SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — The Wolf Pack overcame a deficit four times on Saturday evening, completing a comeback over the Springfield Thunderbirds in the third period. The victory was the fourth in a row for Hartford.
Brennan Othmann put the Wolf Pack ahead for the first time when he scored his 21st goal of the season 12:04 into the third period. The goal was his second of the game and his fourth game-winner of the season, according to a release from the team.
Next up is the Calder Cup Playoffs, as the Wolf Pack will travel to North Carolina to take on the Charlotte Checkers, the American Hockey League affiliate of the National Hockey League’s Florida Panthers. The Wolf Pack are an AHL affiliate of the NHL’s New York Rangers.
The Wolf Pack and Checkers will battle in a best-of-three matchup in the Atlantic Division First Round series. All three games will occur in Charlotte because of the distance between the teams and the Checkers’ home ice advantage.
Game 1 is Thursday, April 25 at 7 p.m. in the Bojangles Coliseum. Game 2 is on Saturday, April 27 at 4 p.m., and Game 3, if necessary, will take place on Sunday, April 28.
The Wolf Pack will finish fifth in the Atlantic Division. Their current record is 34-27-7-3. The team wraps up its regular season on Sunday with a game against the Providence Bruins in Rhode Island.
The Checkers will finish fourth in the Atlantic Division. Their current record is 39-25-7-0. The team finishes regular season play on Sunday against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.
This marks the first time that Hartford and Charlotte will face off in the Calder Cup Playoffs. The teams have played 48 times in the regular season since the Checkers joined the league in 2010. Charlotte was 7-1 against Hartford this season. The Wolf Pack’s lone win against the Checkers came in the last meeting between the two teams on April 14.
While the series will occur in Charlotte, Wolf Pack fans can still support their team at the XL Center during Game 1, as a watch party will occur at the arena’s Sports Bar. The party will begin at 6:30 p.m., a half hour before the puck drops at center ice.
For more information about Wolf Pack playoff ticket strips, and to stay up-to-date on the playoffs, one can visit the Wolf Pack’s website.
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Dalton Zbierski is a digital content producer at FOX61 News. He can be reached at dzbierski@FOX61.com.
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