BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings
HARTFORD, CT – Cole Schwindt had a goal and an assist while Antoine Bibeau was strong in net as the Charlotte Checkers upended the Hartford Wolf Pack 3-2 on Saturday night at the XL Center.
The Wolf Pack were down two and closed to within one early in the third period. Veteran Pierre-Cedric Labrie as was Tarmo Reunanen sent a shot toward the net. The high shot had Labrie react defensively naturally and had the puck go off him and into the net at 3:33.
“We had a great effort as a group and puck possession on that shift early. Morgan had a lot of poise on that,” remarked Labrie.
“Our D (Reunanen) made a nice play, and the puck was coming right at me. Those are the ones you get in traffic and get rewarded for. It was a good play by all five guys on the ice,” Labrie said.
LABRIE
Labrie tallied his first goal of the season as he held his arms in a close cross fashion in a protective mode to demonstrate how the puck hit him and went in.
Following a commercial timeout, the Pack was able to score. Off a draw, Checkers Kole Lind out a shot on Pack netminder Adam Huska who turned it aside. On the ensuing rush up the ice, the team scored. The “fourth line” of Labrie, Michael O’Leary, and Alex Whalen has some strong chances, but Bibeau turned them aside.
“When it cracks, it’s going to crack wide open (for us). The last two games we have had Grade-A chances, so when they (go in) it will crack wide open (for us),” said Labrie.
Kris Knoblauch, the Pack head coach was happy with his bottom forward line’s work.
“The fourth line was pretty strong for us tonight. They had a lot of scoring chances. (I counted) five Grade-A chances. They have been very good so far this weekend. We just need our middle lines, (the) second and third lines to start contributing and scoring more.” said Knoblauch.
In the second period, Hartford earned a tie as Reunanen took advantage of a screen and fired his shot from the left point for his first goal. At 15:40, Charlotte restored a two-goal lead as Scott Wilson sent a backhand that found the back of the net on the short-side getting past Schneider at center ice.
FIRST PERIOD
In the first period, Knoblauch went with Huska in the net. The Pack continued their early habit of falling behind in the first period.
Former BC Eagle Logan Hutsko zipped down the leftwing on a two-on-one and chipped the puck over an outstretched, face down Matt Robertson. The puck came to the rushing and open Sennon Noel who put it home as he was heading to the goal line for a 1-0 Checkers lead.
The Pack had the first four shots on net in the first four minutes and then just two over the next sixteen.
“We came out hot in the first seven, eight minutes and then we gave them a chance to get in the game. In pro hockey, you can’t have a slump like that. It’s a mindset right now (we’re falling behind). We have to find a way as a group to get going early. Right now, some lines are bringing the pace,” Labrie said. “Now other guys have to follow our leaders.”
Then with 2:54 left, Connor Carrick sent a stretch pass 180 feet meant for the wide-open Kole Lind that incredibly went five-hole past starter, Adam Huska. Fortunately for Huska, the linesman had whistled the play dead, so Huska escaped embarrassment.
LABRIE REACTS
“They are one of the two teams (we have faced) that have that mentality. It’s something we have to address and be aware of. They’re a lot like Czech teams, we have to remain aware of that,” said Labrie who played in Germany the last two years.
Knoblauch appreciates having Labrie here. “He’s been playing very sharp for us. We like having him, he’s been a great addition to our team.”
Unfortunately, 24 seconds later the Checkers got a two-goal lead.
This on the right-wing Schwindt sent one toward the net after Patrick Khordorenko’s turnover off the left-wing wall, high in the Wolf Pack went right to Checker forward Carsen Twarynski whose mid-air pass shot went in by Schwindt and made for a 2-0 lead.
For the first time, the pairing of Robertson and Schneider was broken up by Knoblauch and Steve Smith. He was with Zac Jones for a spell and Robertson with Anthony Bitetto
The pass/shot attempt from a sharp angle by Schwindt from the left side surprised Huska.
LINE CHANGES
Knoblauch has evolved his philosophy with line changes and done it more often this season than the first two years combined.
His efforts to jumpstart the offense didn’t materialize after having the first four shots.
Labrie said, “Mistakes can get magnified. We just have to simplify things. Sometimes you have to work harder to get the puck back and sometimes your confidence goes down a little bit. That’s why you have to work harder to get back up.
“When you keep it simple and get back to the bench, you’re not chasing the puck the whole shift. Play all on the same page. I can see it’s going to get better as the season (goes along). We’re good.”
LINES
Gettinger-Brodzinski-Greco
Barron-Ronning-Pajuniemi
Khordorenko-Fritz-Richards
Labrie-O’Leary-Whalen
Bitetto-Jones
Robertson-Schneider
Reunanen-Skinner
SCRATCHES;
Giuttari
Rueschhoff
Taylor
Wall
NOTES
Charlotte’s scratches included two recalls, Zac Dalpe of the Florida Panthers and Max McCormick of the Seattle Kraken. Also, rookie Max Gildon, of Plano, Texas.
This was the first of six meetings between the Wolf Pack and the Checkers. The teams will not meet again until January 12th
The season series has four more meetings including all three in Charlotte at the end of the season in April.
This was the first meeting between the Wolf Pack and the Checkers since February 8, 2020, in Charlotte. The last time the Checkers visited Hartford is also the last time the Wolf Pack claimed a win in this matchup. That came on January 10, 2020. the Pack took a 6-3 victory.
Overall, the Wolf Pack are now 7-19-0-1 against the Checkers since Charlotte entered the AHL in 2010. However, this will be the first meeting since the Checkers changed affiliations. Charlotte is now the primary affiliate of the NHL’s Florida Panthers as they after having been affiliated with the Carolina Hurricanes. Charlotte is also serving as the primary affiliate of the Seattle Kraken for the 2021-22 season till their new building in Palm Springs, CA is ready next year.
PACK AND CHECKERS
The Wolf Pack have also held the advantage in shots in each of their last three games.
The Wolf Pack have been tied after two periods of play in five of their first six games. All five games have had been the identical 1-1 score.
Forwards Jonny Brodzinski and Anthony Greco are tied for the team lead with six points (four goals and two assists) each. Morgan Barron leads the team in goals with three.
The Wolf Pack have surrendered the first goal in all six games they have played this season. They last scored the game’s first goal was on May 6, 2021, against the Providence Bruins, the last game of the truncated regular season last year.
The Checkers has a 4-3 loss against the Providence Bruins last night as ex-Sound Tiger goalie Christopher Gibson made 31 saves.
The Checkers Senior VP of Operations is still Derek Wilkinson, who was the head coach when the Wolf Pack had their ECHL affiliate in Charlotte in the early part of this century.
After two years as an assistant coach, he replaced former New Haven Senators head coach Don Macadam as the bench boss and has been affiliated all 21 years of the Checkers existence and multiple different affiliations.
VIVEIROS
Best wishes on a speedy recovery to former Springfield Indians player and current Henderson Silver Knights head coach Emanuel “Manny” Viveiros,55, who revealed this week he has been diagnosed with prostate cancer.
Assistants Jamie Heward and Joel Ward will handle the duties in his absence.
Surgery is the option he has chosen to address the matter.
UCONN
UCONN (HE) battled Dartmouth on the road skated to a 4-1 win in a non-conference meeting tonight in New Hampshire as part of a seven-game road trip. After two scoreless periods, Carter Turnbull scored in the first minute of the third period, Vladislav Firstov tallied the eventual game-winner in the latter portion of the third period for his fourth goal of the season. Marc Gatcomb and Ryan Tverberg (a two-point night) had empty netters in the victory.
