PRE-GAME REPORT: WOLF PACK EYE SWEEP OF BACK-TO-BACK SET WITH CHECKERS
Jan 11, 2023CHARLOTTE, NC – The Hartford Wolf Pack’s four-game road trip concludes tonight at the Bojangles’ Coliseum as the club finishes a back-to-back set with the Charlotte Checkers.
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 seventh of eight meetings between the Wolf Pack and Checkers this season, and the fourth and final one in the Tar Heel State. The sides will wrap the season series up on Sunday, March 5th at the XL Center.
The Wolf Pack scored their first-ever regulation victory in Charlotte last night, beating the Checkers by a final score of 5-0. Karl Henriksson opened the scoring just 50 seconds into the middle frame, taking a centering pass from Zac Jones and beating Mack Guzda from the slot. Matt Rempe would then tack on two goals at 5:47 and 13:04. Rempe’s first goal came off a rebound in front, as he found the loose puck and jammed it under the pad of Guzda. His second tally was a wraparound attempt that banked off a Checker and in.
Bobby Trivigno and Will Cuylle would be deflect goals by Guzda in the third period, with Cuylle’s goal coming on the powerplay.
Louis Domingue made 21 saves in the victory for his first shutout with the Wolf Pack. It was his first AHL shutout since December 28th, 2019.
The regulation victory was Hartford’s first against the Checkers since January 10th, 2020. That night, the Pack doubled up the Checkers 6-3 at the XL Center.
Charlotte holds a record of 4-1-1-0 in the first six meetings this season, while the Wolf Pack are 2-1-1-2. Four of the first six meetings this season have required overtime or a shootout.
Wolf Pack Outlook:
The Wolf Pack’s victory last night snapped a four-game losing streak for the club. The team now has points in four consecutive games (1-0-1-2). That is tied for their longest point streak of the season. Hartford also has points in three straight road games (1-0-1-1). That is the team’s longest road point streak of the campaign.
Forward Matt Rempe’s two goals last night gave him the first multi-goal game of his professional career. He had three such outings a season ago as a member of the WHL’s Seattle Thunderbirds. Karl Henriksson’s goal, his second of the season, stood as the game-winning goal. It was his first deciding tally in North America.
Defensemen Brandan Scanlin (2 g, 1 a) and Zac Jones (1 g, 3 a), and forward Tanner Fritz (3 a) all carry three-game point streaks into tonight’s contest. Cuylle, meanwhile, has scored in back-to-back games.
After a difficult 2022 stretch, the Wolf Pack powerplay has struck in two of the last three games. Ryan Carpenter and Cuylle have struck on the skater advantage.
Turner Elson leads the Wolf Pack in scoring with 19 points (6 g, 13 a) on the season. Cuylle’s ten goals lead the club, while Tanner Fritz is tops in assists with 15.
Checkers Outlook:
The Checkers saw their brief two-game winning streak snapped last night on home ice. It was the first time Charlotte has been shutout since December 17th, 2022 against the Rochester Americans. Overall, it was the third time this season they had been kept off the scoreboard.
The Checkers will be without forwards Givani Smith and Chris Tierney, and goaltender Alex Lyon tonight. All three were recalled to the NHL’s Florida Panthers within the last week.
Charlotte has not dropped back-to-back games since December 16th and 17th, when they lost both in a back-to-back set against the Rochester Americans on home ice.
Riley Nash leads the Checkers in scoring with 27 points (12 g, 15 a) in 30 games this season. His 12 goals are also tops on the club. Zac Dalpe, currently on recall with the Panthers, is the only other Checker to hit double-digits in goals this season. He has ten.
Game Information:
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. To listen to Alex’s call, click the ‘away audio’ button when selecting tonight’s contest.
The Pack is back at the XL Center on Saturday, January 14th, when they host the Providence Bruins at 7:00 p.m. 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.