PRE-GAME REPORT: WOLF PACK OPEN HOMESTAND AGAINST CHECKERS

Nov 15, 2024

HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack open a season-long, six-game homestand tonight at the XL Center in downtown Hartford. The Pack welcome the Charlotte Checkers to town for a rematch of last spring’s First Round Calder Cup Playoff series.

The puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m., and coverage is available on AHLTV on FloHockey and Mixlr. 

Tale of The Tape:
This is the first of eight meetings between the Wolf Pack and Checkers this season. The sides will meet four times at the XL Center and four times at the Bojangles Coliseum this season. 

The Checkers return to Hartford on Tuesday morning for an 11:00 a.m. puck drop at the XL Center. They will also return to the Connecticut capital on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, and Wednesday, April 16, 2025. 

The Wolf Pack visit the Checkers on Jan. 18 and 19, 2025, and Feb. 15 and 16, 2025. 

A season ago, the Checkers won the first seven regular season meetings between the clubs. The Wolf Pack won the last matchup, 5-2 on April 14. 

The sides then met in the First Round of the Calder Cup Playoffs, where the Wolf Pack eliminated the Checkers 2-1. After dropping Game 1 3-1, the Wolf Pack won Game 2 3-2 in overtime, then took the series with a 3-1 decision on April 28. 

At the XL Center, the Wolf Pack posted a record of 1-2-1-0, while the Checkers went 4-1-0-0. 

Over the last five seasons, the Checkers are 17-3-2-0 in 22 games against the Wolf Pack. The Wolf Pack have posted a record of 5-11-4-2 during that span.

Wolf Pack Outlook:
The Wolf Pack were doubled up by a score of 4-2 on Sunday afternoon by the Providence Bruins at the Amica Mutual Pavilion. 

Bo Groulx opened the scoring 9:57 into the game when his dump-in from center ice hit the back boards, bounced off goaltender Michael DiPietro, and found the back of the net. The goal was Groulx’s fifth of the season and his 100th career AHL point.

Max Jones tied the tilt 10:40 into the second period, stuffing home a rebound for his first goal with the club. Tyler Pitlick’s power play deflection at 15:45 would give the Bruins the lead for good. He got a piece of Ian Mitchell’s bid from the right-wing point. 

Marc McLaughlin converted a breakaway attempt 2:12 into the third period, potting his second goal in as many nights. The goal, his second of the season, would prove to be the game-winning tally. 

Adam Sýkora’s deflection of a Jaroslav Chmelař shot at 5:59 got the Wolf Pack within a goal, but Patrick Brown’s empty net tally at…