A late mistake turned a tight road game into a frustrating finish for the Hartford Wolf Pack.
Charlotte slipped past Hartford 2-1 on Friday night in the first of two meetings between the Atlantic Division rivals this weekend, using a shorthanded goal late in the third period to decide a contest that stayed close from start to finish.
The Wolf Pack got strong goaltending early. Callum Tung turned aside 17 shots in the opening period, while Kirill Gerasimyuk stopped 11 at the other end to keep the game scoreless after 20 minutes.
Charlotte broke through just over a minute into the second period when Donovan Sebrango floated a shot from the right circle that got past Tung and gave the Checkers a 1-0 lead.
Hartford answered before the halfway point of the period. Brody Lamb forced the puck to Bryce McConnell-Barker, and the two broke in on a two-on-one rush into the Charlotte zone. McConnell-Barker held his shot until a sliding defender committed, then ripped it past Gerasimyuk to even things at 1-1.
It was McConnell-Barker’s first goal of the season. Lamb and Dylan Roobroeck each picked up their first assists of the campaign, and the teams went to the second intermission deadlocked.
The third period opened with some edge, including a fight between Justin Nachbaur and Marek Alscher. It was Nachbaur’s third fight as a member of the Wolf Pack.
Hartford seemed to have a chance to swing the game late when Cole Reinhardt was called for goaltender interference, putting the Wolf Pack on the power play. But the opportunity flipped fast.
A turnover on the man advantage opened the door for Hunter St. Martin, who finished a shorthanded odd-man rush to put Charlotte ahead for good.
Hartford pressed in the closing moments, but the Checkers held on for the 2-1 win.
The two teams meet again tomorrow in Charlotte, with puck drop set for 6 pm.
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