Wolf Pack earn point in gutsy 2-1 overtime loss to Checkers

Blade Jenkins lit the lamp for the first time as a member of the Hartford Wolf Pack on Wednesday night, notching his eleventh career goal 4:36 into the third period. The goal earned the Wolf Pack a point, but would not be enough as the Charlotte Checkers took a 2-1 overtime decision at the XL Center.

Mackie Samoskevich potted the game-winning goal 3:48 into the overtime frame, the second overtime goal of his rookie season. Justin Sourdif was denied by the glove of Louis Domingue seconds before the game-winner was potted. A rebound was eventually corralled by Sourdif, who left the puck for Samoskevich. The rookie forward pushed to the goal and beat Domingue to the short side for his 14^th marker of the season.

Hartford’s top line applied pressure right out of the gate, pinning the Checkers in their zone for nearly two minutes. An early delay of game penalty by Michael Benning gave the Pack their first powerplay at 2:41. A composed kill from the Checkersput some ice on the early Wolf Pack burner.

The Checkers killed off a second Wolf Pack powerplay several minutes later, shifting the momentum to the visitors. The Checkers earned several solid chances following their second penalty kill, even getting a powerplay of their own late in the period. Domingue held strong, however, making 13 saves to keep the game 0-0 through 20 minutes.

Adam Sýkora earned a chance in the opening seconds of the middle stanza but was denied by Spencer Knight. TheCheckers applied the pressure early on in period two, as Domingue turned away a slew of good looks.

The Checkers finally broke the ice at 4:19 as Samoskevich snuck a stealthy pass to a cutting Matt Kiersted who netted his fourth of the season to make it 1-0 Checkers. Kiersted snuck in behind the Wolf Pack’s defense and had a clear lane for his first goal since February 10^th.

The teams traded chances in the final minutes of the middle stanza, but Hartford entered the second intermission still looking for their first goal. Sýkora had a strong second period, registering three shots.

The third period saw a back-and-forth pace in the first few minutes. Keppen helped the Wolf Pack get on the board when he initiated a two-on-one between Blake Hillman and Jenkins. Hillman waited out a sliding Kiersted before feeding Jenkins at the back door, where he buried his first as a member of the Wolf Pack to tie the game 1-1 at 4:36.

Each side had a crack at the powerplay to take the lead in the third period, but neither was able to do so, necessitating extra hockey for the first time in the season series.

Samoskevich’s overtime winner was the dagger in his home state and secured a two-point evening (1 g, 1 a) in his second visit to the XL Center. The 2-1 victory for the Checkers gives them a nine-game point streak in the Connecticut capital (8-0-1-0).

The Pack is back at the XL Center this Friday to play host to the Laval Rocket. The puck drop is slated for 7:00 p.m. Tickets are available at www.hartfordwolfpack.com.

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