By: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings
CHARLOTTE, NC – In his first AHL game, Anton Levtchi scored two goals, with the second coming 35 seconds into overtime to lead the Charlotte Checkers to a 4-3 OT win over the visiting Hartford Wolf Pack in the first game of the 2022-23 season.
Levtchi came motoring off the left wing side, cut to the middle of the ice and slid the puck past a poke-check attempt of the Wolf Pack’s new starter, Louie Domingue. Levtchi then flipped a backhander past Domingue to end the season opener.
Domingue made 40 saves for the Pack in a sterling effort and was the primary reason the game went to the extra session.
Henry Bowlby had five quality chances, all denied by Domingue with ten seconds left in regulation and Lucas Carlsson with under a minute left from the left point. Another on Gerry Mayhew as they were outshot by a two-to-one margin of 44-22.
Chris Tierney was robbed on the right wing with an open cage as Domingue slid over left to right with 8:08 left. He would tally their third goal two minutes to tie the score.
Julien Gauthier had given the Pack the lead at 8:07 with the night’s best goal. He took a pass from newcomer Turner Elson, turned on the left wing speed, and got inside position on ex-Pack Anthony Bitetto. He went backhand-to-forehand and put it past ex-Pack/Sound Tiger, J.F. Berube.
Alexi Heponiem had five shots in the game. He was stopped after getting the puck off the shinpad of the just-signed Ben Harpur with 5:41 remaining. Harpur drove out on Tierney and took away the bottom of the net. His shot went high and over the Wolf Pack cage. Just before, Tim Gettinger saw his wraparound attempt come up empty.
Lauri Pajuniemi had given the Pack the lead in the second period. Pajuniemi took a cross-ice feed on his off-wing from Matt Robertson and wired one past Berube at 3:42 of the second period.
Levitch was on the power play two minutes earlier in the lower right-wing circle and scored his first.
Heponiemi, who also had five shots in the game, opened the scoring at 4:38 of the first. He is from the same hometown as Pajuniemi.
Will Cullye, on the strength of Jonny Brodzinski slipping thru and making it an odd-man rush, dished ot back and saw Cullye, who buried the backhand pass at 13:52.
The duo had a strong game as Brodzinski shuffled another lead pass to Cullye, who made a wonderful attempt with just one hand on his stick.
NOTES:
Cullye led the Pack with four shots.
Carter Sandlak, the son of ex-Hartford Whaler, Jim Sandlak, was one of the referees. One of the linesmen was from the female trainee group, Kirsten Welsh.
Making his debut as the Checkers assistant coach was ex-Pack Bobby Sanguinetti.
Signed to his AHL deal by San Jose was an ex-Pack defenseman, Patrick Sieloff.
Ex-CT Whale Michael Del Zotto and former Yale Bulldog Alex Lyon were assigned to Charlotte and scratched.
Adam Samuelsson, youngest son of Whaler great, former Wolf Pack assistant coach, ex-Avon Old Farms assistant, and ex-Ranger Ulf Samuelsson on the eve of ECHL training camp, goes from Idaho Steelheads to the Tulsa (OK) Oilers.
