CHARLOTTE, NC – The Hartford Wolf Pack snapped their three-game losing skid in style on Tuesday night, beating the Charlotte Checkers 5-2 at the Bojangles Coliseum.
For the first time in the season series, the Wolf Pack broke the ice. Trey Fix-Wolansky fired a shot from the slot that clipped a leg and beat Cooper Black at 12:30. The goal was Fix-Wolansky’s team-leading 24th of the season.
The goal also broke a home shutout streak of 237:02 for the Checkers dating back to Feb. 14.
Late in the period, the Wolf Pack were awarded a pair of powerplays. Both advantages created good scoring chances, but the second one provided the best.
Brendan Brisson was denied off a one-timer from the right-wing circle that sat in the crease. The puck was flipped to the left-wing circle, where Adam Sýkora quickly collected possession and fired. Sýkora looked as if he may have extended the lead, but Black made a terrific save to keep it 1-0 through 20 minutes.
Aidan Thompson extended the lead to 2-0 4:59 into the middle frame, firing home his first goal as a member of the Wolf Pack. Thompson entered the zone on the right-wing side, got to the top of the circle, and snapped a shot that beat Black by the right shoulder. The goal was Thompson’s seventh of the season.
Later in the period, with the sides playing four-on-four, Jack Studnicka took a penalty for roughing after the whistle.
On the ensuing four-on-three power play, the Wolf Pack made Studnicka pay. Connor Mackey set up Fix-Wolansky in the left-wing circle. The veteran forward blasted a howitzer that breezed by Black for his 25th goal of the season at 12:48, making it 3-0.
Mackey’s assist was his 100th career point in the AHL.
The Wolf Pack’s penalty kill stood out in a big way in the middle frame, as they killed off all four Checkers advantages. Dylan Garand made 12 saves in the period, keeping the Wolf Pack ahead 3-0.
Jack Studnicka struck twice for the Checkers in the third period, drawing the game to 3-2.
Just 1:07 into the frame, Robert Mastrosimone shoveled a puck toward the goal that Garand made the initial save on. The puck popped loose, however, and ended up on the left-wing side where Studnicka was able to locate it and snap home his seventh goal of the season.
Studnicka then struck shorthanded at 8:25 from the right-wing side, making it a one-goal game.
The Wolf Pack calmed things down and struck twice in 52 seconds to end the intrigue, however.
Dylan Roobroeck won an offensive zone faceoff on the left-wing side back to Connor Mackey, who displayed great patience at the point. Mackey sent a shot into traffic that beat Black by the glove at 13:03 to make it a 4-2 game.
52 seconds later, at 13:55, Brody Lamb collected his first career professional point. Lamb fired a shot on Black from the left-wing wall that the netminder denied, but the rebound came right to Carey Terrance. The rookie potted the backhand bid to make it 5-2, cementing two key points.
