Wolf Pack Toss Bears, Beat Bruins 5-1

After a tough result in Springfield last night, the Hartford Wolf Pack returned to the PeoplesBank Arena for another important contest. They welcomed the Providence Bruins to town for the middle game of their first three-in-three of the season.

The Wolf Pack struck early and never looked back. They tallied five goals against one of the league's top goaltenders to earn a strong 5-1 win.

Sýky Sends The Bears Flying

The Wolf Pack went to an early penalty kill after Brendan Brisson was whistled for kneeing just 1:16 into the game. However, they'd open the scoring while shorthanded. Justin Dowling knocked the puck away from Dans Ločmelis at the Providence blue line and danced into the zone. Dowling slipped a feed through the slot to Adam Sýkora, who snapped it by Šimon Zajíček to break the ice.

The goal was Sýkora's seventh of the season, as well as his second shorthanded marker of the year. Sýkora also scored while down a man in a 2-1 Wolf Pack win over the Utica Comets on December 12th.

As this was the Wolf Pack's Teddy Bear Toss game, the tally sent the teddies flying.

Sýkora's goal snaps a streak of three straight Teddy Bear Toss goals by Wolf Pack rookies. Will Cuylle scored the goal during the 2022-23 season, followed by Brennan Othmann in 2023-24 and Bryce McConnell-Barker in 2024-25.

"I just scored and completely blacked out," Sýkora told Blueshirt Banter when asked about the goal following the game. "I was super happy that we scored a goal for [other] people and we can donate those teddy bears for a good reason."

Beebs at the Dot

The Wolf Pack doubled their lead just over the five minute mark in the period. A roughing minor against Colin Felix initiated the first Wolf Pack power play of the night.

On the ensuing power play, Dowling held the puck along the left wing wall and threaded a cross-ice pass to Brett Berard. The Providence native collected the feed before ripping a shot by Zajíček to double the Wolf Pack lead.

The goal was Berard's third of the season, and it gave the Wolf Pack a 2-0 lead heading into the first intermission.

Fixy Follows the Puck

The Wolf Pack pushed the lead to three in the final minutes of the second period. Brisson fed Trey Fix-Wolansky at neutral ice, and the veteran forward powered into the Providence zone. Fix-Wolansky took a shot that Zajíček made the initial save on. However, popped right to the slot, where Fix-Wolansky corralled his own rebound and chipped it over the diving Providence netminder to triple the lead.

The goal was Fix-Wolansky's team-leading 11th of the campaign, and the Wolf Pack took the 3-0 lead into the second intermission.

Dowl Dangles

The Wolf Pack scored their second shorthanded goal of the contest near the midway point of the final frame. With Berard in the box for roughing, Dowling was sprung on a shorthanded breakaway. Dowling worked into the Providence zone, dangled around a defender, and stuffed a shot in on the forehand to give the Wolf Pack their biggest lead of the night.

The goal was Dowling's sixth of the season. It also represented Dowling's third point of the night, the second time he has recorded three points in a game this season.

The goal was also represented the second time the Wolf Pack have scored two shorthanded goals in a game. They struck twice while down a man in the aforementioned 2-1 win over Utica on December 12th.

Shutting the Dorr

Providence would snap the shutout bid near the 13 minute mark of the period when Riley Tufte tapped a shorthanded goal by Callum Tung. The goal would be the only blemish on Tung's record on the night.

The Wolf Pack reinstated the four-goal lead in the final minutes of regulation. Jaroslav Chmelař sent a puck out in front for Sýkora, but Zajíček denied the attempt. The rebound sat in the slot, and Jackson Dorrington lifted a backhander over the Providence netminder to cap off the scoring for the night.

The goal was Dorrington's first of the season, and it secured a 5-1 win for the Wolf Pack.

"We have to become a consistent, predictable team," Wolf Pack head coach Grant Potulny told Blueshirt Banter after the game. "Whether you're up, whether you're down, doesn't matter. You just gotta play the same way. Tonight was a good step in that direction."

Up Next

The Wolf Pack will cap off their first three-in-three of the season tomorrow, visiting Bridgeport for round six of the Battle of Connecticut against the Islanders this season. The game kicks off a five-game road trip for the Wolf Pack. Puck drop is set for 3:00 pm.

The Wolf Pack will return home on Friday, January 23rd, hosting Bridgeport. Puck drop is set for 7:00 pm.