WOLF PACK WEEKLY: December 7-13, 2009 

The road treated the Wolf Pack rudely this past week, as the Pack tasted defeat in three straight road contests.  The Manchester Monarchs handed Hartford a 7-1 loss in Manchester on Friday, before the Wolf Pack lost a 4-1 decision at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Saturday.  Sunday’s visit to defending Calder Cup-champion Hershey saw the Pack lose to the Bears by a margin of 9-2.  Derek Couture (1-1-2) and Corey Locke (0-2-2) were the only multiple-point scorers for the Wolf Pack on the weekend.  Even with the three setbacks, the Wolf Pack still stand two games above .500, at 13-11-1-2 for 29 points.

This week:

The Wolf Pack start a five-game homestand with three home contests this coming weekend.  Head Coach Kevin Dineen and the Portland Pirates invade the XL Center on Guida’s Family Value Night this Friday night, and the Bridgeport Sound Tigers make their first GEICO Connecticut Cup visit to Hartford on Saturday, on “Hometown Hero Night”.  Both of those games face off at 7:00 PM.  Then on Sunday the Albany River Rats come calling for a 4:00 game at the XL Center.

Friday, December 11 vs. Portland at the XL Center, 7:00 PM

· Being a Friday home game, this is a 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.  Guida’s Family Value Night packs are available at the XL Center box office and on-line at www.hartfordwolfpack.com.

· Head Coach Kevin Dineen’s Pirates were winless in three games over the weekend (0-1-0-2), but Saturday’s 4-3 defeat vs. Providence is Portland’s only regulation loss in its last 13 outings (7-1-3-2).  At 12-11-3-2 for 29 points, the Pirates are part of a three-way tie with the Wolf Pack and Providence for fifth place in the Atlantic Division.

· The Wolf Pack have split two games with the Pirates thus far on the year, with the Pack winning the only previous matchup at the XL Center, 4-3 in overtime, November 27.

· Mark Mancari scored two goals in a 3-2 shootout loss at Worcester yesterday, to improve to 11-12-23 in 28 games and take over Portland’s team leadership in points

· 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, December 12 vs. Bridgeport at the XL Center, 7:00 PM

· This is the first-ever “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”.

· This game will also feature the Wolf Pack’s annual “Holiday Toy Toss”.  Fans are encouraged to bring new soft toys to the game, to toss on to the ice when the Wolf Pack score their first goal of the game.  The toys collected will be donated to local children’s charities.

· This game is also a Boy Scout night.  Scout Night tickets can be ordered through the Wolf Pack ticket office at (860) 548-2000.

· The Wolf Pack will be honoring USA Gymnastics World Championship Team members Rebecca Bross, Ivana Hong, Bridget Sloan and Kayla Williams at this game.  The USA Gymnastics 2010 Visa Championships are coming to the XL Center August 11-14.

· This is the Wolf Pack’s first home game in the 2009-10 GEICO Connecticut Cup series.  The Pack have a win and a shootout loss in two games in Bridgeport this season.

· The Sound Tigers are 14-13-0-2 for 30 points on the year, one point ahead of the Wolf Pack in the Atlantic Division standings.

· NHL veteran goaltender Rick DiPietro is on a conditioning assignment to Bridgeport from the parent New York Islanders.  DiPietro saw his first action in nearly a year Saturday, when he played the first two periods of the Sound Tigers’ 7-3 home win over Springfield (3 GA on 13 shots, no decision).

· Radio – this game will be carried live 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. 

Sunday, December 13 vs. Albany at the XL Center, 4:00 PM

· The Wolf Pack have won the last 13 meetings between themselves and the River Rats, a streak that dates back to January of 2005 and is the Wolf Pack’s longest run of consecutive wins vs. a single opponent in franchise history.  This is the first of two 2009-10 battles between the Wolf Pack and Albany.

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

· The River Rats (14-10-1-2, 31 pts.) have won four straight games and are unbeaten in regulation in their last six (5-0-1-0).  Albany currently stands second in the East Division, five points behind Hershey.

· River Rats leading scorer Jerome Samson is tied for tenth in the AHL in points, with 11-12-23 in 27 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. 

Recent Transactions:

Chris Chappell – reassigned by the New York Rangers from the Wolf Pack to Charlotte (ECHL) December 1.

Bobby Sanguinetti – returned to the Wolf Pack by the New York Rangers December 1.

Ilkka Heikkinen – recalled from the Wolf Pack by the New York Rangers December 3.

Chad Johnson – recalled from the Wolf Pack by the New York Rangers December 3.

Steve Valiquette – loaned to the Wolf Pack by the New York Rangers December 3.

Pack Tracks:

The perfect gift idea for any hockey fan is a Wolf Pack Holiday Pack.  Wolf Pack Holiday Packs are available now through January 3, from the Wolf Pack ticket office (860-548-2000) and on-line at www.hartfordwolfpack.com.  Each Holiday Pack includes two flexible game vouchers, redeemable at the XL Center box office for tickets to any regular-season home game, a Wolf Pack souvenir and a Chuck-a-Puck voucher.  The cost of the Holiday Pack package is $32 for adults, and packages for kids 16 or younger can be purchased for $22, with the purchase of at least one adult package (service charges, facility and handling fees may apply).

Saturday, December 19, as the Wolf Pack host the Hamilton Bulldogs at 7:00 in the Pack’s last pre-Christmas game, the first 3,000 fans into the XL Center will receive a free Sonar bobblehead, courtesy of Click It or Ticket.

At every Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday-night Wolf Pack home game for the balance of the regular season, fans can enjoy $3 drafts and snacks in the XL Center Atrium.  Also, the Comcast Coliseum Club features a “Warmup Menu”, with $3 domestic drafts and appetizers, before every Wolf Pack home game at the XL Center.

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.  Information on all of the Wolf Pack’s many terrific ticket options, including group discounts, season tickets, partial plans, Birthday Bash packages and more, is available by calling the Wolf Pack ticket office at (860) 548-2000, and on-line 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. 

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 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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