CRAWFORD: WOLF PACK WEEKLY: Feb. 2-18, 2018
BY: Bob Crawford, Hartford Wolf Pack
HARTFORD, CT –The Wolf Pack (24-20-4-3, 55 pts., .539) improved to a high-water mark for the season of four games over .500, and stretched a points streak to ten straight games, the franchise’s longest since December of 2010, by sweeping three games this past week. On Wednesday at the XL Center, in their annual “Sonar’s Edu-Skate” school-day game, the Wolf Pack saw a 4-0 third-period lead slip away against the Bridgeport Sound Tigers but recovered to win 5-4 in overtime. Ryan Sproul’s second goal of the game was the winner at 3:51 of OT and Lias Andersson had his first multiple-point game in North American pro with a goal and two assists, as the Wolf Pack won their sixth straight home game. Hartford then started a stretch of six straight and eight out of ten on the road Friday night in Syracuse and went to overtime for a seventh time in nine games before pulling out a 4-3 shootout win over the Crunch. Filip Chytil had a goal and an assist in regulation, Ryan Gropp had a goal and the shootout winner, and Alexandar Georgiev made 43 saves. The next night in Hershey, a blazing start carried the Wolf Pack to victory, as Head Coach Keith McCambridge’s team stormed to a 4-0 lead in the first 8:03 of the first period, on the way to a 5-2 win. Sproul had the game-winning goal and an assist in that game, Steven Fogarty added a goal and an assist, and Brandon Halverson was victorious in his first AHL appearance of the season, making 31 saves.
For the latest AHL standings, click here.
This week:
The Wolf Pack continue a six-game road trip with their first-ever visits to Bojangles’ Coliseum in Charlotte, for games vs. the Checkers Tuesday and Wednesday nights. Both of those are 7:00 PM faceoffs, and then the Wolf Pack head back north, for a 7:05 date with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms in Allentown, PA and a Sunday afternoon battle in Bridgeport against the Sound Tigers (3:00).
Tuesday, February 13 at the Charlotte Checkers (Carolina) at Bojangles’ Coliseum, 7:00 PM
- This is the Wolf Pack’s first game ever at Bojangles’ Coliseum. The only other two games the franchise has played in Charlotte were in 2010-11 when the Checkers played at Time Warner Cable Arena. The Connecticut Whale lost a pair of games that year to the Checkers, 5-1 on February 24 and 1-0 February 26.
- The Checkers (27-20-0-3, 57 pts., .570) have won three of their last four games, including a sweep of a two-game series with Springfield by a combined score of 12-2, and enter the week two points ahead of the Wolf Pack in the Atlantic Division standings.
- The Wolf Pack have won the last two head-to-head battles with the Checkers, after losing the first opening night, October 6, at the XL Center.
- Charlotte forward Andrew Miller, who is on a four-game goal-scoring streak (5-1-6), currently leads the AHL in points with 15-33-48 in 50 games.
- Broadcast – live with Bob Crawford on News Radio 1410 WPOP, online at iheart.com and on iHeartRadio. Video streaming at ahllive.com.
Wednesday, February 14 at the Charlotte Checkers (Carolina) at Bojangles’ Coliseum, 7:00 PM
- Charlotte is 15-8-0-1 at home on the season and has won three straight and five of its last six at Bojangles’ Coliseum. The Wolf Pack are up to 11-10-2-3 on the road and are 3-0-1-0 in their last four away from home.
- Broadcast – live with Bob Crawford on News Radio 1410 WPOP, online at iheart.com and on iHeartRadio. Video streaming at ahllive.com.
Saturday, February 17 at the Lehigh Valley Phantoms (Philadelphia) at the PPL Center, 7:05 PM
- The Wolf Pack are 3-0-0-0 on the year vs. the Phantoms and have posted 5-4 wins in both of their first two visits to the PPL Center, in regulation on October 28 and in overtime on December 20.
- Lehigh Valley has won three straight and is 7-1-1-0 in its last nine, to improve to 30-14-3-3 on the year. With 66 points and a .660 points percentage, the Phantoms trail only Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (.681) in the Atlantic Division.
- Phantoms defenseman Travis Sanheim (1-7-8 in 8 GP) has a total of five points (1-4-5) in Lehigh Valley’s last two victories. The second-year pro had a goal and an assist in a 5-1 home win over Hershey Friday night, and three assists Saturday night, in a 5-3 triumph at home vs. Rochester.
- Broadcast – live with Bob Crawford on News Radio 1410 WPOP, online at iheart.com and on iHeartRadio. Video streaming at ahllive.com.
Sunday, February 18 at the Bridgeport Sound Tigers (Islanders) at the Webster Bank Arena, 3:00 PM
- The Sound Tigers (23-19-5-2, 53 pts., .541) finished last week two percentage points ahead of the Wolf Pack for fifth place in the Atlantic Division. Bridgeport is 0-2-1-0 in its last three games and 1-3-1-0 in its last five.
- Former Wolf Pack captain Ryan Bourque and fellow veteran forward Steve Bernier had a goal and an assist apiece Wednesday at the XL Center, helping to lead the Sound Tigers’ third-period comeback from a 4-0 deficit against the Wolf Pack in the “Sonar’s Edu-skate” game. The Wolf Pack, however, pulled out a 5-4 win in overtime.
- Wednesday’s victory was the Wolf Pack’s second straight in the season series vs. Bridgeport after they went 1-4-1-0 in the first six meetings. The Wolf Pack are 2-2-0-0 in four previous visits to the Webster Bank Arena.
- Broadcast – live with Bob Crawford on News Radio 1410 WPOP, online at iheart.com and on iHeartRadio. Video streaming at ahllive.com.
Wolf Pack Community Appearances:
The Wolf Pack have the following appearances scheduled this week. For further information on these, or any other Wolf Pack community initiatives, contact Wolf Pack community relations manager Frank Berrian, at (860) 541-4728:
- Friday, February 16, 2:00 PM, CREC International Magnet School for Global Citizenship, 625 Chapel Rd., South Windsor, CT
Sonar, the Wolf Pack’s beloved mascot, heads to South Windsor to promote the Wolf Pack’s “Read to the Rink” program, presented by ProHealth Physicians and Healthy Me.
- Sunday, February 18, 12:00 noon, Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville, CT
Sonar helps celebrate the birthday of fellow cuddly lupine Hunter, the mascot of the New England Black Wolves of the National Lacrosse League.
- Monday, February 19, 10:00 AM, Enfield Twin Rinks, 1 Prior Rd., Enfield, CT
Sonar cheers on the teams in a 3-on-3 hockey tournament to benefit Team Jacob.
Recent Transactions:
Sergei Zborovskiy – reassigned by the New York Rangers to the Wolf Pack from Greenville (ECHL) February 8.
Neal Pionk – recalled from the Wolf Pack by the New York Rangers February 8.
Desmond Bergin – signed by the Wolf Pack to a Professional Tryout (PTO) agreement February 8, and released February 10.
John Albert – acquired by the New York Rangers in a trade with Washington, and assigned to the Wolf Pack, February 9.
Adam Chapie – traded by the New York Rangers to Washington February 9.
John Gilmour – recalled from the Wolf Pack by the New York Rangers Feb. 9.
Hubert Labrie – acquired by the Wolf Pack in a trade with Hershey February 9.
Chris Nell – reassigned by the New York Rangers to the Wolf Pack from Kansas City (ECHL) February 9.
Brendan Smith – loaned to the Wolf Pack by the New York Rangers February 9.
Joe Whitney – traded by the Wolf Pack to Hershey February 9.
Alexandar Georgiev – recalled from the Wolf Pack by the New York Rangers February 10.
Pack Tracks:
Saturday, February 24, when the Wolf Pack host the Providence Bruins in a 7:00 PM game, the first 5,000 fans will receive a free Gordie Howe bobblehead, presented by XFINITY, as part of the Wolf Pack’s “Hartford Hockey Heritage Weekend”. Also, prior to that game, at 4:15, there will be a special Whalers/Wolf Pack alumni game, as a team of former Whalers and Wolf Pack players face off against the Hartford Police Athletic League. The Whalers alumni will then be signing autographs in the XL Center atrium from 6:00 to 7:00.
Once again this season, fans can enjoy $1 hot dogs and $2 beers at every Friday Wolf Pack home game, through the start of the second period, presented by Dave & Buster’s. The Wolf Pack’s next Friday-night date is February 23, when they host the Hershey Bears at 7:15 PM.
Each of the Wolf Pack’s Sunday and Wednesday home games will feature the Wolf Pack’s “Click It or Ticket Family Value Pack”. The Family Value Pack includes two tickets, two sodas and two hot dogs, all for just $40. The next Family Value Pack game is Sunday, March 4, as the Charlotte Checkers visit for a 3:00 PM game.
Every Wolf Pack Wednesday home game is a “Winning Wednesday”. If the Wolf Pack win at home on a Wednesday, fans can show their Winning Wednesday ticket at the Agera Energy Ticket Office at the XL Center and receive a free ticket to the next Wolf Pack home game (some restrictions apply). The last Wolf Pack Wednesday home outing of the season is March 28, with the Springfield Thunderbirds coming to town for a 7:00 PM game.
Wolf Pack home game tickets can be purchased at the XL Center ticket office, online at hartfordwolfpack.com and by phone at (877) 522-8499. Tickets purchased in advance for kids 12 or younger are just $10 each, and all tickets will have a $2 day-of-game increase.
To speak with a Wolf Pack representative about season or group tickets, or any of the Wolf Pack’s many ticketing options, call (855) 762-6451, or click here to request more info.
TRACK THE PACK ON-LINE AT HARTFORDWOLFPACK.COM
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