IN SEARCH OF CONSISTENCY 

VERSUS

“When you don’t need an answer there’ll be days like this
When you don’t meet a chancer there’ll be days like this
When all the parts of the puzzle start to look like they fit
Then I must remember there’ll be days like this”

Van Morrison, Mama Said – 1995

The way things have played out to this point in the season for the 2009-2010 edition of the Hartford Wolf Pack, you could almost predict that they were going to play the way they did in their 4-1 loss Sunday afternoon to the first place Manchester Monarchs. All season long, this team has struggled with finding the consistency that successful teams have. After such a solid performance and dramatic overtime victory the night before against Providence, as they’ve done all season long, you could almost predict there was going to be a let down and there was.

Just 36 seconds into the contest after the Pack could not clear their own zone, Corey Elkins took advantage of a coverage failure down low by Dale Weise and Jared Nightingale that gave the Manchester center the time and space he needed to blast the puck over goaltender Matt Zaba’s leg.

The Pack never recovered from it. Manchester just kept coming and broke the game wide open in less than a minute.

Nigel Williams took a tripping call at 10:06.

The Pack, who’s weak 22nd ranked penalty kill has been suspect all season long came on the ice to take on the league’s fourth ranked power play. It only took 28 seconds to put it behind Zaba (21 saves, 3-4-1).

After already having scored a goal, Elkins added a second point of the game. The West Bloomfield, Michigan native passed off to David Kolomatis who in turn found Tom Cavanaugh on the right point. Former Ranger draft Pick, Marc-Andre Cliché (Round 2 #56 overall in the 2005 NHL draft) stationed himself in front of Zaba effectively screening the Pack netminder. Cavanaugh received the puck from Kolomatis and smoked a very hard shot from just outside the top of the right circle. Zaba was unable to pick up the shot and it was 2-0.

It didn’t stay that way for long. In fact it only stayed that way for 17 seconds.

As the puck made it’s way into the Pack zone it made it’s way to the stick of John Zeiler. The Monarch right winger brought the puck from the right side behind the net, to the left side. The speed that Zeiler’s wraparound came at Zaba, he didn’t have the chance to get into proper position and the low shot got under the Pack netminder.

If there has been one constant however throughout the whole season has been the team’s lack of quit.

After being outshot 14-4 and digging themselves a three goal hole over the first eleven minutes, the Pack showed signs of life and it paid off 2:18 seconds later.

Evgeny Grachev, who has raised his play over the last couple of games, brought the puck down low on the left side. The young Russian then fired it on All-Star netminder goaltender Jonathan Bernier (35 saves, 18-10-4). Bernier stopped the shot with this leg pad, but the puck ricocheted out to the right side towards Jordan Owens.  The Pack winger then blasted the shot low and hard and beat the Manchester starter through the five-hole and cutting the lead by a third.

With Mike Hoffman done for the season with a shoulder injury and Brett Henley also out for the year but with a knee injury and Devin DiDiomete out of the lineup with flu-like symptoms, once they got the lead and were in control of the game, Manchester felt like they could try to send a message to a team they will play three more times in the next six games. The primary perpetrator being Kevin Westgarth.

At 11:34 of the second period, Westgarth went after the Pack’s best player, P.A. Parenteau. He was slammed awkwardly head-first into the boards by the 6’4” 243 pounder from Amherstburg, Ontario.  Parenteau stayed down for several moments trying to shake the cobwebs out of his head. Pack Trainer Damien Hess came out on the ice and helped the Pack’s Assistant Captain to the dressing room. Parenteau did not return.

A neutral zone turnover by Williams that was just outside the Pack blueline led to the game’s final tally.

Viacheslav Voynov picked up the vulcanized rubber and fed Bud Holloway along the right boards. Holloway rushed in to the right circle and just unloaded a WMD that Zaba took a stab at trying to corral, but it was a missile that was shot perfectly into the top of the short side of the cage.

More important than the score of the game was the intensity picked up even more. Referee Ghislain Hebert did all he could to control the aggressive play from the home team. He called the Monarchs for penalties that resulted in four power plays in the period for the Pack.

Among the attempts to injure, which Dave Andrews and the AHL offices should be looking into, were sots by Voynov on Corey Locke that drew a boarding and roughing call at 7:18 and then just less than two minutes later, at 9:13, Westgarth then ran Ilkka Heikkinen with a vicious elbow that sent the Pack defenseman to the ice.

Fortunately for the Pack neither player was seriously injured.

The Pack power play which could have easily changed this entire game, to be kind, is struggling. Over the last 24 of the 43 the team has played, they are now 9 for their last 97. After having a power play that led the league in success rate for the first two months of the season and at almost a 30% clip, to see it now converting their chances at less than 10% over that span (9.27%) is nothing short of a MAJOR issue that Head Coach Ken Gernander and his coaching staff must address if they are to have any level of success moving forward.

Bob Crawford has the story at Hartfordwolfpack.com.  For the Manchester perspective, check the Union Leader and the Monarchs own site.

GAME SUMMARY and OFFICIAL SCORERS SHEET

STANDINGS

NOTES:
* Word has it that P.A. Parenteau should be fine for the next game with Manchester Friday night in Hartford.

* A member of the Hartford Wolf Pack Championship team in 2000 has retired. Center Mike Harder called it a career while playing with the Charlotte Checkers last Thursday. Harder played 56 games for the Pack in 1999-2000 scoring 18 goals and adding 21 helpers. He also played 36 games in 2000-2001 scoring 10 and helping on 19 others. In the playoff run he played in 12 games had no goals and four assists.  Howlings wishes the 14-year veteran an outstanding retirement. 

The voice of the Hartford Wolf Pack since it’s inception, Bob Crawford had this to say about Harder.

“He and Ken Gernander are among the brightest, funniest players I have ever had the pleasure of being around.  And I always thought Harder was a fun player to watch, a guy with great skill who wasn’t afraid to try and make real skill plays.  And I’ll never forget him taking off his jersey at the Cup ceremony and having his number painted on his bare skin.  I’ve heard it said that great teams need to have great character and great characters, and Harder certainly was one of both.”

* In three goal games, the Pack are 4-5-0-0 and when they outshoot their opponents they are 14-8-1-2

* If this team is going to make the playoffs they’re going to need to stay healthy. To do that, the Pack are going to need to find themselves a heavyweight enforcer to protect the Pack’s skill players or agitators and heavyweight tough guys like Kevin Westgarth will continue to take liberties unabated.

* The Pack have not beaten Manchester in the Verizon Wireless Center this season. They are 0-3-0-0. The Pack have won two games in Hartford.

* Jordan Owens is playing his best hockey of the season since returning from injury. Counting his games prior, he now has four points in his last six games (3g, 1a). More than that he has been hitting everything that moves and has been outstanding forechecking for the Pack.

* Corey Locke enters Monday’s All-Star festivities having only scored a goal in one of his last nine games. He had a two goal effort on January 8th against Worcester. He has four assists over that span. In those nine games he has points in just three of them.

LINES:

Weise – Locke – Parenteau
Byers © – Crowder – Owens
Grachev – Dupont – Ambϋhl
Soryal – Garlock – Couture

Heikkinen – Nightingale
Williams – Sanguinetti
Urquhart – Sauer

Zaba
Valiquette

(Assistant Captains Bold and Italicized)

SCRATCHES:

Corey Potter – Illness – Day-to-Day
Devin DiDiomete – Illness – Day-to-Day
Mathieu Dandenault – Lower Body – Three to Four Weeks
Chad Johnson – On recall with the NY Rangers
Brent Henley – Knee  – Season
Mike Hoffman – Shoulder – Season

THREE STARS:

1. MCH – C. Elkins
2. MCH – J. Bernier
3. MCH – T. Cavanagh

ON ICE OFFICIALS:

Referee:
Ghislain Hebert (49)

Linesmen:
Landon Bathe (80)
Brian MacDonald (72)

NEXT GAME:

After Bobby Sanguinetti and Corey Locke participate in the AHL All-Star game and the skills competition, The Pack will look to get back on the winning ways and find some consistency along the way as they play the back-end of the home-and-home with the first place Manchester Monarchs. They play two of their next three and three of their next six against the division leaders. Game time for Friday night’s game is 7pm.

To watch the game live, you can purchased it for $6.99 at AHL-live.

If you can attend the cost is as little as $10 a ticket, why not just go? For Ticket information call (860) 548-2000.

Too far away or can’t make it? Listen live at WTIC.com.

SCORE-SHEET:

Hartford Wolf Pack 1 At Manchester Monarchs 4 – Status: Final

Jan 17, 2010 – Verizon Wireless Arena

Hartford 1 0 0 – 1

Manchester 3 0 1 – 4

1st Period-1, Manchester, Elkins 13 (Mikus, Campbell), 0:36. 2, Manchester, Cavanagh 3 (Kolomatis, Elkins), 10:34 (pp). 3, Manchester, Zeiler 4 (Cliche), 10:51. 4, Hartford, Owens 6 (Grachev, Williams), 13:17. Penalties-Westgarth Mch (interference), 3:03; Williams Hfd (tripping), 10:06; Garlock Hfd (roughing), 16:14; Soryal Hfd (roughing), 16:14; Clune Mch (roughing), 16:14; Nolan Mch (roughing), 16:14; Weise Hfd (hooking), 19:37.

2nd Period- No Scoring.Penalties-Parenteau Hfd (tripping), 6:26; Parenteau Hfd (roughing), 8:58; Owens Hfd (fighting), 11:34; Clune Mch (fighting), 11:34; Westgarth Mch (boarding), 11:34.

3rd Period-5, Manchester, Holloway 12 (Voynov), 1:04. Penalties-Couture Hfd (fighting), 1:50; Walker Mch (fighting), 1:50; Holloway Mch (tripping), 5:08; Byers Hfd (roughing), 7:18; Voynov Mch (boarding, roughing), 7:18; Weise Hfd (slashing), 9:13; Nolan Mch (cross-checking), 9:13; Nightingale Hfd (fighting), 11:11; Westgarth Mch (elbowing, fighting), 11:11; Kroll Mch (tripping), 15:26; Elkins Mch (slashing), 17:07; Soryal Hfd (slashing), 19:27.

Shots on Goal-Hartford 11-14-11-36. Manchester 16-6-3-25.

Power Play Opportunities-Hartford 0 of 7; Manchester 1 of 5.

Goalies-Hartford, Zaba 3-4-1 (25 shots-21 saves). Manchester, Bernier 18-10-4 (36 shots-35 saves).

A-5,613

MEANWHILE BACK IN CHARLOTTE

VERSUS

CHECKERS TREAT SELL-OUT CROWD WITH SHOOTOUT WIN

Slattengren’s Two Goals And Carroll’s Shootout Winner Propel Charlotte To 4-3 Victory

The Charlotte Checkers did not disappoint the home crowd as they downed the Kalamazoo Wings, 4-3, in a shootout in front of a sold-out crowd of over 6,800 at Time Warner Cable Arena in Uptown Charlotte on Sunday afternoon.

With the win, the Checkers improve to 13-5-2 at home and defeat the Wings for the first time in four tries this season.

Aaron Slattengren led the way offensively for the Checkers with two goals, while Michel Leveille and Tyler Doig chipped in with two assists each. Ryan Munce stopped 36 of 39 shots for his sixth win of the season.

Charlotte opened the scoring for the third game in a row on a power-play goal by Slattengren. Leveille, who was parked at the right-wing hash marks, fed a pass to Tyler Doig at the point. Doig then let a slap shot go and Slattengren was there to tip it home past Wings goaltender Jeremy Duchesne for his sixth of the season.

The Wings would tie it up just five minutes later on a power play of their own as Devin Featherstone, on a two-on-one with Darryl Bootland, beat Munce low along the ice for his first goal of the season.

Charlotte’s top line of Leveille, Doig and Andrew Carroll went to work again in the second and the Checkers pulled ahead 2-1. Leveille faked a slap shot at the blueline and dished a pass to Doig at the hashmarks who then fed Julien Brouillette on the doorstep for the tap-in. The goal came at the 6:02 mark of the second period.

With four minutes to play in the period, ex-NHL forward Darryl Bootland beat Munce between the legs to tie the game. Trent Daavettila and Devin Featherstone picked up assists on Bootland’s seventh of the year.

Early in the third, Kalamazoo took their first lead of the game when Tyler Willis, in a scrum in front of the net, banged the loose puck home.

Charlotte bounced back and tied the game, just two and a half minutes later, when Daniel Tkaczuk circled the net and fed a beautiful pass to Slattengren who one-timed it past Duchesne for his second of the game.

The two teams traded scoring chances in the remaining 12 minutes of the third period but were unable to solve each respective team’s goaltender. After a scoreless overtime, the Checkers prepared for their second straight shootout.

In the shootout, Leveille, Slattengren and Codey Burki scored, as well as three Kalamazoo players and the stage was set for a dramatic finish. Carroll skated in on Duchesne, faked a shot and tucked it home for the shootout-winning goal and the Checkers walked away with the 4-3 victory.

The Checkers (20-13-5-0) will host the Kalamazoo Wings on Sunday. Game time is 2 p.m. and ticket information can be obtained by calling 704-342-4-ICE or visiting www.gocheckers.com.

GAME SUMMARY and OFFICIAL SCORERS SHEET

NOTES:

* Andrew Carroll has five goals and four assists in his last seven games

* Miika Wiikman has only two regulation losses in 14 games this season (8-2-3)

* Aaron Slattengren has 11 points (6g, 5a) in his last nine games

* Tyler Doig ranks seventh in ECHL scoring with 44 points (10g, 34a)

* T.J. Reynolds leads all ECHL defensemen with 151 penalty minutes, and is second in overall ECHL plus-minus with a +20 rating

* The Checkers are 12-3-1 in their last 16 home games

* Derek Couture remains on loan to Hartford (AHL), Kenny Roche is with Providence (AHL) while Matt Ford and Randy Rowe are with Lake Erie (AHL)…

* Trevor Glass and Chris Chappell are on the 21-day injured reserve

LINES:

Schepke – Tkaczuk – Slattengren
Carroll – Leveille © – Doig
Chabot – Taylor – Marshal

Berube – Schaeffer
Brouillette – Ward
Dowzak

Munce
Wiikman

(Assistant Captains Bold and Italicized)

SCRATCHES:

T.J. Reynolds – Suspension
Codey Burki – Illness – Day-to-Day
Ethan Graham – 7-day IR
Trevor Glass – 21-day IR
Chris Chappell – 21-day IR
Chris Snavely – 21-day IR
 

THREE STARS:

1. CHR – A. Slattengren
2. CHR – A. Carroll
3. CHR – M. Leveille

ON ICE OFFICIALS:

Referee:
Paul Depuydt (26)

Linesmen:
Mathieu Chenier (71)
Paul Reid (97)

NEXT GAME:

SCORE-SHEET:

Kalamazoo Wings 3 At Charlotte Checkers 4 (SO) – Status: Final SO

Jan 17, 2010 – Time Warner Cable Arena

Kalamazoo 1 1 1 0 – 3

Charlotte 1 1 1 0 – 4

1st Period-1, Charlotte, Slattengren 6 (Doig, Leveille), 8:41 (pp). 2, Kalamazoo, Featherstone 1 (Bootland), 13:42 (pp). Penalties-Bootland Kal (hooking), 0:31; Burki Chr (holding), 5:49; Liotti Kal (hooking), 8:18; Marshall Chr (hooking), 12:41.

2nd Period-3, Charlotte, Brouillette 9 (Doig, Leveille), 6:02. 4, Kalamazoo, Bootland 7 (Daavettila, Featherstone), 16:00. Penalties-Jones Kal (cross-checking), 0:46; Ward Chr (slashing ), 2:28; Versteeg Kal (high-sticking), 6:17; Marshall Chr (tripping), 17:55.

3rd Period-5, Kalamazoo, Willis 1 (Jurynec, Versteeg), 4:46. 6, Charlotte, Slattengren 7 (Tkaczuk), 7:24. Penalties-Liotti Kal (interference), 8:09; Schepke Chr (hooking), 10:08.

OT Period- No Scoring.Penalties-No Penalties

Shootout – Kalamazoo 3 (Jones G, Fournier NG, Daavettila NG, Bootland G, Ftorek G), Charlotte 4 (Slattengren G, Tkaczuk NG, Leveille G, Burki G, Carroll G).

Shots on Goal-Kalamazoo 9-12-13-5-0-39. Charlotte 15-14-13-2-1-45.

Power Play Opportunities-Kalamazoo 1 of 5; Charlotte 1 of 5.

Goalies-Kalamazoo, Duchesne 6-2-3-1 (44 shots-41 saves). Charlotte, Munce 6-7-1-0 (39 shots-36 saves).

A-6,856