Wolf Pack Drop Two To Checkers

The Wolf Pack dropped a pair of games to the Checkers in Charlotte
over the weekend.

Charlotte, NC—The Hartford Wolf Pack dropped a pair of games on a trip to the Southland against the Charlotte Checkers. Charlotte, the AHL affiliate of the Carolina Hurricane (the team formerly known as the Whalers), topped the Pack 3-1 in the first game, played before 7,709 fans at Bojangles Coliseum. Martin Necas had a goal and an assist, and Alex Nedeljkovic made 31 saves in that contest.

Shawn St. Amant scored the only Wolf Pack goal, and Brandon Halverson made 23 saves in the Hartford net.  Patrick Brown and Julien Gauthier had the other Checker goals, and Jake Bean had two assists.  

Two of Charlotte’s three goals were power-play scores, and the other came one second after a man advantage ended. 

“The start of the game, I liked how we came out, on the road against a very good team, then we start getting into penalty troubles,” Wolf Pack head coach Keith McCambridge said.  “Had momentum, let it slip, two power-play goals-against, that was our downfall.  But I felt five-on-five, the game plan we had in place gave us a chance to win the game, just can’t give their power play the chance to get on the ice as many times as we did.”

Ryan Dmowski was one of three players making their Wolf Pack debuts in the game.  Nick Jones, fresh out of the University of North Dakota, was also seeing his first pro action, and eighth-year pro defenseman Matt Register played his first Wolf Pack game, up from Toledo of the ECHL.

“I liked that line, of [Dmowski], Terrence (Wallin) in the middle, and St. Amant,” said McCambridge.  “I thought that was a real good line for us, created some energy, scored a goal from a heavy forecheck.  I thought Jones did some really good things, little things that help you win hockey games, blocked shots, smart with the puck, good awareness when he didn’t have it.  And I thought with Matt Register, you could see the experience that he has, pro games under his belt, gave us some poise on the power play.”

Second Verse Same As the First

On Sunday, Steven Fogarty scored twice for the Hartford Wolf Pack Sunday at Bojangles’ Coliseum, but Aleksi Saarela had two goals, and Jake Bean a goal and an assist, for the Charlotte Checkers in a 6-2 Charlotte win. That result gave the AHL-leading Checkers a sweep of a two-game set between the two teams in Charlotte, after a 3-1 Checker win Saturday night over the Wolf Pack.

“Any time versus that team you give them time and space, you let them come to the front of your net to cause some traffic and confusion, and take away our goaltender’s eyes, they’re going to make you pay,” Wolf Pack head coach Keith McCambridge said.  “They’re the number-one team in the league for a reason.”

Charlotte controlled the first period Sunday, outshooting the Wolf Pack 15-5 and building a 3-0 lead. The Wolf Pack got right back into the game with two early goals in the second period, both by Fogarty.

Fogarty got Hartford on the board only 57 seconds into the second, as a Bean pass was broken up, allowing Fogarty and Ryan Gropp to come in on Checker goaltender, and former Wolf Pack, Dustin Tokarski (24 saves), on a 2-on-0.  Gropp found Fogarty for an easy finish to Tokarski’s right.

Then, at 4:25, Fogarty cut Charlotte’s lead to 3-2 with his 19^th goal of the season.  Fogarty took the puck away from Nick Schilkey just inside the Checker line and went in alone on Tokarski.  Fogarty faked to his forehand, and then reached around Tokarski to slip the puck in on the backhand.

Charlotte would answer with a pair late in the session, though, to restore the three-goal margin.

“To be able to battle back, and get ourselves back into the game, made it exciting,” said McCambridge. “But at the beginning of the game, we had some passengers that weren’t bringing their ‘A’ game.”

The Wolf Pack’s next game is back on home ice at the XL Center this Friday, March 29, also against the Checkers.  Faceoff is 7:15 p.m., and, as at all Friday-night Wolf Pack home games, fans can enjoy $1 hot dogs, and $2 beers and fountain sodas, through the start of the second period, presented by Nomads Adventure Quest.

Tickets for all 2018-19 Wolf Pack home games are on sale now at the Agera Energy Ticket Office at the XL Center, on-line at www.hartfordwolfpack.com and by phone at (877) 522-8499.  Tickets purchased in advance for kids 12 or younger start at just $13 each, and all tickets will have a $3 day-of-game increase.

Season ticket information for the Wolf Pack’s 2018-19 AHL season can be found on-line at www.hartfordwolfpack.com.  To speak with a representative about all of the Wolf Pack’s many attractive ticketing options, call (855) 762-6451, or click here to request more info.

—Staff Reports