BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings
HARTFORD, CT – Hartford Wolf Pack goalie Adam Huska has made the best of the odd second season of his young professional hockey life.
He started his season back home in Slovakia on a loan deal with his hometown team, HKM Sloven, in the Slovakia Elite League (SLEL). It was the right move for Huska during the COVID-19 shutdown.
“I wanted to play some hockey, and nothing was happening here, and with all the regulations, I reached out to my hometown team, and they wanted to have me,” Huska remarked while wearing his nattily tired in a fleece pullover in a Zoom chat.
Huska played his youth for the U-18 team before migrating to North America, where he played for the Green Bay Gamblers (USHL). It gave Huska a chance to perform close to home.
“It gave me the chance to play a little in front of my friends. I knew when I was younger, practice, and I can show all my friends and family, ‘I’m a big goalie now!’ I have an apartment there now, so it was a good place for me,” Huska, a major bargain as a seventh-round draft choice, said.
IN THE US
While playing just three games seems so little, Huska was aware of the limitations of his loan.
“They were preparing for their league, and I appreciate them wanting me, but I know they have to play their goalies and have them ready. They have the bigger ice (surface), so I had to get used to a few things again.” Huska posted a record of 2-1-0 with a 2.27 GAA.
When the green light was given back in January that the NHL would be back in session, Huska came back to join a crowded Rangers organizational setup in part because of the creation of the taxi squad and the requirements that came with it. Then when Igor Shesterkin went down with an injury, his chances to play became limited.
“Everybody wants to play, but I had to also get my body (ready) to play, and after the time (off) and the taxi squad wasn’t bad. I got to play every day with some of the best players in the world, so I got to understand what hard work is.”
Having Panarin, Zibanejad, and Kreider shooting at you has its value.
“I really understand every day that I have to do to learn, so someday I will be playing with them.”
HUSKA’S RETURN
Huska’s return when Igor Shesterkin recovered from his groin injury was perfect for the Wolf Pack.
In ten games, Huska has given the team the confidence they needed that wasn’t happening with Tyler Wall.
The team’s corresponding better second-half play and his performance were a direct result of that.
“I think we trust each other, and we had to play just one game at a time, and I think that helped. We just need to win to get back on track,” remarked the 6’4 goalie.
His sharpest play to date was starting a game-winning goal in Bridgeport. He fired it off the top of the glass near the blue line in the Pack zone on the right-wing side from the goal crease to Paul Thompson at center-ice. Thompson, in turn, slipped a pass to Patrick Khordorenko that allowed him to go in for a breakaway and score the game-winner.
It had shades of vintage Shesterkin written all over it. Huska was thinking one move ahead and trapped the Bridgeport forecheckers.
HUSKA ON SHESTERKIN
“Igor has made it to the NHL, and you can learn from everybody.
“I was just ready to make that play, and you can’t be afraid to make a play, and it helped our team,” commented Huska, who played three years across the hallway for UCONN before turning pro.
The shortened schedule is unfavorable to everybody but has forced the team to do things differently.
“We had to make something out of it. It’s important we finish strong because it’s still gonna be a long summer you want to go in (strong), so were (treating) it like a playoff and want to go (out on a) high note,” remarked Huska.
He is playing as competitive as he always had.
“You have to challenge yourself on any chance you have, a full schedule (or not).”
Huska is finishing his two-year contract, and while no discussions have yet been done with the Rangers, he has made a solid case for himself to return in the fall.
AHL NEWS
The AHL confirmed a Cantlon’s Corner report a month ago that there would be no Calder Cup playoffs for a second season in a row except for the Pacific Division. The format was not announced in Thursday’s press release.
Cantlon’s Corner was told that a short playoff was under consideration in either Edmonton or Irvine, CA, at the temp home of the San Diego Gulls.
Last Saturday in Irvine, CA, the Henderson Silver Knights goalie coach Fred Brathwaite, 48, strapped on the pads as an emergency backup goalie.
Brathwaite played in the NHL, AHL, and original IHL from 1993-2008 before heading to the German DEL before retiring in 2011-12.
He’s the oldest player to suit up for an AHL game-breaking what we believe is a 29-year-old record for the oldest player to suit up for an AHL game.
During the ill-fated 1992-93 AHL season of the New Haven Senators, then 42-year-old goalie Dave Hainsworth, who played for EHL New Haven Blades and AHL New Haven Nighthawks, was the emergency backup for the Senators in a game against the Springfield Indians.
He nearly got in the game.
During the second period, goalie Mark “Trees” Laforest, one of the more colorful characters in AHL history, was struck, shall we say South of the Border, and was left on the ice writhing in pain, agony, and obvious discomfort.
Amazingly, despite the need for him to come out, he stayed and played the rest of the game.
The post-game conversation was one of the all-time classics.
“Trees, you were obviously hurt and in pain. Why didn’t you come out?”
Laforest drolly replied.
“I thought about it, but when I rolled over, I saw we had Grandpa Munster at the end of the bench to come in. I couldn’t do that to the team. I told’em just keep the puck in their end for a while, let me catch my breath.”
ARTIE THE GOALIE?
-Ex-Wolf Pack Artem Anisimov, in a wild set of circumstances, could have been the Ottawa Senators emergency goaltender last Saturday night. HERE
Anton Sundin, the son of ex-Pack Ronnie Sundin will play for Skövde IK (Sweden-HockeyEttan Division-1) next season.
UNDER-18 TOURNAMENT
In the World Under-18 tournament being played in Frisco and Plano, Texas, there are some interesting names among the ten national teams competing.
The US team has as its head coach one-time Yale and Sacred Heart University assistant Dan Muse, who is currently the head coach of the USNDTP team in the USHL.
Ryan St. Louis (Riverside/Brunswick School) is the son of former Ranger and NHL Hall of Famer; Marty St. Louis is on the team and a Northeastern (HE) commit.
One of the goalies for the Americans is Gibson Homer, son of former New Haven Knights (UHL) defenseman Kenzie Homer.
Canada has as their head coach is ex-Whaler Dave Barr and one of his assistants is former Wolf Pack and Ranger Gordie Dwyer.
Also, on the team is Chase Stillman, the grandson of former New Haven Nighthawk Bud Stefanski. He is the son-of-former NHL’er, Cory Stillman.
MORE NEWS
Sweden has played for them Simon Robertsson, son of former Wolf Pack Bert Robertsson.
The team from Latvia, their assistant coach, is former Beast of New Haven, Herberts Vasiljves.
Finland has Oliver Kapanen skating for them, nephew of former Whaler Sami Kapanen and cousin of current NHL’er Kasperi of the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Brad Lambert, the nephew of former New Haven Nighthawk player and Bridgeport Sound Tiger head coach, Lane Lambert.
The Czech Republic squad features David Spacek, son of former Beast of New Haven Jaroslav Spacek.
COLLEGE TRANSFERS
The college transfers parade marches on with Yale’s Dante Palecco last week, departing from Yale University (ECACHL) with his degree in hand and grad transfers to Sacred Heart University Pioneers (AHA). The Bulldogs Tyler Welsh does the same departing Yale to play for NCAA Independent Long Island University Post Sharks to play with his younger brother Nolan.
Quinnipiac University Bobcats (ECACHL) got Griffin Mendel from Denver University (NCHC), Brandon Less from Dartmouth College (ECACHL), and Dylan St. Cyr from Notre Dame (Big 10).
UCONN Huskies (HE) got Kevin O’ Neil from Yale and goalie Darion Hanson from Union College (ECACHL). Eric Linell of the Huskies transferred to Bentley University (AHA) as a school transfer, and captain Adam Karashik heads off to Notre Dame (Big 10) as a grad transfer.
Sacred Heart University Pioneers (AHA) got four in-school transfers, Neil Shea, from Northeastern (HE), Logan Britt Quinnipiac University (ECACHL), Dakota Raabe from Michigan (Big 10), and Dante Fantauzzi from Alaska- Anchorage (WCHA).
There just one grad transfer in Rourke Russell of Miami (OH).
Harrison Blaisdell, son of former New Haven Nighthawk and Ranger Milke Blaisdell, heads from North Dakota (NCHC) to New Hampshire (HE).
Now 52 players have made transfers to other schools as underclassmen, and 44 have made grad transfers.
UCONN got a college commitment the old-fashioned way as Ryan Tattle from the Coquitlam Express (BCHL), who played just 14 games with 14 points, is expected to be at Storrs in the fall.
