WHALE WEEKLY: February 14-21, 2011 

The Whale (26-22-2-5, 59 pts.) journeyed to Canada for the only time this season this past week, losing to the Toronto Marlies by a 9-2 score on Wednesday before rebounding nicely to defeat the Hamilton Bulldogs on Friday night, 3-2. Connecticut then won its second straight on the road, defeating the Providence Bruins, 4-1, at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center Sunday afternoon. The 2-1-0-0 week lifted the Whale into third place in the Atlantic Division.  Brodie Dupont notched two goals and three assists over the first three games of the Whale’s current four-game road trip, which ends Friday at Adirondack.

This week:

The Whale heads to Adirondack to face the Phantoms on Friday (7:30 PM faceoff) in their final tune-up before the 2011 Harvest-Properties.com Whale Bowl Saturday at Rentschler Field against the Providence Bruins (7:00 PM faceoff). Connecticut will then head north for a tilt with the Portland Pirates in a rare Monday afternoon contest in Maine (1:00 PM faceoff).

Friday, February 18 at Adirondack (Glens Falls Civic Center), 7:30 PM

· The Phantoms had a two-game winning streak halted Sunday night, as they fell in overtime to the Binghamton Senators, 4-3.  Adirondack currently stands in last place in the East Division with a record of 17-30-3-3, for 40 points.

· Friday’s game between the Whale and Phantoms will be fourth and final meeting of the season between the two teams. The Whale have won all three prior meetings this year, outscoring the Phantoms 13-7.

· The Phantoms’ Ben Holmstrom has recorded five (1-4-5) of his 21 points on the season in three games against Connecticut.

· Adirondack had posted back-to-back shutout wins over the East Division-leading Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, and Hamilton Bulldogs, before their loss to Binghamton.

· Phantoms rookie Erik Gustafsson sits in a tie for ninth among AHL freshmen with 32 points (5-27-32 in 49 GP).

· Radio – live with Bob Crawford in HD on WTIC’s 96.5 HD 2 and on-line at www.CTwhale.com and www.wtic.com.

Saturday, February 19 vs. Providence, the Outdoor Harvest-Properties.com Whale Bowl at Rentschler Field, 7:00 PM

· This game will be the premier event of the 2011 Harvest-Properties.com Whalers Hockey Fest 2011, and the Harvest-Properties.com Whale Bowl is just the second outdoor game in the 75-year history of the AHL.

· The Whale vs. P-Bruins game will be preceded at 4:00 PM by a Whalers legends vs. Boston Bruins legends game.

· The Whale and Bruins have met six times this season, with the Whale taking four of the six prior contests between the Atlantic Division rivals.

· Maxime Sauve has paced Providence in scoring against the Whale with four goals, while several Bruins have notched a goal and an assist each.

· The Bruins have lost six games in a row, dropping their last contest to the Whale, 4-1, this past Sunday in Providence.

· Providence has been outscored by the opposition 26-10 over their four-game skid.

· Tickets for the Harvest-Properties.com Whale Bowl are available at www.ticketmaster.com.  Tickets for the AHL game also include the 4:00 PM legends game.  The Harvest-Properties.com Whale Bowl is the featured event of the two-week Outdoor Harvest-Properties.com Whalers Hockey Fest 2011 spectacular that also features numerous collegiate, high school, prep school and youth hockey games.   The complete Harvest-Properties.com Whalers Hockey Fest 2011 schedule can be found at www.ctwhale.com.  Harvest-Properties.com Whale Bowl ticket prices range from $20 to $85, and tickets can be purchased on-line via Ticketmaster, at the Bushnell box office from Monday through Friday, 12 noon-5:00 PM., or by calling the Connecticut Whale at 860-728-3366.  Tickets purchased on-line can be printed immediately (via Ticketmaster).

· Radio – This game will be aired live on WTIC NewsTalk 1080, the 50,000-watt AM powerhouse. WTIC NewsTalk 1080’s Scott Gray will join Bob Crawford and Mark Bailey on the broadcast team. The action can also be heard live on WTIC’s 96.5 HD 2 and on-line at www.wtic.com.

Monday, February 21 vs. Portland at the Cumberland County Civic Center, 1:00 PM

· The Pirates (32-15-4-1, 69 pts.) have won three straight games, to close with three points of first-place Manchester in the Atlantic Division standings, by sweeping a three-game road-trip.

· Portland and Connecticut have split six games in this year’s season-series, with five of six games being decided by just one goal.

· Marc-Andre Gragnani ranks tied for fourth among league defensemen in points with 36 (9-27-36 in 44 GP). He has three fewer points than leading defenseman Viatcheslav Voynov, while playing in eight fewer games.

· The Pirates defeated the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, 6-3, in their last action on Sunday. Gragnani, Corey Tropp, Derek Whitmore, Colin Stuart and T.J. Brennan each had a goal and an assist in the game.

· Radio – live with Bob Crawford in HD on WTIC’s 96.5 HD 2 and on-line at www.CTwhale.com and www.wtic.com.

Recent Transactions:

Jason Williams – released by the Whale from a Professional Tryout (PTO) agreement February 11.

Brett Leggat – Signed by the Whale to an Amateur Tryout (ATO) agreement February 11, and released later that night.

Pier-Olivier Pelletier – Signed by the Whale to a Professional Tryout (PTO) agreement February 13.