HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack continues to prepare for their upcoming road trip against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins or the Cleveland Monsters. They are practicing minus Riley Nash and Matej Pekar. Neither will make the trip as both are being evaluated for lower body injuries and timetables for their return.

In their absence, Cristiano Di Giacinto was recalled and practiced on Monday.

Rangers are shopping the market for forwards with their eyes on possible short-term or long-term options.

In the short term, there is undrafted, 25-year-old free agent Maxim (Max) Tsyplakov in Russia right now. He is having a career season so far and is the third leading KHL scorer with 29 goals and 41 points with Spartak Moscow.

Whether he could come over or not, given the war situation with Russia and Ukraine and the NHL, is sketchy at best.

Scouring the waiver wire is always possible; making a trade and using Zac Jones, who has not played much as an asset in such a move for a necessary forward, is also an option.

In a long-term option, draftee Gabe Perreault. He would not be available until whenever Boston College’s (HE) season ends. He would then have to decide to turn pro. Perreault displayed his strong skating and finishing touch in BC’s 6-2 win over Merrimack. Perreault wouldn’t be an option until April should the Eagles go to the national championship. The Eagles #2 meet rival BU #1 in the Beanpot opener. If these rankings hold up, this will be the first time ever.

The Pack’s Matt Robertson returned from his weekend with the Rangers in California. He didn’t play but collected his NHL salary. His bank account certainly was pleased with the trip.

Defenseman Bryan Yoon, who performed so well in his absence this past weekend, is still around, which will force interim head coach Steve Smith to make some difficult decisions.

Goalie Alex Lyon, a former Yale Bulldog, was a very sound technical netminder on the New Haven campus and never got a complete shot in Philly. He wound up in Carolina and then in Florida, which had even more problems, but Lyon stuck it out and made it work.

In Carolina, with Chicago (AHL) as its farm team two years ago, he played despite his coach Ryan Warsofsky being threatened with being fired if he played Lyon over prospect Pyotr Kochetkov that year in the Wolves Calder Cup run. He defied them, and they won in seven games and copping a title in Springfield.

Lyon let the management know how he felt with a double-fingered universal hello sign at center ice in the team championship photo – you couldn’t miss it. The AHL noticed it, too, and issued him a one-game suspension.

Following through on their threat, Carolina fired Warsofsky, now an assistant coach with the San Jose Sharks.

Lyon then migrated to Florida last season, and a late-season run with Sergei Bobrovsky stumbling then, and Spencer Knight (Darien/AOF) unexpectedly had to enter the NHL Player Assistance program.

Last year, Lyon was summoned from Charlotte and went on a late-season tear that allowed the Panthers to become the last team to make the NHL playoffs in the last week of the season. The Panthers had a magical ride to the Stanley Cup Final, upending last year’s NHL best team, the Boston Bruins, along the way, and his play made it happen.

This year, he was signed to tutor young prodigy Sebastien Cossa.

A funny thing happened along the way; he played well enough in training camp to stay in Detroit.

Lyon has been one of the reasons they are playing above their pay grade and just might make the NHL playoffs. He helped them recently beat a good Tampa Bay team. When the chips are down, the house money is on Alex Lyon.

Teams have discounted certain players, like current Wolf Pack goalie coach Jeff Malcom.

Every scout said he wasn’t technically sound despite leading Yale to an improbable Division I NCAA title over ten years ago.

When asked, a scout at the time lamented Malcolm’s lack of technical skills. No analytics were needed; could he stop the puck?

The trade deadline is six weeks away, a few NHL teams need a goalie. If they can wrangle Lyon away from Detroit in a deal, they should.

The Edmonton Oilers, under Kris Knoblauch, have reached unseen heights in team history with a three-goal third, breaking a 1-1 tie with a pesky Columbus Blue Jackets team in Edmonton for their 14th win in a row, 4-1.

PLAYER MOVEMENT

Returned from the NHL Brogan Rafferty (Quinnipiac University) from Detroit to Grand Rapids, Ken Appleby by the Islanders to Bridgeport,

Ex-Pack Josh Wesley Colorado to Utah (ECHL),

Florida recalled Mackie Samoskevitch (Sandy Hook) from Charlotte.

Alexandre Fortin, the nephew of former Whaler Jean-Sébastien Giguère, goes from Orlando (ECHL) to HKM Zvolen (Slovakia-SLEL) for the rest of the year. He was in training camp with the Springfield Thunderbirds.

Phil Kemp (Yale University) is sent back to Bakersfield by Edmonton.

D Adam Karashik (Ridgefield/ UCONN/AOF)is sent to Reading (ECHL) on a conditioning assignment, and ex-Pack emergency goalie Parker Gahagen is recalled.

Daniel “Diamond Hands” Amesbury had 1,007 PM in 128 Jr A games in the Pacific Junior Hockey League (PJHL). After eight years away from hockey, Amesbury went to the Danbury Hat Tricks (FPHL). After just 46 career games, he amassed 423 PIMs in Danbury and was tossed out of the FPHL for two blind side hits, one of which caused a seizure, in the last month. With a long history of fighters, the Ft. Wayne Komets (ECHL) have naturally signed him.

To date, he has 1,171 PIMs in just 182 lower minor pro games in three leagues, for a 6.43 per-game average.

Some of those names in Ft. Wayne history include Steve “The Animal” Fletcher, Kevin “Killer” Kaminski, Robin Bawa, Chris McRae, former New Haven Nighthawk Kevin McDonald, Andy Bezeau, ex-Pack/Springfield Falcon Sean Gagnon, and Cody Sol.

He has a link to ex-Pack greats Derek Armstrong and Brad Smyth. He played half a season in the last season of the new Central Hockey League in Denver, where Armstrong and Smyth were a coaching tandem with the Cutthroats.

The ECHL announced an expansion team for Bloomington, Illinois, next season, along with the recently named Lake Tahoe Knight Monsters at Blue Event Center.

Coaching staff, NHL/AHL affiliation, and unveiling of the team-styled jerseys to come shortly.

The ECHL is now inching closer to having a compatible number of teams equal to the NHL and AHL. The preferred model is 32-NHL, 32-AHL, and 32-ECHL.

The two new teams next year will bring the total to 30. Hallett Sports & Entertainment will own the team, which already owns the ECHL Indy Fuel.

The last professional team was the Bloomington Thunder, which played in the Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL) in 2014.

The city has seen the United Hockey League, the new IHL, and the Central Hockey League call it home in the past.

The last team was at the American Junior A level, with the Central Illinois Flying Aces of the United States Hockey League (USHL).

HARTFORD WOLF PACK

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By: Shay Costa, Howlings

Providence, RI – Providence College captain Chase Yoder scored twice, including the game-winner, with 4:30 remaining, to lead the Friars to a 4-3 come-from-behind win over the nation’s top-ranked Boston College Eagles (14-4-1, 7-3-1 HEA) on Saturday night in front of 2,904 at the Schneider Arena in Providence, R.I.

“We showed some growth tonight,” Providence Head Coach Nate Leaman said.

The game-winner came right after the officials reviewed a Boston shot that hit the post. Their review was to ensure their on-ice call of no goal on a Boston College shot. The review proved them correct that the puck had, in fact, gone off the post and not into the net. Off the ensuing faceoff, Providence executed a set play, and they turned it into the game-winner.

BOXSCORE/STATS

Winger Tanner Adams was on the right side and received a pass from Ridgefield, Connecticut native and defenseman Luke Krys. Adams uncorked a rocket and put it on the Eagles’ net. Starting netminder Jacob Fowler (32 saves) handled the initial shot but left a juicy rebound that went off to his right. His play left exposed the entire left side of his net. Yoder was “Johnny on the spot” and buried his second tally of the game with 4:30 remaining in the contest. Yoder is a 2020 NHL sixth-round pick (170th overall) of the Pittsburgh Penguins; his goal was his eighth tally of the season.

Yoder’s heroics would never have come to pass had Graham Gamache and Craig Needham not successfully connected on a pass from the back to the front of the net before finding Bennet Schimek open. They got the puck to Schimek, who deposited it into the net at 10:16 of the third frame and tied the score at three.

Following a 7-1 shellacking the night before by BC over the Friars (11-6-2, 5-4-2 HEA), it was a foregone conclusion that it was going to be an incredibly physical first period. Both teams earned power play opportunities. Colby Ambrosio was sent off first for BC for tripping just 3:19 into the game. Then Jaime Englebert for the Friars at 6:25. The only goal of the period thought would come at full strength at 10:09. Cutter Gauthier got the puck to Andre Gasseau, who made a quick entry pass that sprung BC sophomore Oskar Jellvik, who put the puck top shelf past Friar netminder Philip Svedebäck to make it 1-0.

Late in the second period, with Jellvik in the box on a holding-the-stick penalty for Boston College, Yoder scored his first of two in the game when he got his stick on a puck to tip it into the net off a Hudson Malinoski shot to tie the game. Guillaume Richard was given the secondary helper on the goal.

Will Smith would give the Eagles the lead back at 2-1 just 19 seconds later when a long pass from New York Rangers 2023 first-round pick (#23 overall) Gabe Perreault set up Will Smith for a breakaway. Smith roofed the puck past Svedebäck and into the Providence net.

There was no quit in the Friars in this one. Coming out of the locker room, they worked their way out from behind the eight-ball again, knotting the score at two just 1:27 by Jamie Englebert, who managed a goal despite being covered by three of Boston’s skaters. Austen May took a pass from Taige Harding and then found the Whitby, Ontario, native for his fifth of the campaign

But BC was not done and answered right back at 6:26 when Clint Levens went to the Sin Bin on a Cross-Checking call at 5;52 PM to give BC their fourth PP of the contest. This time, the Eagles would capitalize on it when after a brilliant save by Svedebäck, Providence was unable to get a clear of the puck. Perrault reclaimed the puck for Boston and would put it into the Friar pine past Fowler and give the lead back to the Eagles.

The back-and-forth nature of the game was not done yet as Gamache connected a pass from the back of the net to Bennet Schimek, who was out in front but found the back of the Boston net to tie the game once again at three and set up Yoder’s heroics in overtime.

The win over BC by the ninth-ranked Friars was their first win over the nation’s top-ranked team since December 3, 2011, who at the time was Merrimack. The win over BC comes on the heels of a 7-1 drubbing the day before by the Eagles up in Boston.

PROVIDENCE COLLEGE

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By: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings

SYRACUSE, NY – The Hartford Wolf Pack dropped the opener of a rare back-to-back home-and-home series with the Syracuse Crunch 5-3 on the back of a dominant 8-point performance from the line of Gabriel Dumont (two goals and two assists), ex-Pack Daniel Walcott (two goals and an assist) and Maxim Grosov (one goal).

Syracuse scored first in the decisive third period.

Dumont passed it to the weak side. Walcott had gotten behind the defensive coverage and fired the puck at starting goalie Dylan Garand. The Pack netminder got a piece of it, but not enough to keep it out of the net. For Dumont, it was his second goal of the contest and eighth tally of the year. The goal came at 3:21 and gave the Crunch a temporary lead.

At 6:30, Devante Stephens of the Crunch was sent to the penalty box for a High Sticking. It took the Pack and Captain Jonny Brodzinski only 22 seconds to cash in on good puck movement on its fluid power play and put the puck past ex-Pack and starting Crunch netminder Brandon Halverson.

The goal was Brodzinski’s second power play goal of the night and almost identical to his goal in the first period. Brodzinski was in the left-wing circle and took a Matt Robertson pass to score his tenth of the season.

Dumont answered for the Crunch at 13:23. Taking advantage of Shawn Element screening Garand, Dumont wheeled into the left wing circle, fired into the net, and restored the Crunch lead.

BUILDING THE LEAD

The Crunch was not finished.

Walcott was behind the Pack net and found an open seam to get the puck to Dumont in front. At 18:34, Dumont snapped in his second of the night to make it a 5-3 Crunch lead.

Walcott tallied the second period’s only goal as he tipped a Philippe Myers shot from the right point, corralled the rebound, and put a shot on goal. Garand didn’t get enough of the puck to keep it out at 10:25, giving Walcott his seventh goal.

Crunch controlled play in the first half of the period, getting strong play from Dumont. Gage Goncalves redirected a puck just three minutes into the period and was able to corral the rebound, but it hit the side of the net.

Prized rookie Brennan Othmann was stopped on the Pack’s third power play before Syracuse’s Mitchell Chaffe was denied just before the Crunch tied it up.

FIRST PERIOD

In the first period, the Crunch scored at 9:32.

Groshov continued his early season scoring surge after taking a pass from Dumont and Declan Carlile. He slipped behind his check in the left-wing circle and tallied his eighth of the season, going stick side and high to the short side.

The Pack thought they had tied it at 12:20 as Halverson stopped Anton Blidh from in front of the net. It looked like Blidh had jammed it home, but the referee waived it off.

However, the Pack tied the score at 13:05 on the team’s red-hot power play, registering the goal two seconds into their man advantage. Riley Nash won the draw and sent the puck back to Robertson. He then shuffled it over to Brodzinski, who lasered it over Halverson’s glove hand.

The Wolf Pack took the lead at 17:37.

Matt Rempe carried the puck behind the Crunch net and shielded the puck with his 6’8 frame before finding Blake Hillam coming down off the left point. Hillam shot toward the net, which went off Blidh’s leg in front, giving him his third goal.

Two goals in 4:32 changed the early complexion of the game.

The two teams will leave Syracuse and return to Hartford for a Saturday night tilt at the XL Center at 7 pm. 

LINES:

Henriksson – Blidh – Sýkora
Belzile – Brodzinski – Othmann
Edström – Nash – Berard
Rempe – Korczak – Turner Elson

Hillman – Brouillard
Robertson – Scanlin
Berzolla – Cairns

Dylan Garand
Louie Domingue

SCRATCHES:

D Ben Harpur (upper body, injury upgraded to month to month)
D Mac Hollowell (upper body, day-to-day)
F Jake Leschyshyn (upper body, week-to-week)
F Bobby Trivigno (healthy)
D Grant Gabriele (healthy)
F Drew Worrad (not in residence).

NOTES:

Syracuse is now led by ex-Pack/Bridgeport Sound Tiger Joël Bouchard. He was hired by the Crunch this past summer and has faced the Pack previously as a head coach when he was the bench boss with the Laval Rocket.

The New York Rangers recalled Connor Mackey after 5 pm.

Center Matej Pekar was called up but returned to the Pack’s ECHL affiliate, the Cincinnati Cyclones, before departing for upstate New York.

The Wolf Pack signed 6’2, 195lb defenseman Grant Gabriele to a Professional Try Out (PTO). The right-handed shooter comes via the Toledo Walleye (ECHL), who are atop the ECHL Central Division, as it appears that Ben Harpur and Mac Hollowell will be out a considerable length of time.

Gabriele played seven games, registering five assists, and had a one-game recall with the Rochester Americans, where he went scoreless. He comes from Ohio State (Big 10) as a four-year starter from Brighton, MI. He played with the Maine Mariners (ECHL) last season.

UCONN

The UCONN Huskies (HE) (3-3-0-1 HEA, 5-6-1-0 overall) have a home-and-home this weekend with the #4 Boston College Eagles (2-1-1-0 HEA, 7-2-1-0 overall). They are tied for fifth place in Hockey East, and the Huskies, Merrimack, and Vermont each have eight points. The two teams will tango on Friday in Chestnut Hill and then again on Saturday at the Toscano Family Ice Forum.

Wisconsin (Big 10) is the new #1 in the nation.

BC won 5-4 in overtime as Cutter Gauthier tallied two goals and an assist.

COLLEGE KIDS

Four players: two Connecticut High School-aged kids, a third who played junior in Danbury, and a fourth is a Quinnipiac University commit from the Powell Rowell River Kings (BCHL).

Junior age Alexis Van Houtte-Cachero, 20, played for the Danbury Jr. Hat Tricks (NAHL). In his third and last season of junior A hockey in Canada season, in fifteen games, he recorded 14 points and headed off to the Sioux City Musketeers (USHL). He is committed to the University Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks (NCHC) for next year.

Goalie William Baker (Norwalk) and forward Brendan Giles (Ridgefield) have left them the famed Mid-Fairfield Rangers program’s U-18 AAA team and will play this year for Greenwich, Connecticut’s Brunswick Prep School this winter. Neither player has collegiately committed yet.

Two teammates at Brunswick include Luke Drury, the son of the Rangers’ President and General Manager Chris Drury (Trumbull). He’s also the nephew of ex-Hartford Whaler Ted Drury. He is a Salmon Arm (BCHL) commit for next year and Brown University (ECACHL) in two years.

Ryan St. Louis, the son of Montreal Canadiens Head Coach and former Ranger Marty St. Louis, is Harvard University (ECACHL) bound next year and will play for ex-Pack/Bridgeport Sound Tiger Ted Donato.

The last player, Noah Eyre, has committed to Quinnipiac University (ECACHL) for next year. He is another product of the Shattuck St. Mary’s program.

Joseph Sciabarra, from Kent School and the Yale Jr. Bulldogs, goes Division III to Johnson & Wales (RI) (NEHC).

Jonathan Brown commits to Yale University (ECACHL) for 2025-26 from nearby (Scarsdale, NY). He also plays with the famed Shattuck St. Mary’s but for their U-16 team (Faribault, MN). He played youth hockey with the Mid-Fairfield U-13 team a few years back. He already holds three passports: a US, a British, and one from France.

He will be in junior hockey or a Connecticut prep school next year. He’ll be with Yale for hockey and admission purposes. His younger brother Ben is with Hotchkiss Prep (Washington, CT).

The new prep school hockey season is about to get underway. The Loomis Chaffe School (Windsor, CT) has a new assistant coach. He is an ex-Wolf Pack, Islander/Sound Tiger, and Springfield Thunderbird/Falcon. He is the recently retired Paul Thompson from the Springfield, Massachusetts, area. The team opens on November 30th against Brunswick School Bruins.

HARTFORD WOLF PACK

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HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack and every professional team everywhere, for that matter, are all busy at work getting their roster ready for the upcoming 2023-24 season.

The Wolf Pack added roster depth by inking forward Cristiano DiGiacinto, to a one-year AHL deal.

DiGiacinto, 27, appeared in 36 games with the Wolf Pack in the 2022-23 season, his second with the team. He registered 12 points on three goals and nine assists and collected 44 PIMs.

DiGiacinto, a walk-on from Canadian college hockey (Acadia University), also appeared in 47 games with the Wolf Pack during the 2021-22 season scoring 13 points and scoring six goals.

In addition to his time in Hartford last year, DiGiacinto skated in 19 games with the ECHL’s Jacksonville Icemen, who were then the Wolf Pack’s Double AA affiliate. While in Jacksonville, he tallied 15 points, including ten assists. He added three points and two assists in 12 Kelly Cup playoff games.

DiGiacinto hails from Hamilton, Ontario. He has scored 25 points with nine goals in 83 AHL games, all with the Wolf Pack. He has also dressed in 31 ECHL games, all with the Icemen, scoring 21 points on six goals.

The 5’11, 192-pound forward was selected originally in the sixth round, 170th overall, by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft. He was never offered a deal and signed with the Rangers.

After three seasons, newly ex-Pack Patrick Khordorenko, who played in just four games last year after season-ending shoulder surgery, signs with the Charlotte Checkers for ’23-’24.

Another ex-Pack who suited up for just two games over two years, Easton Brodzinski, the brother of Pack captain Jonny is now a minor league free agent. He heads to familiar territory signing with the Jacksonville Iceman (ECHL), currently affiliated with the Buffalo Sabres.

Ex-Pack Malte Strömwall leaves the Chicago Wolves (AHL) and heads home. He signs with Frölunda HC (Sweden-SHL) for the 2023-24 season.

After a year with HC Litvinov in Czechia, ex-Pack Josh Wesley, the son of former Hartford Whaler Glen Wesley, signs with the Colorado Eagles (AHL).

Former Pack Jacob Hayhurst signs an AHL two-way deal with Coachella Valley Firebirds (AHL) /Kansas City Mavericks (ECHL).

Ex-Pack Blake Parlett departs Nuremberg (Germany-DEL) and signs with HC Bolzano (Italy-IceHL) for 2023-24. He joins another exp ex-Pack Christian Thomas and ex-Sound Tiger Mike Halmo.

Former CT Whale Mike Pelech departs the Atlanta Gladiators (ECHL) for Glasgow (Scotland-EIHL).

Parker Gahagan, the Wolf Pack emergency goalie last year, spent most of the season with Jacksonville (ECHL). He suited up for just two games with Hartford. He signs a one-way, one-year deal with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms (AHL)/Reading Royals (ECHL).

Adam Samuelsson, the youngest son of Whaler great, former Ranger, former Wolf Pack, and Avon Old Farms assistant coach, Ulf Samuelsson, leaves the Newfoundland Growlers (St. John’s) (ECHL) and signs with the Atlanta Gladiators (ECHL).

Three new junior coaching adds ex-Pack Chris Nell, who returns to his hometown of Green Bay for a second consecutive season. Nell leaves Marian University (NCHA), where he was an assistant coach, and his high school alma mater, Notre Dame Academy, where he was the goalie coach last season. He now becomes the assistant coach and Director of Goaltending for the local junior team, the Green Bay Gamblers (USHL).

NEXT

The NHL released its preseason schedule with dates, times, and locations; unfortunately, there won’t be any games in Hartford. While Hartford is not on the schedule, surprisingly, Sydney, Nova Scotia did.

If Hartford can’t even get an exhibition game, it’s time to move on from this fantasy that the NHL will return to the Connecticut capital.

UCONN RELATED NEWS

The UCONN men’s hockey team has announced their home slate for the Hockey East season. It will feature a very light XL Center presence with 17 games on the Huskies’ home ice in Storrs after their direct negotiations with the current building operator, OVG 360.

UCONN will play its first full season at the Toscano Family Ice Forum. The Huskies had a strong start last year in the first half of the season and faded in the second half finishing the season 20-12-3.

The Huskies bowed out to UMASS-Lowell in the playoffs after losing to UMASS in the conference title game the prior year. Across the hallway with the Hartford Wolf Pack is Bobby Trivigno, who swiped their national tournament aspirations.

The team opens up on the road in a non-conference set against Colgate University (ECACHL) and their new head coach, ex-Pack Mike Harder. His assistant is one-time Yale Bulldog captain Anthony Walsh.

The non-conference slate has the Huskies hosting the Holy Cross Crusaders (AHA) with assistant coach and ex-Pack Bobby Butler on October 14th at Toscano for the home opener.

The Huskies will host just three Hockey East matchups at the XL Center. It will be just one of the few times the fans in Hartford will see the #15 overall draft pick of the Nashville Predators, Matt Wood.

The reason for that is Hockey East requires all its schools to play primarily on campus. For years waivers were granted to UCONN, and the conference schools chafed about their teams playing on campus buildings. That includes UCONN.

Now with the Toscano sandbox built, the school can’t hide anymore.

The XL as a home rink doesn’t cut even with no tickets available.

A few years ago, a source indicated that the negotiations before Toscano were built centered on how low they could go and not meeting the 4,000 standard Hockey East requirement. They couldn’t go lower than Merrimack, and many fans will now be shut out.

The Huskies are being held to the letter of the law of their conference entry application.

The only Hockey East games at the XL Center are UMass-Lowell on October 28th, then the University of Maine Black Bears for two games on January 12th and 13th.

The XL Center games will include a non-conference meeting with Dartmouth College and their head coach, former Quinnipiac assistant coach, and player Reid Cashman, on November 25th.

They will host Harvard on New Year’s Eve, December 31st, at Toscano at 3:00 PM.

UCONN will wrap up its XL Center activity with non-conference action on January 26 and 27, hosting their annual  Connecticut Ice Festival for the fourth time. It will feature the reigning National Champion Quinnipiac Bobcats, the Yale Bulldogs, ECACHL teams, and the Sacred Heart Pioneers (AHA).

The rest of the Hockey East contests will be held at the Toscano Family Ice Forum.

On November 10th, the Huskies host Merrimack, and then the Boston College Eagles, loaded with NHL prospects, on November 18th at Toscano.

UCONN will host UMass-Lowell for their third season matchup on Friday, December 1st.

The school will start the new year with the first game in Storrs on January 19th. The Huskies will welcome the University of New Hampshire.

UCONN will host Providence College, Massachusetts, and Boston University in February after the Connecticut Ice tournament at the XL Center.

The Huskies finish the regular season at their on-campus home skating against the Northeastern Huskies and then end the regular season against the University of Vermont. That will complete their 35-game regular season in early March.

Any Hockey East post-season games are all single-game affairs per the conference format and will be played at Toscano.

Former Husky Spencer Naas, UCONN (HE)/Selects Academy at South Kent Prep (CTPREP), leaves the Savannah Ghost Pirates (ECHL ) and signs with the Dundee Stars (Scotland-EIHL) for the 2023-24 season.

Another ex-Husky, Ryan Wheeler, leaves the Cincinnati Cyclones (ECHL) and signs with the Adirondack Thunder(ECHL).

The current Huskies saw their former highly-rated goalie, Logan Terness, transfer to the Ohio State Buckeyes (Big 10). Head coach Mike Cavanaugh, in turn, then rolled the dice with a grad transfer from the ECACHL goalie Carson Haider from Clarkson University. They had great success two years ago with Darion Hanson.

DRURY’S SON

Luke Drury, the son of Rangers’ President and General Manager Chris Drury, is captain at the Brunswick (Bears) School in Greenwich. He commits to attend and play at Brown University (ECACHL) for the 2025-26 season.

The elder Drury’s ex-Hartford Whaler brother Ted has five children-four boys and a daughter. Each of his offspring is involved in hockey at some level.

Owen Drury will play with the West Kelowna Warriors (BCHL) next year. He has not committed to college yet. His youngest, Ryan, is 12 and playing with the CCM Chicago team.

His eldest son, Jack, played for his hometown, Chicago Wolves, last season before a late injury recall by the Carolina Hurricanes.

SOME NEW HAVEN CONNECTIONS

Ronan Buckberger, the youngest son of former Beast of New Haven forward Ashley Buckberger, commits to the Ohio State Buckeyes (Big 10) in 2025-26.

Ryan McCleary, the son of former New Haven Senator Trent McCreary, was traded from the Portland Winterhawks (WHL) to his hometown team, the Swift Current Broncos (WHL). He is a Pittsburgh (NHL) seventh-round 2021 draftee.

His sister, Maddy, just completed her Canadian college career with the St. Mary’s (Halifax) University Huskies (AUAA-W).

ODDS AND ENDS

Rayen Petrovický, the son of former Whaler and New York Ranger Róbert Petrovický, skated with three European teams last year. The previous was JoKP (Finland-Mestis) on a loan. He signs with HC Liberec (Czechia (Czech Republic-CEL) for the 2023-24 campaign.

A trio of ex-Sound Tigers got new addresses as Mitch Vande Sompel goes from the Colorado Eagles (AHL) to the independent AHL Chicago Wolves. Bode Wild goes from Atlanta (ECHL) back overseas to HC Banska Bystrica (Slovakia-SLEL). Victor Crus-Rydberg switches teams in the Swedish lowest Division 1 league, HockeyEttan Kalmar HC, to Karlskrona HK.

Alex Kromm, the son of former Whaler Rich Kromm, retires and becomes the assistant coach for the Dubuque Fighting Saints (USHL). Alex Drulia, the nephew of former New Haven Nighthawk Stan Drulia, becomes the Austin Bruins (NAHL) assistant coach.

As of August 1st, the early signing and commit phase starts in college hockey recruiting.

Quinnipiac University snagged Conrado Calderini from Greenwich, who’s attending Berkshire School. They also got a commitment from Ethan Wyttenbach, who commits for 2026-27. He played last year on the Long Island Gulls U-15 team. He will likely be heading to a prep school and juniors until he arrives.

Yale got Kirby Perler and Dylan Hunt of the Boston Junior Eagles via Milton Academy. The 16-year-old Perler, a Woodbridge native, knows the difficulties surrounding Ivy League school admissions, so this was a verbal commitment pending he meets the strict academic requirements for entry. Even ECACHL schools need to compete in the highly competitive college hockey marketplace.

Perler still faces a tough road and will need to go to either a prep school, the USHL, or the now independent of BC Hockey, BCHL, before he sees the ice at Ingalls Rink in New Haven, the home to the Bulldogs.

Among the incoming class of six are Dave Andreychuk (no relation to the former NHL player of the same name and spelling). He played Frederick Gunn School (Washington). He then migrated to the Northeast Generals (NAHL).

Another is William (Will) “Beanie” Richter of Greenwich/Brunswick School, the son of legendary Rangers goaltender Mike Richter. He played with the Penticton Vees (BCHL) last three years.

UCONN has not released its list.

Four of a half-dozen prospects committed to Harvard are considered blue-chip prospects.

Michael Munroe of Avon Old Farms (CTPREP) is a 2025-26 commit to the University of Maine (HE) Black Bears.

HARTFORD WOLF PACK

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HARTFORD, CT – The Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA), which controls the XL Center, has plenty of issues on its plate, and there seem to be extra trips being made back for seconds and thirds.

Two weeks ago, Radenka Maric, who was named UCONN President in the fall, openly conjectured to a journalism class in an on-the-record conversation made it clear that UCONN was strongly considering leaving the XL Center and not renewing their contract at the end of the season.

UCONN will likely seek to shift home games back to their new on-campus arena, The Toscano Family Ice Forum at Storrs, as a cost-cutting measure to deal with the ballooning $53M athletics deficit and the Governor’s “proposal” to cut UCONN funding drastically.

Before the state appropriations meeting mid-week two weeks ago, the Governor bristled at the mere suggestion that he was proposing a cut. Instead, it’s the sunset of federal COVID funding, known by its acronym of ARPA. It ends after this school year. Lamont also emphatically stated that UCONN hoops games would be played at the XL Center.

The Governor and UCONN students were at the Capitol as part of this contentious government hearing on UCONN’s future budget, which has not yet been decided upon. However, UCONN will likely have a continued high level of funding, and increases will probably happen.

This conflict will pit CRDA’s Executive Director, Mike Freimuth, with Maric, a Yugoslavian ex-pat who spent the post-Yugoslav civil war years in the early 1990s in Japan. Also in the mix is outgoing Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin.

Maric threw an unappreciated and figurative Molotov cocktail into the room as the CRDA and OVG were in the final phases of negotiations to deal with the long-suffering XL Center with a makeover eight years overdue.

Freimuth has shown frustration and irritation at UCONN’s annual carping regarding their rental payments for hockey and basketball games and is no longer keeping quiet. Instead, he is calling UCONN out.

“It wasn’t very helpful. It was a monkey wrench we didn’t need, but I think it will be resolved successfully,” remarked Freimuth.

Maric’s remarks did not sound like an idle threat or posturing position by the Huskies. On the contrary, they have been telegraphing their intentions for nearly three years.

The on-campus venue selected by Maric gave her a very friendly audience. She knew she wouldn’t face hostile, probing, or counter-questions. UCONN will likely have another card up its sleeve.

It’s a confrontation that has been brewing for years. UCONN recoils at paying $40.5K per game for men’s and women’s basketball games and $20.5K for UCONN hockey as they have this season.

The new Toscano Family Ice Forum, where its recent Hockey East quarterfinal playoff game with Merrimack was played, not at the XL Center, is built, baptized, and open for business.

It was expected there would be only marquee hockey games like Boston College and Boston University, and national non-conference games would be at the XL Center in the future.

Now it seems even that it might be in jeopardy. The CT Ice Hockey Festival is scheduled for the XL Center next year, for now.

The CT Ice Festival might be the only college hockey downtown next year.

“We’II have a different model next year. We expect about 15 UCONN events next year. We usually have about 30 or so. Face it, a pre-season game with Appalachian State in November doesn’t do much for anybody. St. John’s or Georgetown, that’s a whole different story,” Freimuth commented.

On the other side of the room stands the CDRA and OVG being required to pay both mandatory expenses like police and other emergency services, as well as the fixed costs. It’s not cheap or optional.

“We have fixed costs at the XL Center that they don’t have at Gampel or the new hockey rink. All of those are factored into those buildings, but we’re left out here (holding the bag). Nobody is crying for me,” remarked Freimuth.

Then there’s OVG. They recently signed a new five-year contract with the two unions that work in the building. Both unions voted on and ratified that contract which features a nine-percent increase. So those costs are not gouging but living up to signed agreements.

A long-time state government source with knowledge of government and hockey threw a bucket of cold water on everything.

“I wouldn’t believe half of what you hear. They’ll work something out,” the source declared.

UCONN has had a choppy background with contracts. Bob Diacco, the former football coach they did well with, but basketball’s Kevin Ollie, not so much. So they are now paying for it dearly, which also factors in.

HISTORY

In 1990, Tate George’s miracle, buzzer-beating, turnaround baseline jumper from the corner against Clemson propelled UCONN to the Elite 8. At a time before the internet, UCONN changed its radio rights the following summer.

It was the end of their contract with the now-defunct CT Radio Network. UCONN had radio station affiliates from tiny WKZE in Sharon in the northwest corner of the state to powerhouse WICC downstate in Bridgeport and its southernmost town in Greenwich on WGCH-AM. UCONN was covered.

UCONN thought they could get a better deal with powerful WTIC-AM and its superb 50,000-watt nighttime clear channel signal heard throughout the Northeast in the US and Canada. The Huskies decided to form their own network instead. UCONN negotiated new individual deals with individually selected stations.

The deals were done with the WTIC sales department, which did the legwork. UCONN dropped CRN despite a UCONN alumnus at the company’s helm and expanded its coverage and, even more importantly, its revenue intake.

Part of the negotiating strategy was that they wanted UCONN radio voice Bob Huessler, the play-by-play person, to be out for UCONN broadcasts and their guy Joe D’Ambrosio in.

Huessler, unbeknownst to UCONN, was dealing with a major family crisis with his now late wife, battling breast cancer. There was no way he was getting dropped. In its final days, he was also the full-time PR Director for Milford Jai-Lai.

CRN was caught off guard, unaware that UCONN had another deal lined up. UCONN has always played poker with an extra card up its sleeve.

But nothing with UCONN seems to last forever. After 26 years with WTIC, UCONN decided in 2018 to partner with New York-based IMG Network to handle their radio rights. Unfortunately, WTIC thought UCONN/IMG was asking for too much, eventually sending D’Ambrosio packing and bringing in Mike Crispino.

UCONN signed for ten years with 97.9 ESPN radio, where they remain.

If UCONN does leave, the XL Center account ledger will be out of whack. Hence, the lost revenue and large expenses to pay, and shortly afterward, all the main actors will likely leave at the expiration of their contracts. Then, like the late New Haven Coliseum, the building will close with all the losses.

UCONN will negotiate directly with the XL Center – no more third parties.

A business like The Taven, across the street from the XL Center, was packed on Saturday afternoon and evening. It tailors its staff time and openings around the XL schedule. The same thing happens for Max’s across the street on the Eastern side of the XL. They are two staples and long-operating Hartford restaurants that would likely close with no events or customers.

Waitresses, bartenders, and chefs will all be unemployed. These are the unintended consequences of the situation with the XL Center. They’re not alone.

Despite all the happy talk from state Senate House Speaker Matt Ritter, who told the Hartford Courant in the days after this tete-a-tete broke open that things will be fine – even if XL Center folks think they’re bluffing. It feels different this time, as several folks inside the building said the same thing.

“I did talk to the athletic director yesterday, and I know UCONN reiterated its commitment to play at the XL Center, which we are going to renovate,” Ritter commented. “Is UCONN going to play in Hartford? You betcha’. Do we agree with the (school) president, though, that we got to help them in this budget? You betcha’.”

The relationship with Ritter is an interesting one. His father, Tom, a one-time Speaker of the House himself, is now a lobbyist, working for a prestigious Hartford law firm. In addition, he is a UCONN Board of Trustees member and is very close with school President Maric.

Will that relationship be leveraged positively in the negotiations that are about to come?

UCONN started this process very early for a reason. They’re looking for a soft landing if they decide to leave or if they can wrangle some more considerable concessions and not go. Don’t expect these negotiators to underestimate UCONN, however. UCONN always works in its interests.

“Its lot of work. You have to look at the December and January kids aren’t on campus. 80,000 UCONN alumni live within a half-hour of the XL Center. Some of those are legislators. You think they want to drive to Storrs in the middle of the winter on a Tuesday night?” said Freimuth.

UCONN has been vocal about the rental structure at the XL Center for three years and hired an outside entity last year– Stafford Sports- to negotiate on their behalf and waited to sign their one-year lease extension until the 11th hour to do so. So this year, they will deal directly with OVG.

“I think that Hartford has invested a lot in UCONN. They should be giving back and investing in Hartford. It’s probably not a good spot for the college to be in right now, threatening to divest from a city that’s invested a lot in them,” remarked House Minority Leader Rep. Vincent Candelora (R-86th District) to the Courant.

Reminder, the XL Center is in the district of both Ritter and Candelora.

More than two years ago, the building received $65 million, more than they requested, just a week before the pandemic shutdown. However, it still has not made its way to the bond commission in any manner. Governor Lamont, who controls the bond commission agenda, has been steadfast in the fact that UCONN will play at the XL Center and that funding will be there.

The current negotiations between the latest building operator, OVG, and the CRDA are nearing their conclusion. The skunk-in-the-room move will change OVG’s short-term and long-term calculus at the XL Center and the if, when, and how of their getting a return on its investment.

“I have an idea of what their investment number is, but I’m not at liberty to discuss it right now,” said Freimuth.

The other negotiation for the CRDA is with Northland Corporation and its CEO, Larry Gottesdeiner. Once hailed as the building’s savior, Gottesdeiner has been at a standstill with the CRDA over the atrium for more than three years and is not factored in this proposal.

It has been an Excedrin-inducing pace for three years and counting for Freimuth.

“Its not part of the discussion at the moment. We’re not focused on the atrium at all,” Freimuth said with resignation.

Job vacancies have repeatedly shown up every year. In the last few years, they’ve had four different Operations Managers and a revolving door of salespeople for the Wolf Pack, and the building has been noticeable.

If UCONN makes a move, MSG can’t be far behind.

They have a nice cushion, getting the affiliation fee paid for by the state this year to the tune of $1.66M after foolishly kicking MSG out as managing operator at the XL Center as the CDA did, the forerunner to the CRDA, 16 years ago.

While that helps raise the bar for the rest of the AHL, it keeps the Wolf Pack team solvent and all hockey operations expenses, salaried employees, admin costs, etc. They are all paid for, but the future, building-wise, is passing them by.

“We have brought that number back a bit, but it’s all based on the affiliation requirements. We’re in discussions now on a new contract as we speak,” said Freimuth.

Then, the issue of new buildings with modern amenities popping up throughout the AHL teams.

The recently concluded AHL All-Star Classic was held at the three-year-old, north of the border, new palatial arena, and just 25 minutes from downtown Montreal at the Place Bell in Laval. Then toss in new arenas that have opened this year; Henderson, NV, San Jose, CA, and the $500M palace in the California Desert in Palm Springs, CA (Coachella Valley). In addition, they illustrate and highlight the deficiencies of both the XL Center and the team’s practice facilities at Cromwell (now run by Black Bear Enterprises), both highly inadequate.

Sooner or later, MSG will make a move too.

The Canadian division is gone. Most of the New England teams in the AHL are gone. It’s wishful thinking to believe that Hartford can last that long as the AHL continues to move forward, given the state of the XL Center and all the issues surrounding it.

The consensus is that it feels different this time. Inside and outside the XL Center, that phrase has been repeated unprompted. It does feel different this time.

XL CENTER

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The post XL CENTER, CRDA IN FULL CRISIS MODE PART 2 first appeared on Howlings.

By: Sam Zis, Howlings

STORRS, CT – Justin Pearson’s four points (3 goals, 1 assist) led the #17-ranked UConn Huskies to a 6-5 victory over the visiting Boston College Eagles in the last regular season game of the year on Saturday at the Toscano Family Ice Forum in Storrs.  

After honoring the team’s senior players, the Huskies came quickly out of the gates and, after creating multiple good chances, would finally solve BC goaltender Henry Wilder with a goal at 1:31. It would be Pearson with his first of three on the night in on a breakaway and buried a backhander to make it 1-0.

After failing to tally in their first two power plays, UCONN would struggle in the remainder of the first. However, Boston College capitalized on their first-man advantage at 5:38. Marshall Warren found the back with a laser off the post to equalize the score at one. 

The two Hockey East rivals continued to trade power play opportunities throughout the remainder of the first period. The tie lasted until UCONN’s Ty Amonte snuck a rebound past Wilder to give the Huskies a 2-1 lead with 4:39 left.

Boston College would tie the game for a second time with 5 seconds remaining in the period. Lukas Gustafsson blasted a nearly identical wrist shot to the first goal, but from the other side of the ice. 

The teams went to the locker room tied at two, with UCONN leading in shots 14-7

Both teams came out of the locker rooms more interested in a physical battle in the second period and less interested in scoring goals.  

With ten minutes left in the period, Huskies Captain Roman Kinal took a 5-minute major for cross-checking. In the first half of the penalty kill, the Huskies were dominant. The Huskies’ team speed forced Boston College to take a penalty with 2:30 remaining in the penalty.

Matthew Wood tallied a shorthanded breakaway for UCONN off an Eagles’ mistake, scoring off a nice pass from Hudson Schandor with 7:17 remaining in the period to make it 3-2 in favor of the home team. 

But the Huskies were not done scoring in the period. Pearson would tally his second of the night off an excellent play from his knees in front of the Eagles’ net with just over 2 minutes left in the period to make it 4-2. 

The third period started well for the Huskies as Boston College took a penalty 42 seconds into the period. Pearson would complete his hat trick on the ensuing power play and give UCONN a 5-2 lead.

Just minutes later, UConn center Samu Salminen took a rarely-called face-off violation penalty. Then, with Boston College needing a power play goal to stay in the game, Andre Gassesu scored for BC with a shot off the post to make it 5-3 with 17 minutes still to play.

Huskies freshman, Jake Black, sniped a shot past a fallen Wilder for his first NCAA goal, making it 6-3.

Boston College continued to battle and answered with 7:33 to play in the third period. Oskar Jellvik scored a one-timer goal to keep the game within reach at 6-4.

Boston College continued to push throughout the third and pulled their goalie with 2:14 to play. With the extra man on the ice Boston College forward, and Colorado Avalanche draft pick, Colby Ambrosio capitalized to bring the game to within a single goal at 6-5. 

Boston College continued to look for the tying goal; however, due to the speed of Uconn took a tripping penalty with 1:20 to go in the contest, sealing the deal for UConn.

The Huskies are 20-11-3 and 13-9-2 as they head into the playoffs.

NOTES:

Pearson’s hat trick is the first at the new Toscano Family Ice Forum and the first for UCONN since Jonny Evans put four past Merrimack on January 30, 2021.

The Hat Trick by Pearson is the fifth for the Huskies since entering Hockey East.

UCONN MEN’S HOCKEY

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The post UCONN RIDES JUSTIN PEARSON HAT-TRICK TO WIN OVER BOSTON COLLEGE first appeared on Howlings.

By: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings

CHARLOTTE, NC – For the Hartford Wolf Pack, North Carolina has not been friendly territory, and they proved it again by dropping their second straight contest at the start of the 2022-23 season with a 3-1 loss to the Charlotte Checkers at the Bojangles Coliseum.

Like the Aerosmith tune, “Same Old Song and Dance,” the trip down South sent them to an abysmal Tar Heel State record of 1-16-1-1. Their only win was the final game of last season.

This game was even throughout the first period as the Pack goalie, Dylan Garand, answered the best opportunities that came his way. Garland and Mark Guzda for Charlotte were both making their seasons’ first start. Charlotte’s Patrick Giles, a former Boston College winger, tested Garand halfway through the period. About two minutes later, it was an ex-CT Whale, Michael Del Zotto, from off the right side, but his challenge was denied by a Garand glove save.

Jonny Brodzinski saw his backhand attempt on Guzda rejected several minutes later as was a shorthanded bid.

Charlotte broke through late on the man advantage at 17:50. Connor Bunnaman got behind Matt Robertson and put the puck past Garand for a 1-0 lead. Chris Tierney, who played well in both games, earned the primary assist.

Each roster put 12 shots on the opposing netminder in the second period, but no goals were scored. The Pack’s Turner Elson had a quality chance squashed by Guzda. But Garland also was quick with the leather stopping Logan Hutsko and then Patrick Giles two minutes later at 8:47.

With 3:11 remaining in the period, Tanner Fritz was stopped by Guzda. Garland denied Alexei Heponiemi; then John Ludvig had a late block off a Patrick Khordorenko bid to keep the Pack off the board.

The Pack had two chances late with seven seconds to go, but Guzda kept them from denting the twine.

In the third, Charlotte got its second again on another special team’s goal. At 6:52, Riley Nash popped in his first tally of the season in front of the net Garand made the first save on Anton Levtchi before the Czech rookie and last night’s hero, causing him to be untouched by either defender was able to slip his shot under Garand.

Lucas Carlsson, just back from the Charlotte locker room for repairs, got the whole play started at 6:52.

The Pack’s Elson, followed by Bobby Trivigno, tried to get one past Guzda but were unsuccessful. Meanwhile, Henry Bowlby was set up in front of Garand. He got an effective shot, but it was gobbled up after a three-on-one failed for the Checkers.

Then Santuu Kinnunen tallied at 17:23 his first into the empty net as coach Kris Knoblauch chose to pull Garand early for an extra attacker but got nothing. Kinnunen was the leading defenseman in scoring in Finland last year.

The Wolf Pack finally broke the shutout bid of Guzda, the game’s first star, as Elson converted Will Cullye’s pass for his first at 19:55.

The Wolf Pack return to Hartford where they will kick off the home portion of their season against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins at 7:00 PM. 

NOTES

For the second game in a row, Will Cullye led the Pack with four shots, sharing the honor with Elson.

Ex-Bridgeport Sound Tiger Michael Del Colle becomes the 109th AHL’er to head to Europe and 16th to Finland as he signed with TPS Turku after being cut by Ottawa.

Former Yale goalie Alex Lyon did not dress. Chase Priskie (Quinnipiac University) played for the Checkers.

All the rehab work done on the Bojangles Arena was overseen by the late Davin “Dave” Olson, who passed away suddenly six months ago in Corpus Christi, Texas. It was a part-time gig after being unceremoniously let go by Gale Force Holdings – the parent company of the Carolina Hurricanes’ former affiliate. In his career, Olson had run the Hartford Civic Center Coliseum (nee XL Center) and the New Haven Coliseum.

Calgary is with the brand-new AHL Calgary Wranglers. It’s like an ex-Connecticut player-ville with assistant coach ex-Hartford Whaler, New Haven Nighthawk, and Springfield Indian, Don Nachbaur, and with ex-Wolf Pack MacKenzie Skapski as the goalie coach. The parent Calgary Flames have ex-Pack, Bretton Stamler as an amateur scout, and of course, all-time Pack great Jason Labarbera is the NHL goalie coach.

Future Ranger/Wolf Pack Brennan Othmann is off to a scintillating start with the Flint Firebirds (OHL) with seven goals in seven games.

Former training camp player Sam Sternschein has left the ECHL Jacksonville Icemen and has signed with the Reading Royals.

Former 1980 Rangers draftee, former New Haven Nighthawk, and long-time AHL-ECHL coach, Kurt Kleinendorst, was let go by the Iserlohn Roosters (Germany-DEL) after nine games (2-7) on Friday.

LINES:

Brodzinski-Gauthier-Cullye
Henriksson-Trivigno-Rempe
Fritz-Elson-Pajuniemi
Khordorenko-Gettinger-C.J. Smith

Emberson-Welinski
Scanlin-Robertson
Harpur-Skinner

Dylan Garand
Louie Domingue

HARTFORD WOLF PACK

HOWLINGS

The post HARTFORD WOLF PACK SWEPT IN CHARLOTTE BY CHECKERS first appeared on Howlings.

STORRS, CT – UCONN’S new building for their hockey teams has a new name, the Toscano Family Ice Forum.

A week after Sacred Heart University announced The Matire Family Arena was the name of their new arena, UCONN followed suit announcing their soon-to-be-completed on-campus arena now will bear the name of UCONN Board Trustee Chairman Dan Toscano as The Toscano Family Ice Forum. The full and formal Board approval is expected at its meeting on September 28th.

“Dan Toscano and his family have been remarkable friends and supporters of UCONN and our athletics programs for many years and are passionate hockey fans,” said David Benedict, Director of Athletics, in a prepared statement. “Our men’s and women’s programs compete in the strongest hockey league in the nation, and with the help of this gift, they’ll now be playing in one of the best campus ice arenas. The amenities in this state-of-the-art facility will transform the fan experience and provide every resource for our student-athletes and coaches to compete at a championship level. I’m grateful to Dan and his family for helping us position us for an exciting new era of UCONN hockey.

“Toscano and his wife, Tresa, have made UCONN a philanthropic priority for more than a quarter century, with the majority of their transformational support directed toward students with financial need, attracting top faculty, and athletics, among others.”

FREITAS RETIRED

The Toscano Family Ice Forum will replace the Freitas Ice Forum for both the men’s and women’s teams. The Freitas Ice Forum will be re-purposed for volleyball after this season. The ice portion at Freitas has reached its shelf life, and unlike the XL Center, its “other home” since its inception into Hockey East, this building will be retired.

UCONN will christen their new building with a game against Northeastern with a men’s and women’s game doubleheader on January 14th, the same day Sacred Heart will open their building when they play Boston College. The Huskies will play its final five home games in the new building, and next season will likely play a more significant number of games there as they seek to cut into the more than $60 million-dollar athletic department shortfall.

The Toscanos have been loyal supporters of UCONN Athletics and demonstrated a deep commitment to student-athletes, providing critical funding for capital projects, the Fight On Fund, the strength training facility in the Rizza Performance Center, and teams — basketball, baseball, ice hockey, soccer, and lacrosse.

UCONN SCHEDULE

The regular season kicks off with two games in Vermont for the first time in over two years on October 1st and 2nd. The Huskies’ home opener is set for October 7th in a non-conference meeting with Union College (ECACHL) at the XL Center. All games at the Toscano Family Center are listed as TBD- until the University receives a Certificate of Occupancy to play and host fans. Find their entire season’s schedule HERE.

UCONN MEN’S HOCKEY

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The post CANTLON: UCONN NAMES NEW BUILDING TOSCANO FAMILY ICE FORUM first appeared on Howlings.

By: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings

HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack Training camp is three weeks away. Still, several New York Rangers prospects skated for various countries at the World Junior Championships version of the postponed from December WJC tournament in Edmonton, Alberta.

For the fourth time in history, the US squad finished with a perfect record (4-0) during the qualifying rounds. Rangers’ draftee, Brett Berard, scored the first goal in a 3-2 win over Sweden.

Canada, always a force in this tournament, also finished unbeaten. The Canadians were on track for a meeting with the US, who were victorious in an 11-1 rout of Slovakia with Will Cullye, and Brennan Othmann on a line together copped a goal and assist.

A 6-1 win over Austria followed Ridly Greig, the son of ex-Hartford Whaler and Springfield Falcon Mark Grieg, scoring and earning Player of the Game honors.

Another Rangers draftee, and their first pick last month in Montreal, Slovakia’s Adam Sýkora, a Rangers draftee and first pick last month in Montreal, scored in a Slovakia 3-2 win over Latvia and scored the goal of the tournament outside of the finale.

Sýkora came from center ice off a turnover on the left-wing boards. He carried it into the Latvia zone and slipped the puck past Bogdan Hadass, the Latvian defenseman, who played the puck rather than the man, before firing a cross-ice pass to teammate Jakub Demek on the right wing. Demek fed it right back, and Sýkora slipped the puck into the open right side of the net.

The 17-year-old was voted Slovakia’s Player-of-the-Game and will play for the WHL Medicine Hat Tigers starting next month. Medicine Hat selected him first overall in the July CHL Import Draft.

MORE WJC

Finland won the first quarterfinal game 5-2 over Germany. Ottawa Senators’ prospect Roby Jarventie had two goals and two assists.

Sweden advanced in the second QF meeting but barely edged out a tough Latvia squad, 2-1.

Canada advanced 6-3 over the Swiss. Culleye scored off a solid offensive zone cycle and cross-ice feed from the right side on a rush. He scored from off the left-wing short side high.

The last QF games saw Czechia pull off a big 4-2 upset victory over the US to advance to the semi-finals.

US ISSUES AT WJC

The US squad victimized itself with sloppy play and missed offensive opportunities by hitting several posts. The US took a foolish, unnecessary penalty early in the third period. Berard’s dangerous slew foot hurt the US team.

However, the Americans pulled within a goal cashing in on a major penalty, but that would be as close as they would get.

In a North Atlantic semi-final showdown for the nightcap, Finland slipped by Sweden 1-0 to meet host Canada for the Gold Medal.

Canada played Czechia in the late afternoon game and earned a commanding 5-2 win. Columbus draftee, Kent Johnson, had a goal and two assists. Future Wolf Pack goalie Dylan Garand notched 32 saves en route to the gold medal game.

In Edmonton, Team Canada won its fourth gold medal in ten years in spectacular fashion with a 3-2 overtime victory. It was a summer classic that was a well-played and highly entertaining game as the last hockey of the 2021-22 calendar year.

Topi Niemela took a shot that evaded Garand after he came out and challenged the Fin. Unfortunately, Garard wasn’t where he wanted to be and left an open net.

Mason McTavish (Anaheim), the tournament MVP, made a remarkable play batting the puck out of mid-air, over the goal line, near the right goal post.

It was swept away and began what would become the winning goal-scoring sequence.

In the wild three-on-three overtime Logan Stankhoven (Dallas) came in right-wing toe dragged it past his check. Then on his backhand caught an onrushing Kent Johnson. He went backhand for the five-hole and was still in a position while falling to slip in the rebound for the winning goal sending 13,327 fans at Rogers Place into a Stanley Cup winning-like frenzy at 3:20 as Canada captured their 19th overall World Junior Gold with an undefeated tournament record of 7-0.

The Finns had stormed back with two goals in the third after Josh Roy (Montreal) and future Bridgeport Islander William Dufour had scored.

McTavish, with 17 points, finished now among the pantheon of WJC greats Dale McCourt, Wayne Gretzky, and Brayden Schenn in all-time Canada WJC greats.

Finland took silver and didn’t toss them in a garbage can, and Sweden took bronze in a 3-1 win over Czechia.

Now it’s on to training camp next month.

PLAYER MOVEMENT

Adam Húska gets away as far as he can from Hartford, signing with Torpedo Novgorod (Russia-KHL).

In addition, the Islanders signs winger Arnaud Durandeau and defenseman Paul LaDue. The parent club re-signed Kieffer Bellows.

Amazingly, players present and past are still signing despite all the talk of hatred of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. They are far ahead of the pack in players to Europe, with 18 heading to Russia along with the Húska signing, along with other countries in the KHL is far ahead with new signees with 26.

Just a few more summertime moves as James Sanchez has moved on to Iowa Wild-AHL/Iowa Heartlanders-ECHL next year.

Former UCONN goalie Darion Hanson signs with his old first college coach, former Ranger and Springfield Falcon, and Springfield native Rick Bennett with the ECHL expansion Savannah (GA) Ghost Pirates. The team President is Bob Ohrablo, a former CT Whale executive.

Ex-Pack Travis Oleksuk moves on from Villacher SV (Austria-IceHL) and Rosenheim (Germany Division-III).

Vincent LoVerde, the ex-Pack team captain from two years ago, leaves EC Salzburg (Austria-IceHL) after a year to play for the Beijing-based Kunlun Red Star (China-KHL).

Former Wolf Pack Chad Nehring, 35, who was looking to hook up with an AHL team out West in the Las Vegas area where he lives, found no takers and has gone from Augsburger (Germany-DEL) to Grenoble (France Magnus-FREL), the former hometown of the legendary late pro wrestler, Andre the Giant (Rousimoff).

MORE MOVES

Ex-Pack/CT Whale Devin DiDiomete re-signs for 2022-23 with Gyergyói HK (Romania-MOL).

The son of former New Haven Nighthawk Andy Rymsha, Drake Rymsha, goes from the Hershey Bears to the Bakersfield Condors.

The Bears and new coach Todd Nelson get former Quinnipiac University Bobcat (ECACHL), Sam Anas, under contract for next season.

Ex-Bridgeport Islander/Sound Tiger Cole Coskey signs with the Kansas City Mavericks (ECHL).

The Bridgeport Islanders have joined the tall goalie craze. The parent New York Islanders’ seventh round pick from last season, the 6’8 Finnish netminder, Henrik Tikkanen (MODO Sweden-Allsvenskan) and KalPa Kuopio (Finland-FEL).

The team also announced the signing of last year’s Saint John Sea Dogs (QMJHL) captain, the undrafted Vincent Sévigny of the Memorial Cup champions. He was traded from the Victoriaville Tigres and scored the game’s opening goal of the championship win, his last game in junior hockey.

They also re-signed a defenseman from two years ago, Ryan MacKinnon, who split last year between Lehigh Valley and Reading (ECHL).

Ex-Sound Tiger Alan Quine departs Henderson (AHL) for Ontario (AHL)

Robin Figren, a former Sound Tiger from two years in the Park City, has retired from hockey. The Swedish native played the last three seasons, with EHC Kloten winning the NLA title the previous year.

Ex-Pack, Ranger, and Springfield Falcon Gordie Dwyer signs on to be the coach/GM for the Acadie-Bathurst Titan (QMJHL).

Thomas Schmetisch

The list of AHL’ers to Europe has grown to 84. In addition, the list now includes former Springfield Thunderbird from four years, Thomas Schmetisch. He goes from Cleveland to Malmö  IF (Sweden-SHL).

Schemitch’s older brother, Geoffrey, was a Tampa Bay Lightning fourth-round draftee in 2010. He spent four years with a Canadian University and a 111-game career with Acadia (AUAA). He has taken the route of ex-Whaler Dr.Fred Arthur and was just accepted into residency at the University of Toronto’s nationally renowned orthopedic program.

He also had a four-year OHL career with Owen Sound and Oshawa, totaling 222 games.

Former Springfield Falcon Goran Bezina retires and becomes an assistant coach with HC Sierre (Switzerland-LNA).

Collegiate North American pro signees for Hockey East 52, NCHC-36, CCHA-32, Big Ten-31, ECACHL-25, AHA-18, and NCAA Division I Independents-12. Division-III have now just 17 players. Underclassmen pro signees are 32, European college signees are 41, and the total number of signees for North America is 240, and North America plus Europe is 273.

Sammy Walker, a four-year Minnesota (Big 10) grad, signed a free agent, two-year, two-way ELC deal with the Minnesota Wild. His draft rights with Tampa Bay expired last week, making him an unrestricted free agent. He is from the Minnesota hockey-producing town of Edina.

Jack St. Ivany, formerly of Yale, took the same road and signed with Pittsburgh out of BC.

Three are attending Canadian colleges, and just one is attending a major Canadian junior.

The newest additions to the transfer list include the Fusco brothers, John and Matt, who have both transferred from Harvard (ECACHL) to Dartmouth College (ECACHL), a true rarity to have an intra-Ivy school transfer.

Yale University saw freshmen Phillip Tresca skating at Ingalls Rink in New Haven. He transfers from the Bulldogs to rival Harvard University.

In-school transfers are at 108, and grad transfers are 106 for a total of 214 to be moved this off-season in college hockey. One hundred players remain in the transfer portal.

Will Reardon, Loomis Chaffe (Windsor) (CTPREP) commit to Holy Cross (AHA) for 2024-25.

Sam Scopa from Belmont Hill (MAPREP) commits to Quinnipiac University (ECACHL) for 2024-25.

UCONN

The UCONN men’s hockey team finally announced their home slate for the 2022-23 season. They still have no venues or times listed as a deal with the CRDA, and their negotiating partner Stafford Sports, is still not yet done. However, there will be 17 games on the Huskies’ home ice this season.

UCONN will host Union College for their home opener on October 7th and 8th to kick off their non-conference home dates. The Huskies will then welcome from the Big Ten conference Ohio State on October 14th and 15th with a newcomer from Stamford in Richard D.J. Hart; this could be at the XL Center, rather it should be.

To wrap up their non-conference home games, the Huskies will welcome LIU (Long Island University)-Post for the first time on December 31 in a New Year’s Eve doubleheader with the Wolf Pack, likely at the XL Center.

Then another first-time opponent will see the reborn University Alaska-Anchorage Seawolves on February 22.

The Huskies are set for 11 Hockey East conference matchups on home ice with Boston College on October 27, likely at the XL Center.

The Huskies will welcome the Maine Black Bears for a two-game homestand on November 4th and 5th. UCONN will welcome Providence College and UMass- Lowell as part of a home and home series on November 12th and 19th, respectively. The December schedule for the Huskies will feature Merrimack and Boston University on December 2 and December 11, respectively.

The news on the yet named or with a corporate sponsor on-campus arena won’t be ready for games till likely mid-January as of now, till they get their CO (certificate of occupancy) to have fans.

The Huskies leaked to the UCONN Blog that the final four games have been scheduled for the new arena in Storrs.

Three conference games with UMASS, UNH, and BC and the non-conference date with Alaska-Anchorage are slated to be a student-only game, according to the microsite announcing season ticket packages.

MORE ON UCONN

The inaugural game is tentatively slated as part of a men’s and women’s doubleheader against a yet-named opponent on January 14.

The University has been pushing its winter athletic teams, men’s and women’s basketball plus hockey, to play more on-campus games to prevent the need to play or practice at the XL Center for the game night charge of $20K for hockey and $40K a night for hoops (or practice rental charge) as they seek to tackle a nearly 60 million dollar budget shortfall in the sports department, that includes last spring’s summary judgment of 11-million dollars to pay former men’s basketball coach Kevin Ollie. The $11M is the balance of his contract owed.

There is a tug-of-war between the CRDA. The quasi-public agency oversees the venue’s operation, new building operator OVG-Oak View Group, the state legislature, and UCONN.

The school publicly dropped several hints in the late spring as their contract was expiring regarding this subject.

UCONN hired an outside entity familiar to all parties involved. In addition, they were familiar with Stafford Sports to handle the negotiations for a new contract, which is still unfinished.

The nearly 50-year-old building’s future is still in a state of limbo, and the more than necessary complete rebuild is eight years overdue.

That’s the reason why no venues or times were released last week. Now hockey has been hoping to practice in the new building this fall. Howlings learned several months ago that with all the exterior work now done, all that remains is the interior work, again to save money on practicing at the XL Center as much as possible.

FREITAS ICE FORUM

The Freitas Ice Forum has a new sheet of ice. Unfortunately, it’s reportedly on its last legs as a functional building to play games or practice in after this year. Will UCONN wrangle out of Hockey East another waiver?

The building is scheduled to be re-purposed in two years for another sports facility, likely for volleyball.

Fellow Hockey East school members are more than just slightly irritated with UCONN. Perhaps they can get a few more games in the severely sub-standard building, last used two years ago in the pandemic year.

UCONN has remained mum on the subject.

Ex-UCONN Husky Joe Masonius departs Adirondack (ECHL)/Utica (AHL) for Kalamazoo (MI) (ECHL).

Steve Bergin, from the UCONN (AHA) years, comes back from a year with Hershey (AHL) to be the new associate head coach at Sacred Heart University’s (AHA) with head coach C.J. Marrotolo (North Haven) next season. He was his assistant two years ago and had a five-year minor pro career with Pensacola (SPHL).

RIP

Sadly, two more former Hartford Whalers have passed away in the last several weeks.

Original New England Whaler Terry Caffrey dies. He and the New England Whalers’ all-time leading scorer, the late Tom” Hawkeye” Webster, topped the 100-point plateau in that first year in Boston. He was the first ever WHA Rookie-of-the-Year. George Lye, in 1976-77 was the second Whaler to win the Award.

Secondly, also passing away was former Hartford Whalers trainer (1983-1990)  Tommy “Woody” Woodcock, whose wake was in Rocky Hill. He was a member of PHATS (Professional Hockey Athletic Trainers Hall of Fame), the National Hockey Hall of Fame, and the AHL Rhode Island Reds Hall of Fame.

Howlings sends its sincerest condolences to the friends and families of these two Hartford legends.

HARTFORD WOLF PACK

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BY: Alex Reed, Jacksonville Icemen

JACKSONVILLE, FL – The Jacksonville Icemen, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s New York Rangers and the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack announced today that Christopher Brown has been returned to the team by the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League (AHL).

Brown, 26, returns to the Icemen where he has recorded 19 pts (5g 14a) in 25 games played this season.  Brown collected a goal and an assist in 25 appearances during his call-up with Hershey.  He was initially loaned to Hershey on December 21.

Last season, Brown posted a career-high 29 points (15g, 14a) in 54 appearances in Jacksonville.  Prior to his time in Jacksonville, Brown registered 19 points (11g, 8a) in 38 games played with the Wheeling Nailers during the 2019-20 season, earning an AHL call-up with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (16 games).

MORE ON BROWN

Brown is the Icemen’s captain this season and previously served as captain for Boston College for two seasons from 2018-to 2020.  The Bloomfield Hills, Michigan resident, was selected by the Buffalo Sabres in the sixth round of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft.  Brown’s father, Doug Brown appeared in 854 NHL games in stints with the Pittsburgh Penguins, New Jersey Devils, and Detroit Redwings.

The Icemen are back in action tonight and Thursday at 7:00 p.m. when they play host to the Atlanta Gladiators in Games 3 & 4 of the South Division Semifinals.  Jacksonville leads the best-of-seven series 2-0.  To purchase tickets to either game CLICK HERE

Fans may catch the game on www.mixlr.com/jaxicemen or watch online at FloHockey.TV

#WeAreBold

JACKSONVILLE ICEMEN

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The post REED: ICEMEN CAPTAIN RETURNS FROM AHL first appeared on Howlings.