HARTFORD WOLF PACK RETURN HOME WITH SERIES LEAD 

By: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings

HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack return to the XL Center Wednesday seeking a win to close out the Best of Five series against the Providence Bruins. The win would advance the Wolf Pack to the Atlantic Division  Final, where they will play the winner of the Hershey Bears and Charlotte Checkers series in what would be a Best-of-Seven series.

With the New York Rangers eliminated by the New Jersey Devils on Monday night, the Wolf Pack have seen the return of captain Jonny Brodzinski, center Jake Leschyshyn, goalie Louie Domingue and defenseman Libor Hájek.

Head coach Kris Knoblauch will have some critical and difficult lineup decisions. Does he add in these four players who have not played in these playoffs for the Pack and risk upsetting the chemistry that has been so successful so far in the playoffs, or could it improve the team with their being added into the lineup?

In goal, does Knoblauch continue to ride Dylan Garand to start while he has been playing so well in winning all four games he’s played into this point, or does he turn to the more experienced and the team’s primary starting netminder all season, Louie Domingue?

On defense, the return of Hájek presents an interesting dilemma. He could help the team on the ice, but given his unlikely re-signing by Rangers General Manager Chris Drury, does it make more sense to ride the defense he has been using? Hájek will likely be looking for a new landing spot next season as it is unlikely the Czech native would be offered, let alone sign another cap-friendly NHL one-way deal again for next season.

The most challenging decision Knoblauch will face is at forward.

Brodzinski and Leschyshyn were two-thirds of the team’s top line. Does he keep them together while keeping Ryan Carpenter and Turner Elson, who have played well together, and move Tim Gettinger up to their line? Gettinger played very well in Game 2. These moves would offer the Pack two solid scoring lines to challenge the Providence defense.

He could keep the very effective Anton Blidh on the third line at left wing. Will Lockwood could drop down to that line on the right side and was another solid Game 2 performer. He might consider scratching Adam Edström and putting Tanner Fritz in the middle.

Knoblauch might keep Karl Henriksson and Bobby Trivigno intact on the fourth line. Despite playing his best game as a Wolf Pack, he might consider dropping young Adam Sýkora in favor of Lauri Pajuniemi, who has played well in the post-season. His two-year contract expires in June. He may be heading to Sweden to play next season.

These decisions will be critical in determining whether the Pack continue to move forward in their quest for their first Calder Cup Championship since 2000 or end this highly unexpected run.

NOTES:

Carter Verhaeghe, the ex-Bridgeport Sound Tiger, is the toast of the NHL. The Florida Panthers pulled off the biggest upset in hockey with his OT goal that knocked off the regular season Champion, Boston Bruins. This playoff series may be the most significant upset since the “Miracle on Manchester Street” when the LA Kings upset the Edmonton Oilers just before their dynasty run of the mid-1980s.

Ex-Sound Tiger Tom Kühnhackl heads home from Skellefteå AIK (Sweden-SHL) to play for Adler Mannheim (Germany-DEL) next year.

Ex-Pack Tomas Kunratek switched teams in Czechia (Czech Republic). He leaves HC Brno of the Czech Elite League to play for HC Oceláři Třinec.

Hershey’s Joe Snively (Yale University) had a goal and two assists in the Game Two 5-1 win over Charlotte.

The Wolf Pack’s ECHL affiliates, the Jacksonville Icemen, won Game 5 of their South Division ECHL semifinal in a 5-4 win. Former Quinnipiac University player Craig Martin and another former Bobcat and ex-Pack, Brandon Fortunato, scored.

The Icemen look to advance play in Game 6 on Tuesday and a possible Game 7 on Wednesday. The winner will play either the Florida Everblades, the winner in six games over ex-Pack Brendan Kotyk, or the South Carolina Stingrays.

The Quebec City NHL-styles building, The Videotron Centre, has had two of the three largest crowds ever in QMJHL history at the Quebec-Gatineau President Cup semifinal. The Quebec Remparts have shattered the old record of Le Colisee and lapped around the mark set by the Halifax Mooseheads.

The second best occurred in the old Montreal Forum on April 22, 1983, in a “home” game for the nearby Verdun Jr. Canadiens. They were playing the Longueuil Chevaliers and the hockey prodigy in Verdun. They hadn’t seen the likes of since late Guy Lafleur’s junior days in Pat LaFontaine and Jean Beliveau, who graced the ice as the big man down the middle for the NHL Canadiens in the 1960s and 1970s.

17,911 – Quebec | Apr. 30, 2023
17,860 – Verdun | Apr. 22, 1983
17,416 – Quebec | Apr. 28, 2023

Could Quebec City support a new 21st-century Nordiques? Attendance-wise, indeed, yes, but three things remain killing it.

The French immersion requires all schooling to seventh grade to be French only and all public signage and literature to be in French.

The Canadian currency exchange rate. NHL salaries are all paid in US dollars, while most all the Canadian teams take their revenue in Canadian currency.

The last reason is Montreal Canadiens owner Geoff Molson, who wants to extend the Canadiens brand to Northern and Eastern Quebec and French-speaking parts of the Canadian Maritimes.

Add in NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman not wanting to disturb the 16 East, 16 West team balance that he spent years to achieve. Arizona will never move there if their new arena referendum fails in two weeks. They will likely be in Houston in two years.

Pierre Karl Péladeau, President and CEO of Quebecor, owner of Videotron cable, has abandoned his efforts to bring the NHL and a Nordiques rebirth to the city. He has recently brought the CFL Montreal Alouettes instead. He was elected as an MP in the Quebec National Assembly in the 2010 decade.

HARTFORD WOLF PACK

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