
Wolf Pack Open Six-Game Homestand with Visit from Checkers
January 31, 2024 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Hartford Wolf Pack News Release
HARTFORD, CT - The Hartford Wolf Pack open a season-long six-game homestand tonight at the XL Center when they welcome the Charlotte Checkers to town for the first time this season.
The puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m. and coverage is available on AHLTV and Mixlr.
Tale of The Tape:
This is the first of eight meetings between the Wolf Pack and Checkers this season. It is also the first of four meetings between the foes at the XL Center in Hartford. They'll meet back in the Connecticut capital on February 28th, March 27th, and April 14th. The Pack will visit North Carolina on March 12th and 13th, and April 6th and 7th.
The Checkers took five of eight meetings a season ago, including three of four at the XL Center. Overall, the Checkers posted a record of 5-2-1-0 head-to-head, while the Wolf Pack went 3-2-1-2. Hartford's lone victory on home ice against the Checkers came on October 29th by a final score of 3-2 in overtime.
The Checkers then won visits on November 12th (6-5, shootout), November 16th (3-2, shootout), and March 5th (6-3).
That March 6th meeting was the last head-to-head matchup between the foes and featured a stunning comeback from the visitors. The Wolf Pack led 3-1 after two periods of play, but the Checkers stormed back to score five goals in the third period. Matt Kiersted's goal 9:19 into the third period, Charlotte's third goal of the frame, proved to be the game-winner.
Five of the eight meetings between these foes during the 2022-23 season were one-goal affairs, with four of those games needing overtime or a shootout to determine a winner.
Wolf Pack Outlook:
The Wolf Pack completed a two-game weekend sweep of the Cleveland Monsters on Saturday night thanks to a 3-2 victory at the Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse.
Matt Rempe opened the scoring 7:30 in, tipping a shot from Cristiano DiGiacinto for his sixth goal of the season. 59 seconds later, Blake Hillman fired home his second goal of the season from the slot to make it 2-0. Brendan Gaunce tapped in a powerplay goal at 14:23 for the Monsters, then Jake Christiansen fired home his tenth goal of the season at 7:48 of the second period to draw the game even.
For the second straight night, however, the Wolf Pack found a late goal to pull ahead for good. This time, it was Rempe who buried his second goal of the night at 14:14 to push the Pack ahead for good.
The goal was Rempe's third career game-winning tally and marked his second career multi-goal game. Rempe's prior multi-goal outing came against the Checkers in Charlotte on January 10th, 2023.
Alex Belzile and Brett Berard are tied for the team lead with 12 goals each. Belzile leads the team in points with 33 (12 g, 21 a), while Mac Hollowell leads the way in assists with 29.
Checkers Outlook:
The Checkers suffered their fifth straight defeat on Sunday, dropping a 6-1 decision to the Providence Bruins. Justin Brazeau put the Bruins ahead just 1:28 into the second period, scoring his 15th goal of the season. Trevor Kunter then scored shorthanded at 8:09 to put the Bruins up 2-0.
The goal was both Kuntar's first shorthanded and game-winning tally in the AHL.
Wilmer Skoog recorded Charlotte's only goal, potting his fifth marker of the season at 17:41 of the second period.
The B's added four insurance markers in the third period, as Anthony Richard, Alec Regula, and Ian Mitchell all tallied their first goals of the afternoon. Brazeau also scored in the third period, adding his second tally of the afternoon.
Defenseman Lucas Carlsson, who will represent the club at the 2024 AHL All-Star Classic, leads the team in goals with 12 and points with 28 (12 g, 16 a). Rasmus Asplund, meanwhile, leads the way in assists with 17.
Game Information:
WATCH: AHLTV
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 and Mixlr.
The Wolf Pack continue their homestand with a pair of games this weekend at the XL Center! On Friday night, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins come to town for a 7:00 p.m. puck drop. Be sure to join us for $2 beers and $2 hot dogs until the end of the first intermission.
On Saturday night, the Springfield Thunderbirds fly into Hartford for another 7:00 p.m. puck drop. It's Women in Sports Night presented by Nissan, while the first 1,500 fans ages 12 and under will receive a Wolf Pack youth replica jersey.
Tickets for both games are available at www.hartfordwolfpack.com.
American Hockey League Stories from January 31, 2024
- Amerks Come Up Short In 2-1 Loss To Syracuse - Rochester Americans
- Phantoms Fall in Rivalry Showdown - Lehigh Valley Phantoms
- Vecchione Scores Twice to Lead Bears to 4-2 Win Over Phantoms - Hershey Bears
- Gruden Scores, But Pens Fall in Family Feud with Marlies - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
- Brett Berard Notches Shorthanded Goal, But Wolf Pack Fall 4-2 to Checkers in Homestand Opener - Hartford Wolf Pack
- Checkers Snap Skid with 500th Franchise Win - Charlotte Checkers
- Islanders Win Over Thunderbirds, 3-1 - Bridgeport Islanders
- Crunch Defeat Amerks, 2-1 - Syracuse Crunch
- Comets Shock the Rocket Late, Win 4-3 - Utica Comets
- T-Birds Falter in Third in Bridgeport, 3-1 - Springfield Thunderbirds
- Game Day: CGY at CV - Calgary Wranglers
- Moose Recall Liwiski from Norfolk - Manitoba Moose
- San Diego Gulls to Host Mexican Heritage Night on Saturday, February 3 - San Diego Gulls
- Barracuda Defenseman Shakir Mukhamadullin Added to AHL All-Star Roster - San Jose Barracuda
- Jack Thompson Named 2024 AHL All-Star - Syracuse Crunch
- Thompson, Mukhamadullin, Denisenko Added to Rosters for 2024 AHL All-Star Classic Presented by Tech CU - AHL
- Grigori Denisenko Added to Roster for 2024 AHL All-Star Classic - Henderson Silver Knights
- Brogan Rafferty Recalled by Detroit - Grand Rapids Griffins
- Bojangles Game Preview: January 31 at Hartford - Charlotte Checkers
- Blue Jackets Assign Defenseman Nick Blankenburg to Monsters - Cleveland Monsters
- Wolf Pack Open Six-Game Homestand with Visit from Checkers - Hartford Wolf Pack
- Game Preview: Condors v Roadrunners, 6:30 p.m. - Bakersfield Condors
- Game #41: Tucson Roadrunners vs. Bakersfield Condors - Tucson Roadrunners
- Bridgeport Islanders Host Springfield Tonight - Bridgeport Islanders
- Blues Assign F Adam Gaudette to Springfield - Springfield Thunderbirds
- Eagles Top Reign, 6-3 - Ontario Reign
- Wagner Nets Two Goals in Colorado's 6-3 Win Over Reign - Colorado Eagles
- A Surreal Kind of Memory: Lukas Cormier's Milestone January - Henderson Silver Knights
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
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