Wolf Pack Break Hearts, Beat Checkers 3-2

The Hartford Wolf Pack kicked off the post-All-Star break portion of the schedule on Saturday evening. The team played the first game of a two-game weekend series in Charlotte against the Checkers.

The Wolf Pack played the role of heartbreaker in this Valentine's Day battle. They struck three times in the opening frame and staved off a late push from Charlotte to earn a 3-2 win in the first game of the second half of the season.

Just Trickled In

For the eighth straight game, the Wolf Pack conceded the first goal of the contest. Jack Studnicka tipped a shot from Michael Benning that Dylan Garand had no chance on to give the home side the game's first lead.

However, the Wolf Pack stuck with their game, and the hard work paid off. Jaroslav Chmelař chipped a puck out of the Hartford zone, allowing Justin Dowling to collect it at neutral ice. Dowling sped into Charlotte's territory on an odd-man rush with Brett Berard. Dowling elected to shoot, and Cooper Black made the initial stop. However, the puck trickled through the Charlotte netminder and into the net to tie the contest at one.

The goal was Dowling's ninth of the season, and it gave the Wolf Pack momentum throughout the remainder of the frame.

Briss is Why He's an All-Star

The Wolf Pack took their first lead of the night just under the 14 minute mark of the opening frame. Derrick Pouliot settled the puck behind his own net before sending a pass to Chmelař to start the rush. Chmelař sped through neutral ice and gained the zone before leaving the puck behind for Brendan Brisson. The Wolf Pack's 2026 AHL All-Star worked to the slot and ripped a shot by Black to put Hartford in front.

The goal was Brisson's 13th of the campaign. Chmelař's assist gave him two helpers in the opening frame.

Chmelař in a Flash

The Wolf Pack doubled their lead in the final minutes of the first period. Pouliot took a feed from Dowling and fired a shot from the point. The shot clipped Chmelař in the slot and went tumbling by Black to put Hartford up by two.

The goal was Chmelař's eighth of the season, and it gave him his second three-point game of the campaign. Chmelař previously recorded three points (1 G, 2 A) in a 4-3 Wolf Pack win against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on January 16th. With the assists, Pouliot and Dowling also earned their second points of the contest.

The Wolf Pack would take the 3-1 lead into the first intermission.

The Checkers would cut the lead back to one in the middle frame. With Kalle Väisänen in the box serving a roughing minor against Casey Fitzgerald, Noah Gregor drew the home side back within one. After a wild bounce, Gregor batted a high puck into the Hartford net. The Wolf Pack protested for a high stick, but no review came, and the goal stood to make it a 3-2 game.

Both teams got power play bids through the remainder of the frame, but Garand and Black stood tall from there, sending the game into the second intermission with the score remaining 3-2 in favor of the Wolf Pack.

The Checkers pushed in the final frame, doubling the Wolf Pack in shots on goal 12-6. However, Garand was a wall in net, denying Charlotte on all 12 attempts at the equalizer. Eventually, the Checkers ran out of time, and the Wolf Pack hung on for the 3-2 win, snapping their six-game losing streak.

Up Next

The Wolf Pack and Checkers will face off again in the Queen City tomorrow afternoon. Puck drop is set for 4 pm.

The Wolf Pack will return to Hartford on Friday, February 20th, welcoming the Utica Comets to town for the only time this season. Puck drop is set for 7 pm.