WOLF PACK WEEKEND PREVIEW: APRIL 11th, 2024
Apr 11, 2024HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack have reached the penultimate weekend of the 2023-24 AHL season. The Pack can lock up their spot in the 2024 Calder Cup Playoffs as early as tomorrow night in the first of two games played this weekend.
If they can’t lock it up on Friday night, another opportunity awaits them as early as Sunday afternoon.
Friday, April 12th, 2024, Vs. Springfield Thunderbirds (7:00 p.m.): The ‘I-91 Rivalry’ comes to the XL Center for the final time this season on Friday night. The Wolf Pack can punch their ticket to the 2024 Calder Cup Playoffs with a regulation victory on this night.
The Thunderbirds have controlled I-91 as of late, winning each of the last four head-to-head matchups. In each of the last three meetings, the T-Birds have scored six goals. Most recently, it was a 6-2 triumph at the XL Center on March 29th. Jakub Vrana struck twice on the powerplay in the win, while Adam Gaudette was credited with the game-winning goal.
Before that, the Thunderbirds won 6-3 on both February 23rd at the MassMutual Center and on February 3rd in Hartford. Their first victory in this four-game winning streak head-to-head came on December 27th by a score of 3-1 in Springfield.
The Wolf Pack’s last victory against the T-Birds came back on November 24th, when they took a 4-2 decision in Springfield. The T-Birds have won three of the four meetings at the XL Center so far, with Hartford’s lone victory coming on November 15th by a score of 5-1.
Each team will enter Friday night looking to get back on track. The Thunderbirds have lost four straight games, all in regulation time, while the Wolf Pack are 0-5-0-1 in their last six outings.
Sunday, April 14th, 2024, Vs. Charlotte Checkers (3:00 p.m.): The eighth and final matchup in the season series between the Wolf Pack and Checkers takes place on Sunday afternoon at the XL Center.
The Checkers have won all seven of the prior meetings between the sides and eight straight overall dating back to last season. Five of their seven victories this season have come in regulation time, with the other two being overtime triumphs.
Mackie Samoskevich scored the overtime winner on both February 28th in Hartford and March 12th in Charlotte.
Spencer Knight has led the way for the Checkers in the season series, posting a record of 5-0-0 with a .964 save percentage and two shutouts. He blanked the Pack with 20 saves on March 13th and 19 saves on March 27th. He’s made 106 saves on 110 shots, surrendering just four goals in five games.
The Checkers have outscored the Wolf Pack 23-5, holding a +18 goal differential in the seven games played thus far.
Samoskevich paces the scoring for the Checkers, having notched ten points (5 g, 5 a) in seven games.
Karl Henriksson leads the way offensively for the Wolf Pack, having scored four points (2 g, 2 a) in six games.
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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.