WOLF PACK WEEKLY: January 4-10, 2010 

The Wolf Pack (19-13-1-4, 43 pts.) have reached a high-water mark for the season of six games above .500, after a perfect 3-0-0 week at home this past week, and are unbeaten in regulation in a season-high five consecutive games (4-0-0-1).  The Pack finished a sweep of a home-and-home with Springfield by defeating the Falcons 5-3 Wednesday, and then posted come-from-behind wins vs. Bridgeport, 3-2 on Saturday, and Syracuse, 2-1 in a shootout, Sunday.  P.A. Parenteau totaled four points (1-3-4) in the three games, and Chad Johnson returned from the NHL to get the wins in Saturday’s and Sunday’s contests, stopping a total of 53 out of 56 shots.

This week:

The Wolf Pack start a stretch of seven out of nine on the road with four away games this week.  The Pack meet the Lowell Devils Wednesday at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ at 7:00, before traveling to Worcester for a 7:05 game on Friday.  Saturday sees the Wolf Pack make their only regular-season visit to Albany (7:00), and Ken Gernander’s club finishes its busy week at Providence Sunday (4:05).

Wednesday, January 6 vs. Lowell at the Prudential Center (Newark, NJ), 7:00 PM

· This game is being played at the home of Lowell’s NHL affiliate, the New Jersey Devils.  The last time the Wolf Pack played in a current NHL building was in 1998-99, when they played a pair of games against the Philadelphia Phantoms at the First Union Center (now the Wachovia Center) and one game vs. the Fredericton Canadiens at Montreal’s Molson Centre (now the Bell Centre).

· At 21-14-3-0 for 45 points, the Devils stand two points ahead of the fourth-place Wolf Pack in the Atlantic Division.  Lowell has won seven of its last ten games.

· The Wolf Pack have won both of their first two games against the Devils, 5-2 in Hartford October 24 and 4-1 in Lowell November 25, after going 2-4-0-2 in last year’s season series.

· The Devils are the second-highest-scoring team in the AHL, averaging 3.32 goals per-game.  Veteran center Ben Walter leads the Lowell club in points, with 11-17-28 in 38 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. 

Friday, January 8 at Worcester (DCU Center), 7:05 PM

· The Sharks (22-12-0-2, 46 pts.) have won six straight games, and are 14-2-0-1 in their last 17, to climb to within four points of first-place Manchester in the Atlantic.

· The Wolf Pack are 2-0-0-0 thus far on the year against the Sharks, and blanked them 4-0 November 14 in their only previous visit to Worcester.

· Shark forward Logan Couture is tied for the AHL lead in rookie scoring, and ranks tied for seventh overall in the league in points, with 13-22-35, despite having played in only 24 of Worcester’s 36 games.  Fellow rookie, goaltender Alex Stalock, leads the AHL in wins (20) and minutes-played (1,721).

· 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, January 9 at Albany (Times-Union Center), 7:00 PM

· The Wolf Pack have gone the last 14 meetings with Albany without a regulation loss (13-0-0-1), but had their franchise-record streak of 13 straight wins against the River Rats snapped in a 2-1 shootout loss December 13 at the XL Center.  The Pack’s last regulation defeat to the Rats was January 14, 2005, a 5-1 loss in Albany.

· The River Rats currently occupy second place in the East Division, with a record of 19-15-1-2 for 41 points, but have lost four of their last five games.

· Albany goaltender Justin Peters, who was First Star in the Rats’ 2-1 shootout win in Hartford December 13 (30 saves), is fifth in the AHL in save percentage, with a mark of 92.9, and sixth in goals-against average, at 2.17.

· 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, January 10 at Providence (Dunkin’ Donuts Center Providence), 4:05 PM

· The Bruins have fallen below the .500 mark, to 18-19-1-0 for 37 points, with losses in five of their last seven games and eight of their last 11.

· This is the sixth meeting of the season between the Wolf Pack and Bruins, and the Pack are 3-1-1-0 in the season series to date, including wins in two of their three trips to Providence.

· Mikko Lehtonen, the P-Bruins’ leading point-getter (11-19-30 in 38 GP), has scored five of his 11 goals on the season (5-1-6 in 5 GP) against the Wolf Pack.

· 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 Wolf Pack play-by-play voice Bob Crawford for the broadcast.   

Recent Transactions:

Chad Johnson – returned to the Wolf Pack by the New York Rangers January 1.

Matt Zaba – recalled from the Wolf Pack by the New York Rangers January 1.

Pack Tracks:

The Wolf Pack’s next home game is Saturday, January 16 vs. the Providence Bruins, and that is “Faith and Family Night” at the XL Center.  The Wrecking will be performing in the Atrium from 5:30-7:00 PM, and Ten-Shekel Shirt will be giving a special post-game concert in the Atrium.

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.  The next Guida’s Family Value Night is Friday, January 22, when the Wolf Pack host the Manchester Monarchs at 7:00 PM.

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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