HARTFORD, CT – Fresh off a win over the Charlotte Checkers on Friday night, the Hartford Wolf Pack aimed for revenge on Saturday. Hartford hosted the Providence Bruins for the first time this season. In the team’s first meeting in Providence last Sunday, the Bruins collected a 4-2 victory.
This time, however, the Wolf Pack’s home ice advantage proved to be the difference. The Wolf Pack scored their seventh win at the XL Center this season, beating the Bruins 4-2.
Revenge is a Two-Way Street
For the second night in a row, the Wolf Pack opened the scoring. Alex Belzile won a board battle and kicked the puck to Brett Berard in the right circle. Berard slid the puck up the ice to a wide-open Blake Hillman. Hillman promptly blasted a shot by Brandon Bussi to break the ice just over five minutes into the game. It was the first goal of the season for Hillman, who played 20 games with Providence during the 2021-22 season.
It didn’t take long for the Bruins to respond. Matt Rempe took an interference minor, giving Providence the game’s first man advantage. Ian Mitchell fired a shot from the point, and Vinni Lettieri tipped it by Dylan Garand to tie the game. The goal was Lettieri’s ninth point in eight career games against his former team.
The Wolf Pack nearly took the lead in the final seconds in the frame, with Connor Mackey lifting a shot over a prostrate Bussi. However, officials waved the goal off, ruling goaltender interference and sending Dylan Roobroeck to the box.
Case-y Closed
Much like Friday’s game between the Wolf Pack and Charlotte Checkers, neither team could score in the middle frame. However, unlike Friday’s contest, the action never slowed down. Providence fired 13 shots at Garand in the frame, but the Hartford netminder turned all of them aside. The Bruins also had three power plays in the period, but Hartford’s penalty kill was up to task, killing each one. Meanwhile, Bussi snuffed out eight Wolf Pack bids to send the game to the third period tied at one.
The Wolf Pack killed another penalty to start the final frame, and then the tides turned in their favor. Adam Sýkora collected the puck behind the Providence net and shielded it from a defender. Sýkora fed Casey Fitzgerald, stationed at the top of the right circle. The captain uncorked a shot that sailed through traffic and into the Providence net, giving Hartford a lead they would not give up.
The goal was Fitzgerald’s second in as many games, and it represented the sixth straight Wolf Pack goal scored by a defenseman.
Return of the Mack
The Wolf Pack stretched their lead to two about two and a half minutes later. Berard sped into the Providence zone with Belzile and Roobroeck on an odd-man rush. Berard spun and fired a pass up the ice to Mackey, who was trailing the rush. Mackey skated to the slot before sniping a shot over Bussi and in to pad Hartford’s lead.
With the goal, Mackey joined Fitzgerald in scoring goals in back-to-back games on the weekend. The goal was also the seventh straight recorded by a Wolf Pack blueliner.
Riding Home with Rempe
The Bruins scored a big goal with just under four minutes to play in regulation. Marc McLaughlin took the puck for a trip behind the Hartford net before firing a sharp-angle shot on Garand. The puck managed to sneak through the five-hole of the Hartford netminder, and suddenly, the Wolf Pack lead had been cut to one.
However, the Wolf Pack would respond just 23 seconds later. Sýkora chipped the puck away from a crashing Mitchell, and Rempe collected it at neutral ice. Rempe and Blade Jenkins moved into the Providence zone on a two-on-one. Rempe elected to shoot and rifled a shot by the blocker of Bussi to reinstate the two-goal lead.
The goal was Rempe’s first of the season, and it officially put the game out of reach for the Bruins. Providence pulled Bussi in an attempt to get back in the game with an extra man, but Garand slammed the door shut to secure a 4-2 victory for the Wolf Pack.
Building a Rempire
Matt Rempe has played seven games for the Wolf Pack so far this season. His game on Saturday night was easily his best.
Rempe scored his first goal of the campaign, tacked on an assist, and fired a team-high seven shots on net – nobody else on the team had more than two. He was on the ice for two of Hartford’s goals and just one goal against. Rempe played well at both ends of the ice as well, skating on a hardworking third line with Adam Sýkora and Blade Jenkins.
It’s been a whirlwind start to the season for Rempe – he originally cracked the New York Rangers’ Opening Night roster, but the team reassigned him to Hartford in late October after seeing minimal playing time. The Blueshirts recalled Rempe for a couple games before returning him to Hartford once more, where he’s remained since.
Rempe’s a hard worker, so it was nice to see him get rewarded for his efforts with a great game on Saturday night.
Home Cookin’
For the Hartford Wolf Pack, the home-ice advantage is a very real thing.
The Wolf Pack are 7-1-0-0 at the XL Center so far this season. Their 14 points at home are currently tied with the Calgary Wranglers for the most in the AHL.
“As a group, you always want to be good at home, especially when you have a good crowd,” Wolf Pack head coach Grant Potulny told The Calder Times after Saturday’s contest. “People want to come, have a good time, and see the team win. Our job as a team is to try to win so we can keep filling the building.”
The Wolf Pack have done a great job of winning at home thus far, and the Hartford faithful have noticed. Saturday’s game drew 6,737 to the XL Center, and the crowd was raucous the whole time. It’s a fun environment to be a part of.
Up Next
The Wolf Pack are in the middle of a six-game home stand. Their next game takes place on Tuesday morning, as they host the Charlotte Checkers for their School Day Game. Puck drop takes place at 11:00 am.
