PRE-GAME REPORT: WOLF PACK EYE REVENGE IN REMATCH AGAINST CHECKERS
Nov 16, 2022
HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack look to extend their five-game point streak on home ice tonight when they play host to the Charlotte Checkers at the XL Center.
Puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m. and coverage is available on both AHLTV and Mixlr.
Tale of The Tape:
This is the fifth of eight meetings between the Wolf Pack and Checkers this season, and the third of four at the XL Center between the Atlantic Division rivals. The teams will not meet again until January 10th and 11th, when the series shifts back to Charlotte. The conclusion of the season series comes on March 5th back in Hartford.
The Checkers took the last meeting by a final score of 6-5 in the shootout on Saturday night at the XL Center. Gerry Mayhew scored a powerplay goal in regulation and fired home the lone shootout goal to propel the Checkers to victory. Tanner Fritz had three assists in the loss for Hartford, while Alex Whelan recorded a goal and an assist. Whelan’s goal was his first of the season.
The home team is 3-0-0-1 in the season series, while three of the first four meetings have required overtime.
Wolf Pack Outlook:
The Wolf Pack extended their home point streak to five games and overall point streak to three games despite dropping a 6-5 shootout decision to the Checkers on Saturday night at the XL Center.
C.J. Smith broke the ice 51 seconds into the second period, but the Checkers scored the next four goals in a span of 10:40 to take a 4-1 lead. Anton Levtchi tied the game at 3:00, while Mayhew gave the Checkers their first lead of the game at 7:20. Riley Bezeau and Zach Uens both tacked on their first career goals to end the flurry of scoring.
The Pack battled back, however, scoring four unanswered goals of their own to take a 5-4 lead. Tim Gettinger and Ben Harpur scored at 16:40 and 18:15 of the second period, while Bobby Trivigno tied the contest 4:14 into the third. Whelan gave the club a lead 6:43 into the final stanza, but Zac Dalpe would force overtime at 10:44. Mayhew then had the lone goal in the shootout to end the proceedings.
Andy Welinski leads the Wolf Pack in points with eight (1 g, 7 a), while Gettinger and Lauri Pajuniemi lead the team in goals with five each.
The Wolf Pack are 3-0-0-2 at the XL Center this season.
Checkers Outlook:
The Checkers snapped a four-game road losing streak on Saturday night but couldn’t sustain their winning ways as they dropped a 5-3 decision against the Providence Bruins at Amica Mutual Pavilion on Sunday afternoon.
After falling behind 3-0, the Checkers got a goal from Levtchi to make it a 3-1 game. Chris Wagner would extend the lead to 4-1 just over four minutes later, however, potting the eventual winner 18:49 into the second period. Michael Del Zotto and Henry Bowlby both scored in the third period for the Checkers, but it would not be enough. Wagner would deposit his second goal of the afternoon into the empty net to cement the Bruin victory.
Dalpe and Riley Nash lead the Checkers in points with nine each on the season. Dalpe’s six goals, meanwhile, are tops on the club. Nash is second with five goals on the season.
The Checkers will continue their five-game road trip on Friday when they visit the Bridgeport Islanders. The trip concludes on Saturday night with a visit to Springfield to take on the Thunderbirds.
Game Information:
WATCH: AHLTV
LISTEN: Mixlr
Play-by-play voice of the Wolf Pack Alex Thomas will have ‘Wolf Pack Pregame’ starting live at 6:45 p.m. tonight on both AHLTV and Mixlr. Be sure to tune in all season long for Hartford Wolf Pack hockey!
The Pack is back at the XL Center on Friday, November 25th when the Hershey Bears come to town. Join us for $2 beers and $1 hot dogs! Tickets are available at www.hartfordwolfpack.com.
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ABOUT THE HARTFORD WOLF PACK: The Hartford Wolf Pack has been a premier franchise in the American Hockey League since the team’s inception in 1997. The Wolf Pack are the top player-development affiliate of the NHL's New York Rangers and play at the XL Center. The Wolf Pack has been home to some of the Rangers newest faces including Igor Shesterkin, Filip Chytil, and Ryan Lindgren. Follow the Wolf Pack on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok.