WOLF PACK WEEKLY: October 19 – 25, 2009 

The Wolf Pack ended up on the short end of the score in a pair of Atlantic-Division road games this past week.  A two-game Hartford win streak ended in a 6-3 loss at Portland on Friday night, and then the Pack lost a 2-1 decision in Springfield Saturday evening, despite outshooting the Falcons 33-14.  Defenseman Bobby Sanguinetti had a goal and an assist in Friday’s game, and fellow blueliner Michael Sauer’s first career pro shorthanded goal was the Pack’s only score on Saturday.

This week:

The Wolf Pack finish up a season-opening stretch of six out of seven on the road this Friday night, October 23, with a visit to Adirondack (7:30 faceoff).  The club then returns to Hartford for back-to-back home games, Saturday vs. Lowell (7:00) and Sunday against Worcester (3:00).

Tuesday, October 20 – “Welcome Back Wolf Pack Family FUN-raiser” – Black Bear Saloon, 6:00 PM

The entire Wolf Pack team will be meeting and greeting fans this Tuesday night, October 20 from 6:00-9:00 PM at Black Bear Saloon, 187 Allyn Street in downtown Hartford, at the Hartford Wolf Pack Community Foundation’s new “Welcome Back Wolf Pack Family FUN-raiser” event.  The gathering is family-friendly, with all ages welcome.  There is no charge to attend the event, but donations at the door are encouraged, to benefit Connecticut Children’s Medical Center.  A portion of beverage sales from the event will also be donated to Connecticut Children’s.  For more information on the “Welcome Back Wolf Pack Family FUN-raiser”, visit the Wolf Pack’s official website, www.hartfordwolfpack.com, or call the Wolf Pack office at (860) 249-6333.

Friday, October 23 at Adirondack (Glens Falls Civic Center), 7:30 PM

· This is the first season of play for the Phantoms franchise, the top affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers, in Glens Falls, NY, after a 13-year run in Philadelphia at the Wachovia Spectrum.  The Wolf Pack were 15(W)-8(L)-3(T)-2(OTL)-2(SOL) in 30 all-time meetings with Philadelphia, and the two clubs split a pair of games last season.

· The Wolf Pack visited the Glens Falls Civic Center twice during their first two seasons of existence, 1997-98 and ’98-’99, when the arena was home to the Adirondack Red Wings, and the Pack won both games.

· Adirondack is 3-2-1-0 for seven points in its first six games under new head coach Greg Gilbert.  The Phantoms are 2-0-1-0 in their last three outings, after losing two of their first three.

· Veteran Krys Kolanos is Adirondack’s leading point-getter thus far, with 2-2-4 in four games, and Patrick Maroon and Andreas Nodl have both registered 2-1-3. 

· 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.

Saturday, October 24 vs. Lowell at the XL Center, 7:00 PM

· This is only the Wolf Pack’s second home game of the season, and they won the first one, a 7-3 victory over Springfield October 10.

· Former long-time NHLer John MacLean has Lowell off to a 2-2-0-1 (5 pts.) start in his first year as the Devils’ head coach.  Lowell finished fifth in the Atlantic Division last season with a record of 35-36-2-7 for 82 points, five points out of a playoff spot.

· This is the first of eight meetings on the year between the Wolf Pack and Devils, and the Pack struggled against the Devils last season.  Hartford was 2-4-0-2 in eight games vs. the New Jersey farmhands in 2008-09, and won only one of four home games against Lowell (1-2-0-1).

· Devil forward Tim Sestito had the AHL’s first four-goal game of the season Saturday, in a 7-5 win at Worcester, and is tied for the league lead in goal-scoring (6-1-7 in 5 GP).

· 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, October 25 vs. Worcester at the XL Center, 3:00 PM

· Fans are encouraged to bring their skates to this game, as there will be a free post-game skate on the XL Center ice.

· This is the first of five Sunday home games for the Wolf Pack this season, and all of them except for December 13 vs. Albany will have a new starting time of 3:00 PM.

· This is the first clash of the year between the Wolf Pack and Sharks, who will meet a total of eight times on the season.  The Pack were 4-3-0-1 against Worcester last season, 2-2-0-0 at home.

· Worcester has at least a point in six of the seven games it has played so far, with a record of 3-1-0-1 for seven points.

· Shark scoring leader, and former San Jose first-round pick, Logan Couture is tied for the AHL rookie points lead, with 3-5-8 in five games.

· Radio – this will be the first Wolf Pack broadcast of the season on WTIC NewsTalk 1080, the 50,000-watt AM powerhouse.  WTIC NewsTalk 1080’s Scott Gray will join Bob Crawford and Mark Bailey on the broadcast team.  The action can also be heard live on WTIC’s 96.5 HD 2 and on-line at www.hartfordwolfpack.com and www.wtic.com.

Recent Transactions:

Ryan Hillier – reassigned by the New York Rangers to the Wolf Pack from Charlotte (ECHL) October 18.

Pack Tracks:

There will be a Kids’ “HOWL-een” celebration at the XL Center Friday, October 30, as the Wolf Pack host the defending Calder Cup-champion Hershey Bears in a 7:00 game.  Kids can come down on to the ice for an intermission costume parade, and the first 2,000 youngsters into the game will receive Wolf Pack goodie bags.

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 or online at www.hartfordwolfpack.com.

The Wolf Pack is offering “Knockout Season Ticket Prices” for 2009-10, with across-the-board price reductions of 8-13% depending on the seat location, as well as terrific discounts for groups of 15 or more.  For more information, visit www.hartfordwolfpack.com, or call the Wolf Pack ticket office at (860) 548-2000 to talk with an account executive today about all of the Wolf Pack’s many ticket options.

Every Friday-night Wolf Pack home game at the XL Center is Guida’s Family Value Night.  Family Value packages start as low as $45 and include three tickets, three hot dogs or pizza slices, three sodas and a Wolf Pack souvenir.  To order your Guida’s Family Value Night pack, visit the XL Center box office, or go on-line to www.hartfordwolfpack.com.  The first Friday Guida’s Family Value Night of the season is October 30, when the Pack take on the defending Calder Cup-champion Hershey Bears in a 7:00 game. 

Once again this season, the Wolf Pack are partnering with WTIC Radio to air Wolf Pack hockey action.  All of the Wolf Pack’s regular-season and playoff games will air on 96.5 WTIC-FM’s HD 2 channel a
nd 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 new 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.

The AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack is operated by Northland AEG LLC, a joint partnership between Northland Investment Corporation and AEG Facilities.  The team is the top player-development affiliate of the NHL’s New York Rangers.

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