JUSTIN DOWLING STRIKES TWICE AS WOLF PACK DOWN CHECKERS 4-1
By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack
HARTFORD, CT – Justin Dowling scored the first two goals of his Wolf Pack tenure on Wednesday night, while rookie Gabe Perreault recorded his first career three-point game (1 g, 2 a) as the club downed the Charlotte Checkers 4-1 at PeoplesBank Arena.
Gracyn Sawchyn won a battle along the wall in his own zone, getting the puck to Tobias Bjornfot. Bjornfot collected the puck and flipped it out to center ice, where Jack Devine gained possession. Devine sped into the offensive zone, creating a breakaway, and beat Dylan Garand to make it 1-0.
The goal, scored at 8:33, was Devine’s third of the season.
The Wolf Pack began to turn the tide in their favor late in the period, stacking shifts and drawing two power play looks. On their second power play, Scott Morrow fired a shot that clipped Trey Fix-Wolansky and snuck through the right pad of Cooper Black at 18:52.
Hartford’s second power play goal of the season was set up by Morrow and Brett Berard. The assist was Morrow’s first point as a member of the Wolf Pack.
Just 30 seconds into the middle frame, Dowling scored his first goal with the club to give the Wolf Pack a lead. Perreault flung a pass up the left-wing side to Dowling, who darted to the front of the net. Dowling went forehand-to-backhand and lifted the puck over Black to make it 2-1.
Perreault extended the lead to 3-1 at 7:56. Perreault drove to the front of the net, opened up the five-hole, and tucked home a backhander for his third goal of the season.
The goal chased Black from the game. He made 13 saves on 16 shots in 27:56 of work. Kirill Gerasimyuk entered the game, making his AHL debut.
Gerasimyuk turned the puck over behind the net late in the second period, setting up the Wolf Pack with a strong chance. Dowling tried to connect with Perreault in the slot, but Perreault could only manage a backhander that Gerasimyuk denied. The rebound popped right to Dowling in the right-wing circle, however. The veteran pounced and buried his second goal of the night at 18:45, making it a 4-1 spread.
Garand made 12 saves in the third period, keeping the Checkers at bay and preserving the club’s second straight victory.
The Pack is back at the newly renovated PeoplesBank Arena on Friday night when the Lehigh Valley Phantoms come to town for a weekend back-to-back! The puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m., with ‘Wolf Pack Pregame’ set to begin at 6:45 p.m. on AHLTV on FloHockey and Mixlr. Tickets are available here.
ABOUT THE HARTFORD WOLF PACK: The Hartford Wolf Pack has been a premier franchise in the American Hockey League since the team’s inception in 1997. The Wolf Pack are the top player-development affiliate of the NHL’s New York Rangers and play at PeoplesBank Arena. The Wolf Pack has been home to some of the Rangers newest faces including Igor Shesterkin, Will Cuylle, and Matt Rempe. Follow the Wolf Pack on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Flickr, and TikTok.
