The Hartford Wolfpack, the AHL affiliate of the Rangers, are on track to advance to the Atlantic Division semifinals of the 2024 Calder Cup Playoffs, and are currently tied with the Providence Bruins with one win apiece, with Game 3 scheduled for Wednesday. It is scheduled for the evening.
However, two players who have been integral to Hartford throughout the season are missing this time.
Forward Adam Edstrom and goaltender Louis Domingue, the Blueshirts’ black aces in the NHL’s postseason, will play for Game 2 of the second round against the Hurricanes at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night. It was conducted.
Both players obviously want to be with their Hartford teammates, but they also understand why they are needed at the national level.
While Edström, 23, is thinking about his future, Domingue, 32, is feeling even more so now.
“It’s hard because it’s a group effort to get there,” the veteran netminder told the Post after practice in Tarrytown on Monday. “We went through a tough stretch there, but we found a way to come together, win the last game and put ourselves in position for the playoffs. We see our players perform well in the first round. For this reason, please regroup. Adversity can be fun when you do it together.
“It’s tough not to be there, but right now the organization has a goal to win a Cup championship. We all have that goal and are working toward that goal.”
Domingue is the second in a two-year, $1.55 million contract with the Rangers and played in 28 games with the Wolfpack and one game with the Blueshirts this season.
He posted a 16-8-4 record with Hartford, briefly defeating both goaltenders (Igor Shesterkin and Jonathan Quick) in the Rangers’ 4-1 win over the Wild on November 9th. However, he made 25 saves.
Domingue participated in practice as the third goalie and was on the ice late with additional skaters.
Meanwhile, Edstrom is thinking very long-term about himself and his position with the Rangers.
After making his NHL debut and scoring his first NHL goal on December 15 against the Ducks, Edstrom was injured upon being sent back to Hartford and missed 12 games with an upper-body injury.
The Rangers recalled the 6-foot-7 forward in February, and Edstrom appeared in 10 games, but head coach Peter Laviolette opted to keep 6-foot-8 and a half Matt Lempe.
“I’m happy to be here and see how everything is going,” said Edstrom, who played in 40 AHL games this season with 11 goals and five assists. “How things are going here in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Like I said, the pace of practice is fast, so I feel like that’s good for development. Of course, I want to play all the time. You would think, this is where I am now.
“I just practice hard. Of course, I’ll be in the lineup in case something happens. I’m 100 percent ready and ready to fire. Other than that, this I hope to soak up the whole experience and get to know everyone in this group better.”
Even though they watch Wolfpack games from afar, Domingue and Edstrom said they actively participate in the team’s group chat to show their support and feel like part of the team.
As Laviolette always says, every team needs a lot of bodies in the playoffs, and Domingue and Edstrom fill that role.
“Group chat is [stay in touch]” Domingue said with a smile. “You still crack jokes, but when they want to cheer you up a little bit, you cheer them up a little bit. You just try to chime in here and there.”
