CANTLON: (FRI) PACK KICK OFF THREE STRAIGHT AGAINST SPRINGFIELD 

BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings

HARTFORD, CT –

Two-thirds of the victorious Atlantic Division All-Star champions made it back to Hartford.

Head coach Kris Knoblauch was still stuck at Ontario International Airport (All-Star Classic title sponsor) trying to negotiate his way back leaving Gord Murphy to run practice in his absence.

For Vinni Lettieri, the team top scorer and 20th best in the AHL with 18 goals and 37 points, the unexpected All-Star invite was a great experience

“It was great to share with Keaner and Knobber out there and it was nice to win a championship,“ remarked Lettieri with a laugh and smile “its always nice winning and get a chance to see other guys on the West Coast to connect with you.”

What was your first thought?

“You don’t want to lose the puck right off the bat and let somebody score or miss a shot, I might get benched.”  Lettieri with a laugh and he had space and plenty of ice on his first goal, ”that was good to get the breakaway right off the bat, but never want to miss on those.”

The Toyota Center blew him away for an AHL arena.

“If I didn’t know it was an AHL building you would have thought it was an NHL building. Everything was beautiful inside, it was amazing. one of the best places I have ever played in (college or pro) you had no idea it was an AHL rink.

Ontario (Reign) did a great job hosting us. The setup was fantastic, everything was so well presented. It was seamless very easy for us.

Considering all the people coming at different times, from different places and some whose flights were late, not getting a lot of sleep it was very well done they did everything to help us out.

I want to thank them and all the fans that came out.”

There were a few drawbacks.

“All told it was 20 hours of travel there and back it was pretty tough on that end, but it was worth it.”

He and Keane got the flight out of LA and made it back, but Knoblauch might be courting a team fine for missing practice !!

For defenseman Joey Keane, the whole scene was something he still has to take it all in.

“it was great, a lot of travel, a great experience. Did well on the individual puck weave and the fastest skater competition and my parents made it out there, so it was a  very cool time,” said Keane.

Playing with guys you compete against in the division is quite a bit different.

“For sure it takes getting use to it was nice to get to play with them and see guys from out West (you don’t see at all,” said Keane who assisted on Providence’s Paul Carey’s (Salisbury Prep) goal “I actually sat next to him in the locker room it was a lot fun meeting so many other players.”

On Thursday, it was back to work for associate head coach Gord Murphy, Vinni’s game which is goal scoring there is also an intangible he really likes in him, is his competitiveness.

“He really works with the puck and in getting pucks back. He sticks his body in there and shields the puck from people.

His competitiveness is a big part of his game. Lots of goal scorers can get so focused on just goal scoring and don’t pay attention to other aspects of their games.

That really stands out about him, he’s not just the typical goal scorer standing out on the perimeter. He competes for the pucks and that’s what gives him those opportunities,”

Now all the energy is to complete the final games secure first place and the team’s first playoff berth in more than five years.

The Wolf Pack (25-10-4-50) for 59 points tied with Hershey, but are in first by mere percentage points play Springfield three in a row over the next six days even unique by AHL standards starting with this weekend’s home and home.

The Thunderbirds went 7-3 over their last 10 before the All-Star break and have climbed into third place in the Atlantic Division will look to keep their streak going and snap the Wolf Pack currently modest three-game winning streak.

“Now its time for us get back and to continue what we have been doing that got us to the top of the division. We have to stay balance working with each player individually to keep their game where it needs to be.

The other thing you want to do is keeping your fingers and toes crossed that we stay healthy. Stay off the IR and avoid the injury bug and make that push towards the end of the season.”

Murphy sounded a note of caution as well.

“You don’t want to look to far ahead and its cliché I know, but you have to just look at the game in front of you and go forward from there.

We’re coming out of break here and you have to be focused on the first 10 minutes of the game making sure they have their skating legs under them and the timing is where it should be.

Do all the little things we’ve been doing and keep the good habits we have developed. That’s out focus point right now.”

32 games to go, the push for the postseason is on.

NOTES:

-Pack defenseman Nick Ebert is nursing a lower-body injury didn’t finish practice today and is out for the weekend. There is a hope he might be available on Wednesday.

-Murphy wasn’t able to announce tomorrow’s starting goalie with Knoblauch’s absence.

“I really wish I could tell you because I really don’t know. I’m not hiding anything, that’s Kris’s call. He was going to be in touch with both of them (Adam Huska and Tom McCollum) this afternoon about the weekend. Right now he is trying to get a flight and get back here.”

-The Pack’s Ryan Gropp was awarded the assist last week against Bridgeport initially credited to Mason Geersten the correction was asked for and granted by the AHL and he now has four points in his last four games.

-Springfield is a little thin and inexperienced at goalie for the time being.

Samuel Montembeault, the second-year goaltender from Quebec City was recalled today by Florida.

Chris Driedger was in Florida has suffered a severe upper-body injury and a Springfield source says it’s likely he could be gone for the season. He was undergoing further medical evaluation.

That leaves two rookies at the helm of the goalie ship.

Philippe Desrosiers with 19 games of AHL experience and Ryan Bednard who has played just two games with Springfield who has spent most of the season thus far in Greenville (ECHL).

-The Thunderbirds feature some familiar names in ex-Pack Ryan Haggerty (Stamford) acquired from Wilkes Barre/Scranton last month as was ex-Pack defenseman Rob O’Gara (Yale University) who was the assistant captain last season till back surgery ended his season prematurely,

Defenseman Tommy Cross (Simsbury/Westminster Prep) is the third player with CT ties.

Joining Montembeault going to Florida is defenseman Riley Stillman grandson of ex-New Haven Nighthawk and Springfield Indians, Bud Stefanski.

The Thunderbirds recalled Adam Rockwell and Will Lochead from Greenville.

-Sebastien Aho was recalled from Bridgeport by the Islanders as was goalie Alex Lyon (Yale University) was recalled by the Flyers from Lehigh Valley.

-Detroit recalled a trio from Grand Rapids in Filip Zadina, Givani Smith, and Dennis Cholowski.