WOLF PACK JUMP CHECKERS, 4-1
By: Jason Alwang, Howlings
HARTFORD, CT: The Hartford Wolf Pack won their second straight game as they defeated the Charlotte Checkers with a final score of 4-1 on Wednesday night at PeoplesBank Arena.
“I think we’re taking steps in the right direction, and now it’s about continuing to build momentum.” Wolf Pack Head Coach Grant Potulny on the team’s overall gameplay in the past two games.
The game-winning goal came from Justin Dowling 30 seconds into the second period. Dowling received the puck and went right to the net towards Cooper Black and put on a nifty deke with the backhander to lift it up past Cooper Black (13 saves) to give the Wolf Pack the 2-1 lead. Dowling’s first of the season. Gabe Perreault fed the puck to Dowling for his third assist of the season.
“Sometimes, offensive players need to have something like that to happen that just unlocks them a little bit.” Potulny said on Perreault.
Jack Devine got the scoring started in Hartford, getting a hold of a bouncing puck and stuffing it past Dylan Garand’s (30 saves) glove side top shelf on the breakaway off a pass from Tobias Bjornfot, who cleared the puck out of Charlotte’s zone that Devine pounced on. The goal was Devine’s third of the season and gave Charlotte a 1-0 lead at 8:33 of the opening period.
The Wolf Pack tied the game late in the first period on the power play as Trey-Fix Wolansky cashed in on a deflection off a shot from Scott Morrow from the high slot to tie the game at one apiece late in the first period. That goal is Fix-Wolansky’s third on the season.
“You’re going to get scored on, and it’s got to be what’s your response to it, and tonight and (Springfield) was both really good.” Potulny said.
Perreault took control of the puck and skated through the defense and put a quick move on the backhand, slipping it under the five-hole of Black to give the Wolf Pack a 3-1 lead at 7:36 of the second period. Jaroslav Chmelar and Casey Fitzgereald recorded the assists.
“I got to keep doing the little things right.” Chmelar on his overall game. “Win those pucks and keep them in the (offensive zone) so we don’t get to the (defensive zone) as much.”
After Perreault’s tally, Black was pulled after allowing three goals on 16 shots for Kirill Gerasimyuk, who made six saves on seven shots in relief.
Dowling buries a rebound chance on the side of the net after multiple Wolf Pack shots got through for his second of the game, beating Gerasimyuk for the 4-1 lead. Perreault and Chmelar both tallied their second assists of the game, and Perreault’s third point of the game. The goal came at 18:45 of the second period, giving the Wolf Pack a three-goal lead into the third.
The third period was quiet, and the Wolf Pack walked away with back-to-back victories. The Wolf Pack will return home with two straight games against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, Friday and Saturday. The Wolf Pack is now 3-4-0-0 on the season.
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