PRE-GAME REPORT: WOLF PACK RETURN HOME FOR KEY TILT AGAINST CHECKERS
Mar 27, 2024
HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack open a key four-game homestand tonight at the XL Center as they take on the Charlotte Checkers.
The puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m., and coverage is available on AHLTV and Mixlr.
Tale of The Tape:
This is the fifth of eight meetings between the Wolf Pack and the Checkers this season. It is the third of four meetings between the foes at the XL Center. The rivals will meet four times, including tonight, in the final eleven games of the Wolf Pack’s season.
They’ll meet in Charlotte on April 6th and 7th before wrapping up the season series at the XL Center on April 14th.
The Checkers won their fifth straight against the Wolf Pack in the last meeting on March 13th, blanking Hartford by a score of 4-0. Will Lockwood’s goal 3:28 into the second period broke the ice and proved to be the game-winning tally. He deflected a shot from Michael Benning on the powerplay to put the Checkers ahead for good.
Wilmer Skoog and Patrick Giles tacked on goals at 7:21 and 11:01 of the second period, respectively, to put the Checkers up 3-0 through 40 minutes. Mackie Samoskevich then lit the lamp 5:33 into the third period to balloon the lead to 4-0.
Samoskevich has scored in three straight games against the Wolf Pack, with two of those goals being overtime game-winners.
Spencer Knight made 20 saves to collect the shutout.
The Checkers are a perfect 4-0-0-0 against the Wolf Pack, while Hartford has a record of 0-2-2-0 in the head-to-head matchup.
Wolf Pack Outlook:
The Wolf Pack snapped their seven-game losing skid with a 3-1 victory over the Belleville Senators at the CAA Arena on Sunday afternoon.
Brennan Othmann opened the scoring 1:47 into the tilt, firing a shot from the right-wing wall that snuck by Leevi Merilainen. Othmann then fed Alex Belzile in the slot at 14:25, who buried the eventual game-winning goal to give Hartford a 2-0 lead.
Wyatt Bongiovanni got the Senators on the board 10:19 into the third period, burying a centering feed from Garrett Pilon. Just 4:55 later, Belzile would strike again to put the game out of reach. It was his third multi-goal outing of the season.
Olof Lindbom made a career-high 37 saves to collect his first victory in the AHL.
Brett Berard leads the Wolf Pack in goals with 23 on the season. Belzile leads the club in points with 46 (18 g, 28 a), while Mac Hollowell leads the way in assists with 37.
Yesterday, the Wolf Pack agreed to terms with defenseman Ryan Siedem on a two-year AHL contract that begins next season. He and forward Jaroslav Chmelař joined the team yesterday on amateur tryout agreements (ATOs).
Checkers Outlook:
The Checkers won their second game in a row on Saturday night, completing a 3-2 comeback victory in overtime over the Providence Bruins.
Zac Dalpe’s goal 3:58 into the game had the Checkers on top 1-0 through 20 minutes, but a strong second period would have the Bruins leading heading into the final stanza. Reilly Walsh tied the game 3:18 in with a powerplay goal. Just over two minutes later, at 7:21, Oskar Steen put the Bruins ahead with a powerplay goal of his own. Steen’s goal was his sixth of the season.
Casey Fitzgerald scored his first goal as a Checker 2:22 into the third period, converting on a feed from Samoskevich to make it a 2-2 tilt.
The final 17:38 went by without a goal, pushing the sides to overtime. 1:47 into the extra period, Skoog potted his 16th goal of the season to give the Checkers the second point.
Samoskevich leads the way with 18 goals on the season. His 42 points (18 g, 24 a) also lead the club. Forward Rasmus Asplund leads the team in assists with 31.
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. on both AHLTV and Mixlr.
The Pack continue their homestand on Friday night with the latest installment of the ‘I-91 Rivalry’ against the Springfield Thunderbirds. Be sure to join us for $2 drafts and $2 hot dogs until the end of the first intermission!
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 is the top player-development affiliate of the NHL's New York Rangers and plays 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.