WILKES-BARRE (Interstat) — The Hartford Wolf Pack will visit the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on Saturday in a minor league hockey game between teams looking to gain traction early in the season.

Hartford carries a 4-5 record into the game. The Wolf Pack are coming off a 2-0 home win against Providence. Before that win, Hartford lost 4-2 at Charlotte and 2-1 at Charlotte. The Wolf Pack also dropped a 4-1 home decision to Lehigh Valley and a 5-2 home decision to Laval. Hartford has split its first two meetings with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton this season, winning 3-2 in the earlier matchup before falling 7-1 in the most recent meeting. Hartford also has a 5-2 road win at Lehigh Valley and a 2-0 road win at Providence.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton is 3-4. The Penguins are coming off a 7-3 home loss to Belleville. Before that loss, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton won 6-3 at Cleveland and lost 4-2 at Cleveland. The Penguins also won 6-2 at Providence. In the teams’ most recent meeting, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton scored a 7-1 victory against Hartford. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton also has a 3-2 overtime loss to Springfield at home and a 3-2 home loss to Hartford.

Hartford forward Jaroslav Chmelař is a player to watch. In his most recent game, Chmelař scored one goal and recorded six shots on goal in a 4-2 loss at Charlotte. In the previous game, a 2-1 loss at Charlotte, he recorded two shots on goal.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton forward Rutger McGroarty is a player to watch for the Penguins. McGroarty had two goals and one assist with six shots on goal in a 6-3 win at Cleveland. In the previous game, a 4-2 loss at Cleveland, he had one assist and three shots on goal. Earlier this season, McGroarty had two goals and two assists with eight shots on goal in a 6-2 win at Providence. He had one assist and three shots on goal in a 7-1 win at Hartford, three shots on goal in a 3-2 loss to Hartford and seven shots on goal in a 3-2 overtime loss to Springfield.

Hartford’s next scheduled games are at Hamilton, at Belleville, at Springfield, at Hershey and at Rochester. The Wolf Pack also visit Syracuse and Springfield before returning home to face Springfield and Charlotte and then host Milwaukee. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s next scheduled games are at Utica, at Hershey, at Charlotte for two games and at home against Utica. The Penguins also visit Hershey before hosting Hamilton, Lehigh Valley and Milwaukee and then visiting Lehigh Valley.

Interstat’s game simulator projects a final score of Wilkes-Barre/Scranton 3, Hartford 1. Interstat’s ELO system gives Wilkes-Barre/Scranton a 73.7 percent probability to win.