Wolf Pack Drop Opening Weekend Finale to Checkers 3-1
October 15, 2022 – American Hockey League (AHL) – Hartford Wolf Pack News Release
CHARLOTTE, NC – The Hartford Wolf Pack and Charlotte Checkers played a tightly contested game at the Bojangles Coliseum on Saturday night. An even affair at five-on-five was decided by special teams, as the Checkers powerplay struck twice to propel the team to a 3-1 victory and a sweep of the two-game weekend series.
Riley Nash scored his first goal in his second stint with the Checkers at 6:52 of the third period, converting Charlotte’s second powerplay goal of the night. Nash pounced on a rebound and stuffed it by Wolf Pack starter Dylan Garand, pushing the Checkers lead to 2-0. The goal would stand as the winner on this evening.
For the second time in as many nights, the Checkers would strike first. Chris Tierney fired a shot on goal that Garand was able to deny, but the rebound sat in the crease with the netminder down on the ice. Connor Bunnaman was able to get inside position, and as a result was able to locate the rebound and stuff it home for his first goal of the season at 17:50 of the first period. The goal was also a powerplay goal, as Bobby Trivigno was sitting for two minutes due to a delay of game penalty.
Neither side was able to light the lamp in the second period, but not for a lack of chances. Both teams fired twelve shots on goal, but Garand and Charlotte starter Mack Guzda were up to the task. Among Guzda’s saves in this game was a stop on a partial Jonny Brodzinski breakaway, and a Julien Gauthier pointblank chance in tight.
Guzda’s strong play in net kept the Checkers ahead long enough for the powerplay to strike a second time. Nash pounced on the rebound at 6:52 to give Charlotte all the insurance they needed on this night. The rebound was created thanks to an Anton Levtchi shot, giving the Finn his first career AHL assist. Santtu Kinnunen would hit an empty net at 17:23 to make it 3-0. The goal was his first in North America.
Turner Elson would break the shutout at 19:56, scoring his first with the Wolf Pack on a feed from Will Cuylle. Tanner Fritz would also grab an assist on Hartford’s only marker of the night, tying him for the team lead with two helpers early in the season.
The Wolf Pack return to the ice at the XL Center next Saturday, October 22nd, for their home opener. Join us at 7:00 p.m. when the Pack hosts the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. The first 1,500 fans will receive a 2022-23 Wolf Pack magnetic schedule, courtesy of Pepsi Zero Sugar. To get tickets, visit www.hartfordwolfpack.com.
• Discuss this story on the American Hockey League message board…
- Islanders Get Past Thunderbirds, 3-2 – Bridgeport Islanders
- Belpedio Buzzer Beater OT Goal with 1.4 Seconds Left – Lehigh Valley Phantoms
- Terry, Koivula And Iskhakov All Score In Victory – Bridgeport Islanders
- Bears Open Season With 3-1 Win Over Comets – Hershey Bears
- Bears Open Season With 3-1 Win Over Comets – Hershey Bears
- Silver Knights Triumph Over Tucson, 6-2, for First Win – Henderson Silver Knights
- Penguins Rally, But Fall In Overtime On Opening Night – Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
- Roadrunners Fall To Silver Knights To Split Opening Series Of 2022-2023 – Tucson Roadrunners
- T-Birds Raise Banner, But Isles Get Opening Night Win – Springfield Thunderbirds
- Wolf Pack Drop Opening Weekend Finale to Checkers 3-1 – Hartford Wolf Pack
- Comets Drop 3-1 Contest to Bears in Season Opener – Utica Comets
- Amerks Drop Rematch with Marlies to Split Weekend Set – Rochester Americans
- Manitoba Moose Fall to Rockford IceHogs in OT – Manitoba Moose
- Guzda Shines as Checkers Sweep Wolf Pack – Charlotte Checkers
- IceHogs Shine in Magic Third Period Comeback for Season Opening Overtime 5-4 Victory Against Moose – Rockford IceHogs
- Monsters Finish Weekend with 5-4 Shootout Victory Over Crunch – Cleveland Monsters
- Crunch Downed by Monsters, 5-4, in Shootout – Syracuse Crunch
- Firebirds Set Opening Night Roster – Coachella Valley Firebirds
- Olle Lycksell Recalled to Flyers – Lehigh Valley Phantoms
- Forward Anton Blidh Assigned to Colorado Eagles – Colorado Eagles
- San Diego Gulls Sign Rocco Grimaldi to One-Year AHL Contract – San Diego Gulls
- Toronto Marlies Host Rochester Americans in Home Opener – Toronto Marlies
- Wolf Pack Eye Split with Checkers in Opening Weekend Finale – Hartford Wolf Pack
- Game Preview: Iowa Wild vs. San Jose Barracuda – Iowa Wild
- Game Preview: Bears vs. Comets, 7 p.m. – Hershey Bears
- Trio Returns to Grand Rapids – Grand Rapids Griffins
- Rochester Americans Game Preview: Saturday, October 15 at Toronto – Rochester Americans
- Preview: Islanders at Thunderbirds – Bridgeport Islanders
- Game #2 – Roadrunners at Silver Knights – Tucson Roadrunners
- Marlies Game Action Heads to the Toronto Maple Leafs App – Toronto Marlies
- Rockford IceHogs Opening 2022-23 Season in Saturday Showdown against Manitoba Moose – Rockford IceHogs
- Reign Win Over Canucks – Ontario Reign
- Roadrunners Open 2022-2023 Campaign With 2-1 Win Over Henderson Silver Knights – Tucson Roadrunners
- Henderson Silver Knights Fall, 2-1, in Season Opener – Henderson Silver Knights
- Roadrunners Take Season Opener Over Henderson Silver Knights – Tucson Roadrunners
- Iowa Wild Drop Shootout Thriller in Season Opener – Iowa Wild
- Abbotsford Canucks Fall 8-2 to Ontario Reign in Season Opener – Abbotsford Canucks
- Griffins Drop Home Opener to San Diego – Grand Rapids Griffins
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.
