CANTLON: (FRI) WOLF PACK LIMP HOME 

BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings

HARTFORD, CT – When last seen, the Hartford Wolf Pack (16-7-2-5) were riding-high on a five-game winning streak, but that came to a crashing halt as the team came off two of their worst performances of the season in Charlotte against the Checkers as part of a three-game road trip.

They started off by losing the back-end of a home-and-home with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms last Saturday.

“We played good enough in Lehigh Valley, but in Charlotte we weren’t really ready to play in the first period. They really took it to us. We played better later, but too little, too late, to make a difference in the outcome,” remarked Pack head coach Kris Knoblauch who was keeping an even keel about the performance.

Charlotte has been like a graveyard for Wolf Pack teams the past few years. They are winless in the Queen city at 0-12-0-0.

Besides getting outscored 13-4 over two games, for the first time in the AHL franchises’ 1,624 games, as either the Wolf Pack or CT Whale, the team’s two goalies were lifted in back-to-back games.

Were Igor Shesterkin and Adam Huska the sole reasons for the losses? No, but they had plenty of company. For the first time though the two of them looked mortal between the pipes.

Shesterkin, who held the AHL’s best Goals-Against-Average entering the two games, is now is fifth at 2.14. He was lifted after surrendering goals after facing 19 shots in the first period alone. Huska was fine in relief with 19 saves on Tuesday night in a 6-3 loss.

“To be honest, pulling them was more because of not wanting to leave them in the way the team was playing… not very well in front of them. Igor and Adam have been so good for us all year, and I don’t think there’s a coach in the league after thirty games that could say they weren’t at their best. They’ve been exceptional. It was the first two games they haven’t been. We still trust our goaltenders very much,” Knoblauch stated.

Then, in a 7-1 thrashing, Huska was pulled after the second period with just 10 saves and a trailing 4-0. Shesterkin fared no better surrendering three more goals.

“Honestly, we had a good streak. We won five and now we lost three. Sometimes it happens,” said Phil Di Giuseppe, “Now we have had some success against Providence, hopefully they played Wednesday, and tonight we can take advantage of that.”

He’ll get the call tomorrow against the P-Bruins, who hold first place, two points ahead of Hartford (41-39). They lost to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, 1-0.

Knoblauch was self-critical as well stating, “The coaching staff has to get better too, and address things and trends a little earlier.”

This was also the first time this season the Wolf Pack looked like the team of the last two years. At times they were undisciplined, disinterested, and not playing as a five-man unit.

“We’re going to have to play a lot better all throughout the lineup than the last two games. Providence is in first place.”

The Pack played as if they were already on Christmas break and will be after Saturday’s game.

“We’re in the middle of (the season) now and everybody else in the league is in the same position. It’s still no excuse for the way we played. Hopefully, we can get things off on the right foot for the New Year. Everybody has got each other’s back and we’re looking forward to it. We’ve had a lot of changes lately, but that’s pro hockey these days.” said Di Giuseppe.

NOTES:

After ten games and no points, the Wolf Pack reassigned Ryan Dmowski (Old Lyme/Gunnery Prep) back to their ECHL affiliate, the Maine Mariners.

Jansen Harkins, the son of ex-Hartford Whaler Todd Harkins, has 31 points in 30 games with the Manitoba Moose. He was recalled by the Winnipeg Jets. He was a scratch in Thursday’s game in Winnipeg against Chicago.

Scott Morrow (Darien) who plays at Shattuck’s St. Mary’s (MNPREP) has committed to North Dakota (NCHC) for 2021-22.

The Canadian-entry for the Christmas-time, European six-team, Spengler Cup Tournament in Davos, Switzerland has some familiar names.

The GM is ex-Whaler, Sean Burke. The head coach is former New York Ranger, Craig MacTavish. His assistant coach is ex-Whaler (in spirit only), Paul Coffey.

On the ice will be ex-Pack, Adam Tambellini, as well as ex-Sound Tigers, Andrew MacDonald, and Dustin Jeffrey, as well as former Quinnipiac Bobcat, Justin Danforth, and former Ranger Josh Jooris, and ex-Ranger and Sound Tiger, David Desharnais all lacing them up.

HC Davos features a trio of ex-Pack players. They’re led by captain Andres Ambuhl, Danny Kristo, and Casey Wellman.

HC Ocelari Trinec (Czech Republic) has ex-Pack/CT Whale, Tomas Kundratek, David Musil, the nephew of former Whaler and Ranger, Robert (Bobby) Holik, and goalie Nick Malik, the son of ex-Whaler, Beast of New Haven, and Ranger, Marek Malik.

TPS Turku (Finland) features as their captain, ex-Pack, and Ranger, Lauri Korpikoski, and from HC Ambri-Piotta (Switzerland), Brian Flynn (Pomfret School).

Former UConn Husky, Philip Nyberg, after having contract dissolved by Mora IK (Sweden – SHL) signs for the rest of the season with Lindloven IF (Sweden Division-1).

Ex-Sound Tiger goalie, C.J. Motte, goes from HC Innsbruck to Coventry Blaze (England – EIHL).

Ex-Sound Tiger, Robert Nilsson officially retires as a result of concussion issues from ZSC Zurich Lions (Switzerland – LNA) and a ceremony will be held January 18th.

Ex-Pack, Ryan Haggerty was dealt by the Pittsburgh Penguins to the Florida Panthers for Kevin Roy in a minor league swap as Haggerty heads to the Springfield Thunderbirds and Roy to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Haggerty scored the game winner in his first game a Thunderbird.

Springfield also did some additional holiday house cleaning sending Blaine Byron to Ontario for future considerations. One of the few AHL coast-to-coast trades since the Pacific Division was created.

After the break, the Wolf Pack play the Bridgeport Sound Tigers who have had two lineup additions.

Robert Carpenter, the son of former NHL’er, Bobby Carpenter, and brother to Team USA’s forward, Alex Carpenter, has recovered from a preseason injury.

Returning from his Islanders imposed exile in Toronto is truculent forward, Josh Ho-Sang. He demanded a trade at the end of training camp and has been working out at the University of Toronto and was shaken the team hasn’t traded him.

The US WJC camp is in full swing in Plymouth, MI. Leading the charge is goalie and Darien-native, Spencer Knight (Boston College/Florida). He is being joined by fellow former Avon Old Farms Winged Beaver, Trevor Zegras (Boston University/Anaheim).

Also on the roster is Christian Krygier (Michigan State Big 10/NY Islanders), the son of former Whaler/Nighthawk/UConn player, Todd Krygier) and K’Andre Miller (Wisconsin Big 10), the Rangers first-round pick (22nd overall) in 2018.

Mattias Samuelsson (Western Michigan – NCHC/Buffalo), the son of former Nighthawk, and Ranger, Kjell Samuelsson, Jack Drury (Harvard – ECACHL/Carolina), the son of former Whaler, Ted Drury and the nephew of current Wolf Pack GM, Chris Drury.

Shane Pinto (Selects Academy at South Kent Prep/North Dakota – NCHC/Ottawa) and the Islanders sent current Sound Tiger forward, Oliver Wahlstrom over.

The USA team is in the Czech Republic and the final team will be announced on Christmas Eve Day.

Ironically or not, the Islanders didn’t send Noah Dobson to the Canadian team. Peter Dilaberatore (Quinnipiac University) and Barrett Hayton (Arizona-NHL), the son of former New Haven Nighthawk, Brian Hayton, are with Team Canada.

Team Sweden has two Ranger prospects, defenseman Nils Lundkvist, and center Karl Henriksson.

The US team will be playing in Group B in Ostrava, Czech Republic and the opening game is against traditional rival, Canada on Boxing Day at 1 PM on the NHL Network.

All preliminary and medal games will be shown on the NHL Network.

Lastly, sad news during the holiday season. Former Whaler, Scot Kleinendorst, passed away Tuesday from the injuries suffered at a mill plant in his hometown of Grand Rapids, MN.

The family took him off life support as a result of the extensive nature of his injuries.

Kleinendorst played in the NHL from 1982-90. He appeared in 281 games for the Hartford Whalers, New York Rangers (53 games two goals and 13 points) and the Washington Capitals. His NHL totals were 12 goals, 58 points, and 452 PM.

With the Whalers, he played five seasons (210 games) tallying nine goals and 40 points.

He played collegiately at Providence College, then in ECAC, but who are now in Hockey East.

He and his brother, Kurt, were both drafted by the Rangers in the 1980 NHL Draft out of PC with Scot going in the fifth round (98th overall) and Kurt was taken in the fourth round before (77th overall).

Kurt coached in the AHL with Lowell, Binghamton on two different occasions, Iowa and Belleville. He presently coaches the Nuremberg Tigers (Germany-DEL) that features ex-Pack players Chris Summers, and Chris Brown.

Kleinendorst after starring at Grand Rapids High School, where he was first-team All-State defenseman in 1977-78 and part of a Minnesota state championship team in 1976.