WOLF PACK WEEKLY: March 9 – 15, 2009 

The Wolf Pack (35-24-3-3, 76 pts.) went 2-1-1-0 in four games last week, to grab a share of first place in the Atlantic Division.  The Pack knocked off the Worcester Sharks, 3-1, at the XL Center on Friday for their seventh straight win, the second-longest winning streak in team history.  That run ended in Manchester on Saturday, as the Monarchs downed the Wolf Pack in overtime by a score of 1-0.  Saturday found the Pack in Springfield, where they posted a 4-2 victory over the Falcons, before having their nine-game points streak (8-0-1-0) snapped in a 6-3 loss at Bridgeport Sunday.  The biggest individual performance was once again turned in by goaltender Matt Zaba, who went 2-1-0 on the week with only four goals-against on 88 shots (1.33 goals-against average, 95.5% save percentage), finishing off a stretch of 10 straight starts.

This week:

The Wolf Pack have a three-game weekend on tap, starting with a visit to Worcester on Friday night (7:05 faceoff).  The Pack and Bridgeport finish off the 10-game GEICO Connecticut Cup series with a battle at the XL Center on Saturday night (7:00), before the Wolf Pack return to Worcester on Sunday for a 4:05 game.

Friday, March 13^th at Worcester (DCU Center), 7:05 p.m.

· After Wednesday’s 3-1 win over the Sharks at the XL Center, the Wolf Pack have won the last three games between the two teams and are 3-2-0-1 overall in the season series.  The Pack have registered a win and a shootout loss in two previous visits to Worcester.

· The Sharks are currently two points out of a playoff spot in the Atlantic Division, 32-28-1-2 for 67 points, good for fifth place.  That puts them nine points behind the Wolf Pack.

· Defenseman Derek Joslin scored the only goal for Worcester in the loss to the Wolf Pack Wednesday, giving him a team-leading seven points (3-4-7) in six games against the Pack.

· 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, March 14^th vs. Bridgeport at the XL Center, 7:00 p.m.

· This game will be preceded by an exhibition game featuring the U.S. National Amputee team taking on a team from the Connecticut State Police.  The pregame exhibition will start at 4:00, with the XL Center doors opening at 3:30.  A ticket to the Wolf Pack game also is good for admission to the exhibition game, and for information on helping to support the U.S. National Amputee Team in its mission to attain paralympic status, and to raise funding to go to the next World Championships, call the Wolf Pack community relations department at (860) 541-4722.

· The Wolf Pack will be celebrating St. Patrick’s Day a couple of days early at this game, with the help of local Irish rock band The Mighty Ploughboys, who will be performing live throughout the game.

· The Sound Tigers moved into a tie with Hershey for the Eastern Conference lead with their 6-3 home win over the Wolf Pack Sunday.  Bridgeport is 11-1-0-3 in its last 15 games and 39-18-3-5 for 86 points overall.

· Sunday’s loss in Bridgeport dropped the Wolf Pack’s record against the Sound Tigers to 4-5-0-0 and clinched the GEICO Connecticut Cup for Bridgeport.  That marks the first time since the 2003-04 season that the Sound Tigers have won the Nutmeg-State series.  The Pack have prevailed in three of the previous four games played between the two teams this year in Hartford.

· Veterans Jon Sim and Jeremy Colliton led the charge for Bridgeport in Sunday’s game, notching a pair of goals and an assist apiece against the Wolf Pack.

· 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 15^th at Worcester (DCU Center), 4:05 p.m.

· The Sharks are 20-11-0-1 on home ice this year.

· In the three years of the Sharks’ existence, the Wolf Pack are 8-2-0-1 in 11 visits to the DCU Center.  During the eight years the arena served as the home of the Worcester IceCats, the Wolf Pack won only nine of 33 all-time regular-season trips to Worcester (9(w)-19(l)-5(t)).

· Goaltender Taylor Dakers has started three straight games since the recall to San Jose of Thomas Greiss, going 2-1-0 and stopping 93 of 99 shots.

· 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.

Recent Transactions:

Mark Bell – loaned to the Wolf Pack by the New York Rangers March 2^nd.

Sean Avery – Recalled from loan to the Wolf Pack by the Dallas Stars March 3^rd.

Pack Tracks:

The Wolf Pack’s lovable mascot, Sonar, will be joined by two Wolf Pack players in meeting and greeting fans this Thursday, March 12^th, from 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. at the Verizon Store in Blue Back Square, located at 61 Raymond Rd. in West Hartford (860-231-7035).

Warner Brothers recording artist Eric Hutchinson will perform live at the Wolf Pack’s home game Wednesday, March 18^th at the XL Center.  Hutchinson will also conduct a special “meet and greet” with fans that night, which features the Wolf Pack facing off against the division-rival Lowell Devils at 7:00.

Now through March 18^th, the Wolf Pack is offering 20% off the special Wolf Pack “Luck of the Irish” cap.  Purchase yours on-line at www.store.hartfordwolfpack.com, or at the Wolf Pack’s special St. Patrick’s game this Saturday, March 14^th.  It’s a navy and green, garment-washed, fitted cap, with a Wolf Pack logo on the front and a shamrock on the back.

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, 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