The Wolf Pack (42-26-3-3, 90 pts.) won both of their games last week, thereby clinching their 12th trip to the playoffs in 12 years of existence. That run of 12 consecutive postseason appearances is the longest active such streak in the AHL. Friday night brought the Wolf Pack to Albany, where they dispatched the River Rats by a score of 5-1. That was the Pack’s 13th consecutive win in head-to-head competition with the Rats, adding to what was already a franchise record for longest win streak against a single opponent. Then on Saturday at home vs. Providence, the Wolf Pack battled back from a 2-0 first-period deficit to defeat the Bruins in a shootout, 3-2, and to maintain their hold on first place in the Atlantic Division. Matt Zaba played both of the week’s games, in his first action since being injured March 7 in Springfield, and allowed a total of only three goals on 45 shots. He also went 4-for-4 in Saturday’s shootout, raising his shootout record to 3-0 with only one goal-against on 14 attempts. Artem Anisimov had two goals, including the game-winner, in Friday’s contest, and then tallied the game-tying goal and the shootout winner Saturday.
This week:
The Wolf Pack have three Atlantic-Division games on the schedule this week, two of them at home. Kevin Dineen and the Portland Pirates make their last regular-season visit to the XL Center Wednesday night, for a 7:00 game. The Pack then travel to Providence Friday night (7:05), for their last showdown of the regular year with Providence, before returning home Sunday to take on the Lowell Devils in a 4:00 contest.
Wednesday, April 1 vs. Portland at the XL Center, 7:00 PM
· This game wraps up the season series between the Wolf Pack and Head Coach Kevin Dineen’s Pirates. The Wolf Pack have won six of the seven previous meetings, and are 2-1-0-0 in three home games in the series, with both victories coming in overtime.
· Portland has won three straight games to jump up into third place in the Atlantic Division, at 35-29-3-6 for 79 points, two points ahead of fourth-place Worcester and three points up on the fifth-place Manchester Monarchs.
· Veteran Colin Murphy struck for a hat trick in the Pirates’ 5-2 home win over Manchester Saturday, after having scored only seven goals in 41 previous games.
· The Wolf Pack will honor the first group of Ryan Gordon Hartford Wolf Pack Community Foundation scholars at this game.
· 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, April 3 at Providence (Dunkin’ Donuts Center Providence), 7:05 PM
· The second-place Bruins (40-26-2-6, 88 pts.) trail the division-leading Wolf Pack by two points entering the week. Sunday’s 4-2 home loss to Worcester was only the second regulation defeat in the last 10 games (6-2-0-2) for Providence.
· Saturday’s 3-2 shootout win over the P-Bruins ran the Wolf Pack’s record to 3-3-1-0 in this year’s season series. The Pack are 0-2-1-0, though, in three previous visits to Providence.
· Goaltender Tuukka Rask made 39 saves in Saturday’s game at the XL Center, and is tied for the AHL lead in wins with 31 (31-19-4, 2.47, 91.6, 4 SHO).
· 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, April 5 vs. Lowell at the XL Center, 4:00 PM
· This is the last Guida’s Family Value game of the season. 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 pack, visit the XL Center box office, or go on-line to www.hartfordwolfpack.com.
· Following this game, there will be a postgame skate on the XL Center ice. Bring your skates to the game and have a little fun on the ice after the players do.
· Come early to the game, to see local celebrities such as NBC-30’s Brad Drazen, and former Wolf Pack and Hartford Whaler players, try their hand at sled hockey, in the fifth annual Celebrity Sled Hockey Game. The XL Center doors open at 1:00, and the game starts at 1:30, and your ticket to the Wolf Pack game also gets you into the sled hockey game. The Celebrities’ jerseys will be up for silent auction in the XL Center atrium from the end of the sled hockey game through the end of the second intermission of the Wolf Pack game, with proceeds going to Connecticut Sled Hockey.
· The Lowell Devils currently stand sixth in the Atlantic Division with a record of 33-32-2-6 for 74 points, two points behind fifth-place Manchester and three points out of a playoff spot.
· The Wolf Pack have won the last two games between themselves and the Devils, after going 0-3-0-1 in the first four.
· South Windsor, CT-bred Jon DiSalvatore, Lowell’s leading scorer with 19-32-51 in 72 games, had a goal and two assists in the Devils’ 5-3 home win over Bridgeport Sunday.
· 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:
Michael Sauer – recalled from the Wolf Pack by the New York Rangers March 23 and returned to the Wolf Pack March 29.
Brock McBride – signed to an Amateur Tryout (ATO) agreement by the Wolf Pack March 25.
Corey Potter – recalled from the Wolf Pack by the New York Rangers March 29.
Maxime Daigneault – returned by the Wolf Pack to the Charlotte Checkers (ECHL) March 29.
David Stich – signed to an Amateur Tryout (ATO) agreement by the Wolf Pack March 30.
Pack Tracks:
The Wolf Pack, bangle and clutch, Salon Encore and fashion stylist Debbie Wright are joining forces to offer a free “Mother-Daughter Makeover” to a lucky pair of Wolf Pack fans. To enter, and for more details, visit the Wolf Pack’s official website at www.hartfordwolfpack.com. Entries must be received by April 7, and the winners will show off their new makeovers at the Wolf Pack’s final regular-season home game April 11.
The Wolf Pack is the presenting sponsor of the 2009 March of Dimes Hartford “March for Babies”, which takes place Sunday, April 26, starting at the XL Center. The Wolf Pack will also be entering a team in the March for Babies, and fans are invited to join. To join the Wolf Pack team, visit its team page at www.marchforbabies.org/teams/hartfordwolfpack. For general registration, go to www.marchforbabies.org or www.marchofdimes.com/Connecticut.
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.
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