HARTFORD WOLF PACK WIN FIRST EXHIBITION GAME 

By: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings

HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack pre-season begins with a 3-2 shootout win over the Springfield Thunderbirds on Wednesday at Koeppel Community Center at Trinity College. Ryder Korczak scored the lone goal for either team in the shootout.

Pack rookie netminder Talyn Boyko played the second half of the contest and stopped all three Thunderbirds attempts, first by Tanner Dickinson, then Mikhail Abramov, and finally Mitchell Hoelscher for the win.

In the first five minutes of the third period, the Wolf Pack built a late 2-1 lead on the strength of two goals scored a minute apart. The second, a power play goal, came at 3:35 by newcomer Seth Barton.

“Obviously, it’s the first time together,” Barton said afterward with a big smile. “We have progressively gotten to know each other since rookie camp, and it was good to get one under (our) belt. It took a while to get (the game) going under our feet.  We had Boyk (Boyko) standing on his head helping the boys. Things went the other way for you because we had the shots (22-15 after two periods of play). It’s my third time going through this. A different group, different guys, different way of doing things. We had to get into a rhythm and it’s been a welcoming place and looking forward to the next little bit.”

Head coach Krie Knoblauch had praise for Barton’s performance.

“He looked comfortable out there. He was the quarterback and it looks like we’ll keep him in that role.“

While the rosters were comprised of mostly ECHL-bound players, for the Pack, it allowed Knoblauch and assistants Steve Smith, Jamie Tardif, Colin Downey, and goalie coach Jeff Malcolm to get a glimpse of future possibilities.

Pack General Manager, and Trinity Alum, Ryan Martin, Jed Ortmeyer, the Rangers’ Player Development Director, and assistant Player Director, Tanner Glass also got the chance to assess what their depth players look like in the event of injuries or recalls this season.

The team, especially the younger players, learned what the pace of a pro game looked like early.

Luka Burzan lost the puck at center ice resulting from the efforts of the Thunderbirds’ Alexandre Fortin, who brought the play into the Wolf Pack zone. Anthony Beauregard, off Fortin’s pass, then netted a nifty backhander into the top part of the net over starting Pack goalie Olof Lindbom at 2:56.

Lindbom made two strong saves about nine minutes into the first period. The first save was on Drew Callin and later on Keean Waskurak on a semi-breakaway.

The early bumpy nature of play in the pre-season was to be expected.

“There was good energy, but the first five minutes we were nervous, couldn’t put two passes together, but there were a lot of good plays too,” Knoblauch said.

Brett Berard played very well in the third period and for the majority of the second half of the game.

“I liked that he was looking to shoot. He was getting his chances, getting the opportunities, getting to the middle of the ice. He really wanted that puck and took a big step. We didn’t see him a lot last year until he left college. I think he’s a better player than when he came to us last year. Just hope he continues to get better.”

Defenseman Ryan McCleary, the son of New Haven Senator Trent McCleary, scored the first goal, a seeing-eye shot that found it’s way through a mass of legs and sticks at 2:13.

Adam Edström, while not on the stat sheet, helped get the team out of the offensive mud. Though he did not score, he created chances, including an unsuccesful breakaway.

“Edström, he’s a very strong skater and when he gets a step on a guy….he’s hard to catch. It’s nice to have a guy like that (6’7 and fleet of foot) who drives to the net. He’ll create a lot of opportunities, it was just unfortunate and too bad he didn’t score there.”

Edström and Matt Rempe played together on a line with Sahil Panwar in the pivot to start off the game.

Then to start the third period, Matej Pekar was in the donut hole as Knoblauch, never afraid to change a line philosophy, continued.

NOTES:

Dylan Garand, still in New York with the Rangers, is expected to play the whole game in Bridgeport against the Islanders.

Knoblauch expects his timetable later in the week for the camp cuts to come. “Probably Friday or Saturday. I’m not sure right now.”

Rempe was the last player off the ice pre-game.

Mark Cairns made some sound defensive plays.

The Springfield Thunderbirds lineup featured Fortin, the nephew of former Hartford Whaler Jean-Sébastien Giguère, as was Chris Harpur, the younger brother of current Ranger and ex-Pack Ben Harpur, whom played with the Orlando Solar Bears (ECHL) last season.

Jansen Harkins, the son ex-Whaler Todd Harkins, was taken by the Pittsburgh Penguins off of waivers from the Winnipeg Jets.

Other notables in AHL training camps, David Spacek (the son of former Beast of New Haven Jaroslav Spacek), is in Iowa Wild camp after the Minnesota Wild drafted and signed him.

Ex-Pack Peter Holland was sent to the Colorado Eagles by the Avalanche.

In Tucson, ex-Pack Tyson Helgesen and Peter DiLiberatore (Quinnipiac University) are both in the Roadrunners camp.

Brad Morrison, the nephew of former New Haven Nighthawk and current Manitoba Moose Head Coach Mark Morrison, and ex-Bridgeport Sount Tiger Collin Adams are both in the camp of the Abbotsford Canucks.

The cousin of former Sound Tiger Mark Katic, Danny Katic, is in Manitoba’s camp, while Brooklyn Kamilkov, the son ex-Sound Tiger Konstantin Kamilkov is in the Providence Bruins’ camp, and the son of ex-Whaler Derek King, D.J. King is in the Rockford IceHogs’ camp.

Former Sound Tiger goalie Christopher Gibson was reassigned pending a waiver clear from the Dallas Stars to the Texas Stars.

Patrick Grasso, the cousin of one-time New Haven Nighthawk Tom Mullen, like many others is in the camp of the independent AHL Chicago Wolves.

Logan Drevitch, the son of former New Haven Nighthawk Scott Drevitch is in Henderson’s camp. He signed with the Savannah Ghost Pirates (ECHL) and is scheduled to play with his brother Tyler Drevitch this year.

Ex-Pack Shawn McBride leaves Sterzig/Vitipeno (Italy-AplsHL) and signs with the Idaho Steelheads (ECHL).

Trevor Zegras, (Avon Old Farms) signs a three-year extension with the Anaheim Ducks for $17.25M.

Former CT Whale and Ranger, Matt Zuccarello, signed a two-year extension with the Minnesota Wild.

Former Whaler and Ranger Marek Malik, is now the skills coach with HC Oceláři Trinec Czechia (Czech Republic)-CEL.

One time Wolf Pack assistant coach David Cunniff, the son of the late, legendary New England Whaler John Cunniff, is now the assistant coach with the Utica Comets.

Recently retired ex-Pack Kelsey Tessier, after finishing his career in France, goes back to where he started, becoming the skills coach for the Moncton Wildcats (QMJHL).

Greg Moore, ex-Pack, Sound Tiger, and Springfield Falcon, who was a one-time Pack captain, let go from the Toronto Marlies, like Tessier goes back to his coaching roots. He is head coach of the US National U-17 team (USNDTP) and that plays in the USHL and his assistant is ex-Pack/CT Whale Chad Kolarik.

Ex-CT Whale Kris Newbury, continues playing Canadian senior league hockey with Deseronto (EOSHL)-Easter Ontario Senior Hockey League.

Adam Dawe, a UCONN (HE), half-a-semester post-grad last year re-signs with Newfoundland (St. John’s) Growlers (ECHL).

UCONN opens their season this weekend on the road in a non-conference matchup against Colgate University (ECACHL) coached by ex-Pack Mike Harder.

Goalie Remi DeSmith,(Torrington/CT Chiefs U-18 AAA-AYHL) is with the Gatineau Flames (QJHL), a Junior A club.

HARTFORD WOLF PACK

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