This past Thursday the Wolf Pack and Charlotte Checkers made some roster moves. Pack goaltender Dustin Tokarski was assigned to the Charlotte Checkers and the Checkers assigned defenseman Josh Wesley to Hartford. In other terms, this was a “trade”. The difference between loans and a trade is that the players who are traded, their original teams still have their rights.

Essentially an AHL trade, the move is technically an exchange of loaned players, meaning that the Carolina Hurricanes still hold the NHL rights to Wesley and the New York Rangers still hold the NHL rights for Tokarski.

Nicholas Niedzielski

The frequent changes to Hartford’s roster continues. The purge of veterans is an indication that the Rangers are done with the 2018-19 AHL season. We are now building for the upcoming season.

Hartford adds Josh Wesley, a 22 year old who has played in 39 games with the Florida Everblades, recording four goals, 10 assists for 14 points. The defenseman also participated in six games with Charlotte. More moves could be possible as the AHL trade deadline is at 3pm on Monday.

The Rangers announced moments ago that the team has recalled forward Boo Nieves and goaltender Alexandar Georgiev from the Hartford Wolf Pack.

With the Rangers having a nine-day hiatus between games, sending these two players to the AHL made a lot of sense. Now that the Rangers are less than 48 hours from returning for the final stretch of their season, it was time for the team to bring back the two youngsters for David Quinn to use in his lineup. And although it has not been officially announced as of yet, one would assume that the Rangers will be returning Dustin Tokarski to the Wolf Pack.

As we hit 2019, Hartford is in the midst of an Atlantic Division battle for the top four spots in the division. And with the second half of the season fast approaching, the group must be ready to play hard and catch up in the American Hockey League standings if they want to be playing meaningful games in the latter portion of their schedule.

As we enter the first week of the year, Hartford is ranked sixth with a record of 15-15-2-2. The Pack are back at .500 after last weekend’s action. As we look ahead, here are updates with the latest in the Insurance City.

Standings Update

The Pack must dominate in the calendar month of January. Many games on the upcoming slate feature Springfield, Lehigh Valley, and Providence. The rivalry and divisional games are critical to gaining ground in the standings. Any combination of Hartford losing with the divisional rivals winning will cause issues down the road leaving Hartford a small buffer for missteps.

Suspensions Ends

Hartford last week had three players suspended. Everyone returns to the lineup for this upcoming weekend.

Peter Holland returned on Sunday against Springfield. He had a three-point performance to help the Pack win a wild one in overtime, 6-5. The veteran has six points in his last two outings.

Cole Schneider had a one-game suspension from last Thursday’s game. He is eligible to return this weekend as well. The captain has been consistent in the points column for the group and is an asset to the offense.

Steven Fogarty returns on Friday. Prior to his suspension, the forward had points in three straight (G, 5A). He has found his offensive game and will help the group this upcoming weekend.

One Timers

• John Gilmour broke a three game drought as he had a three point performance on Sunday against Springfield. He recorded the game winning goal along with three assists.

• Ville Meskanen has heated up offensively. The prospect had a three-point performance on Sunday. He also has points in five of his last seven games.
• Gabriel Fontaine has found some offense in the last two games, recording two goals and one assist. The defensive center has gotten minutes in offensive opportunities.
• Bobby Butler had points in back to back games for the first time this season on Saturday and Sunday. The veteran has struggled in the offensive aspect of the game. In 33 games, he has registered six goals and seven assists for 13 points. He was expected to produce more.
• The power play continues to be in the middle of the league, ranking 11th. The conversion rate is at 20.7%. The penalty kill on the other hand struggles. Hartford is ranked 16th, with giving up goals in the recent contests.

Defensive Struggles

A common theme in the games last week was Hartford giving up plenty of opportunities against them. Dustin Tokarski and Marek Mazanec had to face multiple impressive opportunities. Hartford gave up a short-handed game-winning goal and gave up five goals on Sunday, though they did win that contest in OT. The Pack needed a regulation win Sunday and did not convert on opportunities to get the two points at the end of 60 minutes and not give Springfield any. The defense is not consistent enough, similar to the offense. Some games they do well while others they have too many problems.

John Gilmour Becomes All-Star, Again!

Announced by the American Hockey League, defenseman John Gilmour has been selected to represent the Wolf Pack in the All-Star festivities in Springfield on January 27th and 28th. Last season was the prospect’s first year representing Hartford. He comes in as the defending champion of the Fastest Skater Event.

Roster Moves

• Ryan Gropp, Drew Melanson, and Sean Day called up to Hartford from Maine.
• Vince Pedrie reassigned from Hartford to Maine.
• Lias Andersson joins Hartford after a lengthy stint with New York.

Upcoming Games

The group will have a three in three this weekend. Two games are home while one is on the road.

Friday, January 4th vs Springfield Thunderbirds (Florida) at 7:15 pm, XL Center

• The end of the back to back games against Springfield. Hartford is 1-1 in the season series against the Thunderbirds. Last time out, Hartford won 6-5 in overtime on Sunday.
• Springfield is three points ahead of Hartford in fifth place.
• Springfield lost five straight and seven of their last ten games.

Saturday, January 5th vs Lehigh Valley Phantoms (Philadelphia) at 7 pm, XL Center

• This is the second meeting in the season series against Lehigh Valley. The first meeting was on October 24th in Hartford as the Pack dropped a 7-3 decision.
• The Phantoms have won six of their last ten outings and sit third in the Atlantic Division.
• Greg Carey of Lehigh Valley leads the Phantoms in points (34). That puts him tied for sixth in the league for total points.

Sunday, January 6th vs Providence Bruins (Boston) at 3:05 pm, Dunkin’ Donuts Center

• This is the sixth of ten meetings between the rivals. Hartford has had success in the season series, going 4-0-1.
• Providence enters the week one point behind Hartford. The Bruins have lost seven of their last ten games.
• Hartford has collected nine out of ten possible points while only giving up two to Providence.

The Wolf Pack enter the final full week of 2018 with three additional games to close out the year. After snapping a five-game losing streak, Hartford has found their way once again as they collected all six points last week. The impressive weekend was a confidence booster for the group and helped the club to climb back up in the standings slowly. The Wolf Pack are .500 with a record of 14-14-1-2 for 31 points, putting the club sixth in the Atlantic Division.

Standings Outlook

The competitive and tight Atlantic Division continues to show how tough it is for Hartford to climb back up once they fall. Despite being in sixth place, the competition is stiff. Only a handful of points separate seventh place Providence from second place Bridgeport. The Wolf Pack are four points behind Springfield and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton to tie for the final playoff spot.

The good news is that Hartford faces Springfield multiple times in the next few weeks, along with Bridgeport. The rivalry games prove to be critical this season. A win helps, while a loss puts the club further down in the playoff race. We are nearing the halfway point of the season as the race is just getting started. You cannot count any team out this early on.

Depending on the outcome of other games, Hartford could be in a solid spot if they extend their winning streak entering Thursday’s contest with Bridgeport. Charlotte is the only team out of reach from Hartford, unless the Checkers hit a lengthy losing skid.

The group assembled in Hartford has proven they are capable of winning and playing fantastic. We have seen in past games where the group is firing on all cylinders but we’ve also seen other games where the group falls apart. Consistency is key. I am hoping they can go on a lengthy point streak to help their cause for later on in the season.

Peter Holland Out Two Games; Shenanigans in Rochester

On Wednesday morning, the American Hockey League announced that forward Peter Holland is suspended for two games. He is out on Thursday and Saturday, a home-and-home series with Bridgeport. He will return to the lineup on Sunday against Springfield.

“Hartford Wolf Pack forward Peter Holland has been suspended for two (2) games as a consequence of an illegal check to the head of an opponent in a game at Rochester on Dec. 21.

Holland was suspended under the provisions of AHL Rule 28.1 (supplementary discipline). He will miss Hartford’s games Thursday (Dec. 27) at Bridgeport and Saturday (Dec. 29) vs. Bridgeport. “

American Hockey League

This was unexpected on my end. Last weekend’s game against Rochester was heated. Peter Holland did not receive a penalty for his checks in either game on Friday or Saturday. However, Rochester forward Yannick Veilleux was suspended two games as well.

“Rochester Americans forward Yannick Veilleux has been suspended for two (2) games as a consequence of his actions in a game vs. Hartford on Dec. 22.

Veilleux was suspended under the provisions of AHL Rule 28.1 (supplementary discipline). He will miss Rochester’s games tonight (Dec. 26) at Cleveland and Friday (Dec. 28) vs. Toronto.”

American Hockey League

Rochester’s forward nearly caused a full-out brawl after he jumped Rangers prospect, Ryan Lindgren. You can see the sequence of events here, plus seeing head coach Keith McCambridge yelling at Rochester’s coach during the incident. On Friday, Bobby Butler was blindsided by a hit and the scrappy playing continued. Despite playing only a four-game season series, there has been dislike built up on both sides.

Hartford’s Goalies Perform

Dustin Tokarski played on Wednesday against Providence, earning a 3-0 shutout win (29 saves). He helped the group snap a five-game losing streak. Then on Friday, the veteran played a strong game against Rochester, stopping 28 of 30 shots. Dustin Tokarski won six straight when starting for Hartford, bringing his record up to 7-3-1 with a 2.95 GAA and .909 SV%.

Marek Mazanec played on Saturday and helped get Hartford a win, stopping 40 of 41 shots for the victory. Despite not playing in over a month, the veteran goalie held his ground well. Check out a few of his saves from Saturday. The goalie faced 23 shots on net in the first from Rochester.

Marek Mazanec improves his numbers to 5-5-2 for a 3.01 GAA and a .899 SV%. The game on Saturday was one of the best performances I have seen from the veteran goalie.

The Offense Heats Up

• Peter Holland had a three-point night on Saturday against Rochester. He registered two goals plus one assist and leads the team in points with 27.
• Cole Schneider has points in three straight and points in the last 10 of 13 games. In that span, he collected seven goals and seven assists for 14 points.
• Since returning from New York, Steven Fogarty has points in three of his last four games. The forward collected one goal and five assists for six points.
• John Gilmour continues to contribute offensively from the blue line as the prospect has points in the 11 of 16 games (4G, 10A).
• Ville Meskanen continues to add to his points total notching assists in his three of his last four games.
• Vinni Lettieri had back to back multi-point games over the weekend. The prospect has five points in his last two games (2G, 3A).
• Ryan Lindgren has assisted on goals in three of the last four games.

Tim Gettinger Injured From First Pro Fight

On December 19th against Providence, talented Rangers prospect Tim Gettinger had his first fight in the professional ranks. Unfortunately, he did not fare well as he took on Providence’s toughest guy on the roster, Chris Breen. Tim Gettinger left the game after the fight and will be out for an unknown amount of time as he may have a concussion.

Upcoming Games

Thursday, December 27th vs Bridgeport Sound Tigers (Islanders) at 7:00pm, Webster Bank Arena

• This is the sixth meeting in the season series against Bridgeport. Hartford is 3-2 against the Sound Tigers.
• Bridgeport won the last contest in regulation, 2-1.
• Bridgeport won their last seven of ten outings, but have dropped two of their last three games.
• Hartford is ten points behind the Sound Tigers.

Saturday, December 29th vs Bridgeport Sound Tigers (Islanders) at 7:00 pm, XL Center

• This is the seventh of ten meetings on the season series against Bridgeport.
• In the last home-and-home series, Hartford swept Bridgeport on November 23rd and 24th.

Sunday, December 30th vs Springfield Thunderbirds (Florida) at 3:00 pm, XL Center

• This is the second of ten meetings against Springfield. The Thunderbirds won the first meeting 6-2 on October 28th.
• Hartford is behind Springfield by four points.
• Springfield has lost their last seven of ten games.

The Rangers announced moments ago that they have recalled goaltender Alexandar Georgiev. In addition, the team has sent forward Matt Beleskey and goaltender Dustin Tokarski to Hartford.

Tokarski never saw any game action while up with the Rangers. Beleskey, on the other hand, suited up four times for the Blueshirts and recorded his first goal with the Rangers since coming to the team at last year’s deadline.

Georgiev has been with the Wolf Pack since the beginning of December, where he played five games. During those five contests, Georgiev allowed a total of 17 goals and had a save percentage of .884%.

The Rangers announced moments ago that they have assigned three players to the Hartford Wolf Pack. In addition, the Rangers recalled goaltender Dustin Tokarski from Hartford.

These moves should come as no surprise with the Rangers not being in action again until Saturday. With the Pack playing games on Wednesday and Friday, this will allow Georgiev, Beleskey, and Lettieri to get some game action in before the Rangers’ next contest. Tokarski coming up to the Blueshirts will give Georgiev the net for those two contests as well.

The Wolf Pack are chugging along as of late. Last week proved to be huge for the club as they collected all six points up for grabs. This brings the group above .500 and into third place in the competitive Atlantic Division. Hartford has swept the home-and-home series against Bridgeport and defeated their other rival, Providence.

Entering this week, the Wolf Pack are 10-9-1-2 for 23 points. In the Eastern Conference, Hartford is ranked fifth. Impressive, right? The club went from losing a stretch of eight of ten games to winning six of their last ten. The boys are buzzing! Let’s take a look at the latest updates.

Vinni Lettieri Dominates After Demotion

Last week was productive for the talented Rangers prospect. Vinni Lettieri was the hero of the week in helping the Wolf Pack collect wins. He has shown strong offensive instincts and is proven to dominate the American Hockey League. This held true since joining the Wolf Pack.

Vinni Lettieri has three goals, two assists in three straight games in Hartford. He also recorded a shootout tally that was the game winner.

Last Wednesday, Vinni Lettieri notched his first goal of the season. This was a beauty, going coast to coast.

On Friday, he recorded both goals for Hartford in regulation. Here’s the first goal of the night.

The second of the night was the tying goal.

Then he ended the night with the game-winning shootout tally.  On Saturday, the forward collected two assists to help in Hartford’s 3-1 victory against Bridgeport.

Gilmour Finds His Touch

John Gilmour has found his game after he stepped up in the Pack’s school day game on November 14th. Since then, he has continued to show up on the points sheet and became the player that Hartford needed him to be. The prospect defenseman is on a two-game point streak (G, 2A). However, he has three goals and five assists in the last seven games for eight points.

The offensive defenseman continues to help build Hartford’s struggling power play with goals such as these.

Peter Holland Also Finds His Touch

In similar timing to John Gilmour, the veteran has found his game and is continuing to deliver, despite a slow start to the season. Holland has points in six straight games (2G, 6A) for eight points.  This puts the veteran forward tops in total points for the club with 19.

Here’s his latest goal from last Saturday’s game.

The Cole Train Chugs

Hartford’s captain Cole Schneider has had a sluggish start to the season. As a result, head coach Keith McCambridge has bumped the forward to the fourth line as of late in an attempt to wake up the forward. As a result, Cole Schneider has become a better player and is earning points in his limited ice time. The captain has notched points in five straight games, compiling two goals and four assists.

As many remembered last year, Joe Whitney was the captain for Hartford last season. He did not produce and was also bumped to the fourth line. As a result, he was traded to Hershey. This is not the case with Cole Schneider as he has proven that he wants to play better and stick with the group. He should be bumped up depending on the thinking of Keith McCambridge.

The hard work pays off. The captain has to help contribute regardless of which players he is with. This was the case when he got the assist on the whole fourth line crashing the net and causing ruckus afterward.

Dustin Tokarski Improves

The struggling veteran goaltender made strong strides last week. Dustin Tokarski has started three straight games in net and won each start. This improves his record to 4-3-1 with a goals against average of 3.43 and a save percentage of .896. At the beginning of the season, the veteran goalie struggled and had no confidence in net when he gave up multiple goals that could have been stopped.

However, this past week was different.  Dustin Tokarski stopped 87 of the 93 shots he faced. He has made the saves when needed to keep Hartford in the game, especially on Wednesday against Providence and Friday against Bridgeport.

Let’s hope he can keep this up. This is going to be interesting as he has become hot. The competition for who will play each game will be higher. Originally, Marek Mazanec had split even time with Dustin Tokarski. Then Marek Mazanec was the starting goalie. Now with Dustin Tokarski becoming hot, there will be a change once again.

Atlantic Division Standings

Here is the current situation with the standings.

Hartford is in a great position.  However, the issue is the games at hand for the Wolf Pack. The group has played the most games out of any team in the division. Hartford will only play one game this weekend to allow other teams to catch up. By the day of the game on Saturday, Hartford may go down a spot or two depending on the outcomes of other contests.

The Charlotte Checkers are too far ahead in the standings to worry about. The Wolf Pack are ten points behind the Checkers. Unless the Checkers have a downfall, then first place is out of reach currently.

Bridgeport is still in reach for the Pack. Hartford is winning the season series 3-1 and there are six games remaining in the season series. Any combination of Hartford winning and Bridgeport losing would benefit the Pack. Bridgeport is only one game less to Hartford as well.

Springfield is behind Hartford by a point with four games in hand. However, the Thunderbirds are struggling as of late after a dominating start to the AHL season. Springfield has lost six of their last ten games. In addition, Hartford only faced the Thunderbirds once out of the ten-game season series. Points are still on the line against Springfield.

The Lehigh Valley Phantoms are also a point behind Hartford. The Phantoms are generally a dominant team in the AHL. This season proves to be different. Despite Hartford getting outplayed in the first meeting against Lehigh Valley, the Phantoms since have struggled. The Phantoms has lost the last five of ten games. Lehigh Valley is a team that is normally atop the standings. As similar to Springfield, points are on the line in the season series as the Pack only played them once out of eight meetings.

The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, Providence Bruins, and Hershey Bears are only at a few games at hands against Hartford. Currently, those teams are close to the Pack, but they need other scenarios to happen if they want to compete against the top tier teams of the division. I am not worried about those three at the moment looking at the standings.

Notable Notes

• Dustin Tokarski had the primary assist in the game-winning goal against Providence last Wednesday.
• Hartford has shown their rough edge as of late. The gloves have been dropped in three straight games.
• Matt Beleskey had a good week. He notched two goals on Wednesday followed by one assist on Saturday.

• After the completion of the home game on Saturday against Charlotte, the Pack will be on the road in the next seven of ten meetings.
• A highlight of the away games consists of two meetings with Charlotte that are back to back in the same week. Hartford will see Charlotte a total of four times in December.
• Hartford faces the Rochester Americans in back to back games before Christmas.
• The Pack will face Bridgeport twice at Webster Bank Arena.

Teddy Bear Toss

Last Saturday featured the annual teddy bear toss game for Hartford. Score the first goal and the toys will go flying for Toys for Tots. On Monday during the second intermission of the Rangers game, I found myself on MSG150! I definitely needed help to get over my bear over the glass!

https://twitter.com/LoongIslandGal/status/1067238360257826817

Here is the original video that is longer from the night.

Here is another view…

Ty Ronning Update

Rangers prospect Ty Ronning had himself a night last Saturday with the Maine Mariners. The prospect recorded a hat trick plus two assists for a five-point night against the Manchester Monarchs. That is encouraging to see as he needed a confidence booster.

Roster Moves

• Chris Nell was moved from Maine to Greenville of the ECHL on 11/20.
• Vince Pedrie was assigned to Maine on 11/23.
• Tim Gettinger has been up and down.  Currently, he is with Hartford.

Upcoming Games

There is just one game on tap for this weekend.

Saturday, December 1st vs Charlotte Checkers (Carolina) at 7 pm, XL Center

• The first of eight meetings between the clubs.
• The Checkers are first in the league with wins and points (16 wins, 33 points).
• The Checkers enter the week winning three straight. They have lost four games in regulation and one in overtime.
• This is a test for Hartford. The Pack last season went 2-6 against Charlotte. Both wins were at home while Hartford was swept away, going 0-4.

Looking back at last week for the Hartford Wolf Pack, let’s just say it was not pretty. The Pack have struggled after starting the season on a good note. What’s happening was unexpected, considering the roster coming into the 2018-19 season. However, a majority of these guys are young and will see highs and lows. How low? That will remain to be seen. Hartford resumes play over the weekend as they continue a five-game road trip before returning to home. Entering the weekend, the Wolf Pack recorded a record of 4-6-1 for 9 points. That sits the group tied for fifth place in the Atlantic Division, and the Pack is hoping to snap a four game losing streak.

Not So Hot Veteran Goaltending

In an area that was expected to give the Pack a fighting chance in every game, that omen was broken last week. Dustin Tokarski has not been himself since last Wednesday’s game against his former team, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. The well known goalie gave up four goals in five shots in the opening 4:36 of the first period. Marek Mazanec played the remainder of the game, giving up three goals on 28 shots.

Saturday and Sunday proved more of the same in the crease. Mazanec was unable to make saves to keep the Pack in the game despite a back and forth contest. Marek Mazanec stopped 25 of 30 shots on Saturday night against Bridgeport. Dustin Tokarski played on Sunday, stopping 33 of 38 shots.

The goaltending has to improve. The duo was off to a good start, bailing out the club as the Pack coughed up the puck frequently and had excessive turnovers. Last week was not a good week. However, this is a team game and you cannot only fault the goalies. The defense also needs to be addressed. Let’s hope both goalies can regain their confidence and are able to carry the team with good leadership and experience.

Defense? That’s Missing

The defense had tremendous struggles last weekend. One game was winnable, but the other two were blowouts. That is unacceptable. The Rangers are rebuilding and the prospects have to prove their value for the big club. How can you prove yourself if the defensive core is struggling and not producing? This makes the Rangers wonder what’s going on, considering that it is a rebuilding year. The Wolf Pack must be better than New York, not the opposite. Development is key. I understand the young troops are learning, however, not learning from mistakes that cost goals and losing three games in a row is concerning. The defensive group needs to step up as a whole. They’re struggling and must figure that out.

Last week, Hartford gave up 18 goals in three games. How much did the Wolf Pack score? Just nine.

Head Coach Keith McCambridge had made a few changes to the lineup regarding healthy scratches. He has also mixed up the lines in hopes for better chemistry.

It’s still early in the season to sound the alarm. I want the team to fix their issues and continue to compete in the fierce Atlantic Division. The weekend will be difficult for the group as well. They will have to play at full capacity.

Pack Tracks

• Lias Andersson’s point streak was snapped on Wednesday night. Prior to last Wednesday, the forward registered points in two straight contests.
• Shawn O’Donnell was the lone bright spot last weekend. The gritty veteran registered two goals on Wednesday followed by a goal on Saturday. He was impressive in his limited minutes on the third and fourth lines.
• The +/- has wide range for the club. Shawn O’Donnell and Gabriel Fontaine leads with a +6, while  Bobby Butler, John Gilmour, and Peter Holland are-9. Between the two ranges, it seems almost evenly spread out.
• Tim Gettinger recorded a goal and one assist for two points last weekend.
• Everyone appears healthy. So far this season, there has been minor injuries for the group.

Upcoming Games

The Pack started their road trip last Sunday in Springfield. This weekend features a trip to the Keystone State for the first three games in three nights weekend.

Friday, November 2nd vs Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (Pittsburgh), 7:05pm at Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza

• The first meeting with the dominate Penguins in the American Hockey League. This begins a six game season series.
• Last season, Hartford went 3-1-1-1 against the Penguins. In the prior season, the club was swept in the season series.
• Wilkes-Barre/Scranton enters the week going 5-2-0-1 for 11 points. The Penguins are 3rd in the Atlantic Division.
• Garrett Wilson leads the Penguins in points with seven. American Hockey League rookie Sam Miletic is second at six points.

Saturday, November 3rd vs Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (Pittsburgh), 7:05pm at Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza

• The Pack finish back to back games against the Penguins on the road. This is unusual in the league with the scheduling. The Pack has back to back games on the road again with the same team (Lehigh Valley) later on in the season.
• Hartford is 2-4 on the road while Wilkes-Barre/Scranton is 2-2.

Sunday, November 4th vs Hershey Bears (Washington), 5:00pm, Giant Center

• The meeting kicks off another six game season series. The Pack went 2-4 last season, despite facing a struggling Bears team.
• Hershey’s record is identical to Hartford’s, going 4-6-0-1. Both clubs enter the week tied in points of nine.
• The Bears won two straight when they finished last weekend.
• Liam O’Brien leads the Bears in points with seven.

Entering the third week of the season, the Wolf Pack are second in the Atlantic Division. Lias Andersson has been leading the team to victory or helping the group inch towards tying close contests. The second week for Hartford has been interesting. The group hit a 0-1-1 snag and then ended the weekend with a win. After three games, the Pack is in good shape standings-wise.

Walk With Lias

The Rangers prized prospect had an active weekend. In the last four games, the forward notched two goals and four assists for a team lead of six points. Lias Andersson has goals in back to back games along with a fight to complete a Gordie Howe Hat Trick against the Providence Bruins in Saturday night action.

The forward had a dominant weekend in the American Hockey League. He showed the offense along with grit as he continues to develop tremendously.

Tim Gettinger With Hot Start

The first year pro has shown some impressive strides over the last week. The prospect had goals in back to back games in Binghamton and Hartford. He is not afraid to crash the crease or get to the dirty areas. Both goals this weekend resulted in hard work and excellent positioning. Check out a goal that he scored on Wednesday night. He was at the right spot and capitalized on the chance. To date, Tim Gettinger has three goals and an assist for four points.

Road Heavy

The Wolf Pack will be tested with their upcoming schedule in the next few weeks, with Hartford being mainly on the road, including a Canadian road trip. This is the chance for the roster to bond well and build up their confidence to play away from the home rink. The road trip kicked off last Saturday in Providence. Excluding the prior game, Hartford is on the road for three games in Canada. Then they will return home for two games before going back on the road. Eight of the team’s next ten games are on the road, which should be a great test for the group.

Notes and Stats

• Chris Bigras leads the team in +/- with a +8.  He also recorded two assists on Friday against Providence.  He has four points.
• Hartford has scored two short-handed goals in five contests.
• Both veteran goaltenders have split time in the crease.

Quiet AHL Transition

While this will not affect Hartford currently, it will down the road when determining the situation for playoff complications. The AHL has modified how teams enter the post-season. The league used to base standings on points percentage, but they have switched back to overall points. This will be easier for us to understand when taking a quick glance at the post-season opportunities in February, March, and April.

Upcoming Games

Wednesday, October 17th vs Laval Rocket (Montreal) at 7:30 pm, Place Bell

• The final meeting between both clubs. Hartford won the first meeting on October 7th, 3-1.
• Lavel enters the game going 2-2 while Hartford is 3-1-1.

Friday, October 19th vs Belleville Senators (Ottawa) at 7:00 pm, CAA Arena

• This is another two game season series for Hartford. After Friday, Hartford will not face Belleville until March 30th.
• Belleville is 1-2 entering the week. The Pack last year went 0-2 in the season series.

Saturday, October 20th vs Toronto Marlies (Maple Leafs) at 4:00 pm, Coca-Cola Coliseum

• Another two game season series for Hartford. The Toronto Marlies visit Hartford on February 13th.
• The Marlies won the Calder Cup last year. However, this season they are in a “championship hangover” as they’ve dropped their last four games.
• Toronto enters the week with a record of 1-4, last in the North Division.
• The Toronto roster has changed as the club lost both of their goalies through waivers and a few Marlies players made the big club.

The first week of the season is in the books for the Wolf Pack, with Hartford skating into week two with two consecutive victories. In both contests last weekend, the Pack looked sharp and put on an impressive show. The Rangers of tomorrow brought their “A game” and all is well.  Let’s dissect what we’ve watched from the talented roster.

Offensive Bursts

When the offense gets going, the opponent will have a tough time handling the Pack. On Friday night against Providence, the Pack came out storming and scored three goals in the first period in a little more than seven minutes of gameplay. Two goals were about a minute apart. When the group is buzzing, they are able to put up numbers. The span also consisted of a power play, short-handed, and an even-strength goal. You cannot teach that. Each goal had a type of skill involved, either from a wrist shot or to a well-executed play. For instance, here is Tim Gettinger’s first pro goal. It was a strong play by Chris Bigras with the cycle on the blue line, then a solid wrist shot by the rookie Tim Gettinger.

Shifting to Sunday’s contest, the offensive explosion happened again. This time, the span of three goals scored was in roughly two minutes with two goals under a minute apart. The Laval Rocket controlled the first half of the first period until the Pack woke up and shifted their play into high gear.

Comparing the two games, the Pack have scored in various ways. The contest against Providence featured the assets of slap-shots and wrist-shots. The Pack was able to snipe the puck past goalies from a considerable distance. Then, on Sunday, the group used chemistry well to their advantage with impressive 2v1 plays and passing sequences. They were unable to cash in when crashing the net, but that shouldn’t discourage them from keeping up that style of play in the future.

Power Play Look

Hartford had nine power plays between the two contests, but Hartford was unable to capitalize. However, in both games, the group generated solid chances, especially in Sunday’s contest against the Laval Rocket. The players are able to crash the net and pick away at the puck until the goalie froze it. They generated shots and moved the puck well with the man advantage. Had the power-play converted, the Pack could’ve easily turned both contests into blowouts.

Notable Observations

When Hartford is ready to play, they are a force. On the offensive side, they are able to play in any type of way depending on the opponent. They are able to crash the net, score from afar, and get creative when entering the zone and generating plays. The chemistry is strong early on in the season as the boys are buzzing.

The talent from the Rangers prospects is also noticeable. They are not afraid to deke or utilize their skill sets. Every player has a role and everyone is performing well.

The defensive side of the game is the weakest part of the team. However, they play hard and complete every shift with heart and effort. Shots are getting blocked constantly, the passing lanes are clogged, and on the penalty kill, the group is clearing the puck and making it difficult for the opponents to set up plays.

The goalie situation is perfect. Hartford has two veterans in Marek Mazanec and Dustin Tokarski between the pipes. Both played solid games when the opposing team pressured the Pack and pinched the Pack on the penalty kill.

Focusing on improvements, discipline is the most critical one for the Wolf Pack. The Pack took six penalties against Providence, then four against Laval. Hartford at times would play with an added edge but took unnecessary penalties. Being better disciplined would help the team, especially in situations where they are holding a lead or behind. Specialty teams can make or break a game and a season.

Another area of focus I want to elaborate on is the shot totals. Hartford was outshot in both games. The common theme is the Pack shoot less and less after the first period. They must maintain consistency when attacking the net. The perfect shot should not be the only option. Shooting on net gives them a chance to win games, and possibly score depending on their luck with the puck and the situation.

The Wolf Pack have strong potential this season. They have the pros and cons so far. Working on the cons is possible and not far off. Work hard and play hard is the best key to success. Keith McCambridge has a talented roster.  Everyone has their role.  Let’s keep this up boys!

Notes

• Cole Schneider is the captain. The alternate captains are Rob O’Gara and Steven Fogarty.
• Hartford scored seven goals while giving up three in their first two games.
• Cole Schneider leads the team in points with three (one goal, two assists).
• Chris Bigras, Tim Gettinger, John Gilmour, Peter Holland, Michael Lindqvist, Ville Meskanen, Lias Andersson, and Steven Fogarty end the weekend with two points each.
• Libor Hajek and Chis Bigras lead the team in +/- with +4.
• Ty Ronning, Brandon Crawley, and Vince Pedrie were scratched for both games.

Upcoming Games

Hartford will play three games this upcoming week. Two will be on the road with one at home.

Wednesday, October 10th vs Binghamton Devils (New Jersey) at 7:05 pm, Floyd L. Maines Veterans Memorial Arena

• The first road trip of the season for Hartford.
• The Pack will face the Devils four times, two home and two away.
• Binghamton has played one game and defeated the Toronto Marlies 7-5 on Sunday.

Friday, October 12th vs Providence Bruins (Boston) at 7:15 pm, XL Center

• The second meeting against the Bruins.
• This meeting begins a home-and-home series with Providence, with game two on Saturday.
• Providence enters the weekend losing two straight.

Saturday, October 13th vs Providence Bruins (Boston) at 7:05 pm, Dunkin’ Donuts Center

• The final game of the week for Hartford.
• The Pack were 1-2-1-1 last season in Providence.