Hartford - Champions!
2023-08-22
The Hartford Wolfpack did it!!!
The Rangers’ AHL affiliate are Calder Cup champions for the first time in 9 years of EHE after defeating the Bakersfield Condors 4-2 in Game Six. Phillip Kurashev, Rasmus Sandin, Jayson Megna and Nic Petan scored goals in regulation. Sammy Montembeault made 26 saves for his 15th and final victory of the postseason.
Montembeault was named postseason MVP and received the Jack Butterfield Trophy at the game’s conclusion and has made a very strong case to fight for that backup role next year in New York with departure of Anthony Stolarz.
How they did it?
The Wolfpack won the Calder Cup after going 44-26-2 in the regular season — good for 90 points — and finishing as the league’s fifth best team. Hershey went 15-4 in the postseason, defeating the Greenville Swamp Rabbits in four games in the Conference Quarterfinals, eliminating the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in five games during the Conference Semifinals and sweeping the Syracause Crunch in four games in the Conference Finals.
Hartford were led in goals and in points by Nic Petan who was a deadline acquisition. They got contributions up and down the lineup to become champions and another name that excelled was Matias Maccelli. His first season in North America and was from the get go on Wolf Pack's top line all season long and should be another strong candidate to make the Rangers next season.
Coach's Corner:
“You look at any championship team, you have depth and everyone’s producing, and you’re seeing that from this team,” Mike Van Ryn said earlier in the postseason. “Everyone’s just going out there, playing for each other and everyone’s getting rewarded. It’s kind of been like that throughout the season, too, where if one line’s not going another line’s going to pick us up. Everyone just sticks together in that locker room; it’s been such a great brotherhood in there and that’s why we’re having so much fun.” This was Van Ryn's second season behind the bench for Wolf Pack and he said biggest turning point was Julien Gauthier's overtime goal vs the Penguins to even up the series after losing the first game. And it was super important for Gauthier as well as he will need waivers next season if he can't make the big club.
Huge thank you to Kevin Lacy for putting up another stellar season, EHE is going strong!
Bring on #EHE10
Great article, and definitely a well-earned championship. Congrats again Martins.
Hartford - Champions!
Wolfpack goes all the way to claim the Calder Cup.