CRAWFORD: WOLF PACK WEEKLY: February 10-16, 2020
BY: Bob Crawford, Hartford Wolf Pack
HARTFORD, CT – The Wolf Pack (27-12-5-5, 64 pts.) set a franchise record for longest home winning streak with their 12th consecutive home victory Wednesday night, scoring a season-high seven goals in a 7-4 triumph over Springfield. A two-game trip to Charlotte yielded only one point, though, as the Wolf Pack fell 6-0 to the Checkers on Friday night at Bojangles’ Coliseum and then dropped a 4-3 overtime decision Saturday. Patrick Newell had his first multiple-goal game as a pro on Wednesday, with two tallies, and then had a goal and an assist Saturday, and Vinni Lettieri also scored twice in Wednesday’s win.
For the latest AHL standings, click here.
This week:
The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins make their first visit of the season to the XL Center on Wednesday night for a 7:00 game, and then the Wolf Pack host the Laval Rocket on “Love is Love Night” at 7:15 on Friday night. The Wolf Pack close out the weekend with a trip to Allentown, PA to meet the Lehigh Valley Phantoms Saturday night. That game faces off at 7:05.
Wednesday, February 12 vs. the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (Pittsburgh) at the XL Center, 7:00 PM
- This is another chance to take advantage of the Wolf Pack’s “Click It or Ticket Hat Trick Pack”. The Hat Trick Pack includes two tickets, two sodas, and a large popcorn, all for just $40.
- This is also a “Suit to Sweater Wednesday”, offered in partnership with the Hartford Chamber of Commerce. Any fan showing a company ID at the Sunwave Gas & Power Ticket office can purchase Blue-Level tickets to Wolf Pack Wednesday home games for only $15 each (limit two tickets per ID).
- The Penguins enter the week 24-18-3-5 for 56 points, one point out of the last playoff spot in the Atlantic Division and eight points behind the Wolf Pack. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton has lost its last two games in regulation, after going 6-0-0-2 in the previous eight.
- This is the second meeting of the season between the Wolf Pack and the Penguins, and Hartford’s first of three home games in the series. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton shut the Wolf Pack out, 3-0, in the teams’ first clash, January 11 in Wilkes-Barre.
- Goaltender Casey DeSmith, who made 25 saves to blank the Wolf Pack in the Penguins’ 3-0 home win January 11, had a streak of five straight winning decisions snapped in his last outing, a 3-0 loss to Hershey at home on Friday night.
- Tickets for this game, and all 2019-20 Wolf Pack home games, are on sale now at the Sunwave Gas & Power Ticket Office at the XL Center, on-line at hartfordwolfpack.com and by phone at (860) 722-9425. Tickets purchased in advance for kids 12 or younger start at just $10 each, and all tickets will have a $3 day-of-game increase.
- Broadcast – live with Bob Crawford and Mark Bailey on-line at hartfordwolfpack.com. Video streaming at theahl.com/AHLTV.
Friday, February 14 vs. the Laval Rocket (Montreal) at the XL Center, 7:15 PM
- This is “Love Is Love Night” at the XL Center, as the Wolf Pack celebrates love for hockey, pride, and diversity. The Wolf Pack will be wearing specialty pride jerseys, which will be auctioned off in the second intermission, with a portion of the proceeds going to the Connecticut Gay and Lesbian Collective, the Hartford Gay Men’s Chorus and Metropolitan Community Church of Hartford.
- This game, like every Friday-night Wolf Pack home game, features $1 hot dogs, and $2 draft beers and fountain sodas, through the start of the second period, presented by Nomads Adventure Quest.
- This is the last of four games on the season between the Wolf Pack and the Rocket, and the first time the two teams have seen each other since November 1, when the Wolf Pack fell 2-1 in a shootout at Laval. The Wolf Pack’s record in the season series is 1-1-0-1, and they took the only previous XL Center meeting, 2-1 in overtime, on October 25.
- Rocket goal-scoring leader Charles Hudon has 4-3-7 in Laval’s last four games and is tied for fourth in the AHL in goals, with 24-7-31 in 39 GP.
- The Rocket, who are 1-3-2-1 in their last seven games, finished last week tied with Toronto for the last playoff spot in the North Division, with a record of 23-20-5-2 for 53 points.
- At this game and every Wolf Pack Friday or Saturday home game, fans are encouraged to come early for “Hockey Happy Hour” in the XL Center’s Coliseum Club. From 5:15 PM until puck drop, a $5 wrist band gives fans access to the “Chill Zone” of the Coliseum Club, which features an appetizer buffet and $2 beers, presented by Minuteman Press.
- Tickets for this game, and all 2019-20 Wolf Pack home games, are on sale now at the Sunwave Gas & Power Ticket Office at the XL Center, on-line at hartfordwolfpack.com and by phone at (860) 722-9425. Tickets purchased in advance for kids 12 or younger start at just $10 each, and all tickets will have a $3 day-of-game increase.
- Broadcast – live with Bob Crawford and Mark Bailey on-line at hartfordwolfpack.com. Video streaming at theahl.com/AHLTV.
Saturday, February 15 at the Lehigh Valley Phantoms (Philadelphia) at the PPL Center, 7:05 PM
- The Phantoms (21-23-1-5, 48 pts.) have won three of their last four games and are 8-4-0-1 in their last 13. Lehigh Valley’s .688 points percentage at home (15-6-1-2) is fifth-best in the AHL.
- The Wolf Pack are 2-1-1-0 in four previous games against the Phantoms this season, and it has been a “Home Ice series”. The Wolf Pack has won twice at the XL Center and has an overtime loss and a regulation defeat to show for two earlier visits to Allentown.
- Lehigh Valley rookie forward Isaac Ratcliffe (5-7-12 in 41 GP) scored in back-to-back games Saturday night at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and Sunday at home vs. Hershey, for his first career professional goal-scoring streak.
- Broadcast – live online HERE. Video streaming at com/AHLTV.
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:
- Tuesday, February 11, 1:30 PM, Wesley School, 10 Wesleyan Hills Rd., Middletown, CT
Wolf Pack forward Gabriel Fontaine is scheduled to join Sonar, the Wolf Pack’s beloved mascot, in support the Wolf Pack’s “Read to the Rink” reading program.
- Tuesday, February 11, 3:00 PM, Connecticut Children’s Medical Center, 282 Washington St., Hartford
Wolf Pack players Matt Beleskey, Nick Ebert, Steven Fogarty, Ryan Gropp, Vinni Lettieri, and Boo Nieves are scheduled to be making valentines at CCMC and delivering them to some of the young patients.
Recent Transactions:
Ty Ronning – reassigned to the Wolf Pack by the New York Rangers from Maine (ECHL) February 3.
Jake Elmer – reassigned to the Wolf Pack by the New York Rangers from Maine (ECHL) February 9.
Jeff Taylor – returned by the Wolf Pack to Maine (ECHL) February 9.
Lewis Zerter-Gossage – returned by the Wolf Pack to Maine (ECHL) February 9.
Pack Tracks:
The Wolf Pack will celebrate over 40 years of Hartford hockey history Saturday, February 22, when they face off against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins at 7:00. The first 2,00 fans into the game that night will receive a free 2020 Wolf Pack Sonar bobblehead, presented by Xfinity.
Each of the Wolf Pack’s Sunday and Wednesday home games feature the Wolf Pack’s “Click It or Ticket Hat Trick Pack”. The Hat Trick Pack includes two tickets, two sodas, and a large popcorn, all for just $40. After this Wednesday night, the next Hat Trick Pack game is Sunday, March 1, a 3:00 battle with the Providence Bruins.
In partnership with the Hartford Chamber of Commerce, the Wolf Pack together offer “Suit to Sweater Wednesdays”, to wash away the mid-week work blues. Any fan showing a company ID at the Sunwave Gas & Power Ticket office can purchase Blue-Level tickets to Wolf Pack Wednesday home games for only $15 each (limit two tickets per ID). After this Wednesday night, the Wolf Pack’s next Wednesday home date is March 11, when the Providence Bruins invade the XL Center for a 7:00 game.
Once again this season, fans can enjoy $1 hot dogs, and $2 draft beers and fountain sodas, at every Friday Wolf Pack home game, through the start of the second period, presented by Nomads Adventure Quest. After this Friday, the Wolf Pack’s next Friday-night home outing is March 6, when they entertain the Hershey Bears in a 7:15 PM game.
Wolf Pack home game tickets can be purchased at the Sunwave Gas & Power Ticket Office at the XL Center, on-line at hartfordwolfpack.com and by phone at (860) 722-9425. Tickets purchased in advance for kids 12 or younger start at just $10 each, and all tickets will have a $3 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 (860) 722-9425, or click here to request more info. To visit the Wolf Pack online, go to hartfordwolfpack.com.
TRACK THE PACK ONLINE AT HARTFORDWOLFPACK.COM
