BY: Bob Crawford
The Whale split their first two games of the season during the year’s opening weekend, first falling to the Adirondack Phantoms, 6-3, on Saturday night despite Kris Newbury’s first Whale hat trick. Connecticut rebounded with a solid 1-0 shootout win over last year’s regular season champions, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, on Sunday night. Chad Johnson earned a shutout with 41 saves and Jonathan Audy-Marchessault recorded the shootout game-winner in just his second career professional game.
This week:
The Whale will continue their season-opening three game road trip with a game against the Albany Devils Friday night at the Times-Union Center in Albany, NY (7:00 PM). Saturday will see the Whale return to Hartford for Connecticut’s home opener in a GEICO Connecticut Cup match with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers (7:00). Saturday’s game with Bridgeport will mark the first-ever opening night under the Whale banner, and 5,000 fans will receive a free Whale magnetic schedule, sponsored by Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.
Friday, October 14 at Albany Devils (Times-Union Center), 7:00 p.m.
· The Whale meet new Northeast Division rival Albany for the first time this year on Friday, in the first of four meetings between the teams this season.
· Rick Kowalsky is back behind the bench for the Devils’ top affiliate in 2011-12, and this year will mark his fourth straight season as a coach in the New Jersey system.
· Albany has retained two of their top three scorers from last year, as both team-leading scorer Matt Anderson (23-32-55 in 76 GP) and former Wolf Pack Chad Wiseman (16-28-44 in 48 GP) are back for another season in New York’s capital.
· The two teams met just twice last season, with both meetings coming during the month of October. The Devils beat the then Hartford Wolf Pack in both matchups, 3-2 in a shootout in Albany and 3-1 in Hartford.
· Radio – CT Whale “Rockin’ Hockey” live with Bob Crawford on “The Rock”, 106.9 WCCC-FM, and on-line at www.ctwhale.com.
Saturday, October 15 vs. Bridgeport Sound Tigers (XL Center), 7:00 p.m.
· The Whale look to defend their GEICO Connecticut Cup title for the first time this year in Connecticut’s first home opener since last year’s rebranding of the franchise.
· 5,000 fans will receive a free magnetic schedule, courtesy of Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.
· The XL Center atrium will rock with a “Whale Blue and Green” Fan Fest before the game. Fans can hear live music, test their shooting skills in the CT Whale Slap Shot Cage sponsored by Xfinity, frolic in a bounce house, and enjoy a Wii station.
· The Whale will meet the Sound Tigers ten times this season, as Bridgeport has joined Connecticut in the AHL’s Northeast Division.
· Former Wolf Pack defenseman Brent Thompson will be behind the bench for the Sound Tigers in his first year as an AHL head coach.
· The Whale took six of ten meetings from the Sound Tigers last season, posting a 6-3-0-1 record against their in-state rivals. Connecticut defeated Bridgeport, 3-2 in a shootout, in their first ever game as the Whale last November 27.
· Radio – CT Whale “Rockin’ Hockey” live with Bob Crawford on “The Rock”, 106.9 WCCC-FM, and on-line at www.ctwhale.com.
Recent Transactions:
Dale Weise – claimed off of waivers by the Vancouver Canucks October 4
Sean Avery – Assigned to the Whale by the NY Rangers October 5
Tim Erixon – Recalled by the NY Rangers from the Whale October 5
Stu Bickel – Assigned to the Whale by the NY Rangers October 6
T.J. Fast – Signed Professional Tryout (PTO) agreement with the Whale October 6
Jordan Owens – Signed Professional Tryout (PTO) agreement with the Whale October 6
Scott Tanski – Signed AHL contract with the Whale October 6
Brendan Bell – Assigned to the Whale by the NY Rangers October 8
Whale Tales:
Save on your tickets, and get the best seats, with a ticket plan for the Whale’s 2011-12 AHL campaign, which are on sale now. For information on season seats, mini plans and great group discounts, visit www.ctwhale.com, or call the CT Whale ticket office at (860) 728-3366 to talk with an account executive today.
The AHL’s Connecticut Whale is operated by Whalers Sports and Entertainment, a Hartford-based sports marketing and event firm founded by Howard Baldwin and Howard Baldwin, Jr.. The team is the top player-development affiliate of the NHL’s New York Rangers.
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