The Wolf Pack (14-12-1-3, 32 pts.) banked three of a possible six points in three home games this past week. A season-high Pack winless streak stretched to six games (0-4-1-1) Friday, when the Wolf Pack lost 5-2 to the Portland Pirates, but the club rebounded Saturday night to post a 2-1 overtime win over their GEICO Connecticut Cup rivals, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. Sunday saw the Albany River Rats beat the Wolf Pack, 2-1 in a shootout, snapping a Wolf Pack franchise-record streak of 13 straight wins vs. the Rats. Steve Valiquette registered his first AHL win of the season Saturday, stopping 25 out of 26 Bridgeport shots, and Brodie Dupont (1-2-3) and Matt Gilroy (three assists) led the way offensively, with three points apiece.
This week:
The Wolf Pack see their first Western-Conference opposition this week, as they finish off a five-game homestand. The Toronto Marlies invade the XL Center Friday, on Guida’s Family Value Night, and the Hamilton Bulldogs come to town Saturday evening. Both games face off at 7:00 PM.
Friday, December 18 vs. Toronto 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.
· Nationally-known recording artist Eric Hutchinson will be on hand at this game and will perform live in the first intermission.
· Every fan who brings a donation for the Connecticut Children’s Place to this game will receive a half-price voucher for the purchase of a grey or red-level seat to the Wolf Pack’s home game on December 30. A complete list of suggested donation items can be found at www.hartfordwolfpack.com, under the “Community” section.
· Santa will be setting up shop in the XL Center Atrium during this game, meeting and greeting fans and distributing candy canes.
· This is the first of two meetings on the year, and the fifth all-time, between the Wolf Pack and the Marlies. The two clubs have split four previous battles.
· The Marlies are 12-10-2-2 for 28 points on the season, which puts them in sixth place in the North Division.
· Toronto’s offense is led by a pair of rookie wingers, Viktor Stalberg (8-12-20 in 18 GP) and Christian Hanson (8-11-19 in 20 GP), who rank tied for fourth and tied for eighth, respectively, in scoring among AHL first-year players.
· 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 19 vs. Hamilton at the XL Center, 7:00 PM
· The first 3,000 fans into this game, the Wolf Pack’s last pre-Christmas contest, will receive a free Sonar bobblehead, courtesy of Click It or Ticket.
· Fans can again see Santa at this game. He will be in the XL Center Atrium, spreading good cheer and handing out candy canes.
· For a second straight night, every fan who brings a donation for the Connecticut Children’s Place to the game will receive a half-price voucher for the purchase of a grey or red-level seat to the Wolf Pack’s home game on December 30. A complete list of suggested donation items can be found at www.hartfordwolfpack.com, under the “Community” section.
· The Bulldogs, under first-year head coach Guy Boucher, have the AHL’s second-best defensive record, with an average goals-against of 2.07 per game on the year. Goaltender Cedrick Desjardins (8-4-1, 1.45, 94.4, 4 SHO) is tied for the league lead in shutouts and ranks second among AHL netminders in goals-against average and save percentage.
· This is the ninth all-time meeting between the Wolf Pack and Bulldogs, who swept a two-game season series last year. The Pack are 3(W)-4(L)-1(OTL) all-time vs. Hamilton, 2-2-0 at the XL Center.
· Hamilton (16-6-2-3, 37 pts.) is unbeaten in regulation in its last six games (5-0-1-0) and is only two points behind division-leading Rochester in the North.
· 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:
Andrew Carroll – signed to Professional Tryout (PTO) agreement by the Wolf Pack December 7
Mike Berube – returned by the Wolf Pack to Charlotte (ECHL) December 10.
Matt Gilroy – loaned to the Wolf Pack by the New York Rangers December 10.
Mike Hoffman – signed to Professional Tryout (PTO) agreement by the Wolf Pack December 10.
Chad Johnson – returned to the Wolf Pack by the New York Rangers December 10, recalled December 12, returned to the Wolf Pack December 13 and recalled again later the same day.
Matt Zaba – recalled from the Wolf Pack by the New York Rangers December 10, returned December 12, recalled December 13 and returned again later the same day.
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, January 2, when the Wolf Pack host the Bridgeport Sound Tigers in GEICO Connecticut Cup action at the XL Center, the first 3,000 fans through the doors will receive a free Wolf Pack lunch box, courtesy of Click It or Ticket. Faceoff that night is 7:00 PM.
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 next Pack game scheduled to be on WTIC NewsTalk 1080 is coming up Sunday, January 3, when the Wolf Pack host the Syracuse Crunch at the XL Center (3:00 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.
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TRACK THE PACK AT WWW.HARTFORDWOLFPACK.COM
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