By: Jason Alwang, Howlings
HARTFORD, CT: The Charlotte Checkers earned a dominating victory over the Hartford Wolf Pack, with a final score of 7-1, led by Riese Gaber’s four-point night at the PeoplesBank Arena in downtown Hartford on Wednesday night.
“(Charlotte) was as advertised in the first.” Wolf Pack Head Coach Grant Potulny on the blowout loss. “The bubble kind of burst (in the third) and it was what it was.”
Ben Steeves recorded the game-winning goal, picking up a loose puck in front of the crease and deking it to his right-hand side, lifting it up past Dylan Garand (14 saves) to double the Charlotte lead at 16:48 of the first period, marking his 16th goal of the season. Gaber provided the only assist on the play.
Cooper Black held a shutout until the Wolf Pack broke the ice at 18:29 of the third period, finishing his night with 28 saves and the game’s first star.
Nate Smith broke the ice first, getting the puck in the circle and firing a wrister over Garand and into the back of the net to give the Checkers the 1-0 lead at 5:52 of the first period. The goal is Smith’s fifth of the season, and the helpers came from Michael Benning and Nolan Foote.
Brett Chroske scored after releasing a shot between the dots, with the shot initially being caught in the pads of Garand but sneaking by him on impact, giving the Checkers a 3-0 lead at 12:03 of the second period. The goal is Chroske’s seventh of the season, with Gaber recording his second assist of the game and Eamon Powell recording a secondary assist.
Jack Studnicka grabbed a hold of the puck and burst down the ice shorthanded on a breakaway chance and buried it past Garand, giving Charlotte a 4-0 lead at 4:12 of the second. The goal is Studnicka’s third on the season.
Chroske scored on a one-timer between the circles off a feed from Gaber, who recorded his third assist of the night at 7:50 of the third period, making it 5-0. The goal was Chroske’s second of the game and his eighth of the season.
“Our rush defense can be improved.” Potulny said.
Wilmer Skoog added to the Charlotte scoresheet with a quick release on a shot from inside the low circle, scoring his 16th of the season at 11:58 of the third period, making it 6-0. Robert Mastrosimone and Trevor Carrick recorded the assists.
Gaber scored his first of the game and seventh of the season, rushing into the offensive zone and firing a wrister past Garand at 13:12 of the third period to give Charlotte the 7-0 lead. Steeves and Powell recorded the assists on Gaber’s marker.
Daniel Walcott scored late for the Wolf Pack on a deflection in front of Black off the shot from Blake Hillman, breaking the shutout, for his third goal of the season at 18:29 of the third period. Bryce McConnell-Barker gets credited with the secondary assist.
“Ultimately, you’ve got to start scoring some goals if we’re going to win games.” Potulny said.
The Wolf Pack are battling with their CT rivals, the Bridgeport Islanders, in the standings, and will face off once again Friday night at the PeoplesBank Arena.
“It’s a huge game for us.” Potulny said on Bridgeport. “It might come down to who wins the season series.”
The Wolf Pack now sits at 16-20-4-1 on the season.
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