By: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings

HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack played their 2,000th game this past weekend, which featured a boatload of activities.

Among all the faces from the past to return to the XL Center, one of the most important and influential in the team’s history to make their way back was the team’s voice for over 20 years, Bob Crawford.

Also returning to the XL Center was Todd Hall. While now just a retired player, Hall is now a head coach for Hamden High School and is enjoying the life he and his wife Melissa have built watching their two girls grow up. In his last season, Hall was in Binghamton after sailing to the ECHL in Charlotte with the Checkers after the first month of the season.

Hall was happy to find the team was relocating to Hartford in the Whalers’ absences, and family and friends could see him play.

“We heard rumors late in the season. I was on a one-year contract with the club and an option for the second year. I figured I wouldn’t get the second year if they moved to my home state. If they stayed in lovely Bingo, they would resign me,” said Hall. “It obviously worked out for me and my family. The rest was, as they say, is history.”

Terry Virtue, has been a free spirit, one of his more comical moments came as an opponent (he played with Providence, Springfield and Worcester) trying to get back to Hartford.

The only two New England cities he didn’t skate for were the Manchester (NH) Monarchs and Portland (ME) Pirates.

“Yeah, it was unique; Dirk Graham and I didn’t get along, and neither did too many other players either.

“I had a great time in Hartford, and truth be told, I was nearly traded to them in the 2002-2003 season, but it didn’t work out. I was here, and yeah, on the opening faceoff in a game between Springfield and Hartford, I skated up and whispered in Kenny’s ear if he could see if they would trade for me, I REALLY wanted outta Springfield,“ Virtue said with a chuckle. “I think Kenny was a little shocked by my request. He wasn’t sure if I was kidding or not, but this was a serious request.”

Stefan Cherneski’s career was terribly cut short at just 40 games over a three-year span, by a catastrophic knee injury in his first 11 games. He would skate just 29 games, but the team never forgot about him as he was enduring the most grueling rehab, but the damage was too great.

The very funny and bright, engaging Cherneski doesn’t regret anything and any chance when the Wolf Pack calls, his answer is always yes.

“It’s all good, it had its moments (his career), but I made a lot of good friends because of the Wolf Pack. So, when they ask, it’s always a privilege to wear the sweater again, “ commented Cherneski, who has settled in greater Hartford and has put his mathematical acumen to work, showing why he was the WHL Scholastic Player of the Year two years in a row.

Who can ever forget the last game before he had to sign his financial settlement, ending his career? John Paddock, in a tremendously kind act let him skate the full final minutes of the game that were his professional moments, it was genuinely one of the most emotional in the history of the Wolf Pack.

“Man, what Steph went through was brutal.

“First of all, Steph was a talented player and an even better person. He worked really hard every day in practice and always had a smile.

“Unfortunately, he was injured before he had a chance to flourish. I witnessed his rehab, and it was still hard to imagine what he was going through. He was in pain, but still wore a smile no matter what. Even after the first surgery didn’t take and went through all that painful rehab, he had to go through it all again. It was the same surgery and the same painful recovery. He stayed tough through it all.

“(It) showed how huge a competitor and warrior he is,” remarked Hall, the first of six Connecticut natives to play for the Wolf Pack (Chris Winnes-Ridgefield was in the first year with Hall, a RI firefighter).

“Two were born here in CT in Kevin Colley New Haven (five Pack games, where his late father Tom was a legend with the New Haven Nighthawks in the mid-70’s AHL) and Josh Wesley Hartford (father Glen a Whaler at the time.)

The others are Ryan Haggerty (Stamford-played at Trinity Catholic CTPUB and now is an assist coach at New Canaan CTPUB), David Hallisey (Wethersfield/Westminster Prep (Simsbury)-played one game), Mike Paliotta (Westport/Choate Rosemary-Wallingford) and Mike Lee (Hamden/Frederick Gunn School) who played for Hall in high school. He is still playing in Slovakia.

Crawford has landed on his feet very well, and he is now working in NHL services in New York. He helps coordinate all the league special projects and PR work for the NHL Draft, the outdoor games, the Stanley Cup Finals, and the recent All-Star game.

“My experience (in Hartford), it’s hard to put into words. It was essentially my entire working life prior to this current gig, and it shaped much of who I am. I’ll always treasure the experiences and memories and all the great people that I was privileged to meet and work with,” commented Crawford, whose two children he and his wife had are out of college now.

Jed Ortmeyer, Director Ranger Player Personnel, an ex-Pack, was signing some autographs before the game on Saturday,

”I remember when I went to the first camp with Rangers. Dale “Diesel” Purinton was there and very politely asked me if I wanted a towel or water. I thought he was part of the training staff. Going out for warm-ups, and he’s out there skating with us! What dope I was.”

He remembers the battles with Springfield: “All those games were wars. They had Trevor Gillies and Mitch Fritz at the time.

“I dreaded those games, going to them and then coming home; I was happy, I survived!

“I didn’t spend much time here  (2003-04), but we had a good playoff run (16 games) when I came back from my injury in New York (torn hamstring), but I enjoyed Hartford.”

He was sitting as a solitary figure before game time, signing autographs; several fans didn’t know who he was despite a name card sitting right in front of him.

Ortmeyer handled the inquiry with a smile, grace, and aplomb.

Dispensing advice, like a young father, he was imparting wisdom to the kids, “Remember two things, work hard (which he did) and have fun.”

Ortmeyer nearly didn’t have a career at Michigan, where he had a torn ACL and was facing his second medical redshirt season with the Wolverines. Against his doctor’s advice, he played anyway.

“Yeah, slapped on the old brace and went out there,” Ortmeyer said.

You do need an ACL, hockey player or not.

“The doctor mentioned it in passing,” joked Ortmeyer, who still resides in Nebraska.

HARTFORD WOLF PACK

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HARTFORD, CT – The dog days of summer pose challenges for hockey executives of all levels, including the Hartford Wolf Pack, to fill out their rosters for the upcoming season.

The contract status of veteran Tanner Fritz, who spent the last two years with the Wolf Pack following six seasons in Bridgeport, remains unchanged. He is still unsigned.

For Fritz, securing a good contract to deal with the special medical needs of his son remains a priority. Fritz’s veteran status remains an issue, but he continues to look at all options. Fritz hopes to return to Hartford after being a solid fixture on and off the ice for the Pack last season.

EX-PACK PLAYERS ON THE MOVE

Tony DeAngelo returns to the Carolina Hurricanes a year later on a free-agent deal.

Danny Kristo leaves Sheffield (England-EIHL) and signs with Coventry (England-EIHL).

Zach Guitarri (Loomis Chaffe), traded to the Abbotsford Heat from Hartford at the trade deadline, leaves for Växjö (Sweden-SHL).

Patrick Newell, who started last year with Fehérvár AV19 (Hungary-IceHL), then left mid-season for Södertälje SK (Sweden-Allsvenskan), signs for next season with Orlando (ECHL).

Luke Adam leaves EHC Straubing (Germany-DEL) and joins HC Plzen (Pilsner) Czechia (Czech Republic-CEL). The team also has ex-Pack, Petr Zamorsky.

Scott Kosmachuk left TPS Turku (Finland-FEL) and signed with Lada Togliatti (Russia-KHL).

DAVE BARR

After two years in Vienna (Austria-IceHL) as the team’s head coach, ex-Hartford Whaler Dave Barr leaves and signs to be the new assistant coach with AHL-independent Chicago Wolves.

Barr had 12 years in the NHL as an assistant coach with the San Jose Sharks, Minnesota Wild, Colorado Avalanche, New Jersey Devils, Buffalo Sabres, and Florida Panthers. He also coached the Houston Aeros to a Calder Cup title in the AHL. He ran the bench for Houston’s IHL team and in Orlando with the Solar Bears. He also spent three years as head coach of the Guelph Storm (OHL).

ECHL

The ECHL Board of Governors formally approved the Lake Tahoe (NV) expansion team to begin play in 2024-25 at the brand-new Blue Lake Event Center to be run by OVG 360, the same operator of the XL Center.

The team name and staff will be done later, with an affiliation NHL/AHL to be announced in 2024-25.

CONNECTICUT RELATED PLAYER NEWS

New Canaan’s Pat Harper, who played at Avon Old Farms, started last year with Mora IK (Sweden-Allsvenskan). He left mid-season for Kristianstads IK (Sweden-Allsvenskan). Harper signs with the South Carolina Stingray (ECHL) for next season.

Now former Bridgeport Islander Collin Adams, who split last season between Bridgeport and the Worcester Railers (ECHL), has signed with the Kalamazoo Wings (ECHL) for the ’23-’24 season.

Tyler Drevitch, the son of ex-New Haven Nighthawk Scott Drevitch, departs the Wheeling Nailers (ECHL) and joins his brother Logan next year with the Savannah Ghost Pirates (ECHL).

Players departing the AHL for Europe is at 65. The Springfield Thunderbirds’ Greg Printz (Selects Academy at South Kent Prep) is the latest to leave, who heads to the Belfast Giants in (Northern Ireland-EIHL).

Kārlis Čukste (Quinnipiac University) leaves HC Oceláři Třinec (Czechia (Czech Republic-CEL) and signs with Brynäs IF (Sweden-Allsvenskan).

DON NACHBAUR

Former Whaler and New Haven Nighthawk Don Nachbaur, speaking on his return to Calgary as an assistant with the Calgary Wranglers (AHL) this year, said, “We had a good team, and the fans in Calgary were super, but the winters are brutal. I grew up in Western Canada and have been out of there for 40 years coming from California (Stockton), where we were. I don’t enjoy it, didn’t miss it at all.”

Could the new building to be built in Calgary might ease some of that cold burden?

“It’s great for Calgary. The designs for the building look fantastic, but that building won’t be built till five years from now because of the financing, zoning, and environmental regulations. There is mountain of hurdles to overcome and get through before the first shovel gets in the ground. I likely will be retired by the time it happens.”

WAYNE BABYCH

Wayne Babych’s son Cole is a 16-years old playing goalie with Winnipeg (WAAA). He also has his learner’s permit to drive. Babych quipped, “I don’t know what scares me more, him facing slapshots as a goalie, or him driving?”

ANDRE LACROIX

Andre Lacroix, Sr.’s son, Andre III, is off to college at the University of  Utah (ACHA Division-1), where he will play club hockey. “He loves to ski and play hockey. Out there, he can do both.”

His grandsons Anthony and Alex attend and play hockey at Gilmour Academy Prep in Ohio.

DOUG ROBERTS

Doug Roberts on Gordie Howe. “He just wasn’t only a great player, he was a great father too. Look at how well Mark and Marty have turned out. He did well with both of them (and his other son and daughter) as well.”

BOB CRAWFORD

Bob Crawford’s nephew Aidan was in town on his college tour. He’s looking at all the CT Division I schools, though not as a hockey player. He’s a track and field athlete. One of the schools he’s looking at is Yale in New Haven.

GRANT JENNINGS

Grant Jennings traveled the furthest to attend the Hartford Whalers Day at Dunkin Donuts Field, traveling from Alaska with his son Gordon, who plays at South Anchorage High School. He was a draft choice in the WHL US portion of their bantam draft by the Prince Albert (SK) Raiders in June.

HARTFORD WOLF PACK

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HARTFORD, CT – Ty Ronning had the shootout winner, while Keith Kinkaid made 41 saves in regulation, and stopped three more in the shootout as well as a penalty shot to lead the Hartford Wolf Pack to a 4-3 win over the visiting Hershey Bears.

“I was coming down and wanted to change the angle a little bit. I had been chatting with our goalie coach Jeff Malcolm, as I haven’t been in a lot of shootouts and I learned a little bit from him. Just come in on that angle and see what was open. I like to go to my backhand to open him up and I was fortunate enough to score,” Ronning said.

The Wolf Pack will play a rare Monday night game against the Utica Comets, coached by legendary former Hartford Whaler Kevin Dineen. This game is a COVID-19 rescheduled game from December.

“The same story as last night,” commented Pack Head Coach Kris Knoblauch. “We came out with a good first period, an awful second period, held up well in the third period, overtime, and the shootout to win it.”

54 seconds into overtime, Kinkaid made a big save on Brett Leason. Kinkaid was run over by Brett Leason but did not get a call, and he snapped. Despite firing his helmet and his stick in the ref’s direction after the first whistle, Kinkaid was not given a penalty.

His stellar netminding all night was well appreciated by Ronning and Knoblauch.

“Many of the game’s saves were phenomenal. They had a couple backdoor plays and for him to reach back and make those saves and get in front of them. He does that on a daily basis. We have to do a better defending in front of him.”

THIRD PERIOD

In the third period, Mark Vecchione tied it at three on a pass from Leason off an intelligent play from Alexei Protas for his 13th goal at 8:57. The Wolf Pack did not fall behind because of Kinkaid’s play, preventing Hershey from getting their franchise 3,000th AHL win at his team’s expense.

“He (Kinkaid) faced some Grade-A scoring chances and made some important saves for us late in the third.”

“Little things are important, and sometimes we get away from that and that makes game management tough (for ourselves). It’s a big part and we’re coming down to the end of the season and everything is intensified,”  remarked Ronning.

SECOND PERIOD

The second period was all Hershy who held a 21-4 shot advantage over the Pack, who have been outshot 50-9 in the two games in the second period.

“We’re an even younger team now, “Knoblauch said, “We’re an inexperienced team and a fragile team right now. When things aren’t going well, they snowball for you. Guys start to question themselves and wonder aloud.”

Ronning elaborated on his coach’s thoughts.

“Time in the game of hockey is about momentum. It can sway from us and be a challenge. When we allow our opponent to shoot so much more (than us) overall, it’s a challenge to keep that momentum, keep things simple and let the play develop.”

The Wolf Pack felt pressure right off the bat in the second period. At 1:09, ex-Pack Dylan McIlrath was stopped twice by Keith Kinkaid.

STRONG BETWEEN THE PIPES

Hershey’s Mason Morelli was awarded a penalty shot at 6:40 when he was pulled down by Zach Guittari. The last penalty shot was on April 7, 2021. It was stopped by Tyler Wall.

The Pack went up 3-0 as Anthony Greco scored his team’s best 15th goal (and 42nd point) on the power play, and back came the Bears.

First Garrett Pilon got his 16th goal from Bobby Nardella. Then Morelli tallied his sixth goal at 16:26 even after Alexeev broke his stick on a point shot attempt. They smartly used the power play to their advantage as Matt Loritio clipped Cody Franson behind the net at 13:36 earning him a double-minor when Franson was bleeding on the play and that opened the door and turned the game around.

Entering the game, the two teams are separated by just a .05 winning percentage point in the AHL Atlantic Division standings for fourth place and the last playoff spot. The previous five weeks of the regular season have begun with the struggling Wolf Pack losing five of their previous six.

SCORING

The first goal came to Hartford as they went down up top to score on their first power play. Zac Jones started the play down low, controlling the puck. He got it to Lundkvist near the blue line, then advanced it over to Matt Lorito, who in turn sent a cross-ice pass to Greco on the left-wing. Greco then put a shot on the net allowing Merkley to collect his first goal as a member of the Wolf Pack. It was his 13th of the season at 12:54, just 19 seconds into the man advantage.

They went up 2-0 as Alex Whalen snared a rebound on Jarred Tinordi’s shot that went wide to the short side. Still, he had inside position on Franson, and then-rookie Cristiano DiGiacinto escaped his check and backhanded his sixth by Pheonix Copley at 14:28.

Kinkaid was sharp in the first stopping Mark Vecchione and Kody Clark with 1.4 left even after losing his stick.

LINES

Merkley-Fritz-Lorito
Ronning-Greco-Khordorenko
Richards-Rueschoff-Pajuniemi
DiGiacinto-Whalen-O’Leary

Tinordi- Guittari
Jones-Scanlin
Robertson- Lundkvist

Kinkaid
Huska

SCRATCHES

Skinner
Gettinger (upper-body. likely out until next Wednesday)
Girduckis
Reunanen
Taylor

NOTES

Hershey’s Kody Clark is the son of ex-NHL’er Wendel Clark, and his uncle Kerry was a member of the Springfield Indians and Portland Pirates. His elder cousins are former NHL players, the former Rangers/Red Wings tough customer Joe Kocur, and ESPN college hockey analyst Barry Melrose.

Hershey forward Drake Rymsha is the son of former New Haven Nighthawk Andy Rymsha. He was cut as he was caught up high by a shot by Zach Guittari late in the second period. After medical repairs, he returned as did Franson in the third.

The Wolf Pack’s Justin Richard saw his alma mater, the University of Minnesota-Duluth, get eliminated from the NCAA tournament by Denver University 2-1. The only goal scorer for UMD was Darian Gotz, the nephew of former Wolf Pack great player and head coach Ken Gernander.

Michael O’Leary’s Notre Dame Fighting Irish lost 1-0 to Minnesota State in their NCAA Regional game.

The Quinnipiac University Bobcats have a Sunday date with Michigan in the Allentown, PA Regional at the PPL Center, home of the AHL Lehigh Valley Phantoms.

LACK OF HONOR FOR THE 2000 CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM

The organization committed an unforced error in tonight’s promotion to honor the 2000 Wolf Pack Championship team.

It was wrong that even sound cost-efficient ideas were ignored and nothing was done.

With the pandemic now waning, it would have been a home run to celebrate Hartford’s ONLY championship team in the city’s history.

A whole generation of fans have no living memory of the 2000 Championship team, and the organization should at least honor the names of Armstrong, Smyth, Hall, Labbe, Tuzzolino, and Gernander.

The Hartford Yard Goats, the city’s Double AA Eastern League baseball team, do more than the Wolf Pack do to honor the City’s hockey history. They do a superb job every year with “Whaler Day.”

A tweet of a picture is not enough and is grossly negligent for the city’s only championship team.

How about retiring some numbers? How about honoring the all-time leading scorer #11 Brad Smyth (382 points), who was the team’s only 50-goal scorer. That should have been done three years ago with time on a Saturday night to retire the number. He then entered the AHL Hall of Fame the following Monday. Clearly not right.

#17 Derek Armstrong, the only player to crack the 100-point barrier, won a regular season and post-season MVP Awards; now his number is being worn, by a fourth-line PTO winger (Abbott Girduckis). He’s likely to be released soon because of player numbers, not performance, and who’s played just five games (scratched the last two). No disrespect is intended, but nobody should be wearing that number.

How about Jason LaBarbera’s #35? He won a regular season MVP and holds every team goaltending record and is now the Calgary Flames (NHL) goalie coach.

Just Gernander’s #12, which is highly deserved; hangs in the rafters.

In the league just 21 years, Grand Rapids is retiring TWO numbers shortly. Jeff Hoggan #10 and former Whaler draft choice Michel Picard’s #7, but the Pack in 25 have only Gernander’s number retired.

Not nearly good enough.

CONGRATULATIONS

CONGRATULATIONS are in order for the long-time ex-voice of the Wolf Pack, Bob Crawford, who has landed on his feet with the NHL Production Offices.

He spent the last year as the voice of UCONN hockey on CBS Sports OnLine and for select CW20 games that air locally in the just concluded Hockey East season after spending 24 years as the voice of the Pack.

Alex Thomas, the new voice of the Wolf Pack stated that Team Equipment Manager Craig Lewis recently did his 900th game. Congrats to Craig and his family.

HARTFORD WOLF PACK

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The post CANTLON: PACK MELTS HERSHEY IN SHOOTOUT first appeared on Howlings.

BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings

HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack more than just recovered from a dreadful, defensively after a garish second period, they erupted, scoring a season-best five goals in a 7-3 win over the Hershey Bears before 3,699 at the XL Center.

The Pack onslaught began with 3:32 left after Hershey’s third goal and 14-shot second period.

Goalie Keith Kinkaid was visibly disgusted after ex-Pack Dylan McIlrath’s goal. The next shot forced a glove save on a wide-open Mason Morelli on the right-wing, who was another clean entry facing no checking or stiff opposition.

He went to the bench on a commercial time-out – a goalie rarity, but just prior, he’s chucked the puck to the corner rather than hand it over to the linesman. His disgust at the play of his teammates was clear.

“We realized when we were in the locker room after the second period. He’s building a wall for us, one save at a time. I heard guys saying it. He has done so much for us (this season), we’ve got to play better for him,” said veteran P.C. Labrie.

KNOBLAUCH SEES THE HUMOR

“We had the same thing happen with Shesty (Igor Shesterkin) once came to the bench, but nobody understood him because he was muttering in Russian,” Knoblauch said with a smile. “He would bark at people. Everybody knows because they have a lot of respect for him (Kinkaid). He’s done a lot for us in lots of games. We shouldn’t have won. Obviously, we responded well in the third.”

The third-period onslaught was ignited by the stick of Lauri Pajuniemi, who scored twice his fourth and fifth goals in 64 seconds, starting at 2:53.

The first one came off a redirection of a Ty Ronning shot. The second was a two-pass masterpiece that gave him his first multi-goal game.  The second goal started in the defensive zone with a Tanner Fritz outlet pass, finding Ronning, who then sent a lead pass for Pajuniemi, who outraced three Bears to the puck. Once gaining control, Pajuniemi fired it past goaltender Zach Furcale, a former #1 pick of the Montreal Canadiens.

“I didn’t have time to (process) that he had two goals,” Labrie said. “Boom, he got one. Boom he gets another. We’re in control here. That’s the strength of this team. (Goals) can come from any side of the ice or line for the team and when we defend against a team it’s the combo we have.”

PAJUNIEMI

Knoblauch complemented his rookie forward. “He did the same thing in Providence with a guy draped all over his back. There isn’t a lot of room to score goals out there, but he’s starting to find them.”

Labrie completed his three-point night with the Pack’s third goal in a 1:51 timeframe. Labrie jammed home his second goal of the year in front of the Hershey net. His excitement and exuberance were on full display as he banged on the glass behind the net afterward.

“We’re working smart in practice, and it paid off (tonight),” Labre said in his French-accented English. “We’re putting in five 10-minute drills in front of the net. Anybody we put on the fourth line is playing the right way. We’re fighting and battling to stay there, and I like the chemistry we have. It doesn’t matter who is on that line; nothing feels out of place. Everyone wants to chip in.

MORE PAJUNIEMI

His head coach spoke of and thought highly of him, not as a spare part in returning to North America from Germany after two years at the last minute.

“He has a good shot and protects the pucks well. P.C. has brought a lot. He has played more than we expected. We knew he was a tough guy and had skills. We knew he could play. He played in the NHL before. It’s been a nice surprise for us. He is by far one of the most popular guys in the dressing room.

“I love the way he plays and the energy he brings to the room,” remarked Knoblauch. “As a fourth liner, he doesn’t get that much ice time. Sometimes players get out of a game, can get out of focus. He doesn’t. Some guys can get lulled by the game; He knows when his shift is. He is encouraging his teammates. He’s making sure his linemates are ready for their shift. He’s another coach on the bench.”

BRODZINSKI

Captain Jonny Brodzinski scored two goals on special teams. The first was the team’s first power play goal in ten tries, and they added a shorthanded goal to complete Labrie’s prophecy from three weeks ago when he said, “When it cracks for us, it will crack.”

“He is working the wall so well for us. He wins like 90% of the puck battles he’s in. That’s why he’s our captain he gets rewarded.”

The first period was all Hartford. The second all Hershey as they tallied three goals to take an albeit brief lead.

“We had a good effort in the first and third period, not the second. We’ve been down numerous times like in Providence. There is no quit on this team and we stick with a game plan, and it works. We have had good leadership and the young guys have been respectful, hard-working and want to get better,” Knoblauch said.

SECOND PERIOD BLUES

Libor Hajek, playing in the last game of his conditioning stint, sent an ill-advised pass up the middle of the ice. The pass was broken up by Michal Kempny and set up Shane Gersich to score his first goal of the year, getting it past Kinkaid at 1:33 of the second.

The Bears tied it at two on an extended shift in the Pack end. The Pack was unable to clear their end. A shot from the left point by Lucas Johansen was deflected by Bears veteran and AHL sharpshooter, Mike Sgarbossa who tallied his team-best sixth goal at 10:06.

Then McIlrath, an ex-Wolf Pack and former Rangers 2010 first-round draft pick took an elusive shot from along the far side past Kinkaid at 15:13. It completed another Bears cycle in the Wolf Pack end of the ice.

It was the second time of his career, the first coming as a Springfield Falcon, that McIlrath has scored as an opponent against the Pack.

PACK RESPOND

The Wolf Pack has done well in reversing their first-period blues.

Anthony Greco (six shots) came on for a line change burst down the left-wing side in the Bears zone. Braden Schneider (two assists) was able to see him and hit him with a perfect, diagonal pass. In one motion, Greco put it on the net past Furcale with the puck headed low to the far side of the net at 6:18

McIlrath clipped Zach Jones on a play that didn’t go unnoticed. When the play stopped, Ronning showed fearlessness, loyalty by going after the much bigger and enforcer-minded McIlrath.

Labrie, the Pack’s tough guy, appreciated Ronning’s effort.

“That’s the mentality we have. We don’t have to fight every night, but when that crap happens, when you see Ty doing that, we’re all right there backing each other up.”

AFTERMATH

On the ensuing rush, Patrick Khordorenko picked up the loose puck generated by a Labrie clearing play and got a clean zone entry used. Next, Khodorenko used Bears defenseman Cody Franson as a screen and shot over Furcale’s glove with 6:18 remaining in the period. It was his first goal as Franson skated to his netminder to apologize to him.

Labrie likens the team to the 2012 Calder Cup-winning team he was a part of in Norfolk. “There’s a lot of (similarities) like the young guys and the veterans, the coaching staff we have. I think we have the two best goalies in the league.”

LINES

Fritz-Brodzinski-Greco
Barron-Ronning-Pajuniemi
Whalen-Khordorenko-Richards
Labrie-DiGiacinto-Rueschoff

Schneider-Robertson
Jones-Hájek
Reunanen-Guittiari.

Kinkaid
Huska

SCRATCHES

Bitetto
Gettinger
Skinner
Brassard
O’Leary

NOTES

Hajek played all weekend. The decision was made that his conditioning would not be extended. On Monday, he returns to New York.

“He has spent his time in development here. He’ll be moving on to New York. They can’t extend it.” Knoblauch said.

Gettinger was scratched from the lineup for a second game as he nursed an AHL campaign’s assorted bumps and bruises.

“It’s a nagging injury. He’ll be on the ice on Monday. We want him to get the rest and heal. It’s a persistent injury. He needs the time to heal, but if it were the playoffs, he would play. We just don’t want it to be all season long.”

HOCKEY FIGHTS CANCER

It was ‘Hockey Fights Cancer Night’ at the XL Center. Before the game, Labrie reflected on his former assistant captain and Quebec Triple AAA teammate Alexandre Charest of the Coaticook Frontaliers (QJAAAHL) who passed away from a rare form of cancer while very young.

“He fought and battled very hard, but sadly he didn’t make it. During the opening ceremony and anthem, I thought about him, and said a quick prayer and had a good thought about him. We’re all wearing a jersey, playing or not.”

WINNING STREAK

Friday, the Utica Comets won their 12th straight to start the season at home. It was a 4-1 win over the Charlotte Checkers. The old record was eleven held by the 1984-85 Rochester Americans who got win number 13 as they built a 5-0 lead held on for a 5-3 win.

The league record for consecutive wins is 28. That record is held by the now-defunct Norfolk (V.A.) Admirals in 2011-12. They went on to win the Calder Cup title. The only losses they suffered in their march to the title in that impressive run were at the hands of the C.T. Whale in the playoff quarterfinals which they lost in six games.

MORE NOTES

Ex-Pack Deven DiDiomete signs with Gyergyói HK (Romania-MOL) in the Erste League,

Max Sauvé, who played at Avon Old Farms (CTPREP) and played at Penn State (Big 10), signs with the Wheeling Nailers (ECHL).

CRAWFORD SELLS OUT

Former Hartford Whaler and New Haven Nighthawk and briefly C.T. Whale President of Operations, Bob Crawford, sold his stake in Connecticut arenas but sold the International Skating Center in Simsbury to local business interests.

He also sold Champions Skating Center in Cromwell, the Wolf Pack second practice facility, and the Bolton Ice Palace to a national arena management company called Black Bear Sports Group that will handle all the business operations and maintenance operations. Crawford will still be involved on the hockey side of things and will still be doing the winter open ice at Bushnell Park in the heart of downtown Hartford. The two buildings give Black Bear 29 in total.

The release state that “An affiliate of Black Bear Sports Group, Inc. (“Black Bear”) has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Champions Skating Center in Cromwell, CT, and Bolton Ice Palace in Bolton, CT (the “Arenas”). The Agreement is subject to normal course closing conditions. The Arenas collectively feature two NHL ice sheets, one Olympic ice sheet, a full-service gym, and a pool. The transaction also includes purchasing the Hartford Jr. Wolf Pack, the elite Tier I and Tier II youth hockey program. The Arenas are also home to the Whalers Youth Hockey Association & Eastern Connecticut Stars, and many figure skating. The Sellers included long-time silent business partner Alan Lazowski, Founder and CEO of Laz Parking, and former NHL player Bob Crawford. Crawford is assuming a senior role with Black Bear, including becoming a member of the Board of Directors. Black Bear, the largest owner/operator of ice rinks in the U.S., was founded by CEO Murry Gunty in 2015.

The two buildings give them 29 in total.

“I am thrilled that Bob will continue his life’s work and legacy with Black Bear, the best and most prolific rink owner and operator in the United States.”

“It has been my great honor to partner with Bob Crawford over the past 30 years and watch his passion and love for the game and his commitment to teach young men and women the art of the game,” said Lazowski. “I am thrilled that Bob will continue his life’s work and legacy with Black Bear, the best and most prolific rink owner and operator in the United States.”

“We are excited to expand our Connecticut presence with this transaction, as Connecticut is such a strong hockey market,” said Murry N. Gunty, Founder and CEO of Black Bear. “More importantly, I am thrilled to have Bob Crawford has joined our organization to help us continue to build out our hockey business. Bob brings deep hockey experience from both his distinguished NHL career and his extensive youth hockey experience including leading leagues, representing his district and serving in leadership capacities at the highest levels of hockey especially USA Hockey. It is an honor to have him on board.”

“I’m excited to stay on board and continue to develop players in the Jr. Wolf Pack program and support Black Bear’s overall hockey business,” said ex-NHLer Bob Crawford. “Over the years we have had numerous offers to sell the rinks, but both Alan and I believe that Black Bear will be the best home for our families and our buildings and a great place for my wife, Kathleen, and I to continue to make a large impact on both our community and the sport that we both love. In addition, Bolton Ice Palace and Champions Skating Center will continue to thrive under Black Bear’s ownership.”

The arena in Cromwell was first purchased in 1997.

“Our mission is to continue growing hockey and ice sports in Connecticut and are thrilled to add another Tier I franchise that we can support through our numerous junior team franchises such as the Youngstown Phantoms of the USHL,” said Ryan Scott, Vice President of Black Bear. “Under Bob’s leadership, we also look forward to growing our league and tournament businesses in Connecticut and the rest of the Northeast and expect to host numerous boys’ and girls’ events in our rinks.”

-This is the first of six meetings between the Wolf Pack and the Bears during the 2021-22 AHL regular season. This is also the first of three meetings at the XL Center. The sides will meet back in Hartford on March 5th and 26th. The following three meetings will occur in Hershey, coming on January 22nd and 23rd and February 2nd.

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HARTFORD, CT – After 24 years as the lone voice of the Hartford Wolf Pack, Bob Crawford is no longer with the team, as announced early Monday morning by the team’s VP of Business Operations, Erik Hansen.

“We offered (Crawford) a contract, but he turned it down,” Hansen said. “I understand it completely. We will miss him greatly. He did a lot of good for the Wolf Pack. It was a pure business decision.”

Crawford was, as he has always been, a true professional in his response.

“We couldn’t agree on a financial framework that worked. They have their budget, and I have mine.”

THOMAS NAMED AS REPLACEMENT

Crawford’s replacement as the voice of the team is Alex Thomas. He has worked as the Director Marketing for the USPHL’s Northern (MA) Cyclones, plus he did the USPHL Nationals in 2019. He was the voice of the Northeastern University (HE) national champion women’s team, UMASS-Lowell (HE), Holy Cross (AHA), and Division-III’s Tufts University (MASCAC). He has also done AHL work with the Springfield Thunderbirds in 2015-16 and the 2019 U-18 All-Star Game at Merrimack College.

Wolf Pack play-by-play will only be heard on the internet as they have for the last two years as the team has had no over-the-air radio broadcasting agreement.

The team will have two midday home exhibition games on October 6th and the other on October 8th. There will be no outside arena this year because of the COVID-19 situation. As for the regular season at the XL Center, as per Connecticut state mandate, a mask will be required despite vaccination status.

PROMOTIONS

The team will have some restrictions on player interaction this year. An organizational decision is there will be only a few handout giveaways this season, except for opening night against the newly renamed Bridgeport Islanders on October 15th. A rally towel and magnet schedule will be the giveaway.

The team will honor their 2000 Calder Cup Championship team in the 25th anniversary year tentatively set for March 26th. Details will be forthcoming.

For now, the league will play the AHL All-Classic in Laval, Quebec – just outside of Montreal – the last weekend of January 2022

UPDATES ON PLAYERS

A few players, captain Vincent LoVerde (Austria), Patrick Sieloff (Germany on a try-out), and Patrick Newell (Norway), are in Europe. Darren Raddysh is now in the Tampa Bay organization and perhaps Syracuse (AHL) with his brother, Taylor. No word yet on Gabriel Fontaine, who did not receive an offer to return after two years of injuries.

HANSEN AND THE SCHEDULE

Going to a 72-games doesn’t bother Hansen at all.

“It’s good to get rid of that many Wednesday games. I’m all in favor of it. I think next year, when everybody has the same schedule; it will be even easier.”

The proposed new ownership with OVG is pending, and there’s not much Hansen can do at this point.

“It was a chance it might happen. We (Spectra-to-OVG) have to go through the reg (regulatory) process, and there won’t be any changes here. But, of course, it’s a new deal and an organization to operate under, and we’ll just go on. There is no news on the building repairs or operations at all,” remarked Hansen.

Efforts to reach CRDA Executive Director Mike Freimuth, either by phone or e-mail, have been unsuccessful, so there’s no way to get a reaction regarding the building and its future operations.

PLAYER MOVEMENT

Former UCONN player Ben Freeman goes from Pensacola (SPHL) to the Greenville Swamp Rabbits (ECHL).

Austin McillMurrat (Sacred Heart University (AHA)/Selects Academy at South Kent) goes from the Wichita Thunder (ECHL) to the Florida Everblades (ECHL).

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HARTFORD, CT – Incoming Hartford Wolf Pack defenseman Braden Schneider played the first two games of the team’s abbreviated 2020-21 schedule. It was named the WHL Bill Hunter Award as the WHL Best Defenseman of their truncated 25 game season.

Ross Colton (Taft Prep) had a goal and assist in the Tampa Bay Lightning’s series-clinching win over the Carolina Hurricanes, advancing to the Stanley Cup semi-finals against the islanders.

Joining Colton in the semis is ex-Wolf Pack/New York Ranger Ryan McDonagh and their playoff taxi squad ex-Wolf Pack, Daniel Walcott.

Assistant GM/Director of Player Development is ex-Pack, Jamie Pushor, Director of Hockey Ops Mathieu Darche (Choate), and scout ex-Sound Tiger Jeff Tambellini.

OTHER CONNECTICUT CONNECTIONS

Director of Hockey Admin is former Beast of New Haven front office and AHL person, Liz Sylvia-Koharski.

The Islanders have a slew of ex-Sound Tigers on defense. Ryan Pulock, Scott Mayfield, and Adam Pelech spent a lot of time under the tutelage of another ex-Pack, Brent Thompson.

Upfront Casey Czikas, Matt Martin, Brock Nelson, and Anders Lee, who is out injured this year, spent a little over a season before heading to the NHL.

On the big squad players who had short stints in Bridgeport Josh Bailey, Anthony Beauvillier. On the Islanders’ playoff taxi squad are Michael Dell Colle, Ross Johnston, and Oliver Wahlstrom.

The Islanders’ assistant coach is former Bridgeport head coach and New Haven Nighthawks player Lane Lambert. Also, there’s the team’s head athletic trainer from Hartford, Damien Hess, and Director of Player Development is ex-Pack, Eric Cairns.

OTHER CONNECTIONS

Scouts include former Wolf Pack legend as a head coach and player and AHL Hall-of-Famer, Ken Gernander, ex-Pack, Chris O’Sullivan, and former Sound Tiger briefly, Eric Boulton.

The other semifinal will be played between the Las Vegas Golden Knights and the underdog Montreal Canadiens. The series has some Connecticut connections and interesting sub-plots.

Vegas has former Connecticut Whale and Quebec city native Jonathan-Audy Marchessault, who the Rangers failed to evaluate his talent.

Max Pacioretty (New Canaan/Taft) is a former Canadiens captain. Chandler Stephenson and the nephew of former Whaler, Bob Stephenson.

The Golden Knight’s assistant coach is former Wolf Pack head coach Ryan McGill.

EVEN MORE CONNECTIONS

The team President is former Rangers and New Haven Nighthawk George McPhee, who has to develop Vegas Golden Knights teams that now have been in the NHL Final four three of its first four years in the NHL.

Montreal has ex-Whaler Sean Burke as their goalie coach, who has clearly helped resurrect Carey Price’s career. The decider of who to hire was made by former Whalers teammate GM, Marc Bergevin.

The VP of Hockey Development is Eric Crawford, a former Whaler/Nighthawk and relative of ex-Whaler/Ranger, Bob Crawford.

The NHL announced its Jack Adams Trophy Coach of the Year candidates, and it has a Brass Bonanza feel to it.

Former Whalers Dean Evason (Minnesota) and Joel Quenneville (Florida) were named, and a descendant of the Whalers was the third in Rod Brind’Amour of the  Carolina Hurricanes.

Brind’Amour’s son Skyler plays for the Quinnipiac University Bobcats (ECACHL).

PLAYER MOVEMENT

Eight more AHL players head to Europe.

Lukas Jasek of the Utica Comets signs with Lahti (Finland-FEL).

Josh Currie of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins to Metallurg Magnitogorsk (Russia-KHL).

Philipp Maillet of the Hershey Bears also heads to Metallurg Magnitogorsk.

Thomas Kuhnhackl of the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, now Islanders, fresh off playing for Germany in the IIHF World Championship, reaching the semifinals, will stay at home next year with Adler Mannheim (Germany-DEL).

Paul Carey (Salisbury School) of the Providence Bruins departs for Djurgardens IF (Sweden-SHL).

Alex Dostie leaves the San Diego Gulls for HC Innsbruck (Austria-IceHL), and goalie Kevin Davis leaves the Colorado Eagles for Stjernen (Norway-NEL).

Davis teammate Matthew Abt leaves Colorado for Lukko Rauma (Finland-FEL), making 23 AHL players have left overseas, and 16 of 31 AHL teams have lost at least one player so far.

MORE MOVEMENT

Ex-Sound Tiger David Quenneville played mostly with Rapid City (ECHL), coached by ex-Sound Tiger assistant coach Joe Ferras and Binghamton for a few games signed with IK Oskarshamn (Sweden-SHL).

Ex-Wolf Pack, Nigel Dawes, leaves AK Bars Kazan Russia-KHL) and signs with Adler Mannheim (Germany-DEL).

Goalie Filip Lindberg of the NCAA champion UMASS-Amherst Minutemen (HE) is passing up his senior season and likely to sign a standard three-year entry-level deal with the Minnesota Wild. he could start next year in Iowa.

Aaron Miller Bemidji State (WCHA) leaves for Europe after his collegiate career to JoKP (Finland Mestis Division-1).

Another collegian to Europe is Jere Huhtamaa leaving after his sophomore year from Merrimack College (HE) for TUTO (Finland Mestis Division-1), making 22 Hockey East players go and now 30 first-year students who’ve left early. 14 college players have signed in Europe to date, with 91 total college players Division-I or Division-III have signed a pro deal in North America or Europe.

The coach of national champion UMASS, Greg Carval, gets an extension until 2025-26, and UMASS-Lowell assistant coach Juliano Pagliaro leaves for the same role with the Penn State Nittany Lions (Big 10).

EVEN MORE MOVEMENT

Bill Robertson leaves the likely soon-to-be mothballed WCHA conference as its President. He was named the new USHL Commissioner replacing Tom Garrity, and becomes the tenth commissioner in league history.

After a year off from hockey, goalie Max Paddock, the nephew of Wolf Pack great and AHL Hall of Famer, John Paddock, is enrolling at Acadia University (AUAA) located in Nova Scotia to play Canadian college hockey.

The AHL All-Star Game is slated for the Place Bell in Laval at the end of January is still a go as it’s expected the border will be open by then.

The NHL is getting an exemption for the Stanley Cup playoffs for Montreal. The same exemption AHL Canadian teams (Abbotsford, Belleville, Laval, Manitoba, Toronto) are using to formulate the 2021-22 schedule.

Calgary and Edmonton are the only two Canadian teams with their farm teams in the US.

Former Sound Tigers/Wolf Pack Cail MacLean is promoted from head coach of Stockton to an assistant coach with the NHL Calgary Flames.

Former Sound Tiger Steve Bernier has retired and is the new skills coach for Cote-du-Sud Everest (QJAAAHL).

Former New Haven Knights Simon Olivier is out as head coach.

LOTS MORE MOVEMENT

In the last three years of Rangers pro scout, former NHLer Steve Konowalchuk is named the RedDeer Rebels’ head coach (WHL).

The QMJHL President Cup playoff title went to the Victoriaville Tigres (Tigers) in five games beating the heavy favorite, Val d’Or Foreurs.

Victoriaville featured defenseman Vincent Sévigny, the son of ex-Wolf Pack Pierre Sévigny and Brooklyn Kalmikov, is the son of ex-Sound Tiger, Konstantin Kamilkov.

Val d’Or had Samuel Poulin, the son of former Hartford Whaler Patrick Poulin, a Penguins draftee.

Goalie Max Donoso (Salisbury School) signs a junior contract with the Ottawa 67’s (OHL). They originally drafted him in 2019 in the fifth round (98th overall) of the OHL Priority Draft.

In this year’s 2021 OHL Priority Draft in the fifth round (98th overall), Ben Poitras (Salisbury School) was selected by the Saginaw (MI) Spirit.

Ex-Pack Jared Nightingale was named assistant coach for the Flint (MI) Firebirds (OHL) earlier in the week.

NEW ECHL ENTRY

The newest ECHL entry has a name. The Trois-Rivieres team will be called the Lions.

They will have a highly thought out and well-put-together strategy created the name, logo, and color scheme.

They took the name of the only pro team to play in the city in the mid-1950’s team in the 20th century that played on in the old Quebec Hockey League (QHL) that lasted for five years. Four of those years in the QHL and its last season in the EPHL-Eastern Professional Hockey League.

Eight other teams played in the city in the QMHL (Draveurs) and semi-pro LNAH (Draveurs, Caron, and Guay plus Blizzard); other teams’ names in various leagues were the Reds, Flambeau, Maple Leafs, and Ducs. However, the first was 1931-32, called the Black Foxes (ECHA-East Coast Hockey Association).

Inspired by the historical themes of the city, the team designed a logo that combines four main elements that stood out when the team reached out to fans.

First and foremost, the team will present an identity that is Québécois, as evidenced by the fleur-de-lys that constitutes the logo’s backdrop. The metal-plated lion is an homage to this key industry of the region. The torch, an important landmark in Trois-Rivières (le Flambeau) and a trademark symbol for the Montreal Canadiens is displayed in the lion’s mane.

The design of the logo all comes together around the strong, unbreakable, and determined spirit forged into the lion’s piercing gaze. The logo features a dominant metal grey and an iconic Québec blue as its primary colors. Its stylish mustache pays tribute to Sieur Laviolette, founder of the city, in 1634.

“We have worked very hard these last few months to create a team identity that will be representative of the region and that will resonate with hockey fans throughout the province. With the pandemic situation improving, including the return of fans in the stands, now is the right time to finally unveil the team’s name and logo to the people of Trois-Rivières,” mentioned team President Mark Weightman in a press release.

Team GM Marc-Andre Bergeron is expected to announce its first head coach in the next week or so. The team will play in the brand new Nouveau Colisée de Trois-Rivieres (no title sponsor yet) in the fall with a pair of games at home, including the franchise’s first game and home opener on October 12th against the Newfoundland (St. John’s) Growlers that will kick off the 2021-22 ECHL season.

Its most famous graduate was Léon Rochefort, who played with Montreal and the Rangers but got his real break during the first NHL expansion in the late 1960s and early 1970s, playing with brand new teams, the Philadelphia  Flyers then Los Angeles Kings.

He returned to Montreal, playing on the 1971 Stanley Cup-winning team (he was on Montreal 1966 team the year before expansion), compiling 617 NHL games with other stops in Detroit, Atlanta (Flames), and Vancouver before retiring.

His nephew Normand Rochefort played for the Quebec Nordiques and the Rangers.

XL CENTER UPDATE

The big political can that has been kicked around for eight years still has no resolution at the end of the General Assembly legislative session on Wednesday, leaving, as usual, more questions than answers in the future.

The CRDA Executive Director, Mike Freimuth, texted us where things stand.

“No updates on bonding, but we expect there to be some link to sports betting at XL (Center). Details to follow when it’s clearer.”

The announcement of a 72 game schedule for the Wolf Pack starting this season of courses changes their lease arrangements around the edge of their deal.

“Yes, the AHL season amount of games has been reduced by 4 games (2 Home/2 Away). Not sure of the impact until we see the dates. Obviously, losing a Friday will hurt more than losing an early-season Wednesday game. We’ll talk to MSG when we better understand (everything).”

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BY: Bob Crawford, Hartford Wolf Pack

Hartford, CT, April 24, 2021 – Three third-period goals lifted the Bridgeport Sound Tigers past the Hartford Wolf Pack, 4-3, Saturday at the XL Center.

Cole Coskey, Tom Kuhnhackl, and Bobo Carpenter all scored for Bridgeport in the third, after the two teams came out of the second period tied at one.  The Wolf Pack kept the pressure on with goals by rookies Zach Giuttari and Justin Richards.

Coskey gave the Sound Tigers a 2-1 lead with a power-play goal 60 seconds into the third, putting a rebound of a Simon Holmstrom shot past Wolf Pack goaltender Adam Huska (21 saves) after Huska was unable to cover a loose puck.

Then, at 5:05, Kuhnhackl scored off of a 2-on-1 with Jeff Kubiak to make it 3-1.  Kubiak broke down the right side in the Hartford zone and backhanded a pass to Kuhnhackl in the slot, and he dragged the puck to his right, and put it into the net on his forehand, as Huska slid across.

WOLF PACK GET CLOSE

Giuttari got the Wolf Pack back to within one with his third of the year at 13:13.  The defenseman had a shot from the middle of the blue line blocked, but the puck came right back to him, and his second try found its way through a Morgan Barron screen and eluded Bridgeport netminder Ken Appleby (30 saves), who had shut the Wolf Pack out the previous Saturday at the XL Center, in a 4-0 Sound Tiger win.

Carpenter then netted what turned out to be the game-winner at 17:06, on another rebound, after Jenkins sent the puck to the front of the net from near the right-wing corner.  Huska stopped Kyle MacLean’s bid but couldn’t recover when Carpenter found the rebound, along the goal line to Huska’s right.

The Wolf Pack cut the margin back to one goal with Huska on the bench for an extra attacker, but only 11.4 seconds remained when Justin Richards converted Tim Gettinger’s rebound, and Hartford did not have enough time to threaten further.

FIRST PERIOD

The only goal of the first period came at the 7:14 mark, as Jenkins snuck behind the Wolf Pack defense, and Parker Wotherspoon hit him with a long pass.  Jenkins moved to the left side of the slot and snapped a shot past the stick side of Huska.

The Wolf Pack then got the only tally of the second period, on a power play at the 14-minute mark, with Cole Bardreau in the penalty box for holding.  Gettinger moved behind the Bridgeport net and slipped a pass to Anthony Greco at the right-wing faceoff dot, and his quick shot beat Appleby to the stick side.

The Wolf Pack’s next game is at Bridgeport this Tuesday, April 27.  Faceoff is 1:00 PM, and all of the Wolf Pack’s 2021 action can be seen live online at theahl.com/AHLTV.

GAME SHEET

Bridgeport Sound Tigers 4 at Hartford Wolf Pack 3
Saturday, April 24, 2021 – XL Center

Bridgeport  1 0 3 – 4
Hartford      0 1 2 – 3

1st Period-1, Bridgeport, Jenkins 2 (Wotherspoon, Carpenter), 7:14. Penalties-Giuttari Hfd (delay of game), 1:28; Sieloff Hfd (holding), 7:35; Wilde Bri (interference), 8:39; Bolduc Bri (boarding), 14:22.

2nd Period-2, Hartford, Greco 2 (Gettinger, Brodzinski), 14:00 (PP). Penalties-Sieloff Hfd (tripping), 4:32; Vande Sompel Bri (interference), 5:30; Cuylle Hfd (interference), 9:11; Bardreau Bri (holding), 13:27; Durandeau Bri (hooking), 18:25; MacLean Bri (fighting), 19:01; Thompson Hfd (roughing, fighting), 19:01.

3rd Period-3, Bridgeport, Coskey 3 (Holmstrom, Hutton), 1:00 (PP). 4, Bridgeport, Kuhnhackl 3 (Kubiak, Bardreau), 5:05. 5, Hartford, Giuttari 3 (Barron, LoVerde), 13:13. 6, Bridgeport, Carpenter 4 (MacLean, Jenkins), 17:06. 7, Hartford, Richards 4 (Gettinger, Newell), 19:48. Penalties-Timashov Bri (slashing), 8:45.

Shots on Goal-Bridgeport 11-4-10-25. Hartford 12-7-14-33.
Power Play Opportunities-Bridgeport 1 / 5; Hartford 1 / 6.
Goalies-Bridgeport, Appleby 3-2-0 (33 shots-30 saves). Hartford, Huska 7-3-0 (25 shots-21 saves).
A- 0 (Covid Restricted)
Referees-Jordan Deckard (14), Jeremy Tufts (78).
Linesmen-Glen Cooke (6), Dmitrii Antipin (77).

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Hartford Wolf Pack 5, Bridgeport Sound Tigers 2

Hartford, CT, March 27, 2021 – Special teams made the difference for the Hartford Wolf Pack in its second straight win Saturday, a 5-2 victory over the Bridgeport Sound Tigers at the XL Center.

Darren Raddysh and Austin Rueschhoff scored power-play goals for Hartford, and Justin Richards had a shorthander for his first pro goal.  Tarmo Reunanen and Paul Thompson added third-period goals, and Adam Huska made 20 saves for his second consecutive win.

Cole Bardreau scored both Bridgeport goals, and Jakub Skarek stopped 32 shots.

The Wolf Pack got the only goal of the first period, at 12:28, after some vital work early by Huska, who had made 23 saves in his first win of the season Thursday, a 4-2 decision at Providence on Thursday.

With Otto Koivula in the penalty box for hooking, Raddysh blasted a shot from the middle of the blue line through a screen and high into the net behind Skarek.

The Wolf Pack power play scored on its next opportunity at 4:29 of the second period, with Yanick Turcotte serving a charging penalty.

Thompson fed a pass from the left-wing side to Rueschhoff headed to the net, and he deflected the puck through Skarek’s pads.

Then, on Bridgeport’s first man-advantage opportunity, the Wolf Pack added a shorthanded goal at 9:58.  With Thompson off for cross-checking, Anthony Greco sped down the left-wing and fired a shot that Skarek stopped, but the rebound came off his pads, and Richards easily buried it.

Bardreau got Bridgeport on the board at 12:26, though, with his fourth goal of the season.  Tom Kuhnhackl sent the puck off the right-wing corner boards from inside the red line, and Bardreau caught up to the carom and sent a close-in shot past Huska.

Bardreau struck the first shift of the third period, only 12 seconds in, cutting the margin to 3-2.  Richards tried to pass the puck behind his net to the corner to Huska’s left, but Bardreau intercepted and sent a quick backhand shot that found its way under Huska’s right arm and into the net.

After that, the Wolf Pack settled down, though, and Reunanen got the lead back to two goals at 13:51.  Ty Ronning broke down right-wing and centered a pass that Tim Gettinger deflected on goal.  Skarek made a sharp save but could not control the rebound, which came to Reunanen high in the slot, and Skarek had no chance on his hard shot.

Thompson completed the scoring with 3:54 left, taking a pass from Patrick Khodorenko and firing a sharp-angle shot from nearly the bottom of the right circle that went over Skarek’s short-side shoulder and under the crossbar.

The Wolf Pack’s next game is at Bridgeport this Friday, April 2.  Faceoff is 1:00 PM, and all of the Wolf Pack’s 2021 action can be seen live online at theahl.com/AHLTV.

Bridgeport Sound Tigers 2 at Hartford Wolf Pack 5
Saturday, March 27, 2021 – XL Center

Bridgeport  0 1 1 – 2
Hartford      1 2 2 – 5

1st Period-1, Hartford, Raddysh 1 (Ronning, Richards), 12:28 (PP). Penalties-Koivula Bri (hooking), 10:36.

2nd Period-2, Hartford, Rueschhoff 2 (Thompson, Greco), 4:29 (PP). 3, Hartford, Richards 1 (Greco), 9:58 (SH). 4, Bridgeport, Bardreau 4 (Kuhnhackl, Kubiak), 12:26. Penalties-Turcotte Bri (charging), 3:15; Timashov Bri (tripping), 5:57; Thompson Hfd (cross-checking), 8:07; Wotherspoon Bri (fighting), 12:35; Gettinger Hfd (fighting), 12:35; Holmstrom Bri (high-sticking), 13:03.

3rd Period-5, Bridgeport, Bardreau 5   0:12. 6, Hartford, Reunanen 3 (Gettinger, Ronning), 13:51. 7, Hartford, Thompson 2 (Khodorenko), 16:06. Penalties-Raddysh Hfd (cross-checking), 7:28; Carpenter Bri (slashing), 10:44; Turcotte Bri (cross-checking), 17:45.

Shots on Goal-Bridgeport 7-10-5-22. Hartford 11-16-10-37.
Power Play Opportunities-Bridgeport 0 / 2; Hartford 2 / 6.
Goalies-Bridgeport, Skarek 1-6-0 (37 shots-32 saves). Hartford, Huska 2-1-0 (22 shots-20 saves).
A-0 (Covid Protocol)
Referees-Terry Koharski (10), Casey Terreri (75).
Linesmen-Glen Cooke (6), Brent Colby (7).

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BY: Bob Crawford, Hartford Wolf Pack

Hartford, CT, March 20, 2021 – A third-period goal by Patrick Sieloff prevented a Providence Bruin shutout Saturday at the XL Center, but Alex-Olivier Voyer scored twice, and Jakub Lauko had a goal and an assist for the Bruins in a 6-1 win over the Hartford Wolf Pack.

Paul Carey, Joel Messner, and Samuel Asselin also scored for Providence, and Kyle Keyser made 27 saves in his first AHL appearance of the season.  Tyler Wall stopped 24 shots in the Wolf Pack net.

FIRST PERIOD

The first period was scoreless until the 18:45 mark, when Carey, the Bruin captain, scored on a solid individual effort.  Carey broke up a Wolf Pack pass high in the Providence zone and stormed into the Wolf Pack end, moving to the middle and whipping a shot in off the goal post on Wall’s catching-glove side.

After that late goal in the first, Providence got an early one in the second, with Voyer making it 2-0 at 3:15.  Matt Filipe poked the puck away from Will Cuylle just inside the Bruin blue line, and Filipe and Voyer broke 2-on-1.  Filipe carried down the left side in the Wolf Pack end, drawing the one defender back, Tarmo Reunanen, to him and feeding to a wide-open Voyer on the right side of the slot.

Messner then made it a 3-0 advantage in a 4-on-4 situation with 4:44 remaining in the period.  Lauko stickhandled from the right point went up the middle before dishing to Messner, who had moved in from the blue line, and he had most of the net to shoot at.

LEAD GROWS

The lead grew to 4-0 at 3:58 of the third, when Anton Blidh passed the puck off of the left-wing boards to Lauko, and he unloaded a quick backhand shot that trickled just over the goal line after Wall could not squeeze it between his arm and his body.

Sieloff scored his first Wolf Pack goal only 1:03 later, at 5:01, to stop Keyser’s shutout bid.  Sieloff crashed down from the left point to keep a loose puck in the Bruin zone and sent it towards the net.  It squeaked through Keyser to cut Providence’s lead to 4-1.

Voyer got his second of the game to answer that, though, at 12:53.  Ian McKinnon moved behind the Wolf Pack net and wrapped the puck around from Wall’s left side, finding Voyer’s open stick at the other side of the goalmouth.

Lauko completed the scoring with a power-play goal at 15:34, with Justin Richards in the penalty box for holding.  Wall stopped a shot by Robert Lantosi, but the rebound created a scramble around the goal crease, and Lauko was able to poke the puck past a sprawled Wall.

The Wolf Pack’s next action is also against the Bruins, a 1:00 PM faceoff this Thursday, March 25, at the New England Sports Center in Marlboro, MA.  All of the Wolf Pack’s 2021 action can be seen live online at theahl.com/AHLTV.

SCORESHEET

Providence Bruins 6 at Hartford Wolf Pack 1
Saturday, March 20, 2021 – XL Center

Providence 1 2 3 – 6
Hartford       0 0 1 – 1

1st Period-1, Providence, Carey 1   18:45. Penalties-Sieloff Hfd (tripping), 5:59.

2nd Period-2, Providence, Voyer 2 (Filipe), 3:15. 3, Providence, Messner 1 (Lauko, Hughes), 15:06. Penalties-McKinnon Pro (slashing), 3:38; Blidh Pro (slashing), 14:50; Thompson Hfd (roughing), 14:50.

3rd Period-4, Providence, Asselin 5 (Blidh), 3:58. 5, Hartford, Sieloff 1 (Khodorenko, Barron), 5:01. 6, Providence, Voyer 3 (McKinnon), 12:53. 7, Providence, Lauko 5 (Hughes, Lantosi), 15:34 (PP). Penalties-Wolff Pro (delay of game), 10:43; Richards Hfd (holding), 14:51.

Shots on Goal-Providence 8-10-12-30. Hartford 9-10-9-28.
Power Play Opportunities-Providence 1 / 2; Hartford 0 / 2.
Goalies-Providence, Keyser 1-0-0 (28 shots-27 saves). Hartford, Wall 1-4-1 (30 shots-24 saves).
A- 0 (Covid Protocol)
Referees-Mitch Dunning (43), Jason Williams (18).
Linesmen-Glen Cooke (6), Brent Colby (7).

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Hartford, CT, March 2, 2021 – A natural hat trick by the Providence Bruins’ Samuel Asselin carried Providence to a 4-2 win over the Hartford Wolf Pack Tuesday at the XL Center.

The Wolf Pack had a 2-1 lead coming out of the first period, after Morgan Barron and Zach Giuttari scored in the first, but Asselin started his run with a power-play goal late in the second period to tie the game and then found the net twice in the third.

Providence opened the scoring at 5:27 of the first period on defenseman Brady Lyle’s third goal in four games.  Jack Ahcan passed the puck from the left point to Lyle at the top of the right circle, and his slap shot beat Wolf Pack goaltender Dylan Garand to the glove side.

Garand, who finished with 18 saves, was making his first pro start.

WOLF PACK TIE GAME

The Wolf Pack tied it only 2:08 later, at 7:35, on the game’s first power play.  With Alex-Olivier Voyer off for holding, Tim Gettinger took a feed from Anthony Greco at the right side of the goalmouth. He handed the puck across the crease to Barron, who could quickly put it in behind Providence netminder Dan Vladar (28 saves).

Giuttari then put Hartford ahead at 15:33, with his first pro goal.  A pass from the left-wing corner by Patrick Sieloff deflected right to Giuttari at the top of the circles, and his quick shot went off the goal post on Vladar’s glove side.  Giuttari stopped a Providence clearing attempt and fired again, and that shot cleanly beat Vladar for a 2-1 Wolf Pack advantage.

That lead lasted for just over a full period, until the 15:36 mark of the second, when Asselin scored on the third Providence power play of the period, tying the score at two.  After Mason Geertsen was called for cross-checking at 14:53, Jakub Lauko sent the puck from the left-wing boards across the slot to Oskar Steen, and he put it perfectly on Asselin’s stick right in front of the net for the finish.

The Wolf Pack outshot the Bruins 17-5 in the third but couldn’t solve Vladar, and Asselin scored the game-winner at 10:38, deflecting a bid from the right point by Joel Messner through Garand’s legs and in.

ASSELIN COMPLETES HAT TRICK

Asselin completed the hat trick on a power play at 13:59, with Barron serving a roughing minor.  A shot from the middle of the blue line by Cooper Zech was blocked by Wolf Pack defenseman Vincent LoVerde, but the puck caromed right to Asselin in the slot, and he ripped a hard shot past the stick side of Garand.

The Wolf Pack had a two-person advantage of 1:41 later in the period after Matt Filipe was called for slashing at 14:44 and Anton Blidh for tripping 19 seconds later but could not cut into the Providence lead.

The Wolf Pack’s next action is the first of four straight road games this Saturday, March 6, at Bridgeport.  Faceoff is 1:00 PM.  All of the Wolf Pack’s 2021 action can be seen live online at theahl.com/AHLTV.

SCORESHEET

Providence Bruins 4 at Hartford Wolf Pack 2
Tuesday, March 2, 2021 – XL Center

Providence 1 1 2 – 4
Hartford       2 0 0 – 2

1st Period-1, Providence, Lyle 3 (Ahcan), 5:27. 2, Hartford, Barron 3 (Gettinger, Greco), 7:35 (PP). 3, Hartford, Giuttari 1   15:33. Penalties-Voyer Pro (holding), 6:43; Wolff Pro (interference), 12:51; Blidh Pro (unsportsmanlike conduct), 15:53; Sieloff Hfd (unsportsmanlike conduct), 15:53; Geertsen Hfd (tripping), 18:16.

2nd Period-4, Providence, Asselin 2 (Steen, Lauko), 15:36 (PP). Penalties-LoVerde Hfd (tripping), 0:34; Thompson Hfd (slashing), 7:44; Blidh Pro (boarding), 12:13; Geertsen Hfd (cross-checking), 14:53.

3rd Period-5, Providence, Asselin 3 (Messner, Lantosi), 10:38. 6, Providence, Asselin 4 (Zech, Steen), 13:59 (PP). Penalties-Ahcan Pro (tripping), 2:10; Barron Hfd (roughing), 13:36; Filipe Pro (slashing), 14:44; Blidh Pro (tripping), 15:03.

Shots on Goal-Providence 11-6-5-22. Hartford 7-6-17-30.
Power Play Opportunities-Providence 2 / 5; Hartford 1 / 6.
Goalies-Providence, Vladar 2-2-0 (30 shots-28 saves). Hartford, Garand 0-1-0 (22 shots-18 saves).
A- (None – Covid Protocols)
Referees-Terry Koharski (10), Conor O’Donnell (41).
Linesmen-Nick Briganti (58), Brent Colby (7).

HARTFORD WOLF PACK

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