Wolf Pack Sink Islanders 4-1 in Latest Battle of Connecticut

After kicking off 2026 on a disappointing note, the Hartford Wolf Pack hit the road on Saturday evening. They traveled to Bridgeport to take on the Islanders in round five of the Battle of Connecticut this season.

The Wolf Pack put up another strong effort, and this time, they were rewarded. They struck four times, including a pair of power play goals, on their way to a 4-1 win over their in-state rivals.

Scary Terry

The Wolf Pack came out of the gate strong, a continuation of their play from Friday night's contest against Providence. This time, however, they'd be rewarded for their efforts. Brandon Scanlin collected a feed from Derrick Pouliot and sent a backhand shot towards the net. Carey Terrance got a piece of the shot, and the puck tumbled through Marcus Hogberg and into the net, giving the Wolf Pack the game's first lead.

The goal was Terrance's third of the season, snapping a 24-game goalless drought. Additionally, Pouliot's secondary assist on the goal was his team-leading 15th of the campaign.

Fixy's in the Mix

The Wolf Pack doubled the lead in the final minutes of the opening frame. Casey Fitzgerald walked down the right wall during an extended sequence in the offensive zone and sent a shot towards the net. His bid hit the side of the cage, but Brendan Brisson corralled the rebound. Brisson fed Trey Fix-Wolansky, who sniped a shot through traffic and into the net to double the lead.

The goal was Fix-Wolansky's tenth of the season, tying him with Gabe Perreault for the team lead. Additionally, the goal was Fix-Wolansky's team-leading 18th point of the season.

"Felt good to get that monkey off the back," Fix-Wolansky told Blueshirt Banter after the game. "Probably one of the longest stretches in my career without a goal, so it felt really good."

The Wolf Pack took the 2-0 lead into the first intermission.

Blink and You'll Briss It

The Wolf Pack got their first power play bid of the contest just 1:20 into the second period, with former Wolf Pack forward C. J. Smith sitting for slashing.

Just six seconds into the power play, the Wolf Pack tripled their lead. Scott Morrow controlled the puck off a draw and slid it to Brennan Othmann in the right corner. Othmann found Brisson in the slot, who promptly hammered the feed by Hogberg to put Hartford up by three.

The goal was Brisson's ninth of the season, as well as his team-leading fifth power play goal. With the assist, Othmann extended his AHL point streak to four games - he has recorded four points (3 G, 1 A) in that span.

However, Bridgeport would not go away easily. Daylan Kuefler got them on the board, dancing through traffic and stuffing a shot by Dylan Garand to snap the shutout bid halfway through the frame. That would cap off the scoring for the period, and the Wolf Pack took the 3-1 lead into the second intermission.

Roo-Bring 'Em Home

The teams traded chances in the third period, but neither was able to capitalize. Each side also killed off a key penalty in the period.

Late in regulation time, Matthew Maggio flipped a puck over the glass from his own zone, sending the Wolf Pack to another power play bid. This time, they'd strike. Morrow swiped a loose puck in the neutral zone and danced into Bridgeport's ice. Morrow slipped a feed to Brisson in the slot, who tapped one more pass to a streaking Dylan Roobroeck. The towering center rifled a shot by a sliding Hogberg to make it a three-goal game once again.

The goal was Roobroeck's seventh of the season. Brisson and Morrow each recorded multi-point nights - Brisson notched a goal and two assists, while Morrow tallied two helpers.

After the goal, Marshall Warren began jawing with Othmann, inciting a scrum between the rivals.

Othmann, Roobroeck, Fix-Wolansky, and Morrow each received game misconducts for the Wolf Pack, while Warren, Alex Jefferies, and Luke Rowe each received them for Bridgeport. The festivities would stop there, and the Wolf Pack secured the 4-1 win.

"It was really important for us to start well tonight," Wolf Pack head coach Grant Potulny told Blueshirt Banter following the contest. "Got a goal at the net front to get us going. That was big for us to get the first one. There was a little pushback from [Bridgeport] in the second period...but then we were able to get to the period break and finish the job."

It's an important win for the Wolf Pack, who are jockeying with Bridgeport for position in the standings. Whoever wins the season series may end up in the Calder Cup Playoffs, while the loser watches from home.

"When you play a team as many times as we do in a year, there's going to be some battles and some bad blood," Fix-Wolansky remarked to Blueshirt Banter. "But we're ready, so whatever happens for the rest of the season, we're prepared."

Up Next

The Wolf Pack will return to action on Friday, January 9th, visiting the Springfield Thunderbirds for round six of the I-91 Rivalry this season. Puck drop is set for 7:05 pm.

The Wolf Pack return to Hartford on Saturday, January 10th, hosting the Providence Bruins. Puck drop is set for 7:30 pm.