WOLF PACK WEEKLY: November 16 – 22, 2009

WOLF PACK WEEKLY: November 16 – 22, 2009

 The Wolf Pack (10-7-0-0, 20 pts.) improved to a season-best three games above .500 this past week.  The Pack won two of their three games on the week, both wins coming via shutout.  The week began with a 2-1 loss at Manchester Wednesday night, but the Wolf Pack then rebounded Friday, in the back half of a home-and-home set with the Monarchs, to post a 2-0 win.  Saturday night also produced a shutout victory, with the Pack blanking the Worcester Sharks, 2-0, in Worcester.  Rookie goaltender Chad Johnson became only the third goaltender in Wolf Pack history to put up shutouts in back-to-back games, stopping 26 Manchester shots in Friday’s win and 35 Worcester tries on Saturday.

 

This week:

The Wolf Pack face three East Division opponents this week.  The Pack play back-to-back home games this Wednesday, November 18 vs. Binghamton and Thursday, November 19 against Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.  Both games face off at 7:00 PM.  Then on Saturday the Pack makes its lone visit of the season to Syracuse to take on the Crunch

 Wednesday, November 18 vs. Binghamton at the XL Center, 7:00 PM

• Starting with this game, fans can enjoy $3 beers in the XL Center Atrium, at every Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday-night Wolf Pack home game.
• This game was moved to this date from its originally-scheduled date of Wednesday, January 13.
• This is the second and final meeting of the season between the Wolf Pack and Senators, and Binghamton’s first visit to Hartford since March 11, 2006.  The Senators defeated the Wolf Pack, 5-3, on opening night this season, October 3 in Binghamton.
• Senators scoring leader Ryan Keller (9-9-18 in 17 GP) enters the week tied for sixth in the AHL in points. 
• Martin St. Pierre (7-9-16 in 17 GP) burned the Wolf Pack for a hat trick and an assist in Binghamton’s opening-night victory over the Wolf Pack.
• At 7-7-2-1 for 17 points, the Senators are tied with Norfolk for fourth place in the East Division.
• 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.

 Thursday, November 19 vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton at the XL Center, 7:00 PM

• This is the first of two meetings on the season between the Wolf Pack and Penguins.  The Wolf Pack swept a two-game season series last year, winning the pair of games by a combined score of 9-2.
• Wilkes-Barre/Scranton is currently tied for second place in the East, with a record of 8-5-1-1 for 18 points.
• Dustin Jeffrey, the top point-scorer on the Penguin club, has only one goal in 15 games, but his 14 assists are good for a tie for second in the AHL.
• This being a Thursday-night home game, $3 beers will again be available in the XL Center Atrium.
• 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, November 21 at Syracuse (Onondaga County War Memorial at Oncenter), 7:30 PM

• This game marks the 11^th all-time meeting between the Wolf Pack and Crunch, who did not play one another last season.  The Wolf Pack are 6(W)-2(L)-2(T) in their history vs. the Crunch and 3(W)-1(L)-1(T) in five all-time visits to Syracuse.
• The Crunch were moved to the East Division this season from the North Division, where they have resided for the past six years.  Head Coach Ross Yates’ Syracuse club is currently trailing the field in the North with a record of 5-7-2-2 for 14 points, one point behind sixth-place Adirondack.
• Former Columbus Blue Jackets first-round pick Alexandre Picard (eighth overall in 2004) leads the Crunch in points and goals, with 7-5-12 in 15 games.
• 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:

Tyler Arnason – suspended by the Wolf Pack November 9.

Chris Chappell – reassigned by the New York Rangers to the Wolf Pack from Charlotte (ECHL) November 9.

Dane Byers – returned to the Wolf Pack by the New York Rangers November 13.

P.A. Parenteau – recalled from the Wolf Pack by the New York Rangers November 13.

Pack Tracks:

Saturday, December 12, when the Wolf Pack host Bridgeport in a 7:00 GEICO Connecticut Cup game, is “Hometown Hero Night” at the XL Center.  The Wolf Pack will be honoring various servicemen and women, including local Police and Fire departments, Military and Civil Service personnel, and will salute the 2009-10 “Hometown Hero of the Year”.  The December 12 game also features the Wolf Pack’s annual “Holiday Toy Toss”, and that night is a Boy Scout Night as well.  Information on Scout Nights, as well as all of the Wolf Pack’s many terrific ticket options, is available by calling the Wolf Pack ticket office at (860) 548-2000, and on-line at www.hartfordwolfpack.com. 

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.

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 next Guida’s Family Value Night game is Friday, November 27, when the Portland Pirates invade the XL Center for 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 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.  The next Pack game scheduled to be on WTIC NewsTalk 1080 is coming up Saturday, December 12, when the Wolf Pack host the Bridgeport Sound Tigers in GEICO Connecticut Cup action at the XL Center (7:00 faceoff). 

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. 

TRACK THE PACK AT WWW.HARTFORDWOLFPACK.COM