HARTFORD, CT – Fresh off their first road win of the season, the Hartford Wolf Pack returned to the XL Center on Friday night for a four-game home stand. They kicked off the home stand with a rare visit from the Rockford IceHogs.
Ultimately, the Wolf Pack notched their first ever win over Rockford. Dylan Garand led the way for Hartford, making 24 saves and recording his first shutout of the season. On offense, four different goal scorers led the Wolf Pack to a 4-0 win.
Roo-Breaking It Open
The two teams played an even first period, each firing seven shots on goal. However, Garand and Drew Commesso were up to task, denying every shot they faced and keeping the period scoreless. The IceHogs earned three power play bids in the frame, but Hartford killed each of the bids to send the game into the first intermission with no score.
The Wolf Pack finally broke the ice five and a half minutes into the middle frame. Jaroslav Chmelař poked the puck away from a pair of IceHogs behind the Rockford net, and Ryder Korczak collected it. Korczak snapped it to Dylan Roobroeck, stationed in the slot. Roobroeck skated in and flipped a backhand shot over the glove of Commesso to give the Wolf Pack a lead they’d never lose.
Jaro Jam
The Wolf Pack doubled the lead just over nine minutes later. Blake Hillman and Korczak made a pair of great plays at the blue line to keep the puck in the Rockford zone. Connor Mackey collected the loose puck and snapped it back to Korczak in the slot. Korczak attempted a shot, but the puck ricocheted off Commesso’s pad. Roobroeck crashed in for another bid, but again Commesso denied the chance. Finally, Chmelař cleaned up the loose change, jamming the puck under Commesso’s pad to put the Wolf Pack up by two.
The goal was Chmelař’s first since October 18th, and it gave the Wolf Pack a two-goal lead heading into the final frame.
Pig Roast
The Wolf Pack stretched the lead to three early in the third period. Case McCarthy kept the puck in the offensive zone by firing it from the point into the opposite corner. Adam Sýkora collected the puck and worked his way to the side of the net. Sýkora found Jake Leschyshyn in the slot and put a pass right on the tape of Leschyshyn’s stick. Leschyshyn promptly ripped a shot by Commesso and into the net, putting the Wolf Pack up by three.
Rockford opted to lift Commesso for the extra attacker with just over four minutes remaining in regulation. However, Alex Belzile delivered the dagger, grabbing the puck after Bo Groulx won a faceoff and firing it into the empty net. The goal was Belzile’s fourth in his last two games, and the tally extended his point streak to five games. Belzile has recorded ten points (4 G, 6 A) during the streak.
Rockford continued to push in the final minutes of regulation, but Garand slammed the door shut, securing the shutout and win for the Wolf Pack.
No Goal Garand
Fresh off a 31 save, one goal allowed game against Bridgeport on Wednesday, Dylan Garand notched his first shutout of the season on Friday night. Garand denied 24 shots from the Rockford IceHogs as the Wolf Pack collected a 4-0 win.
Despite the impressive performance in net, Garand was quick to credit his teammates for the shutout. “They were unreal,” Garand told The Calder Times after Friday’s game. “There’s been some tough shutouts and some easier shutouts. This one was definitely on the easier side. Really proud of the guys.”
Garand may be humble, but Wolf Pack head coach Grant Potulny had a lot of praise for the third-year netminder. “I think if you ask Dylan, there’d be one game he wishes he played better in out of the [11] he’s played,” Potulny told The Calder Times on Friday night. “That’s a pretty good number, and I’d agree with that. Every other game, he’s given us a chance to win.”
On the season thus far, Garand has posted a 7-2-2 record with a 2.42 GAA and a .917 SV%. He’s played a key role in a number of Wolf Pack wins so far this season, and he’ll continue to do so throughout the campaign.
Up Next
The Wolf Pack continue their home stand tonight, hosting the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Puck drop is set for 6:00 pm.
