TWO MINUTES FOR THOUGHTS: APRIL 4TH, 2024
Apr 4, 2024
Only seven games remain for the Hartford Wolf Pack in the 2023-24 season. Hartford has hit the stretch drive sitting in fifth place in the Atlantic Division, still firmly in playoff position. Although things look good for a return trip to the Calder Cup Playoffs, the final seven games of the regular season will be vital for this Hartford club.
The Wolf Pack hit the stretch struggling but have a great opportunity in front of them to turn things around at the most important time of the year.
Onto the blog.
1.) Saturday is a vital game for this Wolf Pack team, plain and simple. It goes beyond the two points, too. This is an opportunity for the Wolf Pack to recalibrate against a team playing arguably the best hockey in the AHL right now. The Charlotte Checkers are stingy, have great goaltending, and are scoring more than enough to be a serious Calder Cup threat.
A win for Hartford, and a strong effort in the process, could be exactly what this team needs to get the confidence back into their game for the final few games of the regular season and the playoffs.
2.) Two things absolutely have to change for the Wolf Pack down the stretch if they are going to punch their playoff ticket and make some noise.
First and foremost, they’ll need to get their scoring touch back. Over the last twelve games, the Wolf Pack have scored a total of 18 goals. That’s 1.5 goals per game. The club’s record in that span? 1-8-1-2.
In fact, since their 7-4 victory over the Providence Bruins on March 8th, the Wolf Pack have scored three or more goals in a game just twice.
That stretch has dropped Hartford to the 27th-ranked team in the league in goals with 182 on the season.
3.) The other thing the Wolf Pack must correct? Turnovers. Interim Head Coach Steve Smith has told us numerous times in postgame availabilities that he doesn’t feel like defensive breakdowns are what is hurting his team.
He’s continually pointed to turnovers leading to scoring chances and goals against. He’s not wrong in that regard. The Wolf Pack’s puck protection has been an issue during this stretch and will be an area of emphasis during the final seven games of the season.
Smith has mentioned that he has felt the Wolf Pack has been finding ways to lose games over the last month. Better protecting the puck will go a long way toward curing what has ailed this team.
4.) A trip to Bojangles Coliseum this weekend might be just what the doctor ordered for this Wolf Pack team. Hartford has lost six in a row against the Checkers and scored just four goals in the five games played between the sides this season.
You know this Wolf Pack team will be eager to earn some revenge against the Checkers and get things back on track. Charlotte is playing some of the best hockey in the league right now and plays an extremely sound, structured game. It’s going to take an ‘all-hands-on-deck’ mentality for the Wolf Pack this weekend.
Yes, it’s a tough matchup in a tough building, but it’s exactly the kind of situation that should bring the best out of this Wolf Pack team.
5.) Do not be intimidated by the building. Yes, the Wolf Pack have historically struggled in Charlotte, but they have managed to collect points in four of their last six visits to the Coliseum (2-2-2-0).
6.) Despite the club’s recent struggles, there is a path to clinching a playoff berth as early as Sunday for the Wolf Pack.
If the Wolf Pack sweep the two games from the Checkers on Saturday and Sunday, the magic number will be down to four. They can clinch with two victories over the weekend if the Springfield Thunderbirds lose in regulation on Friday night in Belleville against the Senators and on Saturday afternoon in Laval against the Rocket.
7.) Victor Mancini made his pro debut for the Wolf Pack on Wednesday night against the Bridgeport Islanders and looked good doing so. Mancini stepped right in and even saw some time on the penalty kill. He very nearly scored in his debut as well, ringing a shot off the post after beating Ken Appleby in the second period.
Mancini is a confident player who handled the enhanced speed of the pro game quite well. He could be a big part of things both down the stretch and into his rookie season for Hartford.
8.) Jaroslav Chmelař also made his pro debut recently with the Wolf Pack. He suited up for the first time in the club’s loss against the Thunderbirds on Friday night. Chmelař jumped back into the lineup on Wednesday against the Islanders and drew a penalty.
You can see him getting more and more comfortable with the pro game as the days go by. With his combination of size and speed, Chmelař is going to be a handful for opposing players as he gets used to the pro game.
9.) Great to see Connor Mackey back into the Wolf Pack’s lineup on Friday night. Mackey had been out since February 18th with an upper-body injury. He’s a key piece in Hartford’s top four on defense and will be an asset for the penalty kill down the stretch.
Combined with the return of Brandon Scanlin from the parent New York Rangers earlier this week, the Wolf Pack’s defense is all of a sudden very deep.
10.) We’ll be in Charlotte bringing you all of the action this weekend on both AHLTV and Mixlr. Pregame coverage on Saturday starts at 3:45 p.m., with the puck drop set for 4:00 p.m. On Sunday, we’ll go live at 12:45 p.m. with ‘Wolf Pack Pregame’ before a 1:00 p.m. puck drop.
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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.