Howlings

Stingrays jump out to early lead; Brodzinski and Singleton score late in defeat By: Mark Binetti, Greenville Swamp Rabbits (NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C.) – Bryce Brodzinski and Tate Singleton scored in the final period of regulation, but the goals couldn’t cover the deficit forced by the South Carolina Stingrays, who jumped out to a lead early and ran with a 5-2 win over the Greenville Swamp Rabbits at North Charleston Coliseum on Friday night. The loss snaps the Swamp Rabbits' win streak at five games from November 17th to November 27th and halts a three-game road winning streak. The Stingrays came out of the opening 20 minutes with a 2-0 lead, accrued within a minute of action. With 6:58 left in the first, Jon McDonald snuck in off the blue line and drove the middle lane, deflecting a Jayden Lee corner pass over the shoulder of Swamp Rabbits goalie Dryden McKay to put the Stingrays up 1-0 (Lee and Josh Wilkins assisted). Precisely 41 seconds later, Erik Middendorf poked at the puck in ...

By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack HARTFORD, CT – New York Rangers Assistant General Manager and Hartford Wolf Pack General Manager Ryan Martin announced today that the club has loaned forward Blake McLaughlin to the ECHL’s Bloomington Bison. McLaughlin, 24, has appeared in eleven games with the Bison this season, scoring eight points (3 g, 5 a). He recorded an assist in the club’s 3-2 overtime victory over the Iowa Heartlanders on Nov. 24, his last appearance before his recall. The native of Grand Rapids, MN, has recorded one assist in two games with the Wolf Pack this season. He picked up his assist in his Wolf Pack debut on Oct. 30, 2024, against the Grand Rapids Griffins. Verizon powers Hartford Wolf Pack transactions during the 2024-25 season. Full-season tickets, 20-game plans, 12-game plans, flex plans, and single-game tickets for the 2024-25 season are on sale now! Visit  hartfordwolfpack.com or call 860-722-9425 for more details! About Oak View Group (OVG): Oak View Group (...

By: Andy Zilch, Bloomington Bison Bloomington, Ill. – Bloomington Bison General Manager and Head Coach Phillip Barski announced today the signing of forward Garrett Devine to a standard ECHL player contract. Devine, 27, appeared in 11 games this season with the Maine Mariners, registering four penalty minutes. The Windsor, Colorado native played in 27 games with the University of New England last season, posting 15 points (eight goals, seven assists). Following his collegiate season, Devine turned pro, competing in six games with the Mariners and tallying one assist. The 6-foot-1, 205-pound forward skated in 74 career NCAA games between the University of New England and Providence College. Bison single-game pricing starts as low as $20! Group pricing with benefits and suite options are also available. Visit bloomingtonbisonhockey.com or call (309) 965-HERD for more information. Sign up for the newsletter on the Bison webpage to receive the latest Bison news. BLOOMINGTON BISON HOWLINGS...

By: Jason Alwang, Howlings HARTFORD, CT: The Hartford Wolf Pack top line of Bo Groulx, Alex Belzile, and Anton Blidh produced seven points (3G, 4A), but it wasn't enough as the Lehigh Valley Phantoms knocked them off 5-4 in overtime in the final game of a six-game homestand at the XL Center. “They came away with three goals on the night," Wolf Pack Head Coach Grant Potulny said of his top line. "(It's) a really good sign for us if that’s the line that we can play against other (teams) best players, then I feel really good about that.” The game went back and forth until 3:22 of overtime when Samu Tuomaala scored his second goal of the game, and the game-winner, on a semi-breakaway. Pack captain Casey Fitzgerald fought to get back defensively but couldn’t get there in time as Tuomaala's wrister beat Pack netminder Dylan Garand (29 saves) to end the game. BOX SCORE The scoring began when Blidh scored his first of two. Matthew Roberston released a slap shot from the p...

Netminder stops 37 of 39 & both shootout attempts to push the team before Thanksgiving By: Mark Binetti, Greenville Swamp Rabbits (DULUTH, GA) – Parker Berge scored for a third straight game, and Dryden McKay continued to stand tall, stopping 37 of 39 shots and both shooters past overtime to lead the Greenville Swamp Rabbits to a 3-2 shootout win over the Atlanta Gladiators on Thanksgiving Eve. The win gives the Swamp Rabbits five in a row dating back to November 17th against Florida and eight wins in their last nine going as far back as November 9th against Atlanta. Tate Singleton provided the game's only goal for the longest time in the first two periods. Just 61 seconds in, Singleton chased down a loose puck near the side of the Atlanta net, tracked it down, and while diving and sliding, slipped the puck past Ethan Haider in net for the Gladiators, giving the Swamp Rabbits a 1-0 lead (Colton Young and Miles Gendron assisted). Dryden McKay faced a 15-shot barrage in the openi...

By: Andy Zilch, Bloomington Bison Bloomington, IL – The Bloomington Bison power play shined in a 3-1 win against the Iowa Heartlanders on Wednesday night at Grossinger Motors Arena. Each team suffered two penalties during the opening stanza. Iowa came 15 seconds apart, giving Bloomington a 5-on-3 power play. Carter Berger buried a one-timer during this man advantage to open the scoring. Dalton Duhart assisted his second of the year at 11:47. The Bison’s infractions were separated, but the team managed to kill both to send the Bison into the second period with a 1-0 lead. Iowa continued their penalty problems in the middle frame, which helped the Bison extend their lead. Connor Lockhart drove home his third of the season from Duhart and Berger at 11:11 on the power play. Just 1:08 later, Ryan Siedem scored on a slap shot off a faceoff. Joe Widmar assisted with his second of the year. Despite being outshot in the period 13-7, the Bison took a 3-0 lead into the third. Iowa closed the gap ...

By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack HARTFORD, CT – Despite two goals from Anton Blidh and three points from Alex Belzile, the Hartford Wolf Pack could not put away the Lehigh Valley Phantoms on Wednesday night. After tying the game for the fourth time late in regulation time, the Phantoms stole the second point 3:22 into overtime, prevailing 5-4. Samu Tuomaala entered the offensive zone late in overtime with tons of space down the right-wing side. Tuomaala snapped a shot that beat Dylan Garand for his second goal of the night, eighth of the season, and fourth against the Wolf Pack. The goal snapped a four-game losing streak (0-3-1-0) overall for the Phantoms and a four-game skid at the XL Center (0-2-2-0). Blidh opened the scoring 5:06 into the game, deflecting home his third goal of the season. Matthew Robertson fired a puck from the left-wing point that Blidh tipped directly in front of goaltender Cal Petersen. Blidh’s goal was his second against the Phantoms this season and his firs...

By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack HARTFORD, CT – New York Rangers President and General Manager Chris Drury announced today that the club has assigned forward Matt Rempe to the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack. Additionally, the Rangers have recalled defenseman Chad Ruhwedel from the Wolf Pack. Rempe, 22, has recorded three points (2 g, 1 a) in ten games with the Wolf Pack this season. He recorded a season-high two points (1 g, 1 a) and seven shots in the club’s 4-2 victory over the Providence Bruins on Nov. 16. The native of Calgary, AB, has also dressed in four games with the Rangers this season, most recently on Monday night against the St. Louis Blues. The 6’9”, 255-pound forward has skated in 106 career AHL games with the Wolf Pack, scoring 25 points (16 g, 9 a). He has also appeared in 21 NHL games with the Rangers. Ruhwedel, 34, has recorded two assists in seven games with the Wolf Pack this season. He has also appeared in one game with the Rangers, posting a +2 +/- rating on Oct. 1...

By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack HARTFORD, CT – New York Rangers Assistant General Manager and Hartford Wolf Pack General Manager Ryan Martin announced today that the club has recalled forwards Blake McLaughlin and Brett Budgell from loan to the ECHL’s Bloomington Bison. Additionally, the club has loaned defenseman Case McCarthy to the Bison. McLaughlin, 24, has appeared in eleven games with the Bison this season, scoring eight points (3 g, 5 a). He recorded an assist in the club’s 3-2 overtime victory over the Iowa Heartlanders on Sunday afternoon. The native of Grand Rapids, MN, made his Wolf Pack debut on Oct. 30, 2024, against the Grand Rapids Griffins. He collected an assist in the team’s 3-2 overtime victory at the XL Center. Budgell, 23, has scored 13 points (6 g, 7 a) in 15 games with the Bison this season. He currently sits second on the Bison in goals and leads the team in points. During the 2023-24 season, the native of St. John’s, NL, scored 30 points (14 g, 16 a) in 44...

By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack dropped back-to-back games at the XL Center for the first time this season over the weekend. Despite third-period pushes on both nights, the club could not find late equalizers in regulation losses to the Springfield Thunderbirds and Bridgeport Islanders. Saturday, November 23rd, 2024, Vs. Springfield Thunderbirds (4-2 L): The Wolf Pack dropped their second straight against the Thunderbirds on Saturday night in the latest installment of the ‘I-91 Rivalry’. Matthew Peca struck twice, opening the scoring 8:51 into the game and then making it 3-1 at 17:51 of the second period. His second goal of the game proved to be the game-winning tally. Matt Rempe and Brett Berard scored for the Wolf Pack, with Rempe’s marker tying the game 1-1 at 19:00 of the first period. 13 seconds after Rempe’s goal, however, Marcus Sylvegard restored the lead for the Thunderbirds. Berard’s goal was his team-leading seventh of the season a...

By: Lauren McQuillan, Howlings FAIRFIELD, CT — The Sacred Heart University Pioneers continued their red-hot play, extending their winning streak to five straight by knocking off the visiting  3-2 in front of 2,910 at the Martire Family Arena on Friday night. SHU (7-5-1, 6-3-0 AHA) found the back of the net first at 14:59 and never looked back.  Charles Tardiff snuck behind the Tigers' net and sent the puck to Reid Pabich, who went towards the corner, created space in the left-wing circle, and wristed a shot past Trent Burnham for his fourth of the season.  The Pioneers were outshot 12-8 by the Tigers in the first period but went to the break with a 1-0 lead.   The second period was all about the penalty kill for the Pioneers. They had to kill off a penalty at 4:04 by Gabe Blanchard. Then, just after killing that penalty, they took another as Jeremi Tremblay went to the sin bin for High Sticking at 6:49. SHU Head Coach C.J. Marottolo could not have been pleased when Charles Tardiff ...

By: Jason Alwang, Howlings HARTFORD, CT: The Hartford Wolf Pack were defeated on back-to-back nights at the XL Center. On Saturday, they lost to their I-91 rivals, the Springfield Thunderbirds, 4-2. On Sunday, they lost to their intrastate rivals, the Bridgeport Islanders, who scored three times in the third period to win, 4-1. “I'll bet you that tonight every analytic would say that we should lose the game,” Wolf Pack Head Coach Grant Potulny said, assessing his team's performance. “It was an uncharacteristic effort, and that part is disappointing.” The game-winning goal came at 4:11 of the third period when Justin Gill's shot created a rebound opportunity around Pack goaltender Louis Domingue (29 saves). Marc Gatcomb got to the puck first and punched in the loose change into the back of the net. His seventh goal on the season gave the Islanders the 2-1 lead. “The part that’s frustrating is not (our lack of) skating or not forechecking. It’s professional hockey; if you don...

By: Jason Alwang, Howlings HARTFORD, CT:  The Hartford Wolf Pack and their three straight wins and five-game home winning streak both ended in a 4-2 loss as Matthew Peca potted two goals and Colten Ellis made 31 saves for Springfield Thunderbirds at the XL Center on Saturday night. Turnovers were a big issue for the Pack throughout the game. “You can’t turn pucks over in professional hockey,” Wolf Pack Head Coach Grant Potulny said. “We didn’t get enough going.” At 17:51 of the second period, Peca buried his second goal of the game off a one-timer that proved to be the game-winner. Leo Loof fed the son of New York Rangers Assistant Coach Michael Peca and earned his second assist of the contest. Wolf Pack netminder Dylan Garand (19 saves) made a valiant diving effort on the shot, but to no avail, and gave the T-Birds a 3-1 lead they wouldn't relinquish. The scoring in the contest began when Peca tallied at 8:51 of the opening period. Excellent puck control and movement by the Pack...

By: Alan Fuehring, Bridgeport Islanders BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (November 23, 2024) - Julien Gauthier scored a power-play goal and added an assist for his second multi-point game of the season, but the Bridgeport Islanders (4-10-1-2), American Hockey League affiliate of the New York Islanders, fell to the Charlotte Checkers (8-4-1-2) in a shootout, 3-2, Saturday night at Total Mortgage Arena. Travis Mitchell also found the back of the net during the team’s annual ‘Hockey Fights Cancer’ Night. Marcus Hogberg (1-3-3) made 32 saves in 65 minutes and went 3-for-4 in the shootout. BOX SCORE   Charlotte dominated the first period of play. Just 62 seconds in, Patrick Giles slipped a shot under Hogberg's left pad for a shorthanded goal and a 1-0 lead. At 8:59, Oliver Okuliar backhanded home a rebound from Ben Steeves to double Charlotte’s advantage. After being held scoreless for more than 39 minutes, the Islanders got on the board with just two seconds remaining in the second. Fredrik Karlstrom...

By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack HARTFORD, CT – On Saturday night, the Hartford Wolf Pack outshot the Springfield Thunderbirds 33-23 in front of 6,349 fans at the XL Center. However, it would not be enough as the Thunderbirds struck three times at five-on-five to take a 4-2 decision . The loss snapped the Wolf Pack’s three-game overall winning streak and five-game winning streak on home ice. In the second period, Matthew Peca struck twice for the Thunderbirds, applying the dagger. Dylan Garand made an excellent save on Nikita Alexandrov down low, but the rebound fell into the Thunderbirds’ possession. Leo Loof eventually gained possession and fired a cross-ice pass to Peca in the right-wing circle, who blasted home his seventh goal of the season. Loof’s assist was his second of the night and fifth of the season, while Alexandrov picked up his seventh assist and 13th point on the goal at 17:51 of period two. Peca opened the scoring for the visitors 8:51 into the hockey game, burying ...

By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack HARTFORD, CT – New York Rangers Assistant General Manager and Hartford Wolf Pack General Manager Ryan Martin announced today that the club has recalled defenseman Case McCarthy from loan to the ECHL’s Bloomington Bison. McCarthy, 23, has recorded four points (2 g, 2 a) in seven games with the Bison this season. A season ago, McCarthy appeared in 39 games with Boston University, scoring nine points (4 g, 5 a). He served as captain of the Terriers. The native of Troy, NY, dressed in two games with the Wolf Pack following the conclusion of his NCAA career. He debuted professionally on April 19 against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Verizon powers Hartford Wolf Pack transactions during the 2024-25 season. Full-season tickets, 20-game plans, 12-game plans, flex plans, and single-game tickets for the 2024-25 season are on sale now! Visit hartfordwolfpack.com or call 860-722-9425 for more details! About Oak View Group (OVG): Oak View Group (OVG) is t...

By: Andy Zilch, Bloomington Bison   Bloomington, Ill. – The Bloomington Bison were shut out by a score of 2-0 on Friday night against Indy Fuel at Grossinger Motors Arena. The Bison were outshot by a 9-4 margin in the opening period, with neither team finding the back of the net. Each team saw one power play opportunity. With that first-period penalty kill, the Bison have diminished nine straight power plays against them. The second frame saw both teams increase their shots on the stat sheet, as the Fuel outshot the Bison by an 11-7 margin. Neither team found the shot to break the deadlock. At the 4:26 mark, the Bison had a powerplay opportunity that the Fuel killed. At the 8:52 mark of the final stanza, Nathan Burke slung a shot into the back of the net, breaking the stalemate. Assists on Burke’s second of the season came from Bryan Lemos and Andrew Bellant. Indy extended their lead at the 14:03 mark as Jalen Luypen snuck a shot past Mark Sinclair on a rebound for his first of the se...

Savoie deflects Freeman’s shot with 36.3 seconds left to claim a fifth win in the last six games. By: Mark Binetti, Greenville Swamp Rabbits (GREENVILLE, S.C.) – Carter Savoie deflected home his league-leading fourth game-winning goal with 36.3 seconds left to vault the Greenville Swamp Rabbits to a come-from-behind 3-2 win against the South Carolina Stingrays on Friday night. The win gave the Swamp Rabbits their fifth in their last six games dating back to November 9th against Atlanta and marked the first wins for Adam Dauda and River Pease, serving as acting Head Coach and Assistant Coach, respectively. Both teams skated to a scoreless deadlock in the opening 20 minutes, with the Swamp Rabbits dictating most of the offensive play. Dryden McKay stopped all eight shots he saw in the first period in net for the Swamp Rabbits, while South Carolina’s Seth Eisele staved off 15 shots. Joe Leahy broke the ice in the opening minute of the middle frame. With just 41 seconds, Ben Freeman rotate...

By: Alan Fuehring, Bridgeport Islanders WILKES-BARRE, Penn. (November 22, 2024) -  The Bridgeport Islanders (4-10-1-1), American Hockey League affiliate of the New York Islanders, suffered a 5-0 loss to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (9-4-1-0) at Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza on Friday. Following a three-game road trip, the Islanders return to Total Mortgage Arena tomorrow night for a 7 p.m. matchup against the Charlotte Checkers. BOX SCORE Penguins goaltender Joel Blomqvist (1-1-0) was perfect on the 23 shots he faced, handing the Islanders their second shutout loss of the season. It was Blomqvist’s second career AHL shutout. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton scored twice in the first period and three times in the third, led by Emil Bemstrom’s two goals and three points. Jakub Skarek (3-6-0) made 28 saves for Bridgeport. Avery Hayes had one goal and one assist for the Penguins, including the game’s first tally 6:43 into the opening frame, which stood as the difference. Hayes executed a per...

By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack HARTFORD, CT – New York Rangers President and General Manager Chris Drury announced today that the club has recalled defenseman Victor Mancini from the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack. Additionally, the club has assigned forward Jake Leschyshyn to the Wolf Pack. Mancini, 22, has scored four points (1 g, 3 a) in nine games this season with the Rangers. He made his NHL debut on Oct. 9, 2024, against the Pittsburgh Penguins. His first career NHL goal and point came on Oct. 17, 2024, against the Detroit Red Wings. The native of Hancock, MI, recorded ten points (4 g, 6 a) in 40 games with the University of Nebraska-Omaha during the 2023-24 season. After signing his entry-level contract with the Rangers on April 1, 2024, Mancini suited up in seven games with the Wolf Pack, recording three assists. During the 2024 Calder Cup Playoffs, Mancini notched three assists in ten games as the Wolf Pack advanced to the 2024 Atlantic Division Finals. Mancini has recorded on...

By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack have enjoyed quite a bit of success on home ice this season. Following a 5-4 shootout victory over the Charlotte Checkers on Tuesday, the Wolf Pack are 8-1-0-0 at the XL Center this season. Now 3-0-0-0 on their current six-game homestand, the Wolf Pack look to keep the ball rolling this weekend with back-to-back tilts against geographic rivals. Saturday, November 23rd, 2024, Vs. Springfield Thunderbirds (6:00 p.m.) : Round three of the ‘I-91 Rivalry’ takes the stage at the XL Center on Saturday night during the annual ‘Hockey Fights Cancer’ game. The sides have split two high-scoring affairs already this season, with each team grabbing a regulation victory. In the club's home opener, the Wolf Pack opened the head-to-head series with a 6-5 triumph at the XL Center on Oct. 18, 2024. Brennan Othmann and Jaroslav Chmelař struck twice in the first period as the Pack jumped out to a 4-2 lead. Brett Berard’s goal 1...

By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack HARTFORD, CT – New York Rangers Assistant General Manager and Hartford Wolf Pack General Manager Ryan Martin announced today that the club has loaned defenseman Case McCarthy to the ECHL’s Bloomington Bison. McCarthy, 23, has recorded four points (2 g, 2 a) in seven games with the Bison this season. A season ago, McCarthy appeared in 39 games with Boston University, scoring nine points (4 g, 5 a). He served as captain of the Terriers. The native of Troy, NY, dressed in two games with the Wolf Pack following the conclusion of his NCAA career. He debuted professionally on April 19 against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Verizon powers Hartford Wolf Pack transactions during the 2024-25 season. Full-season tickets, 20-game plans, 12-game plans, flex plans, and single-game tickets for the 2024-25 season are on sale now! Visit  hartfordwolfpack.com or call 860-722-9425 for more details! About Oak View Group (OVG): Oak View Group (OVG) is the global l...

By: Andy Zilch, Bloomington Bison   Bloomington, Ill. – Bloomington Bison General Manager and Head Coach Phillip Barski announced today that the team acquired forward Sam Sternschein from the Idaho Steelheads for defenseman Chandler Romeo. In a separate trade, the Bison acquired forward Jared Westcott from the Wheeling Nailers for future considerations. Sternschein, 26, played in 13 games with the Steelheads last season, registering four points (one goal and three assists) and a +3 rating. He also played one game with the Toledo Walleye. The Syosset, New York native, has appeared in 46 career ECHL games, amassing 15 points (seven goals, eight assists) and 19 penalty minutes between the Steelheads, Walleye, Wichita Thunder, Reading Royals, and Jacksonville Icemen. Westcott, 25, has appeared in four games with the Nailers this season, collecting two points (two assists) and a +2 rating. The Imperial, Missouri native turned pro last season following his collaborative year with the Lake S...

By: Andy Zilch, Bloomington Bison   Bloomington, Ill. – Bloomington Bison General Manager and Head Coach Phillip Barski announced today the signing of forward Joe Widmar to a standard ECHL contract. Widmar, 29, has appeared in seven games with the Rapid City Rush this season. He has also competed in two SPHL games totaling nine points (three goals and six assists). The Northbrook, Illinois native skated with the Peoria Rivermen for four seasons in his career. In 132 career SPHL games, Widmar has posted 152 points (42 goals and 110 assists) and a +38 rating. He was named to the 2017-18 SPHL All-Rookie Team with the Rivermen. The 6-foot-1, 215-pound forward has amassed 77 points (24 goals and 53 assists) in 164 ECHL games.   The Bison return to Grossinger Motors Arena on Friday at 7 p.m. for 309 Night, which includes $3 beers, hot dogs and soda, $0 popcorn, and a $9 specialty t-shirt. Single-game pricing starts as low as $20! Group pricing with benefits and suite options is also availab...

By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack picked up their third consecutive victory on Tuesday morning, knocking off the Charlotte Checkers in a wild ‘School Day Game’ affair. When the dust settled, the Pack won their fifth straight at home thanks to a 5-4 shootout victory . Alex Belzile capped a spectacular day with a shootout goal in the first round of the skills competition. His goal would stand as the winner, as Louis Domingue turned aside all three Checkers’ attempts to preserve the victory for the Wolf Pack. Bo Groulx wasted no time getting the Wolf Pack on the board, striking just 14 seconds into the hockey game. After a defensive zone turnover by the Checkers, Groulx collected possession and weaved his way to the goal. He backhanded a shot that beat Chris Driedger for his sixth goal of the season and the 101st point of his AHL career. The goal was the fastest to start a game for the Wolf Pack this season. For the second straight meeting, the Chec...