FROM THE CREASE with BRUCE BERLET 

By Bruce Berlet

With veterans such as Wade Redden, Kris Newbury, Brodie Dupont and All-Star Jeremy Williams in the Connecticut Whale locker room, one might not think there’s much room for others to make an imprint on the team.

But defenseman Jared Nightingale has put a major dent in that theory. Whether it’s being part of the Whale’s No. 1 defensive pairing with Redden, sticking up for teammates at the drop of a puck, coordinating countless team functions or being constantly involved in community relations, Nightingale has put his stamp on the organization on and off the ice.

Coaches Ken Gernander, J.J. Daigneault and Pat Boller thought so much of Nightingale that when Tim Kennedy was traded on Feb. 26, the rugged defenseman replaced the crafty center as one of the Whale’s three alternate captains, serving with Redden and Newbury.

“I like his leadership quality and how he approaches the game,” Gernander said after practice Tuesday at the XL Center in Hartford. “He’s been a pretty good soldier for us and takes it upon himself to do a lot of things.”

So it’s no surprise that Whale officials chose Nightingale to succeed Dupont as the team’s IOA/American Specialty AHL Man of the Year for outstanding contributions to local community and charitable organizations. He is now one of 30 finalists for the Yanick Dupre Memorial Award honoring the overall AHL Man of the Year, to be selected by IOA/American Specialty and AHL officials. The league award is named after the former Hershey Bears forward who died in 1997 at 24 following a 16-month battle with leukemia. Dupre, an AHL All-Star in 1995, had 169 points in 207 AHL games and played in 35 NHL games with the Philadelphia Flyers. The AHL award will be announced Wednesday.

Nightingale said he learned of his selection from a friend who sent congratulations via a text message after seeing the announcement on the Whale website, www.ctwhale.com.

“It’s a great honor and speaks highly because we have a lot of guys deserving of it,” said Nightingale, 28, who is completing his third season in Hartford after starting his pro career with the Springfield Falcons in 2006 out of Michigan State. “It wasn’t just me going out in the community. I think everybody at one time or another this season got out to a children’s hospital or elementary schools. It’s really a collective effort, from the players to the front office and the people behind the scenes.”

The increased community involvement started with Whalers Sports and Entertainment chairman and CEO Howard Baldwin, who encouraged player commitment to fans off the ice while owner and managing general partner of the Hartford Whalers.

“I don’t think what we did the last few years was even close to what we did this season,” Nightingale said. “One of Mr. Baldwin’s priorities was to get out in the community and give back, and that’s exactly what we’ve done.”

The players’ increased commitment has been spearheaded by Frank Berrian, the team’s community relations coordinator.

“Jared is an outstanding member of the Connecticut Whale community,” Berrian said. “He is always the first one to volunteer for an appearance and even takes it upon himself to make appearances at local hospitals. Personally, Jared is a ‘go out of his way’ kind of guy. If I need anything, he is always a phone call away. I not only consider him a colleague but a friend. Wherever Jared goes, he not only makes fans but he also makes friends.”

Nightingale has indeed been tireless in his enthusiasm for community outreach. Berrian said Nightingale consistently is the first to offer his time to charitable, school or hospital appearances that are scheduled and has frequently initiated his own. He has forged strong relationships with area hospitals, especially the Connecticut Children’s Medical Center in Hartford and Gaylord Rehabilitation Hospital in Wallingford, which is the beneficiary of the Whale’s annual “Tip a Player Dinner and Sports Carnival.”

“I’ve learned from guys who have been here in the past and looked up to,” Nightingale said. “I didn’t always give as much of myself as I should have. Going into this season, I didn’t know how much more I’d be playing, so I wanted to use the platform that I have and the time that I have wisely and as much as I can to get out and help in any way possible.

“I remember growing up and going to college hockey games an hour away at Lake Superior State (in Michigan) in their glory years and it meant a lot when those guys came out and acknowledged you and talked to you. It was kind of the highlight of our season, and I remember really looking up to them and seeing how they handled themselves, so I know how important that is.”

Nightingale has made a significant impression on many students and faculty members during numerous school visits. He and Whale forward Kelsey Tessier earned plaudits from Judy Fitzgerald, a first-grade teacher at Naubuc School in Glastonbury, where the two made a surprise appearance for about 80 first graders in March.

“I was very impressed with the players,” Fitzgerald said. “I thought they related well to the children. I even asked Jared if he ever thought about being a teacher because he did such a good job with the children. He mentioned his mother is a teacher and had considered being a teacher.”

Nightingale has made a special impression on 6-year-old Ryan Bell, who has followed the Hartford Wolf Pack/Whale for several years and was one of the first-graders surprised by Nightingale and Tessier.

“Jared is my favorite players because he’s always so nice when he sees me,” Ryan said. “He takes time to talk to me, and it was great when he surprised me and my friends at school. I wish there was hockey in the summer because I don’t want the games to end.”

Other Man of the Year nominees included Bridgeport Sound Tigers forward Tony Romano and former Wolf Pack defenseman Jake Taylor (Oklahoma City).

ZUCCARELLO KNOWS HOW HUSKIES FEEL

Whale rookie wing Mats Zuccarello can relate to the University of Connecticut men’s basketball team. Not as far as winning a national championship as the Huskies did Monday night, but he knows all about playing four games in four days, which was a game and a day shy of what they did in capturing the Big East tournament to start their four-week title drive.

But Zuccarello went the Huskies a few better on several fronts. He played four games in four days in four different cities. After being scratched from the parent New York Rangers’ 1-0 loss at Buffalo on Wednesday night, he played in a 6-2 loss to the New York Islanders in Uniondale, N.Y., on Thursday night. After the Islanders loss, Zuccarello was reassigned to the Whale and played in a 3-2 loss at Providence on Friday night, a 6-2 loss at Springfield on Saturday night and a 4-2 victory over Portland at the XL Center on Sunday afternoon.

That was actually four games in about 72 hours, so it was borderline amazing that Zuccarello had two assists, hit the post and crossbar and was named the No. 2 star in Sunday’s game, giving him four assists in three games while helping the power play. So no one enjoyed the Whale’s off day Monday more than the 5-foot-7, 174-pounder known as “The Norwegian Hobbit.”

“I was pretty tired (Tuesday),” Zuccarello said in a declaration that was totally understandable. “Three (games) in three (days) is the only thing I’ve played.”

Zuccarello said he wasn’t surprised or upset about being sent down after getting six goals, 16 assists, including a team-high nine on the power play, and five shootout goals, including three winners, in 41 games on Broadway.

“It’s no problem,” Zuccarello siad. “I’m getting the ice time that you need to do well instead of being up there playing seven minutes (a game). That doesn’t do anything for me. Of course you want to stay up there, but like I told (coach John Tortorella), I know I’m good enough to play up there. But they have all their key guys back, and they need their minutes, but that’s how this game is. Instead of playing seven minutes it’s better that I play close to 20 minutes, the important minutes, and get my groove back. That’s how you get better, and hopefully I can be back there one day.”

That could be sooner than later, as not long after practice ended, the Rangers announced former Wolf Pack right wing Ryan Callahan, whose gritty style epitomizes the Black-and-Blueshirts’ never-say-die attitude this season, would be sidelined indefinitely after he sustained a fracture in his right leg in the third period of a come-from-behind 5-3 victory over the Boston Bruins on Monday night. Callahan has career highs in goals (23), assists (25), points (48), power-play goals (10) and game-winning goals (five) despite missing 20 of the Rangers’ 80 games. He leads the team in power-play and game-winning goals and is second in goals, points, power-play points (15) and hits (224). He missed 19 games from Dec. 16 to Jan. 25 with a broken hand sustained in a Dec. 15 game at Pittsburgh. Since returning Feb. 1, he leads the Rangers in scoring with 13 goals and 11 assists in 27 games.

Zuccarello won’t be headed back to the Rangers for now as Tortorella told the New York media that he was moving former Wolf Pack defenseman Matt Gilroy to right wing so Zuccarello could stay with the Whale and continue to get the needed ice time. The Whale got more good news when center Kris Newbury, the team’s leading scorer (16 goals, 42 assists in 58 games) was reassigned to Hartford after being called up as a precaution in case any of several players that Tortorella said had “dings” couldn’t play Monday night. They all played, so Newbury watched and then headed back to the Whale.

Gernander said little changed since Zuccarello was called up Dec. 23 to replace injured Marian Gaborik after getting 13 goals, second among AHL rookies at the time, and 11 assists in 32 games with the Whale. He had 11 goals and 12 assists in the 21 games before his call-up.

“He’s a tenacious guy, and he has to be at that size and is one of his strengths,” Gernander said. “Sometimes you can use your little bit shorter stature to your advantage to get in underneath guys where you can get position with your leverage. That’s the way he’s got to play.”

What about Zuccarello playing four games in less than four days?

“Not too shabby,” Gernander said.

While Zuccarello might be leaving, injured forwards John Mitchell, Chad Kolarik and Francis Lemieux and defenseman Michael Del Zotto have resumed practicing with the team. But they are in various stages of recovery, and their status for the final three regular season games this weekend varies from questionable to out. Center Todd White (concussion) and left wing Devin DiDiomete (hip) are out for the remainder of the season.

WHALE ENDS AGAINST STREAKING SOUND TIGERS, HOPEFUL ADMIRALS

The Whale finishes the regular season with a home-and-home with the Sound Tigers and a home game against the Norfolk Admirals. The Whale is at the Webster Bank Arena at Harbor Yard in Bridgeport on Friday night and then hosts the Sound Tigers on Saturday night.

The Whale is 5-2-0-1 against the Sound Tigers and needs one point to clinch the GEICO Connecticut Cup. The Sound Tigers (28-38-4-7) are last in the Atlantic Division but on a 6-2-1 run that includes a 5-1 victory over the Whale at the XL Center on March 26 and 6-2 win over the Springfield Falcons on Tuesday as All-AHL rookie forward Rhett Rakhshani scored a hat trick and veteran center Jeremy Colliton had four assists.

Rakhshani leads all rookies in scoring with 24 goals and 38 assists and has been the major mainstay for the Sound Tigers, who, like the Whale, have spent much of the season shorthanded because of injuries and call-ups to the parent Islanders. Rakhshani and Rob Hisey (14, 31) are the Sound Tigers’ leading scorers for the season and against the Whale with six points each. Rookie David Ullstrom (16, 24) and Colliton (16, 26) are their other major threats. Mikko Koskinen (11-20-1, 3.52 goals-against average, .888 save percentage) and Nathan Lawson (5-5-4, 2.89, .913) are among six goalies to play in Bridgeport this season.

There will be an auction and sale before Saturday’s game, starting at 5 p.m. in the XL Center atrium. Harvest-Properties.com Whale Bowl game-used Hartford Whalers and Boston Bruins jerseys will be up for bid, and Whale-used sticks and equipment will be for sale. And 3,000 fans will receive a free Whale travel mug courtesy of the Connecticut Department of Transportation.

The Admirals (38-24-8-7) scored three power-play goals in a 5-2 victory over Charlotte on Monday night that ended a four-game losing streak in the start of a five-game road trip to end the season. The recent slide had dropped the Admirals into a tie for fourth with Binghamton in the battle for the final guaranteed playoff spot in the East Division, but they’re now only one point from clinching a postseason berth and within three points of the second-place Checkers with a game in hand. They can earn a playoff spot Wednesday night when they visit Binghamton, which is two points ahead of the Whale in the battle for the crossover playoff berth.

The Admirals have won two of three meetings with the Whale, who took the last game 3-2 at Norfolk on Jan. 8. Marc-Antoine Pouliot (23, 46) had three assists Monday and is the Admirals’ runaway leader on offense, followed by Blair Jones (23, 28), who had two goals and an assist against the Checkers, Johan Harju (21, 27), Paul Szczechura (19, 29), James Wright (16, 30) and Matt Fornataro (17, 25). Cedrick Desjardins (15-6-1, 2.59, .905) has the two wins against the Whale, allowing only three goals for a 1.50 GAA with a .941 save percentage, but is on recall to the parent Tampa Bay Lightning. Jaroslav Janus (1-3-1, 4.06, .853) made 24 saves for his first victory of the season Monday while sharing the goaltending with Dustin Tokarski (21-19-4, 2.60, .903) and Pat Nagle, who hasn’t played an AHL game since signing a free-agent, two-year entry-level contract with the Lightning on March 22 after having an 18-14-5 record with 2.02 GAA, .923 save percentage and three shutouts in his senior year at Ferris State.

The first 3,000 fans will receive a free Whale T-shirt courtesy of the Connecticut DOT, and all fans will have a chance to win a player’s jersey in the annual “Shirts Off Our Backs” promotion. The Whale’s season awards will be presented after the game.

GRUMET-MORRIS, LEMIEUX ON ECHL SECOND ALL-STAR TEAM

Despite each being with the Whale for more than a month, Whale goalie Dov Grumet-Morris and center Francis Lemieux were named to the ECHL All-Star second team.

Grumet-Morris was 15-8-1 with a 2.32 GAA, third in the ECHL, .922 save percentage, second in the league, and three shutouts in 18 games with the Greenville Road Warriors before being called up by the Whale for a second and final time on Feb. 4. He was only the third goalie in ECHL history to be named Goalie of the Week in consecutive weeks (Dec. 5 and 12) and was Goalie of the Month in December with a 9-2-1 record. He is 11-4-1-1 with a 2.05 GAA, .924 save percentage and one shutout in 20 games with the Whale.

“Personal accolades don’t mean much to me right now,” Grumet-Morris said, “but I definitely take it as an honor that the coaches and players thought enough of what I did in about two months to name me to a slot. I don’t think people realize how many good goalies there are in the ECHL. James Reimer starting for the Toronto Maple Leafs now started in the Coast League.”

Lemieux was the ECHL’s leading scorer with 28 goals and 45 assists in 56 games with the Florida Everblades when called up by the Whale for a second time and then signed to an AHL contract Feb. 21. He had two assists in 17 games with the Whale before being injured last week.

Greenville defenseman Wes Cunningham was a first-team selection and wing Brendan Connolly, who was in Wolf Pack/Whale training camp, shared the Reebok Plus Performer of the Year award with Kalamazoo’s Trent Daavettilla at plus-28 as the Road Warriors (46-22-4) won the Eastern Conference title in their inaugural season.

The affiliate of the Rangers and Philadelphia Flyers start a best-of-five, first-round series Tuesday and Wednesday at Elmira and then play the final three games in South Carolina on Friday, Saturday and Monday, if the last two games are necessary. The Road Warriors should be helped by the addition of speedy rookie wing Chris McKelvie, reassigned by the Whale on Monday after missing 31 games since Jan. 22 because of surgery to repair a cut on his foot. McKelvie had one goal and two assists and was plus-3 in 17 games with the Whale after getting three goals and three assists in 16 ECHL games.

Elmira’s roster includes former Whale forwards Oren Eizenman and Tyler Donati and former Wolf Pack forward Ryan Hillier, a third-round pick of the Rangers in 2006 who was traded to Anaheim with Aaron Voros for Steve Eminger on July 9, 2010. Donati’s twin brother, Justin, led the ECHL in scoring with 27 goals and 67 assists in 63 games after finishing second last season to Tyler, the league MVP who is sidelined with a shoulder injury.

FORMER WOLF PACK PLAYERS RECOGNIZED

Congratulations to three former Wolf Pack forwards on being named to the AHL All-Star teams.

Binghamton center Corey Locke and Oklahoma City Barons left wing Alexandre Giroux, the league’s top two scorers with 86 and 74 points, were named to the first team. Hamilton Bulldogs left wing Nigel Dawes, who leads the league with 40 goals in only 63 games, was on the second team. Dawes has 13 goals and eight assists in 16 games since joining the Bulldogs after being acquired from the Atlanta Thrashers on Feb. 24. Last week, he had six goals, including his third hat trick of the season, and three assists and was plus-7 in four games.

Other AHL award winners announced so far are Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s Brad Thiessen, Aldege “Baz” Bastien Award (outstanding goaltender, 34-7-1, 1.93 GAA, .922 save percentage, seven shutouts in 44 games), Portland’s Marc-Andre Gragnani, Eddie Shore Award (outstanding defenseman, 12 goals, 48 assists, plus-22 in 63 games) and Oklahoma City defenseman Bryan Helmer, Fred T. Hunt Memorial Award (sportsmanship, determination and dedication to hockey). Gernander (1996, 2004), former Hartford Whalers center Glenn Merkosky (1987, 1991) and Murray Eaves (1989-90) are the only two-time Hunt winners. Rakhshani was among six players on the all-rookie team. Other winners to be announced are the Dupre Memorial Award and Louis A.R. Pieri Award (outstanding coach) on Wednesday, Dudley “Red” Garrett Award (outstanding rookie) on Thursday and Les Cunningham Award (MVP) on Friday. … Though not named to an all-league team, Wethersfield native Colin McDonald of Oklahoma City is having the season of his life. The son of former Whalers defenseman Gerry McDonald has 36 goals, which is triple his previous high of 12 in any of his previous three pro seasons. In fact, he had a total of 34 goals as a pro in that span but now ranks second in the AHL to Dawes. … Providence Bruins center Trent Whitfield (12 goals, 10 assists, league-best 22 points in 13 games), Syracuse Crunch right wing Kyle Palmieri (12 goals, including five winners, three assists and plus-8 in 13 games) and Manchester Monarchs goalie Jeff Zatkoff (5-3-1, 1.55 GAA, .949 save percentage, two shutouts in nine games) were named the Reebok/AHL player, rookie and goaltender of the month for March. Player of the Month nominees also included Dawes, Whale defenseman Pavel Valentenko and South Windsor native Jon DiSalvatore (Houston Aeros). Grumet-Morris and Whale defenseman Blake Parlett were among the goalie and rookie nominees. … Former Wolf Pack wing Chad Wiseman of the Albany Devils was named winner of the reGen Muscle Recovery Beverage/AHL Performance of the Month award for March. With his team trailing the Sound Tigers by three goals on March 9, Wiseman scored four times in the final 9:25, tying an AHL record for goals in a period and lifting the Devils to an improbable 5-4 victory. Wiseman has 15 goals and 26 assists in 44 games this season. … Oklahoma City goalie Jeff Drouin-Desleuriers was named Reebok/AHL Player of the Week for getting two shutouts with 55 saves in 7-0 and 2-0 victories over Rockford and Texas. The Whale nominated Zuccarello, and other nominees included Dawes, Rakhshani, former Wolf Pack forward Jeff Taffe (Rockford) and Avon native and former Farmington High/Avon Old Farms/Boston University standout center Nick Bonino (Syracuse).

MONTOYA GETS MUCH-DESERVED SHOT IN NHL

Congratulations to former Wolf Pack goalie Al Montoya on his one-year contract extension from the New York Islanders last week. The 26-year-old Montoya has had a roller-coaster career since being the Rangers’ first-round pick (sixth overall) in 2004. It started in Hartford and continued through never playing in New York and rarely in Phoenix before being traded to the Islanders on Feb. 9 for a sixth-round pick in June. He played 197 games with the Wolf Pack and San Antonio Rampage, compiling a 96-72-7 record with nine shutouts, and only five NHL games with the Coyotes before a series of injuries on Long Island gave Montoya his first legitimate shot in the NHL. He has responded with a 9-5-4 record, 2.37 GAA, .921 save percentage and one shutout with one of the NHL’s worst teams. One of his wins was his first over the Rangers on March 31, when he made 25 saves in a 6-2 victory in which Henrik Lundqvist was pulled for Chad Johnson, making his first appearance since being called up from the Whale on March 2. It was a bounce back for Montoya, who was shaky in a 6-3 loss to the Rangers on March 15. Kudos to Montoya, for his perseverance. … Nice to hear former New Canaan High and Taft-Watertown standout forward Max Pacioretty took a light skate Friday for the first time since the Montreal Canadiens speedster sustained a severe concussion and broken vertebrae in his neck when checked into a stanchion by Boston Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara on March 8. Pacioretty skated about 20 minutes in the start of what he hopes will be a successful return to hockey’s highest level. “It is part of the protocol, it’s the beginning of his rehabilitation,” Canadiens coach Jacques Martin said. Before his injury, Pacioretty was having a breakout season with 14 goals and 10 assists in 37 games with the Canadiens after getting 17 goals and 15 assists in 27 games with Hamilton.