The Whale continued their hot February this past week, going 3-0-1-0 in four games to pull into sole possession of first place in the Northeast Division. The Whale posted wins over Syracuse, Springfield and Manchester, and earned a point in Sunday’s 2-1 overtime loss to the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. Wojtek Wolski finished the week’s action with four points (2g-2a-4pts.), with Jonathan Audy-Marchessault registering two goals and an assist. Chad Johnson won five straight games in February, posting a 1.50 goals against average and a .953 save percentage this month.
This week:
The Whale will look to continue their winning ways in February with home tilts against Springfield this Friday (7:00) and Worcester (7:00) on Saturday, before heading to Providence (4:05) to face the Bruins on Sunday.
“Whale TV” Programming Note
The scheduled “Whale TV” telecast on WCCT-TV of the Whale home game this Saturday, February 18 has been postponed. An additional March telecast date will be announced soon to replace Saturday’s date on the Whale telecast schedule.
Friday, February 17 vs. Springfield Falcons at the XL Center, 7:00 PM
· This is the tenth of 12 head-to-head tilts on the season between the Whale and the Falcons.
· Connecticut has topped the Falcons in six of their previous nine meetings this season, including the last, a 3-2 come-from-behind triumph in overtime. The Whale’s overall record in the season series is 6-2-0-1, with a 2-1-0-1 mark at home.
· At 23-23-2-2 for 50 points, Springfield stands fourth in the Northeast Division, eight points behind the Whale.
· Jonathan Audy-Marchessault had recorded 16 points against the Falcons this season (6g-10a-16pts.), with Kris Newbury gathering seven points in five games (5-2-7).
· Cam Atkinson (5-3-8) and Alexandre Giroux (1-7-8) lead the Falcons in scoring against the Whale, each with eight points.
· The Falcons salvaged their weekend after losses to the Whale and Bridgeport Sound Tigers, with a 5-1 home win over the Manchester Monarchs on Sunday.
· Radio – CT Whale “Rockin’ Hockey”, live with Bob Crawford, Garry Swain and Mark Bailey, on “The Rock”, 106.9 WCCC-FM, and on-line at CTWhale.com.
Saturday, February 18 vs. Worcester Sharks at the XL Center, 7:00 PM
· This is “It All Starts Here Night” at the XL Center, celebrating both youth hockey and the tremendous player-development record that has been the hallmark of the relationship between the Whale and their NHL parent club, the New York Rangers. Fans who wear a youth hockey jersey to the Public Power Ticket Office at the XL Center will be able to purchase lower-level end-zone seats to the February 18 game for just $10 each. Also all fans in attendance will receive a Whale TV Poster, courtesy of Webster Bank. The poster will feature the theme of the night, “It All Starts Here”, with players and staff who have sent time developing with the Hartford Wolf Pack and the Whale before being promoted to the New York Rangers, including players like Ryan Callahan, Brandon Dubinsky and Carl Hagelin.
· The Whale host the Sharks for the first time this season in this game, in their third overall meeting of the campaign. The two teams have split the first pair of games, both in Worcester.
· Brendan Bell has notched three assists for the Whale in action against the Sharks, while Andreas Thuresson has netted a pair of goals.
· Five Sharks players have multiple points against the Whale this season, including Tony Lucia, who has a goal and an assist in one game.
· Worcester sits in third place in the Atlantic Division with 55 points, trailing second place Manchester by just three points.
· The Sharks have won two straight games and three out of four, and will head to Portland Wednesday before traveling to Hartford.
· Radio – CT Whale “Rockin’ Hockey”, live with Bob Crawford, Garry Swain and Mark Bailey, on “The Rock”, 106.9 WCCC-FM, and on-line at CTWhale.com.
Sunday, February 19 at Providence Bruins (Dunkin’ Donuts Center), 4:05 PM
· This is the sixth meeting on the year between the Whale and Bruin, and the Whale’s last of four visits to Providence.
· Connecticut is 3-1-0-1 on the year against the Bruins, although Providence has taken the last two battles, including a 3-2 victory December 11 in the Whale’s last trip to the Dunkin’ Donuts Center.
· Jordan Owens has scored and added three assists against the Bruins this season, to lead the Whale in scoring versus Providence, while Kris Newbury has scored twice and added an assist.
· Jamie Tardif has lit up the Whale for five points in the season series (3-2-5), while Carter Camper has tallied three points (1-2-3).
· The Bruins (23-22-3-3, 52 pts.) have lost four of their last five games, including Sunday’s 3-1 loss to Albany, to fall into a tie for fourth place in the Atlantic Division with the Portland Pirates.
· Radio – CT Whale “Rockin’ Hockey”, live with Bob Crawford, on “The Rock”, 106.9 WCCC-FM, and on-line at CTWhale.com.
“Whale TV”, presented by Webster Bank:
· The following special “Whale TV” selections will be available this week to Comcast Xfinity on Demand customers throughout New England, in the “Get Local” folder of Comcast’s On Demand Service:
o Mats Zuccarello Interview (Whale Special Events folder) – Bob Crawford, the voice of the Whale, sits down with Whale forward Mats Zuccarello, discussing his trip to the 2012 AHL All-Star Classic with teammate Jonathan Audy-Marchessault.
o Game Highlights (Game of the Week folder) – highlights of an XL Center contest last Tuesday against the Syracuse Crunch.
· Every week, CPTV Sports will air an edited re-broadcast of a Whale game, on “Whale TV Replay”.
o Tonight at 7:00 PM, Whale TV Replay will feature a re-broadcast of last Tuesday’s battle at the XL Center vs. the Syracuse Crunch.
Recent Transactions:
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Whale Tales:
Whale season seat-holders who reserve their full-season 2012-13 Whale tickets by April 13 will receive access for four people to the luxurious CT Whale Director’s Suite at the XL Center, for one Whale 2012-13 home game. This allows the opportunity to watch the game alongside Whale executive personnel and special guests, and to enjoy all of the high-end amenities of the Director’s Suite. Additionally, all Whale full-season 2012-13 subscribers who purchase by April 13 will receive a custom-made, high-quality season ticket-holder jersey fleece sweatshirt. The jersey fleece sweatshirt will be exclusive to Whale full-season ticket-holders, and will feature a “Season Ticket Holder 2012-13” patch that designates it as a unique item. For more information on purchasing Whale season tickets, call (860) 728-3366, visit the Season Ticket Holder table behind Section 101 at a Whale home game or log on to CTWhale.com.
The Connecticut Whale and the CT Hockey Hall of Fame will partner to hold a CT Hockey Hall of Fame night at the Whale’s home game at the XL Center Saturday, March 10 vs. the Norfolk Admirals. That night will mark the enshrinement of a new class of 2012 inductees into the CT Hockey Hall of Fame, which has adopted eight members from the storied Hartford Whalers Hall of Fame. The new inductees are: Connecticut-bred Hockey Hall of Famer Brian Leetch, ex-Hartford Whalers 56-goal scorer Blaine Stoughton, former Whalers goaltender Mike Liut, former Whalers captain Pat Verbeek, Connecticut Whale/Hartford Wolf Pack franchise icon, long-time captain and current head coach Ken Gernander, three-time Olympic medalist for Team USA and all-time NCAA women’s leading scorer Julie Chu, and one of the founders of the New England Whalers, William E. Barnes. There will be an induction ceremony before the game, which faces off at 7:00 PM on March 10, and the new inductees will also be recognized on the ice during the first intermission. Fans can take home a special souvenir of the March 10 night, as 5,000 Hall of Fame posters will be given away, courtesy of SuperCuts. There will also be a special meet-and-greet event on March 10, details of which will be announced soon. This will be the first class of inductees since 1990, and further details are available at cthockeyHOF.org.
The AHL, Labatt’s Blue and the CT Whale have come together to present the Labatt’s Blue Bubble Hockey Tournament. Join the CT Whale at the below Downtown Hartford locations. Registration is free, and winners have a chance to play at the XL Center on March 16th in the team finals, for a chance to win a trip to Hershey for the event finals, and their very own Super Chexx Bubble Hockey game.
Thu., Feb. 16, Black Bear Saloon, 187 Allyn St., 5:00-7:00 PM
Thu., Feb. 23, The Tavern Downtown, 100 Allyn St., 5:00-7:00 PM
Sat., Feb 25, PourHouse, 103 Allyn St., 10:00 PM – midnight
Sun., Mar. 11, Mckinnons Irish Pub, 114 Asylum St., 5:00-7:00 PM
College students can get discounted tickets to Whale weekday games with the Whale’s “Ditch the Dorms” deal. For Monday through Friday home games, students who show a valid student ID at the Public Power Ticket Office at the XL Center can get $2 off Upper Level tickets and $5 off Lower Level seats.
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 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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