Wolf Pack Weekend Recap: January 20th, 2025

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AHL Hartford Wolf Pack

Wolf Pack Weekend Recap: January 20th, 2025

January 20, 2025 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Hartford Wolf Pack News Release


HARTFORD, CT - After closing the first half of their season with a 7-3 loss to the Utica Comets on Wednesday night, the Hartford Wolf Pack responded with a pair of victories over the Charlotte Checkers this past weekend.

The wins pushed the club to 18-17-2-1 on the season, and 5-2-0-0 in their last seven games on the road.

Saturday, January 18 th, 2025, at Charlotte Checkers (3-2 OTW): The Wolf Pack snapped their three-game losing streak on Saturday with a 3-2 victory in overtime over the Checkers.

Brandon Scanlin opened the scoring just 68 seconds into the hockey game, driving a shot by goaltender Chris Driedger. Blade Jenkins won an offensive zone faceoff to the right of Driedger directly back to Scanlin, who blasted home the game's first goal.

Oliver Okuliar tied the game 1-1 at 18:48, tapping home a rebound on the power play for his eleventh goal of the season. Mike Benning's initial shot was stopped by Louis Domingue, but the rebound sat in the crease for Okuliar.

Domingue was sensational in the second period, making 16 saves to keep it a 1-1 game through two periods.

Scanlin notched his second goal 7:10 into the third period, giving the Wolf Pack a 2-1 lead. Scanlin took a pass on the left-wing side, danced around Will Lockwood, and beat Driedger by the glove.

Just over seven minutes later, however, John Leonard tied the game with his 16 th goal of the season. Leonard maneuvered to the goal, waited out Domingue, and stuffed home a backhander.

In overtime, Chad Ruhwedel would play the role of hero at 4:24. Brennan Othmann blocked a shot and then took possession into the neutral zone. There, he connected with Ruhwedel, who entered in on the right-wing side, walked into the right-wing circle, and beat Driedger by the glove.

Sunday, January 19 th, 2025, at Charlotte Checkers (3-0 W): Dylan Garand made 34 saves on Sunday afternoon to collect his third shutout of the season for the Wolf Pack. Garand's best save of the game came 5:35 into the second period when Leonard was awarded a penalty shot.

The veteran forward tried to beat Garand through the five-hole but was denied by the All-Star netminder.

Alex Belzile potted the game-winning goal 11:38 into the contest, converting on a breakaway. Blake Hillman hit Belzile with a perfect stretch pass in the neutral zone, springing the veteran forward in for the breakaway opportunity.

Bo Groulx extended the lead at 14:59, burying a one-timer on the club's third power play of the afternoon. Brett Berard found Belzile in the bumper position, where he quickly tapped a pass to Groulx in the right-wing circle. Groulx's one-timer cleanly beat Ken Appleby for his team-leading 13 th goal of the season.

Hillman capped the scoring 15:29 into the second period, blasting home his third goal of the season from the left-wing point. Belzile played the puck up the wall for Hillman, whose shot snuck through traffic and beat Appleby.

Hillman finished the game with his first multi-point outing of the season, recording a goal and an assist. Belzile, meanwhile, recorded three points (1 g, 2 a) in the win.

Quick Hits:

Belzile's three-point (1 g, 2 a) outing against the Checkers on Sunday was his second against Charlotte this season. He scored three goals in the Wolf Pack's 5-4 shootout win at the XL Center against the Checkers on Nov. 19.

This weekend's victories were the fourth and fifth in franchise history in the city of Charlotte, NC.

This weekend's back-to-back sweep marks just the second time in franchise history that the Wolf Pack have won both games in Charlotte on a single trip. They also swept the Checkers on back-to-back days on Jan. 10 and Jan. 11, 2023.

Thanks to his victory on Saturday, Louis Domingue is now 3-0-0 against the Checkers this season.

The Week Ahead:

Friday, Jan. 24, 2025, Vs. Laval Rocket (7:00 p.m., XL Center)

Saturday, Jan. 25, 2025, Vs. Rochester Americans (6:00 p.m., XL Center)

Sunday, Jan. 26, 2025, at Springfield Thunderbirds (3:05 p.m., MassMutual Center)

Check out the Hartford Wolf Pack Statistics

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