St. John's IceCaps vs Hartford Wolf Pack: Fan Appreciation Weekend Game Preview

The IceCaps didn't make it to the 2016 Calder Cup playoffs, but that didn't slow them down one bit when they faced the Utica Comets last weekend, grabbing a magnificent series sweep.

On Saturday night, the IceCaps finally put a stop to their four-game losing skid. Jacob de la Rose and Jeremy Gregoire each netted a goal during regulation. Goaltender Zach Fucale stood tall, stopping 47 shots to keep his team in the game all the way to overtime where Morgan Ellis took over and scored the winning goal.

During the rematch on Sunday afternoon, everyone took a turn in the spotlight. Pretty plays were made, records were broken and impressive goals were scored.

Bud Holloway hit the 60 point mark of the season, setting a new franchise record for single-season points in the process. Eddie Pasquale only let one slip past him in his 30 save victory, while de la Rose, Ellis, Michael McCarron, Nikita Scherbak, and Tim Bozon each found the back of the net. In true Charles Hudon style, he scored not one, but two goals to make it an amazing 7-1 win. The six-goal win tied the largest margin of victory in franchise history.

The IceCaps have two more games to play before calling it a season. Hopefully they'll end on a high note similar to this past weekend. It would be an extra bonus, since this is Fan Appreciation Weekend!

Next Up: Hartford Wolf Pack - Friday, April 15 and Saturday, April 16

Last time they met: Saturday, January 30th (4-1 Loss)

The IceCaps were struggling when they met the Wolf Pack at the end of January. They're 4-1 loss came in the middle of a five game losing streak. Coach Sylvain Lefebvre was desperately shuffling lines to try and find something that worked. As it would happen, this lineup was not the right combination.

Hudon scored the lone goal for the IceCaps with Gabriel Dumont picking up the helper, but that didn't come until the final period and by then it was too late to surpass the Wolf Pack. Shots were pretty even on both sides and penalty minutes were even keel at 13 minutes a piece, which included Josiah Didier taking five for fighting.

It was a tough night for Fucale who was between the pipes. He only faced 26 shots but let four slip past him.

There have been some highs and lows for the IceCaps this season, and one can't help but wonder if all of the call-ups to the Montreal Canadiens hindered their chances at the 2016 Calder Cup. Let's hope the Habs won't need to lean on them as much during the 2016-17 season, so we can really see what they have to offer.

Here's to a healthy, victorious 2016-17 season!