anny O’Regan scored twice, and Vinni Lettieri had a goal and three assists, Friday night at the XL Center, as the Wolf Pack defeated the Charlotte Checkers by a score of 6-3.
The win extended a Wolf Pack win streak to six games, the team’s longest of the season. Charlotte had won six in a row coming into the game.
Tim Gettinger had a goal and two assists for Hartford, and Boo Nieves, who centers a line with Gettinger and Lettieri, added a goal and an assist.
“That line has been really good for us,” said Wolf Pack head coach Kris Knoblauch. “They’re our shutdown guys. Good defense is good offense, and that’s exactly what they’ve been able to do.”
The Wolf Pack and Checkers combined for six goals in the first period of Friday night’s contest, including the first five of the game in a span of 3:47.
After Clark Bishop gave Charlotte the game’s first lead at 2:55, Lettieri responded only 27 seconds later, at 3:22. Defenseman Vincent LoVerde sent a beautiful cross ice pass to Lettieri that he would put home past Checker goaltender Anton Forsberg.
Julien Gauthier put Charlotte up 2-1 at 5:29, but it took the Wolf Pack only 1:03 to respond, with O’Regan scoring his first of the game at 6:32.
It only took 10 seconds after that for the Wolf Pack to take their first lead of the game, as Darren Raddysh led a strong odd-man rush into the offensive zone and found a wide-open Matt Beleskey in the high slot. As he was falling to the ice, Beleskey ripped the puck into the net at 6:42.
Then it was the Checkers’ turn to come back, as they capitalized on the game’s first power play at 10:49, on a goal by Morgan Geekie.
The only goal of the second period turned out to be the eventual game-winner, a power-play strike by O’Regan for his second of the game at 4:23.
“Danny was rewarded for his hard work,” commented Knoblauch. “He’s been very important to us. His contributions have been outstanding, and he deserves those goals.”
Gettinger doubled the lead 3:43 into the third period, after splitting the Charlotte defensemen and chipping the puck past Forsberg. Gettinger then set up Nieves for the goal that completed the scoring at 14:23.
“[Gettinger’s] been awesome,” said Nieves. “He uses his size and speed, and he’s been doing everything. Excited to see what he grows into.”
“They’re great players, they’re fun to play with,” said Gettinger of his linemates.
“[Gettinger] is a guy that wants to win, and he’s done it all year,” Knoblauch said. “Some nights he’s our best forward. He’s been a team guy, and it’s nice to see him get rewarded” said Knoblauch.
“I take pride defensively, but a lot of guys were blocking shots, it’s fun to watch,” noted Gettinger.
By Bryce Grundy
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