Wolf Pack Fall to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in Season Opener, 5-2

UPDATE: The Hartford Wolf Pack suffered a disappointing loss in their season opener, falling to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins by a score of 5-2 on October 20, 2023, at PeoplesBank Arena. This defeat marks a tough start for the Wolf Pack, who are now 0-2-0-0 this season.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton established dominance early, jumping out to a commanding 3-0 lead. Goals from Rafael Harvey-Pinard and Atley Calvert in the first period, followed by a third from Avery Hayes at the beginning of the second, left Hartford struggling to respond.

The Wolf Pack finally broke through when Gabe Perreault scored at 16:41 of the second period, with assists from Dylan Roobroeck and Blake Hillman. However, just as momentum seemed to shift, Adam Sykora pulled Hartford within a goal at 6:50 of the third, with help from Derrick Pouliot and Conner Mackey.

The Penguins quickly extinguished any hopes of a comeback when Calvert netted his second goal at 11:53 and Tristan Broz sealed the game with an empty-netter at 17:53.

On the defensive end, Sergei Murashov was a standout for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, saving 28 shots, while Dylan Garand recorded 27 saves for the Wolf Pack.

This loss is a bitter pill for Hartford fans as they look to bounce back quickly. The Wolf Pack will take the ice again tomorrow, facing off against Providence at 7:05 p.m. as they aim to turn their season around.

Stay tuned for updates as the Wolf Pack seek to regain momentum in the coming matches.