PRE-GAME REPORT: WOLF PACK RETURN FROM ALL-STAR BREAK TO BATTLE CHECKERS
Feb 7, 2025HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack return from the annual All-Star Break this evening as they welcome the Charlotte Checkers to the XL Center.
The puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m., and coverage is available on AHLTV on FloHockey and Mixlr.
Tale of The Tape:
This is the fifth of eight meetings between the Wolf Pack and Checkers this season. It is the third of four meetings at the XL Center.
The sides will play twice next weekend in Charlotte, with games on Feb. 15 and 16 at 4:00 p.m. The season series concludes on Apr. 16 at the XL Center.
The Wolf Pack are a perfect 4-0-0-0 against the Checkers this season, most recently sweeping a back-to-back set in Charlotte on Jan. 18 and 19.
On Jan. 19, the Wolf Pack blanked the Checkers 3-0 to complete the weekend sweep. Alex Belzile opened the scoring 11:38 into the game, sniping home a breakaway chance for his 12th goal of the season. Bo Groulx extended the lead at 14:59, blasting home a one-timer from the right-wing circle at 14:59 off a feed from Belzile. The goal came on the club’s third power play of the opening period.
Blake Hillman extended the lead to 3-0 at 15:29 of the second period, firing a shot from the left-wing point that beat Ken Appleby through traffic.
Dylan Garand made 34 saves to collect his third shutout of the season. He is 1-0-0 against the Checkers this season.
The Wolf Pack also claimed a 3-2 overtime victory in Charlotte on Jan. 18, a 5-4 shootout victory on Nov. 19, and a 4-2 victory on Nov. 12. Their two November victories came at the XL Center.
Wolf Pack Outlook:
The Wolf Pack dropped their sixth straight game (0-4-2-0) on Saturday afternoon, losing leads of 3-0 and 4-1 before falling 5-4 in overtime to the Laval Rocket.
Lucas Edmonds struck twice in the opening frame, jamming home a loose puck at 4:31 and then perfectly tipping a centering pass from Chad Ruhwedel at 12:50. Brennan Othmann also scored in the first period, lifting a puck over the left pad of Cayden Primeau at 11:00 while the club worked on a five-on-three power play. Sean Farrell got the Rocket on the board at 16:41, zipping a rebound by Garand on the power play.
Casey Fitzgerald restored the three-goal lead 4:13 into the second period, working from the left-wing corner to the front of the net and stuffing a puck by Primeau for his fourth goal of the season.
Three goals in 8:36 erased the Wolf Pack’s three-goal lead, however. Jared Davidson struck at 11:00, converting on a penalty shot opportunity to make it 4-2. 3:10 later, Farrell took a pass in the slot from Alex Barré-Boulet and snapped home his second goal of the game to make it 4-3. At 19:36, on the power play, Barré-Boulet picked up his own rebound and tied the game from the right-wing side.
After the third period failed to produce a winner, the sides went to overtime.
In overtime, Florian Xhekaj scored his second game-winning goal of the weekend at 4:50 when he struck from the right-wing circle.
Belzile and Groulx are tied for the team lead in goals with 14 each this season. Belzile leads the club in points with 43 (14 g, 29 a). He is second in the league in points.
Checkers Outlook:
The Checkers split a pair of games with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins over the weekend, falling 3-2 on Saturday evening.
The sides played an eventful first period, with each side striking twice. Vasily Ponomarev broke the ice just 16 seconds into the game, depositing his eleventh goal of the season for the visitors. Patrick Giles responded at 3:44, scoring shorthanded to tie the game 1-1. Corey Andonovski restored the lead at 5:45, but less than two minutes later Will Lockwood would again draw the Checkers even.
The second period, despite an 11-4 edge in shots for the Checkers, failed to produce a goal. In the final frame, Jonathan Gruden struck shorthanded at 10:17, putting the Penguins ahead for good.
The Checkers outshot the Penguins 31-16 on the night.
The loss snapped a three-game winning streak for the Checkers.
John Leonard leads the Checkers in both goals with 19 and points with 36 (19 g, 17 a). His 19 goals are a career-high.
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 6:45 p.m. on both AHLTV on FloHockey and Mixlr.
The Wolf Pack hit the road for a showdown with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms tomorrow night at 7:05 p.m. at the PPL Center. Coverage is available starting at 6:50 p.m. on AHLTV on FloHockey and Mixlr with ‘Wolf Pack Pregame’.
The Pack is back at the XL Center on Wednesday, Feb. 12, when the Bridgeport Islanders come to town!
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.