WOLF PACK WEEKEND RECAP: APRIL 8th, 2024
Apr 8, 2024
HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack saw their magic number drop to four over the weekend, as the club inches closer to a spot in the Calder Cup Playoffs.
The club got quite a bit of help from around the Atlantic Division but was unable to secure any points of their own in their final visit to North Carolina during the regular season.
Saturday, April 6th, 2024, @ Charlotte Checkers (4-0 L): For the third consecutive meeting, the Checkers blanked the Wolf Pack. Gerry Mayhew scored 17:26 into the hockey game, beating Louis Domingue after a blocked shot popped right into the slot.
Mackie Samoskevich extended the lead at 12:00 of the second period, ripping a one-timer by Domingue off a feed from Justin Sourdif. Two more Checkers goals in the third period, from Mayhew and Will Lockwood, would end the scoring on this afternoon.
Mayhew’s second goal of the game came 89 seconds into the final frame while on the powerplay. Lockwood’s goal, meanwhile, came at five-on-five at 10:14.
Lockwood ended the game with a goal and an assist against his former team, while Sourdif recorded two helpers in the win.
Former Wolf Pack goaltender Magnus Hellberg made 20 saves to collect his first shutout as a member of the Checkers.
Sunday, April 7th, 2024, @ Charlotte Checkers (4-1 L): Brett Berard scored his team-leading 24th goal of the season at 19:56 of the third period, snapping a shutout streak of 271:44 for the Checkers against the Wolf Pack. The goal would not be enough on this day, however.
Mitchell Vande Sompel opened the scoring 7:14 into the game for the Checkers, snapping his fourth goal of the season through traffic off a faceoff win. Rasmus Asplund won the draw cleanly back to Vande Sompel, who drifted into shooting position and fired the puck into traffic and by a screened Dylan Garand.
Wilmer Skoog scored the game-winning goal 5:13 into the second period, converting off a turnover for his 19th goal of the season. Brandon Scanlin was tied up with Samoskevich on a zone exit, with the two eventually tumbling to the ice. The puck came to Skoog, who entered the zone and beat Garand from the left-wing circle.
Lockwood scored his second goal of the weekend 2:13 later at 7:26, ringing a shot off the crossbar and in from the right-wing circle.
Samoskevich tacked on his second goal of the weekend 10:04 into the third period, wandering into the slot and beating Garand by the glove.
Berard’s goal at 19:56 snapped the shutout bid of Spencer Knight and gave the Wolf Pack their only goal of the weekend.
Quick Hits:
- The Wolf Pack’s current six-game losing streak (0-5-0-1) is their second longest of the season. The club has dropped 13 of their last 14 games (1-10-1-2).
- Hartford’s penalty kill was a major bright spot in Charlotte. The club killed 15 of Charlotte’s 16 powerplays over the two games.
- Forward Adam Sýkora was awarded the club’s first penalty shot since November 24th, 2018, on Saturday afternoon. Sýkora beat Hellberg but struck the iron at 7:32 of the first period.
- Thanks to his goal on Sunday, Berard is now tied for second in the AHL in goals by a rookie with 24. He’s tied with Logan Stankoven of the Texas Stars, who is currently with the parent Dallas Stars (NHL). Tucson’s Josh Doan, currently with the Arizona Coyotes, leads rookies in goals with 26.
- The Wolf Pack’s magic number to clinch a playoff berth is currently four. The club can clinch a spot in the Calder Cup Playoffs with a regulation victory on Friday night at the XL Center against the Springfield Thunderbirds.
The Week Ahead:
- Friday, April 12th, 2024, Vs. Springfield Thunderbirds (7:00 p.m., XL Center, $2 hot dogs & $2 drafts, College Night, Country Night)
- Sunday, April 14th, 2024, Vs. Charlotte Checkers (3:00 p.m., XL Center, Star Wars Night, Miracle League Night, Team Photo Giveaway)
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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.