WOLF PACK/WHALE WEEKLY: October 25 – 31, 2010 

The Wolf Pack (3-3-1-1, 8 pts.) were winless in three home games this past week, including a pair of heartbreaking one-goal losses.  After the Norfolk Admirals came into the XL Center and racked up a 5-1 victory on Wednesday, the Wolf Pack were locked in a scoreless tie with the Binghamton Senators Friday, before Binghamton’s Erik Condra scored what would turn out to be the game-winning goal with 3:10 remaining in the third period, giving the Senators a 1-0 triumph.  Then on Saturday night, the Wolf Pack and goaltender Dov Grumet-Morris, making his first Wolf Pack appearance, were only 23.8 seconds away from a 1-0 shutout against the Syracuse Crunch, when the Crunch scored the tying goal with their goaltender pulled, and then notched the game-winner 45 seconds into overtime.

This week:

The Wolf Pack wrap up a five-game homestand with 7:00 games at the XL Center this Wednesday night, October 27 against Albany and Friday, October 29 vs. Springfield, before traveling to Springfield to complete a home-and-home set with the Falcons Saturday night (7:00).

Wednesday, October 27 vs. Albany at the XL Center, 7:00 PM

· This is already the second-and-final game of a two-game season series between the Wolf Pack and Devils, who won the first meeting, 3-2 in a shootout, October 15 in Albany.

· The Devils are 3-2-0-0 for six points in their first five games this year, after playing the last four seasons in Lowell, MA.

· Albany captain Stephen Gionta, who had the shootout winner against the Wolf Pack in the October 15^th game, is the Devils’ leading point-getter, with 1-3-4 in five games.

· The Devils won their only previous road game, 4-3 in overtime, at Adirondack October 16.

· 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, October 29 vs. Springfield at the XL Center, 7:00 PM

· Once again this season, Friday night Wolf Pack home games are Guida’s Family Value Nights.  Family Value packages start as low as $48 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 to www.hartfordwolfpack.com.

· This is the first installment of the Wolf Pack’s most familiar rivalry, which will feature a total of 10 meetings on the year between the Pack and Falcons.  The Pack were 6-2-0-0 vs. the Falcons last season, 3-1-1-0 at home.

· The Falcons have a new affiliate this year, the Columbus Blue Jackets, after three seasons as the top affiliate of the Edmonton Oilers, and a new head coach, former long-time Army head man Rob Riley.

· Riley has Springfield off to a 4-4-0-0 start through eight games, and the Falcons are 3-1-0-0 on the road.

· Veteran Tom Sestito is the Falcons’ points leader thus far, with 4-5-9 in eight games, and Michael Blunden leads the club in goals, with 5-3-8 in eight contests.

· 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, October 30 at Springfield (MassMutual Center), 7:00 PM

· The Wolf Pack are 2-0-0-1 on the road for the year, and the Falcons are 1-3-0-0 at home.

· The Pack were 3-1-1-0 in five visits to Springfield last season.

· 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:

Dov Grumet-Morris – Signed to a Professional Tryout (PTO) agreement by the Wolf Pack October 18.

Tyler Donati – signed to an AHL contract by the Wolf Pack October 22.

Jeremy Williams – recalled from the Wolf Pack by the New York Rangers October 24 and returned October 25. 

Pack Tracks:

The Wolf Pack will officially be re-branded as the Connecticut Whale on November 27 for a game at the XL Center vs. the Bridgeport Sound Tigers.  The Wolf Pack’s final home game at the XL Center will be on November 13 vs. the Springfield Falcons. There will be several events commemorating the 13-plus year Wolf Pack history that night.  A “Hartford Distributors/Bud Light All-time Wolf Pack Team” will be announced at the November 13 game, and fans are invited to cast their votes for the team, at CTWhale.com and at various retailers, courtesy of Hartford Distributors and Bud Light.

Individual tickets for Wolf Pack/Whale home games are on sale now at the XL Center Box Office and all Ticketmaster locations. Tickets may also be charged by phone at 1-800-745-3000 or online at www.hartfordwolfpack.com.

For information on Wolf Pack/Whale ticket packages, group sales and VIP packages, call (860) 728-3366

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/Connecticut Whale is operated by Whalers Sports and Entertainment, a Hartford-based sports marketing and event firm founded by Howard Baldwin.  The team is the top player-development affiliate of the NHL’s New York Rangers.

Since 1972, the CT Lottery has generated more than $19.3 billion in sales and has transferred nearly $6.7 billion to the state’s General Fund.  Prizes have exceeded more than $11.1 billion.  Purchasers must be 18 years or older.  If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-346-6238.  For more information about the Connecticut Lottery Corporation, call (860) 713-2000, or visit the CT Lottery web site at ctlottery.org. 

TRACK THE PACK/WHALE AT WWW.HARTFORDWOLFPACK.COM