Wolf Pack Earn Big Win Over Islanders 5-2

The Hartford Wolf Pack kicked off their post-holiday schedule on Saturday night. They traveled down to Bridgeport for round three of the Battle of Connecticut against the Islanders this season.

The rivals played a back-and-forth battle, but this time, the Wolf Pack got the better of the bounces. They lit the lamp five times on their way to a 5-2 victory and their first win in the rivalry matchup this season.

Zak Attack

The Wolf Pack broke the ice just under five minutes into the contest. Brandon Scanlin corralled a loose puck at neutral ice and snapped it around the boards. Joey Larson couldn't control the puck, allowing Zakary Karpa to swipe it and power to the net. Karpa danced through the defense, went to the backhand, and stuffed a shot by Parker Gahagen to give the Wolf Pack the game's first lead.

The goal was Karpa's first in the American Hockey League, as he made his AHL debut in the contest. Scanlin also collected his first point of the year with the assist on the tally.

Net Front Briss-ence

The Wolf Pack doubled their lead just under the 12 minute mark of the opening frame. Derrick Pouliot sent a pass to Jaroslav Chmelař at neutral ice, and the towering forward sped around the Bridgeport defense. Chmelař wrapped around the Bridgeport cage before threading a feed to Brendan Brisson in front of the net. Brisson hammered the puck through the five-hole of Gahagen to put the Wolf Pack up by two.

The goal was Brisson's seventh of the season, good for third among Wolf Pack players. Hartford took the 2-0 lead into the first intermission.

Bridgeport would finally get on the board in the final minutes of the second period. Matthew Maggio took a shot off an odd-man rush that trickled through Dylan Garand, cutting the Wolf Pack's lead in half.

Carey Terrance nearly reinstated the two-goal margin on a partial breakaway just a minute later, but his first chance was stopped by Gahagen and his second shot rung the post. The teams would continue to trade chances until the horn blew, sending the game into the second intermission with the Wolf Pack up 2-1.

Wal's Well that Ends Well

Just over the six minute mark in the final frame, Alex Jefferies drew the teams even. During an extended sequence in the Hartford zone, Jefferies took a shot from the high slot that beat Garand to tie the game at two.

However, the Wolf Pack would retake the lead for good just over the halfway mark in the period. Kalle Väisänen freed a puck from a scrum and sent it to Daniel Walcott. Walcott promptly slipped the puck to Casey Fitzgerald at the blue line, setting up the chance. Fitzgerald ripped a shot that Gahagen got a piece of, but the rebound sat at the side of the net. Walcott crashed down and buried the loose change to put Hartford back in front.

The goal was Walcott's second of the season and his second in as many games.

"[Walcott has] been a steady influence for us," Wolf Pack head coach Grant Potulny told Blueshirt Banter following the game. "He says the right things on the bench, he does the right things on the ice."

Briss-On and On

The Wolf Pack found an insurance marker just 18 seconds later. A delay of game call against Travis Mitchell sent the Wolf Pack to their first full power play of the contest.

Dylan Roobroeck won the ensuing draw, which Pouliot corralled. The veteran defenseman fired a shot into traffic that Brisson deflected past Gahagen and into the net just five seconds into the man advantage.

The goal was Brisson's second of the night and eighth of the season.

"We had a faceoff play drawn up and executed it pretty well," Brisson told Blueshirt Banter following the game. "Just keep going to the net and the puck will find me there."

The Islanders would pull Gahagen late for the extra skater, but Connor Mackey nailed the empty net to secure the 5-2 decision for the Wolf Pack.

"They're huge points," Potulny remarked to Blueshirt Banter after the win. "You're fighting for positioning. At the end of the year, it might come down to who wins the season series. We had to start getting some back [against Bridgeport]."

Up Next

The Wolf Pack will cap off the 2025 portion of their schedule on New Year's Eve, December 31. They'll host the Islanders for round four of the Battle of Connecticut this season. Puck drop is set for 3:30 pm.