Pinho Pushes Checkers Past Wolf Pack

Brian Pinho scored in the final half-minute of overtime as the Charlotte Checkers (38-21-5-0) defeated the Hartford Wolf Pack (24-32-5-2) by a score of 2-1 on Saturday night at PeoplesBank Arena

Pinho lit the lamp with a shorthanded tally at 8:17 of the first period, notching his 13th goal of the season to give Charlotte a 1-0 lead. MacKenzie Entwistle assisted on Pinho’s ice-breaker. Bryce McConnell-Barker evened things up at 10:58 on a Hartford power play.

Neither team scored in the next two periods of regulation, despite significant chances from both clubs. Goaltenders Cooper Black and Callum Tung traded splendid stops, sending the game to 3-on-3 overtime.

Pinho delivered the game-winning goal 4:41 into the extra session, ripping a shot from the right circle inside the left post. Pinho’s second goal of the game was his 14th of the season, giving the Checkers the extra point. Robert Mastrosimone logged the lone assist.

Black recorded his 24th victory of the season with a 25-save effort.

The Checkers will wrap up their season series with the Wolf Pack on Sunday afternoon. Coverage of the game can be found on FloHockey and Mixlr.

NOTES

Pinho has seven points in his last four appearances … Entwistle fought Wolf Pack forward Dylan Roobroeck at 10:20 of the first period … Charlotte went 0-for-5 on the power play and 5-for-6 on the penalty kill … the Checkers are 3-4 against Hartford this season … Charlotte is 6-5 in overtime in 2025-26 … Ludvig Jansson, Eamon Powell, Colton Huard, Gracyn Sawchyn and Wilmer Skoog were scratched for Charlotte … forward Jack Studnicka was recalled by the Florida Panthers on Saturday … goaltender Kirill Gerasimyuk was assigned to the ECHL’s Savannah Ghost Pirates by the Panthers on Saturday. ssigned by the Panthers to the ECHL’s Savannah Ghost Pirates on Saturday.