“WHO ARE THESE GUYS?…” 

      VERSUS    

The Hartford Wolf Pack finally snapped a five game losing streak with a home win over the Worcester Sharks, 4-2. 

Midway through the first period, a fan appropriately shouted from just behind the press box, “Who are these guys?” It was a fair question to ask given how lousy the team was playing in losing five straight by a total of 31-14. 

“It was a good start, which was pretty important.” Head Coach Ken Gernander said afterwards.  Coming into the game the Pack had started off trailing in 35 of their 57 games.   

Overall however, Gernander was pleased with the performance. “I thought we played pretty sound game for the largest portion of the game.” He said. 

Gernander felt his team was more committed to doing the little things that a team needs to do in order to win. “I thought we came closer (Friday, a 4-2 home loss to division and franchise rival, Bridgeport), and then today the execution was a little better and things just kind of came together a little better. It was a good game today.” 

If it were up to Gernander the Wolf Pack would play first place Worcester every night. The Pack have owned the Sharks over the last five years with a record of 21-7-1-1. This season the Pack are 4-0-0-0 over the Sharks. The Sharks meanwhile are 35-12-4 against the rest of the league. 

The Pack got on the board quickly as they registered three goals in the first 9:13. 

At 5:41, Derek Couture played, “Johnny-On-The-Spot” as he banged home a loose puck in front of Alex Stalock (19 Saves, 31-13-1-2) after Jared Nightingale, who had another strong game for the home team, fired a shot from the right circle. 

Dale Weise then followed up just 41 seconds later with his first of two on the night when after a serious forecheck Brodie Dupont ended up with the puck behind the net. He fed Weise in front for the quick strike tally. 

“I had a few meeting with ‘Schoney’ (General Manager Jim Schoenfeld) and ‘G’ (Gernander) about shooting more, “Weise said. “I’ve got a good shot and I’ve got to be shooting the puck and being ready to shoot.” 

After Kenny Roche took a hooking call at 8:58, Illka Heikkinen and Weise hooked up for what proved to be the game winner. The Rauma, Finland native poked the puck loose away defenseman Mike Moore. The puck squirted up the boards and Weise jumped Moore and brought the puck in two-on-one (Derek Joslin) with Dupont. “I just took off,” Weise said. “I knew from the red line in that I was shooting it and just ripped it.”  Weise’s shot form the right circle beat Stalock over the shoulder and buried into the upper far corner of the left side of the net. The goal was his 18^th of the season. 

“Weise had a good game.” Gernander said of the second year pro from Winnipeg, Manitoba. 

The Pack got a fourth goal in the third period after Joslin made a poor decision on a clearing attempt and blindly backhanded off the boards and right to the stick of the AHL’s third leading scorer, Corey Locke. The Pack center rushed the puck to the slot and fired a missile of a shot that Stalock had no chance against as the Toronto native’s shot was low and hard and in on the Shark netminder before he could react. It was 23^rd of the season at 12:28. 

Matt Zaba, (31 saves, 6-8-1) who was simply spectacular all game long, looked like he would get his first shutout of the season, but late goals off sloppy defense by ex-Pack center Dwight Helminen  at 17:32 and then Corey Quirk with just 36.9 ended that chance. 

The win also marked the franchises’ 300^th in team history at the XL Center (formerly known as the Hartford Civic Center). The Wolf Pack’s overall home record in thirteen years is 300-149-32-15. 

“(The win is) big for our confidence to know we can hang in a game with the best teams in the league. It’s consistency with our team.” Weise said. “At the beginning of the season, we were winning one and losing one, so we have to have the same effort (Sunday) because we’re chasing Bridgeport. 

The Sound Tigers lost Saturday night 1-0 to the Abbotsford Heat at the Arena at Harbor Yard. 

“We just need to get the wins now,” Pack captain Dane Byers said. “It doesn’t matter how it comes, we just have to come together as a team. We’ve got to look ourselves in the mirror and realize that we’re the ones who are going to have to pull ourselves out.” 

With division and franchise rival Bridgeport up nest, Gernander summed it up succinctly stating, “Every two points is huge for us. I don’t think we can place any more importance on one game or another. Every game is worth two points and they’re big points.” 

The great Bruce Berlet reports at Hartfordwolfpack.com . Gerry Cantelon has his version at Eurohockey.net.  Bill Ballou, the famous Worcester Sharks apologist, has his “story” at Telegram.com.

GAME SUMMARY and OFFICIAL SCORERS SHEET

STANDINGS

SCOREBOARD:

Syracuse knocked off Binghamton 2-1, Toronto shut out Manitoba 2-0. An Albany, the possible future home of the Sound Tigers, it was the River Rats doubling up on Manitoba 2-1. Speaking of the Sound Tigers, they lost to Abbotsford 1-0 on a late Keith Seabrook goal 1-0, Peoria defeated Grand Rapids 5-3, Hershey dismantled Lake Erie (like they seem to do to everyone else) 4-1, W-B/Scranton got a third period goal from Luca Caputi to beat Lowell 1-0. Springfield lost again but this time in a shoot-out 3-2, Chicago (who will likely play for the Calder against Hershey simply embarrassed Houston 7-1 and Rockford upended San Antonio 3-2

NOTES:

* If you have yet to sign up for our new service to our readers on Twitter, you’re really missing out on the most extensive coverage of the Wolf Pack and Checkers you’ll find anywhere. In addition to keeping you posted here on all major news stories, visit www.twitter.com/howlingstoday for in-game coverage of both Wolf Pack and Checkers games. Please “Follow” us on Twitter.

* Prior to yesterday’s game, Kevin Schaeffer and Andrew Carroll were both returned to, a certain-to-be-grateful, Charlotte Checkers team that has been playing extremely well and extremely shorthanded. With Andres Ambϋhl and P.A. Parenteau both back likely for next weekend, Charlotte will be getting back one, and possibly two of the following forwards, Kenny Roche, Derek Couture or even potentially Devin DiDIomete. We’re told Mathieu Dandenault could be back soon as well and depending upon how long Michael Sauer will be out after having had shoulder surgery, either Jared Nightingale or David Urquhart could be headed to “The Queen City.” Gernander spoke to that issue after the game. “That’s what your hope is (who stays and who goes) that the tough decisions are that the guys are playing so hard and so well that unfortunately someone will have to come out.”

Here’s the official release on the moves the team did make:

Hartford Wolf Pack general manager Jim Schoenfeld announced today that the the Wolf Pack has released defenseman Kevin Schaeffer and forward Andrew Carroll from their Professional Tryout (PTO) agreements, and returned them to the Wolf Pack’s ECHL affiliate, the Charlotte Checkers.

Schaeffer, a third-year pro out of Boston University, suited up for 11 games after signing with the Wolf Pack January 24, and registered two assists, six penalty minutes and a -3. Schaeffer has also skated in seven AHL games earlier this year with the Lake Erie Monsters, posting two assists and two PIM. In 31 games with the Checkers, Schaeffer has one goal and six assists for seven points, along with 19 penalty minutes. 

Carroll, a rookie out of the University of Minnesota-Duluth, was scoreless in two games in his latest stint with the Wolf Pack, bringing his total games-played with the Pack on the year to four (nine penalty minutes). When he signed his second PTO of the season with the Wolf Pack February 12, Carroll was leading the Charlotte club in goals with 21, a total that was good for fourth among ECHL rookies, in 40 games, and also had 12 assists for 33 points, third-best on the Checker team. His total of 82 penalty minutes ranked him fifth on the Charlotte squad.

* The Syracuse Crunch and the Binghampton Senators played an outdoor game at the Ne York State Fairgrounds Saturday before an AHL record crowd of 21,508 fans. It was the AHL’s first outdoor game in league history. The league went all out including having recording artist Jessie James sing the National Anthem and having the opening puck “dropped in” literally by skydiver Ray Maynard. The game was Wolf Pack noteworthy, not just because of the historic nature of the game, but the winning goal was scored by ex-Pack defenseman Dave Liffiton.

LINES:

Soryal – Dupont – Weise
Grachev – Locke – Owens
Byers © – Crowder – Roche
Brashear – Garlock – Couture

Williams – Nightingale
Urquhart – Potter
Heikkinen – Sanguinetti 

Zaba
Johnson

(Assistant Captains Bold and Italicized)

SCRATCHES:

Miika Wiikman – Healthy Scratch
Devin DiDiomete – Healthy Scratch
Andres Ambϋhl – Reassigned to Swiss National Team – Two weeks
Steven Valiquette – Hand Injury – Day-to-Day (Technically on recall with the NY Rangers)
Mathieu Dandenault – Lower Body – Day-to-Day
P.A. Parenteau – Concussion – Day-to-Day
Michael Sauer – Shoulder Surgery – Indefinite
Brent Henley – Knee  – Season
Mike Hoffman – Shoulder – Season

THREE STARS:

1. HFD – D. Weise
2. HFD – M. Zaba
3. HFD – J. Nightingale

ON ICE OFFICIALS:

Referee:
Shaun Davis (31)

Linesmen:
Kevin Redding (16)
Brent Colby (7)

NEXT GAME:

After a big win, the Pack will look to build on that and take it right to Bridgeport for a battle with the Sound Tigers. Bob Crawford is on the air with the pre-game show at 2:30.

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

If you can attend the home games, they 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:

Worcester Sharks 2 At Hartford Wolf Pack 4 – Status: Final

Feb 20, 2010 – XL Center Veterans Memorial Coliseum

Worcester 0 0 2 – 2

Hartford 3 0 1 – 4

1st Period-1, Hartford, Couture 8 (Crowder, Nightingale), 5:41. 2, Hartford, Weise 17 (Dupont), 6:22. 3, Hartford, Weise 18 (Heikkinen), 9:13 (sh). Penalties-Henderson Wor (hooking), 2:44; Roche Hfd (hooking), 8:58; Heikkinen Hfd (boarding), 11:11.

2nd Period- No Scoring.Penalties-McCarthy Wor (fighting), 3:25; Nightingale Hfd (fighting), 3:25; Roche Hfd (holding the stick), 4:40; Demers Wor (cross-checking), 6:53; Dupont Hfd (cross-checking), 10:35; Demers Wor (interference), 17:33.

3rd Period-4, Hartford, Locke 23   12:28. 5, Worcester, Helminen 10 (DaSilva, Desjardins), 17:32. 6, Worcester, Quirk 6 (McCarthy), 19:23. Penalties-Demers Wor (cross-checking), 4:50; Demers Wor (roughing), 5:44; Byers Hfd (roughing), 5:44; Brashear Hfd (roughing), 7:46; Owens Hfd (tripping), 10:16; Henderson Wor (elbowing), 13:20.

Shots on Goal-Worcester 14-7-12-33. Hartford 12-4-7-23.

Power Play Opportunities-Worcester 0 of 6; Hartford 0 of 5.

Goalies-Worcester, Stalock 31-13-1 (23 shots-19 saves). Hartford, Zaba 6-8-1 (33 shots-31 saves).

A-5,377