The Hartford Wolf Pack and Springfield Thunderbirds played in a game that lived up to its rivalry billing. It was tight and defensive-minded in the first two periods of play, and then the two teams exchanged four goals in the third period to force the game into overtime.
Chad Ruhwedel, a defenseman, is heading back to the NHL, while Matthew Robertson - also a defenseman - returns to Hartford without making his NHL debut.
The Hartford Wolf Pack enter the final stretch of the season where every game feels like a must-win. The recent tripleheader, which featured back-to-back home games, was a mixed bag for that reason.
It’s no secret that the Hartford Wolf Pack must win a lot of games to make a push for the Calder Cup playoffs. They only have 16 games left in the season and trail the Springfield Thunderbirds by nine points for the final spot while trailing the Lehigh Valley Phantoms by 10 points.