WOLF PACK NEWS AND UPDATES

WOLF PACK INK F NOAH LABA TO AMATEUR TRYOUT AGREEMENT

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 agreed to an amateur tryout agreement (ATO) with forward Noah Laba for the remainder of the 2024-25 season.

Laba, 21, inked a two-year entry level contract with the Rangers earlier today. That deal will start with the 2025-26 season.

The native of Northville, MI, scored 26 points (10 g, 16 a) in 29 games with Colorado College as a junior this season. He finished tied for the team lead in goals with ten and tied for second in points with 26. He also ranked first on the club in +/- (+10) and finished fourth in the NCHC Conference in faceoff percentage (57.3%).

Laba set career-high marks with 20 goals, 17 assists, and 37 points in 36 games as a sophomore during the 2023-24 campaign. He led the Tigers in both goals and points that season and finished tied for first in assists.

The 6’2”, 210-pound forward was named the NCHC’s ‘Best Defensive Forward’ and to the conference’s First All-Star Team following the 2023-24 season.

Laba was selected in the fourth round, 111th overall, by the Rangers in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft.

Hartford Wolf Pack transactions during the 2024-25 season are powered by Verizon.

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 www.hartfordwolfpack.com or call 860-722-9425 for more details!

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WOLF PACK LOAN THREE TO ECHL’S BLOOMINGTON BISON

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 Ryan Siedem and forwards Maxim Barbashev and Brett Budgell to the ECHL’s Bloomington Bison.

Siedem, 24, has scored one assist in five appearances with the Wolf Pack this season. He recorded his first career AHL assist on Oct. 19, 2024, against the Bridgeport Islanders.

The native of Madison, NJ, has also recorded 16 points (3 g, 13 a) in 36 games with the Bison as a rookie. He ranks tenth overall on the team in scoring and third in scoring among defensemen.

Barbashev, 21, has scored two points (1 g, 1 a) in six games with the Wolf Pack as a rookie. He recorded his first career AHL goal on Feb. 21, 2025, against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.

The native of Moscow, RUS, has also skated in 27 games with the Bison, scoring seven points (3 g, 4 a).

Budgell, 23, has recorded four assists in eleven games with the Wolf Pack this season. His four assists are an AHL career-high.

The native of St. John’s, NL, currently sits third on the Bison in scoring with 30 points (11 g, 19 a) in 37 games this season. He has scored 112 points (41 g, 71 a) in 153 career ECHL games with the Bison, Iowa Heartlanders, and Newfoundland Growlers.

Hartford Wolf Pack transactions during the 2024-25 season are powered by Verizon.

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 www.hartfordwolfpack.com or call 860-722-9425 for more details!

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WOLF PACK WEEKEND RECAP: MARCH 17th, 2025

By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack

HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack made a rare trip to the Midwest last week, playing three games against Central Division opponents.

The Wolf Pack went 1-2-0-0 on the trip but ended it on a positive note with a victory over the top team in the Central Division, the Milwaukee Admirals.

Friday, March 14th, 2025, at Rockford IceHogs (0-4 L): Kevin Korchinski struck 4:01 into the game, potting his third goal of the season from the bottom of the left-wing circle to give the IceHogs a lead they never lost. The IceHogs outshot the Wolf Pack 17-2 in the first period, controlling the pace of play.

The Wolf Pack responded by holding an edge of 16-9 in shots in the second period but could not solve goaltender Drew Commesso.

In the third period, the IceHogs pulled away with three goals. Joey Anderson struck on the power play at 8:23, making it 2-0. Andreas Athanasiou then scored at 15:49 and 19:39, extending the lead to 4-0. Athanasiou’s second goal, scored into an empty net, was his tenth in the AHL this season.

Commesso made 26 saves to collect the shutout. It marked the seventh time this season that the Wolf Pack were shutout.

Saturday, March 15th, 2025, at Milwaukee Admirals (4-2 W): Jesse Ylonen scored 19:03 into the first period, beating Dylan Garand by the glove to give the Admirals a 1-0 lead through 20 minutes.

Dylan Roobroeck needed just 17 seconds of action in the second period to tie the game, however, as he jammed a loose puck through the five-hole of Magnus Chrona to tie the game 1-1. Roobroeck then gave the Wolf Pack the lead for good at 12:55, tipping home a Connor Mackey point shot on the power play.

Mackey potted the eventual game-winning goal at 17:00, taking a pass from Brendan Brisson, working into the slot, and snapping his sixth goal of the season by Chrona.

Lucas Edmonds made it 4-1 at 10:28 of the third period, deflecting his fifth goal of the season by Chrona.

Kyle Marino struck six-on-five at 17:36, but that was as close as the Admirals were able to draw it.

The win marked Hartford’s first regulation victory in Milwaukee in franchise history.

Quick Hits:

- Thanks to his 25 saves on Saturday night, Dylan Garand picked up his 17th victory of the season. That marks a new career-high for the All-Star netminder.
- Roobroeck’s power play goal on Saturday night was the first of his professional career.
- Roobroeck also recorded his first multi-goal outing as a pro on Saturday night. He now has 13 tallies on the season.
- Mackey’s game-winning goal on Saturday night was his second of the season and the third of his AHL career.

The Week Ahead:

- Friday, Mar. 21, 2025, Vs. Hershey Bears (7:00 p.m., XL Center)
- Saturday, Mar. 22, 2025, Vs. Milwaukee Admirals (7:00 p.m., XL Center)

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DYLAN ROOBROECK STRIKES TWICE AS WOLF PACK DOWN ADMIRALS 4-2

By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack

MILWAUKEE, WI– The Hartford Wolf Pack concluded their three-game road trip to the Midwest on a winning note on Saturday night, beating the Milwaukee Admirals 4-2 at UW Milwaukee Panther Arena.

17:48 into the game, Matthew Robertson and Joakim Kemell each took penalties to send the clubs to four-on-four play. Alex Belzile created a great chance for the Wolf Pack, dancing through the Admirals’ defense before getting a shot off. Magnus Chrona got his right pad on the shot, however, keeping the Wolf Pack off the board.

Moments later, Mark Friedman entered the offensive zone and sent a pass to Jesse Ylonen in the slot area. There, Ylonen snapped a shot that beat Dylan Garand over the glove at 19:03 to make it a 1-0 game.

The Wolf Pack needed just 17 seconds of play in the second period to draw things even.  Jaroslav Chmelař won a battle behind the net and sent a pass to Dylan Roobroeck in the slot. The puck ended up in the skates of Roobroeck, but the rookie forward was able to get it on his forehand and snap a shot through the five-hole of Chrona to make it 1-1.

Roobroeck gave the Wolf Pack a lead at 12:55 with his first career power play goal. Connor Mackey fired a shot from the point that Roobroeck perfectly tipped through the five-hole of Chrona to make it a 2-1 game.

The goal gave Roobroeck his first career multi-goal outing.

Mackey extended the lead to 3-0 at 17:00, taking a pass from Brendan Brisson in the high-slot and beating Chrona with a snapper for his sixth goal of the campaign. The assist was Brisson’s second as a member of the Wolf Pack, while the goal was Mackey’s second point (1 g, 1 a) of the night.

Lucas Edmonds extended the lead to 4-1 at 10:28 of the third period, deflecting home his fifth goal of the season. Adam Sýkora fired a shot from the left-wing point that Edmonds redirected, giving the Wolf Pack the needed insurance to collect two points.

Kyle Marino backhanded home his seventh goal of the season at 17:36 of the third period while the Admirals attacked six-on-five, but that was as close as the home side would draw it.

Garand made 25 saves to collect his 17th victory of the season, setting a new career-high.

The Pack is back at the XL Center on Friday, Mar. 21, when the Hershey Bears come to town. Join us for $2 drafts and $2 hot dogs until the end of the first intermission.
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WOLF PACK BLANKED 4-0 BY ICEHOGS

By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack

ROCKFORD, IL – The Hartford Wolf Pack were shutout for the seventh time this season on Friday night by a score of 4-0 at the hands of the Rockford IceHogs.

The IceHogs controlled the opening frame, outshooting the Wolf Pack by a 17-2 margin. Louis Domingue was sensational in the period, making 16 saves.

Despite those efforts, the IceHogs were able to take a lead 4:01 into the game when Kevin Korchinski jumped on a rebound and scored his third goal of the season. Aku Räty sent a pass to Gerry Mayhew in the slot, who fired a quick shot that Domingue denied. The rebound came to the bottom of the left-wing circle, where Korchinski pounced to make it 1-0.

The goal was Korchinski’s first in 29 games.

The Wolf Pack fired 16 shots on goal in the second period, but were unable to solve goaltender Drew Commesso, who stopped all 16 bids.

The Wolf Pack went 0-for-4 on the power play in the period, including 90 seconds with a five-on-three advantage. The club ended the night 0-for-6 with the skater advantage.

The IceHogs pulled away in the final stanza, scoring three times to ensure two points in their push for a Calder Cup Playoff berth.

Joey Anderson struck on the power play at 8:23, making it 2-0. Andreas Athanasiou then found a rebound in the slot and beat Domingue at 15:49, extending the lead to 3-0.

Athanasiou potted his second goal of the night and tenth goal of the season at 19:39, winning a footrace to a loose puck in the slot and burying the empty net tally.

Cole Guttman assisted on all three goals in the third period, giving him 30 helpers on the season.

The road trip concludes tomorrow night when the Wolf Pack visit the Milwaukee Admirals. The puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m.

The Pack is back at the XL Center on Friday, Mar. 21, when the Hershey Bears come to town. Join us for $2 drafts and $2 hot dogs until the end of the first intermission.
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WOLF PACK LOSE HEARTBREAKER 2-1 TO GRIFFINS

By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack

GRAND RAPIDS, MI – The Hartford Wolf Pack took two late penalties on Wednesday night, giving the Grand Rapids Griffins a five-on-three advantage with just over two minutes remaining in the game. The Griffins took full advantage, scoring late to snag a 2-1 win from the Wolf Pack.

Austin Watson took a pass in the left-wing circle from Amadeus Lombardi, immediately firing a one-timer by Dylan Garand at 17:57 of the third period to give the Griffins a 2-1 lead. The goal, scored five-on-three, was Watson’s 14th of the season and stood as the game-winning goal.

Sebastian Cossa stole the show in the opening period, keeping the Wolf Pack off the board. The Wolf Pack controlled the pace of the first 20 minutes, outshooting the Griffins 16-9. Hartford fired the first eleven shots on goal but were unable to solve the 6’7” netminder.

Ondřej Becher opened the scoring 10:44 into the second period, converting on a breakaway chance. Cross Hanas flung a pass from the defensive blueline to Becher, who got inside of a Wolf Pack defenseman and darted to the net. Becher beat Garand for his seventh goal of the season, giving the Griffins a 1-0 lead.

Joe Snively took a hooking penalty at 15:34, hauling down Casey Fitzgerald to prevent a scoring chance in the slot. On the ensuing power play, Hartford’s second of the night, Jake Leschyshyn tied the game with his third goal in two games.

Brendan Brisson fired a shot from the right-wing circle that clipped the right skate of Leschyshyn, trickling over the line at 16:42 to tie the game 1-1.

The goal was Leschyshyn’s 12th of the season and seventh on the power play, while Brisson’s assist was his first point as a member of the Wolf Pack.

Late in the third period, the Wolf Pack took a hooking penalty at 17:05 and a delay of game call at 17:49, giving the Griffins a five-on-three advantage. Just eight seconds into the two-man advantage, Watson blasted home the game-winning goal.

The road trip continues on Friday night when the Wolf Pack visit the Rockford IceHogs. The puck drop is set for 8:00 p.m.

The Pack is back at the XL Center on Friday, Mar. 21, when the Hershey Bears come to town. Join us for $2 drafts and $2 hot dogs until the end of the first intermission.
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WOLF PACK WEEKEND RECAP: MARCH 10th, 2025

By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack

HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack wrapped up a three-game homestand with a pair of tilts at the XL Center over the weekend.

The Wolf Pack earned a split of their two games, finishing the homestand with a record of 2-1-0-0.

Friday, March 7th, 2025, Vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (1-7 L): Nathan Sucese picked up his seventh goal of the season 16:09 into the game, giving the Wolf Pack a 1-0 lead. The goal extended the veteran’s point streak to four games (3 g, 2 a, 5 pts).

Despite a strong 25 minutes to open the game for the Wolf Pack, the Penguins would take total control with seven unanswered goals. Mathias Laferrière picked up his first goal as a Penguin when Marc Johnstone’s shot clipped the leg of a Wolf Pack defender but came right to Laferrière in the slot. His quick shot beat Domingue to make it a 1-1 contest.

31 seconds later, Avery Hayes potted the game-winning goal when he snuck a shot by the blocker of Domingue to make it 2-1. Valtteri Puustinen chased Domingue from the game at 12:38 of the second period, beating the veteran netminder from the left-wing side.

The Penguins tacked on four goals in the third period, running away with two points. Vasily Ponomarev struck at 4:44, making it a 4-1 contest. 37 seconds later, Ville Koivunen made it 5-1 with his 18th goal of the season at 5:21.

Atley Calvert and Rutger McGroarty lit the lamp at 9:07 and 11:57, respectively, to balloon the lead to 7-1.

The six goal margin of defeat was the largest margin of defeat for the Wolf Pack this season. The four goals allowed in the third period marked the second time in three games that the Wolf Pack have allowed four goals in a period.

Saturday, March 9th, 2025, Vs. Belleville Senators (4-1 W): Hayden Hodgson blasted his fourth goal of the season over the right shoulder of Dylan Garand 18:28 into the hockey game, giving the Senators a 1-0 lead. The Wolf Pack would score the next four goals, however, picking up their eleventh win of the season when trailing at any point.

Jake Leschyshyn tied the game at 19:46 of the first period, tipping home a point shot from Chad Ruhwedel from the right-wing side. The goal was the veteran pivot’s 100th career AHL point.

Garand was perfect in the second period, making 12 saves to keep the game tied heading into the third and final frame. The Wolf Pack took the lead for good on their fourth power play of the game, as Leschyshyn tipped home a Matthew Robertson shot from the point for his second goal of the night at 16:26.

Sucese then hit the empty net at 19:00, cementing the two points. Connor Mackey then struck 2.8 seconds later, making it a 4-1 spread.

Quick Hits:

- Following their 7-1 loss to the Penguins on Friday night, the Wolf Pack are 0-5-0-0 in the head-to-head series this season. The Wolf Pack have been outscored 24-5 in the season series.
- Sucese’s goal on Friday night against the Penguins was the 100th point of his AHL career.
- The Wolf Pack’s two empty net goals in 2.8 seconds in the third period on Sunday night were the fastest two goals in AHL history.
- Garand’s victory on Sunday was his 16th of the season, tying his career-high set last season.
- Robertson collected two assists in Sunday’s win. He now has a career-high 19 assists on the season.

The Week Ahead:

- Wednesday, Mar. 12, 2025, at Grand Rapids Griffins (7:00 p.m., Van Andel Arena)
- Friday, Mar. 14, 2025, at Rockford IceHogs (8:00 p.m., BMO Center)

Saturday, Mar. 15, 2025, at Milwaukee Admirals (7:00 p.m., UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena)

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WOLF PACK SCORE FASTEST TWO GOALS IN AHL HISTORY IN 4-1 WIN OVER SENATORS

By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack

HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack scored the fastest two goals in AHL history on Sunday evening, striking twice in 2.8 seconds to help claim a 4-1 victory over the Belleville Senators at the XL Center.

Matthew Robertson fired a shot from the point that Jake Leschyshyn deflected by Leevi Meriläinen at 16:26 of the third period on the club’s fourth power play of the night. The goal, Leschyshyn’s second of the game, stood as the game-winning goal.

The goal capped a three-point night (2 g, 1 a) for the veteran center.

Hayden Hodgson opened the scoring at 18:28, blasting home a shot from the right-wing side. Hodgson picked up a loose puck and quickly fired a slap-shot that beat Dylan Garand over the left shoulder. The goal was Hodgson’s fourth of the season.

The Wolf Pack responded in the final minute, as Leschyshyn tipped home his tenth goal of the season. Chad Ruhwedel fired a shot from the right-wing point that Leschyshyn tipped in front, beating Meriläinen.

The goal was Leschyshyn’s 100th career point in the AHL.

The clubs combined for 26 penalty minutes in the second period, as the physicality went up numerous notches. Each team received one power play in the period, while numerous post-whistle scrums took the spotlight.

Neither side was able to gain a lead, however, as both goaltenders were perfect. Garand made 12 saves in the period, while Meriläinen made eight stops.

Leschyshyn broke the tie at 16:26 of the third period, putting the Wolf Pack ahead for good. Robertson picked up the primary assist on the goal, his career-high 19th of the season.

The Senators pressed with the extra attacker in the final minute, but Nathan Sucese put the result out of doubt at 19:00 with an empty net tally from his own zone.

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