PRE-GAME REPORT: WOLF PACK VISIT CHECKERS FOR FIRST OF THREE STRAIGHT MEETINGS
Apr 7, 2022
HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack continue their longest road trip of the season tonight as they open a three-game set with the Charlotte Checkers at Bojangles’ Coliseum. The Pack will be looking to snap their first five-game losing streak since March 2020, in this Atlantic Division showdown.
Puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m.
Tale of The Tape:
This is the third of six meetings between the Wolf Pack and the Checkers during the 2021-22 regular season. Tonight’s meeting is the first of three straight games between the division rivals, part of a stretch in which they will meet a total of four times during Hartford’s final nine games of the season.
The sides will face off again tomorrow night at 7:00 p.m. and again on Sunday afternoon at 1:00 p.m. at Bojangles’ Coliseum as part of the Pack’s seven-game road trip. The series concludes on April 22nd at the XL Center when the Checkers make their final visit to Hartford.
The Checkers have taken each of the first two meetings, most recently scoring a 2-1 overtime victory on January 12th in Hartford. Austin Rueschhoff opened the scoring at 18:56 of the second period for the Pack, but Grigori Denisenko tied it at 10:28 of the third period when his shot hit the goal post and bounced off the skate of François Brassard and in. Denisenko then scored 1:52 into overtime to complete the comeback.
The Checkers also took a 3-2 decision on October 30th in Hartford. Scott Wilson scored the game winner on that night.
Wolf Pack Outlook:
The Wolf Pack came up just short on Monday night in Providence, opening their seven-game road trip with a 4-3 overtime loss against the Bruins. Patrick Khodorenko scored at 17:24 of the third period to tie the game 3-3, but Steven Fogarty turned out the lights just 45 seconds into overtime with his eleventh goal of the season. Cristiano DiGiacinto and Nick Merkley also scored in the loss. It was Hartford’s second overtime loss to the Bruins this season.
Hartford is now 2-10-1-0 in their last 13 games played and has lost five straight for the first time since March of 2020. The Pack have been outscored by a 37-20 margin over their last eight outings, in which they have a record of 1-6-1-0.
Anthony Greco leads the Wolf Pack in scoring with 50 points (17 g, 33 a) on the season. He and Ty Ronning lead active skaters in goals with 17 each. Merkley has scored six points (3 g, 3 a) in eight games with the Wolf Pack since being acquired from San Jose on March 21st, while Maxim Letunov has two points (1 g, 1 a) in four games with Hartford since being acquired from the Carolina Hurricanes (NHL) on March 28th.
Checkers Outlook:
The Checkers continued their torrid pace on Saturday with a 3-1 victory over the Hershey Bears. Zac Dalpe broke a 1-1 tie just 2:46 into the third period, scoring his 27th goal of the season on the powerplay. Cole Schwindt would bury an empty net goal at 18:22 to complete the two-game weekend sweep for the Checkers over the Bears.
Charlotte has now won three straight games, and six of their last seven overall. That stretch has propelled them into second place in the Atlantic Division. Their only loss in that stretch was a 1-0 defeat on March 25th in Cleveland against the Monsters.
Alexander True leads the Checkers in scoring with 38 points (14 g, 24 a) on the season. Both Wilson (23 g, 14 a) and Schwindt (18 g, 19 a) are tied for second with 37 points each. Dalpe leads the Checkers in goals with 27.
Game Information:
WATCH: AHLTV
The Wolf Pack’s seven-game road trip continues tomorrow night with another 7:00 p.m. puck drop in Charlotte against the Checkers. The three-game set with Charlotte concludes on Sunday afternoon at 1:00 p.m. The Wolf Pack will then travel to Canada to face the Belleville Senators on Wednesday, April 13th, at 7:00 p.m. The trip concludes with visits to Toronto on April 15th, and Rochester on April 16th.
The Pack is back at the XL Center on Friday, April 22nd, to kick off the final weekend of the regular season! Join us for Pride Night as the Charlotte Checkers come to town. We’ll also have $2 beers and $1 hot dogs thanks to our friends at Nomads! 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.