HUGE NIGHT FOR THE AFFILIATES 

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“We rose to the occasion for some big games this year, and this was another one,” Dale Weise said after the Hartford Wolf Pack got a much win victory over the Lowell Devils 5-2 Friday night at the XL Center.

“The more compact you can be, the better,” Hartford head coach Ken Gernander said after the game. “We had puck possession and that was the key to our transition. We won one-on-one battles, and if possible you want to outnumber your opponent.”

With the team now sitting seven points out of a playoff spot with a game in hand, every game now is a must win. Friday night, the Pack played with that desperation and it showed. Unlike so many games this season where they have struggled in the first period, that wasn’t the case in this one. Hartford came out of the locker room determined not to fall behind early. Dale Weise, who you could make a strong case for team MVP this season, almost put the Pack on the board just 3:49 into the contest when his shot hit starter Jeff Frazee (24 saves, 13-16-0) and dropped behind the Lowell netminder and was swept away at the last second by the Devils defense.

Louis Robitaille took a hooking call at 5:27 sending the struggling Pack power play onto the ice. But even without the AHL’s third leading scorer, Corey Locke, or their most offensively gifted player in P.A. Parenteau on the ice, both are on recall in New York, the power play looked strong. They moved the puck well along the perimeter and got shots. Paul Crowder had a great chance in front, but Frazee erased it with a sweeping glove save. But at 7:02, the Pack found pay-dirt.

Ilkka Heikkinen, who has said publicly that he won’t be back in Hartford next season, passed the puck from the right side to Corey Potter in the high slot. Potter saw Kris Newbury open on the right and fed him the puck just above the right face-off circle. Just as Newbury got the puck, Heikkinen charged the net from the left point and split the defense of Cory Murphy and Rob Davison. Newbury saw Heikkinen break in and put a perfect pass right on Heikkinen’s stick. The Rauma, Finland native simply deflected the puck and it beat Frazee over the glove.

The Pack kept Lowell from even getting a shot on net for the first 16:35 of the game. The teams finished the period with the Pack outshooting their guests 12-5 and lead 1-0.

Hartford doubled their lead early in the second period as a great setup pass from Donald Brashear sprung Ryan Garlock into the offensive zone and his wraparound shot hit Oliver Magnan’s skate and went into the net at 1:36.

It only took 1:14 for the Rangers’ top farm team to strike a third time as Weise followed up a shot that he took from the right side that hit Alexander Vasyunov and came right back to him. Weise blasted it into the upper corner over the stick side blocker of Frazee for his 27th of the season unassisted at 2:50.

But Lowell didn’t give up trailing by three goals. They peppered Pack goaltender Chad Johnson (36 saves, 20-18-2) who started his tenth consecutive game and who won for the 20th time this season. In the second they put 12 shots on net and not one got by the Pack rookie.

In the third period, Hartford looked strong defensively as Lowell wasn’t going down without a fight. Magnan put the puck in the net for the second time, this time in the opposition’s net, when he jumped on a loose puck and fired a shot that hit Jared Nightingale’s stick and redirected past Johnson at 2:29.

Lowell tallied again just 49 seconds later. Hartford could not get the puck out of the zone and when Nathan Perkovich got hold of the puck to Johnson’s left, he saw that nobody was picking up a streaking David McIntyre up the slot and fed the Lowell center the puck. McIntyre then ripped it right past Johnson and it was 3-2.

But this kind of thing has killed the Pack all season long. Quick strikes and poor defense after establishing a lead. This time however they answered back. Despite giving up a season high 21 shots in a period, the Pack returned fire with a Crowder goal at 11:35 off some nice work in front of the net by Brodie Dupont, who’s had an excellent season.

Dupont then got his second helper of the contest with a nice pass that set up Bobby Sanguinetti for his ninth of the season to finish the scoring with just 3:11 left.

The win got the Pack back to .500 at 32-32-6-5 and kept heir faint playoff hopes alive. They got help on the scoreboard with both Bridgeport and Wilkes Barre lost. If they are going to have a shot, they truly need to run the table and win their five remaining games.

“We get up (Saturday morning) and start all over again,” said Gernander.

Brian Ring substitutes for the vacationing Bruce Berlet and sums it all up at Hartfordwolfpack.com. One of the reasons that Lowell will probably lose the Devils to Albany is the lack of community support. No story at all in the Lowell Sun so the only Devils perspective is at the Devils’ own website.

GAME SUMMARY and OFFICIAL SCORERS SHEET

x = clinched a playoff spot

y = clinched division title

STANDINGS FOR LAST PLAYOFF SPOTS:

WOLF PACK TRAGIC NUMBER IS 4 (Four) Any combination of Bridgeport or Lowell, who’s ever on top, getting points and the Pack not getting them reduces that number. Pack have one game in hand on both Bridgeport and Lowell.

Either Wilkes-Barre or Norfolk will make it and be either the three or four seed in their division. The top Atlantic team will be in and depending upon their points, be either the third of fourth seed in the East Division.

SCHEDULE:

For the Pack, the scores to be watching, and there are few of them, Portland visits Bridgeport, Worcester is at Lowell and Providence challenges Manchester at the Verizon Center all starting at 7pm. At 7:05 Norfolk visits Binghamton. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton will be off.

SCOREBOARD:

Things broke well for the New York Rangers’ top farm club Friday night.

While Norfolk beating Albany 2-1 and Providence beating Worcester didn’t help, Binghamton knocked off W/B-Scranton 6-2 and Manchester knocked off Bridgeport 4-1.

In other action, Manitoba beat Toronto 3-1. Graham Mink had two goals as Rochester beat Hershey 3-1. Syracuse won on the road at Adirondack 3-2 and Portland doubled up Springfield 6-3. Peoria snuck by Milwaukee in overtime 6-5. It was Rockford edging out Lake Erie 2-1. San Antonio lost to Texas in overtime 4-3. Houston got by Chicago by the same score as did Abbotsford over Grand Rapids.

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.

* ex-Pack captain Greg Moore was recalled from Syracuse to Columbus.

* In case you’re interested in the battle of attendance between the two Connecticut teams, Hartford is 18th overall averaging 4,165 a game while Bridgeport is 19th with 4,039. Hershey, big surprise, is first with 9,524. Lowell is last at 2,429. The league average is 5,035.

* Dale Weise is still tied for first overall in the AHL in shorthanded goals with five. He’s tied with Derek MacKenzie (SYR) Steve Pinizzoto (HER) and Josh Hennessy (BNG).

* Special Teams have been a struggle all season. The power play, which was good at the beginning of the year, is now ranked 14th (17.1%). The PK, which was last for a few weeks, has snuck back up to 26th (79.8%) of 29.

* Weise has a three game goal scoring streak and in his last six games has five goals and three helpers for eight points.

* Kris Newbury has assists in his last six straight games, nine overall over the span.

* The Pack are 16-6-2-0 at the MassMutual Center over the last five years. They are 2-1-1-0 this season.

* In the next game with it all on the line for the Pack against Springfield, Ex-Pack Chad Wiseman has scored the most against Hartford this season on the current Springfield roster. In six games he has two goals and four assists for six points. Charles Linglet, in eight games has three goals and six assists for nine points but he is on recall with Edmonton.

* For the Pack, Corey Locke (5g, 7a, 12pts) in eight games and P.A. Parenteau (6g, 4a, 10pts) over seven meetings have torched Springfield and both are on recall. Brodie Dupont is next with four goals and a helper for five points versus the team’s I-91 rivals.

LINES:

Byers © – Newbury – Weise
Dupont – Crowder – Grachev
Soryal – Garlock – Ambϋhl
Brashear – McKelvie – Couture

Heikkinen – Sanguinetti 
Baldwin – Potter
Brouillette – Nightingale

Johnson
Zaba

(Assistant Captains Bold and Italicized) 

SCRATCHES:

P.A. Parenteau – Recall, NY Rangers
Anders Eriksson – Recall, NY Rangers
Devin DiDIomete – Healthy Scratch
Nigel Williams – Healthy Scratch
Cameron Talbot – Healthy Scratch 
Steven Valiquette – Hand Injury – Season over
Michael Sauer – Shoulder – Season over
Mike Hoffman – Shoulder – Season over
Brent Henley – Knee – Season over 

THREE STARS:

1. HFD – D. Weise
2. HFD – C. Potter
3. HFD – B. Dupont

ON ICE OFFICIALS:

Referee:
Shaun Davis (31)

Linesmen:
David Spannaus (8)
Brent Colby (7)

NEXT GAME:

Bob Crawford is on the air at 6:30 with the pre-game from the MassMutual Center with the puck dropping at 7pm as the Pack hope to keep their faint playoff hopes alive against the Springfield Falcons.

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 or from your cell phone or computer visit www.twitter.com/howlingstoday for complete live in-game coverage. 

SCORE-SHEET:

Lowell Devils 2 At Hartford Wolf Pack 5 – Status: Final

Apr 2, 2010 – XL Center Veterans Memorial Coliseum

Lowell 0 0 2 – 2

Hartford 1 2 2 – 5

1st Period-1, Hartford, Heikkinen 8 (Newbury, Potter), 7:02 (pp). Penalties-Robitaille Low (hooking), 5:27.

2nd Period-2, Hartford, Garlock 6 (Brashear, Potter), 1:36. 3, Hartford, Weise 27   2:50. Penalties-Newbury Hfd (hooking), 8:54; Davison Low (slashing), 12:30; Soryal Hfd (high-sticking), 12:30; Taormina Low (holding the stick), 15:32; Perkovich Low (slashing), 19:43.

3rd Period-4, Lowell, Magnan 3 (Swift, Murphy), 2:29. 5, Lowell, McIntyre 2 (Perkovich, Vasyunov), 3:18. 6, Hartford, Crowder 12 (Grachev, Dupont), 11:35. 7, Hartford, Sanguinetti 9 (Dupont), 16:49. Penalties-Davison Low (charging), 9:11; Nightingale Hfd (cross-checking), 9:11; Byers Hfd (hooking), 14:30; Walter Low (tripping), 17:02; Dupont Hfd (slashing), 17:47; Weise Hfd (misconduct), 20:00.

Shots on Goal-Lowell 5-12-21-38. Hartford 12-9-8-29.

Power Play Opportunities-Lowell 0 of 3; Hartford 1 of 4.

Goalies-Lowell, Frazee 13-16-0 (29 shots-24 saves). Hartford, Johnson 20-18-2 (38 shots-36 saves).

A-2,914

MEANWHILE BACK IN CHARLOTTE:

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CHECKERS DOWN EVERBLADES, MAINTAIN FIRST PLACE

Shorthanded, Power-Play And Even-Strength Goals Propel Charlotte To 3-1 Win

The Charlotte Checkers used three second-period goals to down the Florida Everblades, 3-1, and maintain first place in the American Conference standings with one game to play.

The Checkers scored while shorthanded, on the power play and at even strength on the way to their 12th victory in the last 13 games.

Aaron Slattengren and Matt Stefanishion each had a goal and an assist while Ryan Munce stopped 25 of 26 shots for his 26th victory of the season. Munce now ranks second in the ECHL with 26 wins and first with a .913 save percentage.

Checkers defenseman Trevor Hendrikx got things going early on when he dropped the gloves with Florida’s Benn Olson. Olson was suspended last week for two games as a result of a hit on Munce on Mar. 23. Charlotte then went on the attack following the fight but Everblades rookie goaltender Adrien Lemay shut the door.

The game remained scoreless until the 7:41 mark of the second period when Slattengren notched a shorthanded goal. Stefanishion stripped the puck from a Florida defender and fed a backhand pass to Slattengren who then beat Lemay over the glove for his 17th tally of the season.

Just 23 seconds later, Everblades forward Matthew Pistilli forced a turnover and broke in alone on Munce. Pistilli then beat the Checkers’ netminder high over the glove to make it a 1-1 game.

Charlotte took its second lead of the game, two minutes later, on a tic-tac-toe play down low in the Florida zone. Slattengren started the play as he dished a nifty pass over to Mike Taylor at the left wing. Taylor then faked to avoid an Everblades defender and fed Stefanishion who one-timed a slap shot past Lemay on the blocker side.

Less than three minutes later, the Checkers took a two-goal lead on the power play when Hendrikx one-timed a pass from Michel Leveille through traffic and into the back of the net.

Shortly after the goal, Florida forward Milan Gajic broke in on a breakaway but Munce made an impressive stacked-pad save to keep it a 3-1 game.

With time winding down in the third period and a Checkers player in the penalty box, Florida pulled its goaltender for a 6-on-4 man advantage. The Everblades threw everything they could on net but Munce stood strong and walked away with the 3-1 win.

Charlotte (93 points) has a chance to clinch first place in the conference with a win over Florida tomorrow. Kalamazoo (92), South Carolina (92) and Cincinnati (91) all won their respective games tonight to keep their first-place hopes alive with one game to play in the regular season.

The Checkers (43-21-7) will play their last ever ECHL regular season game tomorrow in Florida. Playoff dates will be announced shortly and ticket information can be obtained by calling 704-342-4-ICE or visiting www.gocheckers.com. Season tickets for the inaugural 2010-11 AHL season are now on sale and 40-game packages start as low as $200. (Photo courtesy of the Charlotte Checkers)

GAME SUMMARY and OFFICIAL SCORERS SHEET