Head-to-head:
This is the eighth of 12 meetings on the season between the Wolf Pack and the Thunderbirds, the top affiliate of the Florida Panthers, and the fourth of six Springfield visits to Hartford. The Wolf Pack is 3-3-0-1 in the season series thus far, and has prevailed in two of the previous three matchups here at the XL Center. The Wolf Pack’s Vinni Lettieri is the leading scorer in the series, with 5-3-8, and Juho Lammikko and Curtis Valk share the Thunderbird points lead, with 2-4-6 apiece. The Wolf Pack’s overall record vs. the Thunderbirds in the two-year existence of that franchise is 7-9-0-1 in 17 games, 5-3-0-0 at home.
Wolf Pack Notebook:
The Wolf Pack (13-14-3-3, 32 pts., .485) fell to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins 5-1 in Wilkes-Barre last night. That was the Wolf Pack’s second straight 5-1 defeat, after a string of nine straight games without a regulation loss (6-0-1-2). Joe Whitney scored the only Hartford goal, his sixth of the season, with Neal Pionk and Vince Pedrie assisting. Marek Mazanec absorbed his first regulation loss in the Wolf Pack net, allowing four goals on 26 shots in his sixth start in the last seven games. The Wolf Pack have won four of their last five home games.
Thunderbirds Notebook:
The Thunderbirds (13-19-1-1, 28 pts., .412) had a streak of four straight games with at least a standings point (3-0-0-1) snapped last night, in a 4-2 home loss to Hershey. Springfield led that game 2-1 after one period, but was outscored 3-0 in the final 40 minutes. Maxim Mamin had a goal and an assist for the Thunderbirds, and Jayce Hawryluk also scored. Samuel Montembeault made his sixth straight start, and eighth in the last nine games, in goal and made 18 saves. That game finished a five-game homestand for Springfield, which now plays five of its next six on the road.
Last Night in the AHL:
Wolf Pack 1 @ W-B /Scr. 5 Hershey 4 @ Springfield 2 Cleveland 2 @ Grand Rapids 5 Rochester 2 @ Toronto 0
Providence 3 @ Utica 1 Charlotte 1 @ Lehigh Valley 3 Chicago 2 @ Milwaukee 3 (SO) Iowa 5 @ Rockford 3
Texas 0 @ San Antonio 1 (OT) Tucson 5 @ Bakersfield 4 (OT) Stockton 3 @ Ontario 4
Today/Tonight in the AHL (all times Eastern):
San Jose @ Manitoba (3:00) Providence @ Belleville (7:00) Bing. @ Bridgeport (7:00) Grand Rap. @ Cleveland (7:00)
W-B/Scr. @ Hershey (7:00) Utica @ Syracuse (7:00) Char. @ Lehigh Vall. (7:05) Laval @ Rochester (7:05)
Rockford @ Chicago (8:00) San Diego @ Texas (8:00)
New York Rangers Notebook:
The parent New York Rangers (20-13-5, 45 pts.) lost 3-2 in a shootout in Detroit last night, and now look forward to battling Buffalo in the Winter Classic Monday afternoon (1:00) at Citi Field. Vinni Lettieri scored in his NHL debut for the Rangers last night, and David Desharnais had the other New York goal. Henrik Lundqvist made 33 saves and went 2-for-3 in the shootout. After the Winter Classic game, the Rangers will host Chicago at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday night (8:00).
Tonight/Tonight in the NHL (all times Eastern):
Boston @ Ottawa (7:00) Montreal @ Florida (7:00) New Jersey @ Washington (7:00) Carolina @ St. Louis (8:00)
Minnesota @ Nashville (8:00) L.A. @ Vancouver (10:00)