PRE-GAME REPORT: WOLF PACK OPEN BACK-TO-BACK SET VS. CHECKERS
Jan 18, 2025CHARLOTTE, NC – The Hartford Wolf Pack continue their three-game road trip this afternoon with the first of a back-to-back set at the Bojangles Coliseum against the Charlotte Checkers.
The puck drop is set for 4:00 p.m., and coverage is available on AHLTV on FloHockey and Mixlr.
Tale of The Tape:
This is the third of eight meetings between the Wolf Pack and the Checkers this season. It is the first of four between the foes in the Tar Heel State. The rivals will conclude this back-to-back set tomorrow at 4:00 p.m., then the Wolf Pack return to town for games on Feb. 15 and Feb. 16.
The Checkers will make two more visits to Hartford, visiting the XL Center on Feb. 7 and April 16.
The Wolf Pack lead the season series 2-0 thanks to a pair of victories at the XL Center in November. They opened the head-to-head series with a 4-2 victory on Nov. 15. Tied 1-1 after two periods of play, Victor Mancini gave the Wolf Pack the lead for good at 3:23, striking for the first time this season.
Brandon Scanlin’s goal at 6:25 made it a 3-1 game and would stand as the game-winning tally.
On Nov. 19, the Wolf Pack prevailed in a shootout by a score of 5-4. Bo Groulx opened the scoring 14 seconds in, scoring Hartford’s fastest goal to start a game this season. Aidan McDonough tied the game at 7:19 for the Checkers, but Alex Belzile struck at 15:41 to send the Wolf Pack to the second period leading 2-1.
Belzile potted a shorthanded goal 10:33 into the middle frame, making it a 3-1 game. The third period saw the Checkers strike three times in 7:30, stunning the crowd and taking a 4-3 lead.
Ryan McAllister scored 2:07 in on the power play to make it 3-2 before Justin Sourdif tied the game at 5:45. Kyle Criscuolo capped the stretch at 9:37, potting his seventh goal of the season.
Belzile responded 46 seconds later for the Wolf Pack, completing his hat trick on the power play at 10:23.
The veteran forward then scored the only goal of the shootout to give the Wolf Pack the 5-4 victory.
Louis Domingue is 2-0-0 against the Checkers this season, while Chris Driedger is 0-1-1 against the Wolf Pack.
Wolf Pack Outlook:
The Wolf Pack lost their third straight game in regulation time on Wednesday night, 7-3 to the Utica Comets at the Adirondack Bank Center.
After falling behind 3-0, the Wolf Pack stormed back to tie the game on the strength of three goals in 4:59. Groulx made it 3-1 at 5:38 of the second period, burying a centering feed from Belzile. The goal came just 32 seconds after Chase Stillman made it 3-0 for the Comets.
Dylan Roobroeck converted on a shorthanded breakaway at 8:38, notching his seventh goal of the season. It was the rookie’s first career shorthanded marker, the fifth this season for the Wolf Pack.
Anton Blidh tied the game at 10:37, tipping in a shot from the left-wing wall by Connor Mackey. It was Blidh’s tenth goal of the season and Mackey’s second assist of the period.
Simon Nemec restored the lead for the Comets at 13:01, scoring his fourth goal of the season. Nemec took a pass from Shane Bowers on a three-on-one down low and lifted a backhander over the pad of Dylan Garand for the eventual game-winning goal.
Nemec made it a 5-3 game just 1:33 into the third period, taking a drop pass from Adam Beckman and beating Garand up high. Nemec finished the game with five points (2 g, 3 a).
Max Willman tacked on his second goal of the night at 11:42 of the third period, then Xavier Parent made it a 7-3 game at 16:50.
The seven goals allowed by the Wolf Pack were the most allowed in a single game this season.
Groulx leads the club in goals with 12, while Alex Belzile paces the team in points with 33 (11 g, 22 a).
Checkers Outlook:
The Checkers snapped a three-game losing streak on Wednesday night, beating the Milwaukee Admirals 4-2 on home ice.
Criscuolo opened the scoring 4:43 into the game, but the Admirals responded with a shorthanded goal from Kevin Wall at 6:07. Ryder Rolston struck 11:48 into the second period, making it 2-1 for the Admirals at that time. Will Lockwood responded at 16:29, burying his fourth goal of the season to send the sides to the third period tied 2-2.
90 seconds into the frame, Criscuolo potted his second goal of the night to make it 3-2. That tally, his 13th of the season, would stand as the game-winning goal. Rasmus Asplund ended the intrigue at 19:39, hitting the empty net for his 12th goal of the campaign.
John Leonard leads the Checkers in both goals with 15 and points with 32 (15 g, 17 a).
Game Information:
WATCH: AHLTV on FloHockey
LISTEN: Mixlr
Play-by-play voice of the Wolf Pack Alex Thomas will have ‘Wolf Pack Pregame’ starting live at 3:45 p.m. on both AHLTV on FloHockey and Mixlr.
The Wolf Pack conclude their road trip with a rematch against the Checkers tomorrow at 4:00 p.m.
The Pack is back at the XL Center on Friday, Jan. 24, when the Laval Rocket make their second and final visit to the XL Center this season. Join us for $2 drafts and $2 hot dogs until the end of the first intermission!
The puck drop is set for 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.