in the third. It shows a lot of character of the group. There's no panic. "Fortunately, we were able to tie it. We got it done against Providence. We shut it down late against them and tonight scoring late."It's kinda like a power play. We have that chemistry established to get it done. The six-on-five is similar, and (Othmann) got himself into good shooting position," commented Nash.Belleville kept working hard early in the third period. Brandon Scanlin chased Jiri Smejkal around the left wing to the circle, leaving his area exposed. Josh Currie was there and set up Angus Crookshank to bury his sixth at 5:35. It gave the Sens a 3-2 lead."You could see (their effort) paid off for them in the third," remarked Nash.Just 53 seconds into the second frame, while behind his net, Matt Robertson tried a highly ill-advised clear up the middle of the ice. The pass was intercepted and got to Orrin Centazzo, who was in front of Garand and quickly buried his first goal of the season.The Wolf Pack got it back.Brodzinski, the AHL's leading scorer, feathered a cross-ice pass from the left to the right-wing side. Othmann then fired it over the shoulder of Sens goalie Kevin Mandolese for his fourth tally on the season at 3:37.The Pack took control and dictated play.A strong setup from Anton Blidh to feed Matt Robertson at the point. Robertson launched a shot on the net with traffic in front.Adam Sýkora was slightly removed from the net-front congestion and effectively redirected Robertson's shot past Mandolese for his second goal of the campaign.The Pack went to the first intermission trailing 1-0.With 1:34 remaining in the period, Crookshank made an excellent pass to Maxence Guerrence in the lower right-wing face-off circle, where he beat Garand.Belleville and Hartford will meet twice this season. They will not meet again until late March at the CAA Arena in Belleville.GAME SHEET LINES:Karl Henriksson - Anton Blidh - Adam SýkoraAlex Belzile - Riley Nash - Brennan Othmann Adam Edström - Jonny Brodzinski - Brett Berard Matt Rempe - Ryder Korczak - Bobby TrivignoNikolas Brouillard - Zach BerzollaBrandon Scanlin - Grant Gabriele Matt Robertson - Mac HollowellDylan GarandLouie DomingueSCRATCHES:D Ben Harpur (upper body, indefinite)F Jake Leschyshyn (out, upper body, week-to-week) F Turner Elson (healthy) D Matt Cairns (healthy) D Blake Hillman (healthy) F Drew Worrad (not in residence).NOTES:Brodzinski added two assists against Belleville. He surpassed the Springfield Thunderbirds' Adam Gaudette for the AHL scoring lead with 25 points. Of his 25 points, 11 are from goals, the fourth-best in the league. Defenseman Mac Hollowell also has 14 assists.The Wolf Pack had never beaten the Senators at the XL Center (0-2-2-1). The last win against the Ottawa affiliate was on February 26, 2017, against the defunct and relocated Binghamton Senators, 3-1. Former Pack captain Steven Fogarty had the game-winning goal.Belleville's lineup features forward Graham McPhee. He is the son of former New Haven Nighthawk / New York Ranger and current Vegas Golden Knights President and CEO George McPhee.Ex-Sound Tiger Ryan MacKinnon, a defenseman, was playing on the third-line at right wing because of injuries. Nathan MacIver was behind the bench as an assistant coach, plus former Springfield Falcon David Bell is the head coach.Tyler Boucher, the son of Brian Boucher, is out with a troublesome groin injury that he suffered back in training camp. He tweaked it again on Thursday in practice, setting back his recovery progress.He is one of two Arizona hockey-born players in the organization. Mark Kastelic, the son of ex-Hartford Whaler Ed Kastelic, is the other.Matt Boucher, the son of Philippe Boucher, no relation to Tyler, is in his sixth pro season. He started the year with the Trois-Rivières Lions (ECHL).Part of the Hockey Day doubleheader in Hartford saw UCONN (HE) defeat Dartmouth College (ECACHL) 5-1 earlier in the afternoon in a non-conference matchup. It was one of the rare games to be held at the XL Center this year. The games will be sparse over the next few years as almost all Hockey East conference games will be played on the UCONN campus.HARTFORD WOLF PACKHOME

By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf PackHARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack hosted the Syracuse Crunch inside the XL Center for their second and final meeting this season on the backend of a home-and-home series. The teams were tied 1-1 at the halfway mark of the game before three unanswered goals kickstarted the offense for the Wolf Pack in a 5-2 victory over the Crunch.Matthew Robertson's first goal of the season at the 15:40 mark of the second period would be the game-winner, as he let off a seeing-eye shot from the point that beat Hugo Alnefelt low. Robertson's tally was one of three unanswered goals by the Wolf Pack that gave them the necessary breathing room to skate away with the win.The Wolf Pack struck early in the opening frame, as Karl Henriksson netted his first of the year at 1:40. Adam Sýkora forced a turnover behind the Crunch net, and his wraparound try was rebounded to the stick of Henriksson, who quickly snapped it under the glove of Alnefelt to put Hartford up 1-0.The Wolf Pack could not convert on a five-on-three opportunity as the Crunch held them to two shots, highlighted by an Alex Belzile breakaway stoned by the pad of Alnefelt. Minutes later, at 10:26, Mitchell Chafee scored an equalizer for Syracuse to make it a 1-1 game, beating Louis Domingue through the five-hole.The energy shift was short-lived, as Hartford immediately jumped ahead 29 seconds later, courtesy of Brett Berard's third of the season. Alnefelt's pass behind his net was intercepted by Jonny Brodzinski, who found Berard for the quick wraparound goal.Robertson's goal to make it 3-1 came a minute after Syracuse killed off Hartford's fourth powerplay of the night. A big scrum followed Robertson's tally, resulting in another Hartford powerplay.A pretty passing play coordinated by Brennan Othmann and Riley Nash gave Belzile a back-door tap-in to put the Wolf Pack up 4-1 at 17:01 of the second period.Daniel Walcott saw an early dangerous chance in-tight that Domingue tracked. Walcott later went off for roughing after mixing it up with Anton Blidh, negating the Crunch's third powerplay of the night.The Crunch pulled their goalie on the powerplay for a brief six-on-four but could not convert. Bobby Trivigno would ice it at 16:11 with an empty netter for his second of the year. Syracuse showed some fight, striking late courtesy of Ilya Usau to make it 5-2, but it would not be enough to spark a comeback.The Wolf Pack are set to square off against Providence Bruins this Wednesday night at the XL Center! The Puck drop is slated for 7:00 p.m. Tickets are available at hartfordwolfpack.com.ABOUT OVG360: OVG360, a division of Oak View Group, is a full-service venue management and hospitality company that helps client partners reimagine the sports, live entertainment, and convention industries for the betterment of the venue, employees, artists, athletes, and surrounding communities. With a portfolio of more than 200 client partners spanning arenas, stadiums, convention centers, performing arts centers, cultural institutions, and state fairs around the globe, OVG360 provides a set of services, resources, and expertise designed to elevate every aspect of business that matters to venue operators. Service-oriented and driven by social responsibility, OVG360 helps facilities drive value through excellence and innovation in food services, booking and content development, sustainable operations, public health and safety, and more.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 is the top player-development affiliate of the NHL's New York Rangers and plays 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.HARTFORD WOLF PACKHOME

By: Gerry Cantlon, HowlingsSYRACUSE, NY - The Hartford Wolf Pack dropped the opener of a rare back-to-back home-and-home series with the Syracuse Crunch 5-3 on the back of a dominant 8-point performance from the line of Gabriel Dumont (two goals and two assists), ex-Pack Daniel Walcott (two goals and an assist) and Maxim Grosov (one goal).Syracuse scored first in the decisive third period.Dumont passed it to the weak side. Walcott had gotten behind the defensive coverage and fired the puck at starting goalie Dylan Garand. The Pack netminder got a piece of it, but not enough to keep it out of the net. For Dumont, it was his second goal of the contest and eighth tally of the year. The goal came at 3:21 and gave the Crunch a temporary lead.At 6:30, Devante Stephens of the Crunch was sent to the penalty box for a High Sticking. It took the Pack and Captain Jonny Brodzinski only 22 seconds to cash in on good puck movement on its fluid power play and put the puck past ex-Pack and starting Crunch netminder Brandon Halverson.The goal was Brodzinski's second power play goal of the night and almost identical to his goal in the first period. Brodzinski was in the left-wing circle and took a Matt Robertson pass to score his tenth of the season.Dumont answered for the Crunch at 13:23. Taking advantage of Shawn Element screening Garand, Dumont wheeled into the left wing circle, fired into the net, and restored the Crunch lead.BUILDING THE LEADThe Crunch was not finished.Walcott was behind the Pack net and found an open seam to get the puck to Dumont in front. At 18:34, Dumont snapped in his second of the night to make it a 5-3 Crunch lead.Walcott tallied the second period's only goal as he tipped a Philippe Myers shot from the right point, corralled the rebound, and put a shot on goal. Garand didn't get enough of the puck to keep it out at 10:25, giving Walcott his seventh goal.Crunch controlled play in the first half of the period, getting strong play from Dumont. Gage Goncalves redirected a puck just three minutes into the period and was able to corral the rebound, but it hit the side of the net.Prized rookie Brennan Othmann was stopped on the Pack's third power play before Syracuse's Mitchell Chaffe was denied just before the Crunch tied it up.FIRST PERIODIn the first period, the Crunch scored at 9:32.Groshov continued his early season scoring surge after taking a pass from Dumont and Declan Carlile. He slipped behind his check in the left-wing circle and tallied his eighth of the season, going stick side and high to the short side.The Pack thought they had tied it at 12:20 as Halverson stopped Anton Blidh from in front of the net. It looked like Blidh had jammed it home, but the referee waived it off.However, the Pack tied the score at 13:05 on the team's red-hot power play, registering the goal two seconds into their man advantage. Riley Nash won the draw and sent the puck back to Robertson. He then shuffled it over to Brodzinski, who lasered it over Halverson's glove hand.The Wolf Pack took the lead at 17:37.Matt Rempe carried the puck behind the Crunch net and shielded the puck with his 6'8 frame before finding Blake Hillam coming down off the left point. Hillam shot toward the net, which went off Blidh's leg in front, giving him his third goal.Two goals in 4:32 changed the early complexion of the game.The two teams will leave Syracuse and return to Hartford for a Saturday night tilt at the XL Center at 7 pm. LINES:Henriksson - Blidh - SýkoraBelzile - Brodzinski - Othmann Edström - Nash - Berard Rempe - Korczak - Turner ElsonHillman - BrouillardRobertson - Scanlin Berzolla - CairnsDylan Garand Louie DomingueSCRATCHES:D Ben Harpur (upper body, injury upgraded to month to month) D Mac Hollowell (upper body, day-to-day) F Jake Leschyshyn (upper body, week-to-week) F Bobby Trivigno (healthy) D Grant Gabriele (healthy) F Drew Worrad (not in residence).NOTES:Syracuse is now led by ex-Pack/Bridgeport Sound Tiger Joël Bouchard. He was hired by the Crunch this past summer and has faced the Pack previously as a head coach when he was the bench boss with the Laval Rocket.The New York Rangers recalled Connor Mackey after 5 pm.Center Matej Pekar was called up but returned to the Pack's ECHL affiliate, the Cincinnati Cyclones, before departing for upstate New York.The Wolf Pack signed 6'2, 195lb defenseman Grant Gabriele to a Professional Try Out (PTO). The right-handed shooter comes via the Toledo Walleye (ECHL), who are atop the ECHL Central Division, as it appears that Ben Harpur and Mac Hollowell will be out a considerable length of time.Gabriele played seven games, registering five assists, and had a one-game recall with the Rochester Americans, where he went scoreless. He comes from Ohio State (Big 10) as a four-year starter from Brighton, MI. He played with the Maine Mariners (ECHL) last season.UCONNThe UCONN Huskies (HE) (3-3-0-1 HEA, 5-6-1-0 overall) have a home-and-home this weekend with the #4 Boston College Eagles (2-1-1-0 HEA, 7-2-1-0 overall). They are tied for fifth place in Hockey East, and the Huskies, Merrimack, and Vermont each have eight points. The two teams will tango on Friday in Chestnut Hill and then again on Saturday at the Toscano Family Ice Forum.Wisconsin (Big 10) is the new #1 in the nation.BC won 5-4 in overtime as Cutter Gauthier tallied two goals and an assist.COLLEGE KIDSFour players: two Connecticut High School-aged kids, a third who played junior in Danbury, and a fourth is a Quinnipiac University commit from the Powell Rowell River Kings (BCHL).Junior age Alexis Van Houtte-Cachero, 20, played for the Danbury Jr. Hat Tricks (NAHL). In his third and last season of junior A hockey in Canada season, in fifteen games, he recorded 14 points and headed off to the Sioux City Musketeers (USHL). He is committed to the University Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks (NCHC) for next year.Goalie William Baker (Norwalk) and forward Brendan Giles (Ridgefield) have left them the famed Mid-Fairfield Rangers program's U-18 AAA team and will play this year for Greenwich, Connecticut's Brunswick Prep School this winter. Neither player has collegiately committed yet.Two teammates at Brunswick include Luke Drury, the son of the Rangers' President and General Manager Chris Drury (Trumbull). He's also the nephew of ex-Hartford Whaler Ted Drury. He is a Salmon Arm (BCHL) commit for next year and Brown University (ECACHL) in two years.Ryan St. Louis, the son of Montreal Canadiens Head Coach and former Ranger Marty St. Louis, is Harvard University (ECACHL) bound next year and will play for ex-Pack/Bridgeport Sound Tiger Ted Donato.The last player, Noah Eyre, has committed to Quinnipiac University (ECACHL) for next year. He is another product of the Shattuck St. Mary's program.Joseph Sciabarra, from Kent School and the Yale Jr. Bulldogs, goes Division III to Johnson & Wales (RI) (NEHC).Jonathan Brown commits to Yale University (ECACHL) for 2025-26 from nearby (Scarsdale, NY). He also plays with the famed Shattuck St. Mary's but for their U-16 team (Faribault, MN). He played youth hockey with the Mid-Fairfield U-13 team a few years back. He already holds three passports: a US, a British, and one from France.He will be in junior hockey or a Connecticut prep school next year. He'll be with Yale for hockey and admission purposes. His younger brother Ben is with Hotchkiss Prep (Washington, CT).The new prep school hockey season is about to get underway. The Loomis Chaffe School (Windsor, CT) has a new assistant coach. He is an ex-Wolf Pack, Islander/Sound Tiger, and Springfield Thunderbird/Falcon. He is the recently retired Paul Thompson from the Springfield, Massachusetts, area. The team opens on November 30th against Brunswick School Bruins.HARTFORD WOLF PACKHOME