WOLF PACK WEEKLY: February 23 – March 1, 2009

The Wolf Pack (30-23-2-3, 65 pts.) won three out of four games in a busy week last week, and have equaled their longest winning streak of the year with three consecutive triumphs.  The Bridgeport Sound Tigers knocked off the Pack 1-0 on Wednesday in GEICO Connecticut Cup competition, the Wolf Pack’s first loss in four home games vs. Bridgeport this year.  The Pack rebounded in Lowell on Friday, posting a 5-2 win over a Devil team against whom they had been 0-3-0-1 in four previous meetings.  Saturday at home vs. Portland the Pack prevailed over the Pirates, 2-1 in overtime, and Brodie Dupont’s goal with 5.2 seconds left in Sunday’s visit to Manchester gave the Wolf Pack a 3-2 win over the Monarchs.  Matt Zaba was in net for all four of the week’s games, and allowed a total of only six goals on 125 shots (1.49 goals-against average, 95.2% save percentage).

This week:

The Wolf Pack play three games in four nights, leading up to their annual “Tip-a-Player” Dinner and Sports Carnival Sunday.  The Pack make their one-and-only visit to Wilkes-Barre, PA Wednesday to take on the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in a 7:05 game, before returning home Friday to battle Manchester on Guida’s Family Value Night at the XL Center (7:00).  Saturday sees the Wolf Pack travel to Portland to meet the Pirates at 7:00.

Wednesday, February 25^th at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (Wachovia Arena at Casey Plaza), 7:05 p.m.

· After a 4-1 defeat at the hands of the Wolf Pack January 24^th at the XL Center, the Penguins ripped off a nine-game winning streak.  The run ended in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s last game, a 4-1 loss Saturday night in Hamilton.

· The Penguins have won two out of three games since Head Coach Dan Bylsma was promoted to parent-club Pittsburgh February 15^th to replace Michel Therrien behind the big club’s bench.  Bylsma’s assistant, Todd Reirden, took over the head job with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

· At 36-17-1-2 for 75 points, the Penguins stand second in the East Division race, three points behind first-place Hershey and two points up on third-place Bridgeport.

· Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s leading scorer, and former Wolf Pack, Jeff Taffe, is tied for seventh in the AHL in points with 19-37-56 in 51 games.  Chris Minard, tied for second in the league in goals with 28, has been on recall to Pittsburgh since January 26^th.

· Radio – live with Bob Crawford in HD on WTIC’s 96.5 HD 2 and on-line at www.hartfordwolfpack.com and www.wtic.com.

Friday, February 27^th vs. Manchester at the XL Center, 7:00 p.m.

· Being a Friday night, this is a Guida’s Family Value Night.  Family Value packages start at $39 and include three tickets, three hot dogs or pizza slices, three sodas and a Wolf Pack souvenir.  To order your Family Value Night pack, visit the XL Center box office, or go on-line to www.hartfordwolfpack.com.

· Sunday’s 3-2 loss to the Wolf Pack was only the second defeat in the last seven games for the Monarchs, and just their third in the last 10.  Manchester is right at .500, 26-26-0-5 for 57 points, and in sixth place in the Atlantic Division, three points out of a playoff spot and eight points behind the Wolf Pack.

· Swedish rookie Oscar Moller scored his first AHL goal in four games Sunday against the Wolf Pack.  Moller has spent most of this season in the NHL with Manchester’s parent club, the Los Angeles Kings, notching 6-7-13 in 31 games.

· The Wolf Pack are now 4-1-0-0 in five games on the year against the Monarchs, but Manchester prevailed in its last visit to the XL Center, scoring a 6-3 victory over the Pack February 4^th.

· Radio – live with Bob Crawford in HD on WTIC’s 96.5 HD 2 and on-line at www.hartfordwolfpack.com and www.wtic.com.

Saturday, February 28^th at Portland (Cumberland County Civic Center), 7:00 p.m.

· The Pirates are winless in their last four games (0-3-1-0), allowing the Wolf Pack to jump ahead of them and into second place in the Atlantic.  With a 28-23-2-5 record for 63 points, Portland trails the Pack by two points entering the week.

· First-year goaltender Jhonas Enroth was named Second Star of the Pirates’ 2-1 overtime loss to the Wolf Pack Saturday in Hartford, after making 43 saves in a game in which the Pack outshot Portland 45-18.

· The Wolf Pack are 4-1-0-0 in this year’s season series vs. the Pirates, and the Pack have won both of their two previous trips to Portland, by a combined margin of 9-3.

· Radio – live with Bob Crawford in HD on WTIC’s 96.5 HD 2 and on-line at www.hartfordwolfpack.com and www.wtic.com.

Sunday, March 1^st – Annual Wolf Pack “Tip-a-Player” Dinner and Sports Carnival at the XL Center, 4:00 – 7:00 p.m.

The Hartford Wolf Pack Community Foundation’s annual “Tip-a-Player” Dinner and Sports Carnival benefits Gaylord Hospital and features great food, donated by Hartford-area restaurants and served by the Wolf Pack players.  Players compete to earn tips in "pucks bucks" for their service and for entertaining guests.  The Sports Carnival, set up in the XL Center’s Exhibition Hall area, consists of a host of awesome inflatables to bounce and flip around on, plus all kinds of other games and hockey-themed fun.  The event takes place on the floor of the XL Center from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m., and ticket information is available on the Wolf Pack’s official website, www.hartfordwolfpack.com.

Recent Transactions:

Matt Stefanishion – released from a Professional Tryout (PTO) agreement by the Wolf Pack February 19^th.

Jeff Hill – signed to a PTO by the Wolf Pack February 22^nd and released February 23^rd.

Adult tickets for Wolf Pack home games can be purchased for as low as $10 each for the rest of the regular season, sponsored by Click It or Ticket.  Individual tickets for Wolf Pack games are on sale now at the XL Center Box Office and all Ticketmaster locations including Macy's at the Buckland Hills Mall and at the Westfarms Mall. Tickets may also be charged by phone at 1-800-745-3000, and on-line at www.hartfordwolfpack.com.  Season tickets, six-game packages, coupon books and group tickets are also available.  Contact 860-548-2000 for more details.

The Wolf Pack has a new broadcast partnership this season with WTIC NewsTalk 1080 and WTIC-FM.  All of the Wolf Pack’s regular-season and playoff games will air on 96.5 WTIC-FM’s HD 2 channel and will be streamed on-line at www.wtic.com . Select games will be carried live on the 50,000-watt AM powerhouse, WTIC NewsTalk 1080.  And, as part of the partnership, all Wolf Pack full season ticket accounts will receive a free HD car radio, with installation from JoDi’s Sound Center, courtesy of the two stations and the Wolf Pack.  To purchase your season seats, contact the Wolf Pack ticket office at 860-548-2000.

TRACK THE PACK AT WWW.HARTFORDWOLFPACK.COM