By: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings

HARTFORD, CT – Salary cap restrictions forced The New York Rangers to be very frugal during the NHL Free Agency market. Only time will tell if they spent wisely or foolishly.

It was a tornado-like free agency for the rest of the NHL, where billions of dollars were exchanged even in a tight salary cap market. There are still a few moves left to be made for the Hartford Wolf Pack for their upcoming late September training camp. The best two words to describe the coming 2023-24 Wolf Pack campaign would be “Younger” and “Change.”

Turner Elson is expected back for the second year of his deal, but one contract is still outstanding. The team believes that it will be signed shortly. That is the contract of Tanner Fritz. He is said to be close to signing it. He needs to secure and finalize medical care for his son. His return is, however, open-ended since it’s still not signed.

In September, the team saw a bevy of new players coming through the shipping and receiving doors at the XL Center. Alex Belizle (Montreal/Laval), Connor Mackay (Calgary/Arizona), Mac Holwell (Toronto AHL/NHL), and Nikolas Brouillard (San Diego) on paper will be here. It is possible that Riley Nash (Charlotte) could be headed to Hartford if he doesn’t make the team in New York.

Departed from Hart City are Tim Gettinger (Detroit/Grand Rapids), Ryan Carpenter (San Jose AHL/NHL), Will Lockwood (Florida/Charlotte), and Wyatt Kalynuk (St. Louis/Springfield).

NOTES:

The Wolf Pack has released five secured playing dates without a full schedule. There are no times or opponents named yet.

The guaranteed dates are October 20th, November 25th, January 13th, February 10th, February 16th, and March 1st.

A full schedule will likely be released during or following the AHL Board of Governors’ (BOG) annual meeting in mid-July.

The Chicago Wolves are operating as an independent team. “GM Wendell Young is free to negotiate with anybody, so I think it’s likely and won’t be surprised if a player or two is sent to them by an NHL team and not their AHL team. If and when that happens, there will be some bruised feelings,” said a long-time industry source.

Since they’re out of Chicago, there is no word on where the Carolina Hurricanes will place their prospects next year. That is likely to be high on the AHL BOG agenda.

One thing to keep a long-term eye on is what the Ottawa Senators, under the new ownership of Michael Andulauer, will do with the Belleville Senators.

Howlings was told it’s a three-step process in Ottawa. Step 1 is to secure ownership in Ottawa (Check)—step 2. Secure the land, building the new 21st-Century downtown arena, the Canadian national capital Step 3. Turn to secure a closer farm team relationship. They’re looking at the possibility of Gatineau or another Western Quebec location to extend their brand.

The cap future our source remains bullish on.

“Many are saying a three-or-four million bump next year. I’m more conservative, we have an unknown future economically. I think two million seems more likely.”

The never-ending drama-fest in Arizona is likely to continue.

“Gary Bettman has shown no appetite for relocation, so I think in the near future they will remain there. To be honest, there are two issues; one, the Coyotes need a better building and likely better ownership. Realistically, look, the NHL and the league ownership don’t want to jeopardize future expansion fees, so they will continue to accept Arizona as is.”

One-time Wolf Pack and former Ranger forward Julien Gauthier has left Ottawa, where he was traded to, after starting the season in Hartford. He signed a free agent deal with the New York Islanders for a two-year, one-way money deal for $775K/ Year 1/$800K Year 2.

Ex-Pack Adam Cracknell moves from Tucson to Henderson. Joining him is ex-Pack Mason Geersten on a one-way deal at $775K.

Chase Priskie (Quinnipiac) moves from San Diego to Calder Cup champion Hershey Bears.

Goalie Strauss Mann (Greenwich/Brunswick School) heads from San Jose (AHL) to Laval next season.

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

Former UCONN Husky (HE) Ben Freeman signs another deal with Greenville (ECHL).

The Bridgeport Islanders signed three players. Two of them are from last year, Cole Bardreau and Jeff Kubiak. The third is Joey Cipollone (Loomis Chaffe) from the national champion Quinnipiac University Bobcats, making 25 ECACHL players to have signed pro deals.

Cipollone’s cousin Anthony, a sophomore, returns to Quinnipiac and is also a Loomis Chaffe-Windsor grad.

The number of signees by conference: Hockey East-37, NCHC-36, the CCHA-31, the Big 10 has 30, the AHA-20, Division I Independents-13, Division III-32, and Europe bound Division I and III-54.

Undergrads that left early 38, going to Canadian colleges four, and back to US juniors two, and nobody has left for Canadian major junior yet.

The transfers at the grad level are 44, and at undergrad, in-school transfers are 59. The total number of players signing pro deals in North America and Europe across the board are at Division I and III; 284.

The son of new Rangers Head Coach Peter Laviolette, III, the namesake of Peter Jr., signs a one-year deal with the Wheeling Nailers (ECHL), where his father started his coaching career in 1997.

Jarrod Gourley, the former UCONN defenseman, goes from Utica/Adirondack (ECHL) and heads home to Alberta after signing with the Calgary Wranglers (AHL).

Graham McPhee, the son of one-time New Haven Nighthawk/Ranger and current President of the Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights, George McPhee, signs a new deal with the Belleville Senators (AHL).

Ex-Sound Tiger Mason Jobst re-signs with Rochester.

The former UCONN captain, Miles Gendron, signs with the Belfast Giants (Northern Ireland-EIHL).

Another former teammate, UCONN forward Carter Turnbull, signs with HC Banska Bystrica (Slovakia-SLEL).

Ex-CT Whale Christian Thomas signs a new deal with HC Bolzano (Austria-IceHL).

Ex-Pack Nick Merkley re-signs with Dynamo Minsk (Belarus-KHL).

Martin Kaut leaves San Jose for HC Dynamo Pardubice (Czechia (Czech Republic)-CEL).

As expected, Zach Fucale, the former #1 draft pick of Montreal and a Calder Cup champion Hershey Bears member, joins Vitali Kravtsov with Traktor Chelyabinsk (Russia-KHL). He makes 42 AHL players, with 23 of 32 AHL teams affected by players signing in Europe.

Leon Gawanke’s transfer back home to Germany was canceled as he signed a new deal with Winnipeg/Manitoba.

With 22 signees, Sweden is far ahead of the countries players are heading to.

The Arizona State Sun Devils have shed their independent label. Starting next season, the school has chosen to become the ninth member of the NCHC conference. Surprisingly, there weren’t a part of a Western expansion, as part of a necessary Western presence that is required with the number of players in the western part of the US-the largest growth area is in Texas, Arizona, and Southern California.

Clarkson announces alcohol will be sold at games on campus this fall. Now that they have broken the barrier, colleges, and beer companies will make a significant money grab for beer sales and sponsorship deals.

James Shannon (Greenwich/Brunswick School) commits to Quinnipiac University. He played last year with Coquitlam (BCHL) and Sloan Farmer (Old Greenwich/Brunswick School). He uncommitted collegiately and departed for the Whitecourt Wolverines (AJHL). Jake Kloss (Canterbury Scool-New Milford) migrates to Wilkes Barre/Scranton (NCDC).

Team dismantlement has even reached the high school level. The Taft (Watertown) Rhinos, the New England School champion, loses its star goalie Rudy Guimond, drafted by Detroit in the sixth round (169th overall) in last month’s NHL draft. He heads to Cedar Rapids (USHL) next year, then goes to Yale (ECACHL) the following year.

J.J. Lemieux goes to the Rochester Jr. Americans (NAHL). Zave Greene moves on to Wesleyan University (NESCAC) in Middletown. Joining Greene are Hayden Haynes (Old Greenwich) and Henry Metz, both of Salisbury School.

Liam Kilfoil, despite a high pick in the QMJHL Draft (3rd overall by Halifax), heads to Dubuque (USHL) next year, collegiately still uncommitted.

Peter Unger departs Frederick Gunn School for the Northern Cyclones (NCDC) along with 6’7″ Will Reardon (Loomis Chaffe), who is a commit to the Holy Cross Crusaders (AHA) in 24-25. Then, teammates Dylan Thorn and Kyle Smyth both leave for the Grand Prairie Storm (AJHL).

Former player Mike Murtagh leaves Nanaimo (BCHL) and is expected to attend UCONN (HE) in the fall. He was drafted this year by Minnesota (NAHL) and last year by Sioux City (USHL).

Former Loomis Chaffe player Ryan Staple, who switched prep schools to St. George’s Prep (RIPREP) last year, heads to Yale next year. Matt Hanscom departs Westminster Prep (Simsbury) for the Blackfalds Bulldogs (AJHL), coached by ex-Pack Ryan Tobler. He’ll hook up at RPI (ECACHL) with current teammate Ryan Shaw 2024-25.

NEW YORK RANGERS

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HARTFORD, CT – The annual NHL free agency shopping spree has begun for the New York Rangers; with serious salary cap issues, they’re shopping for deals in the clearance bins.

On Friday, the Rangers announced who they made qualifying offers to and who they didn’t.

The Rangers qualified their two most important restricted free agents, Alexis Lafreniere and K’Andre Miller.

The Hartford Wolf Pack had three players qualified. After a solid second half, Ty Emberson is in the unique CBA Group 6 category. Also qualified after his original two-year deal ended was fellow rearguard, and one of the few on the roster with significant size, at 6’4 “, was Brandon Scanlin. Lastly, and a bit of a surprise, was right-wing Lauri Pajuniemi.

At times Pajuniemi was an unhappy camper. He saw no recalls in his two years in Hartford and had already signed with his Swedish team Malmö IF (Sweden-SHL). He likely has a window before training camp in Sweden begins next month, where he’ll be allowed to sign an NHL deal without penalty.

Winger Anton Blidh signed a new two-year deal paying $775K for play in the NHL and $350K for play in the AHL two weeks after the playoffs ended.

UFA’s Ryan Carpenter, Tim Gettinger, and Wyatt Kalynuk got new deals with other teams on the same terms.

Carpenter re-signed with the San Jose Sharks, who he broke in with his first year. He signed a one-way, one-year deal at $775K.

Kalynuk signed with the St. Louis Blues. He also signed a $775K one-way contract and could wind up playing up the road at the Blues’ affiliate in Springfield.

Gettinger signed with the Detroit Red Wings for $775K. He will likely play for the Grands Rapids Griffins in the AHL, moving closer to his friends and family in Ohio.

Will Lockwood, Adam Clendening, Patrick Khordorenko, who played in just four games before separating his shoulder and ending his season, and Libor Hajek, all remained unsigned as of the end of business on Saturday.

RANGERS SIGNINGS

The Rangers signed veterans Jonathan Quick, Blake Wheeler, Alex Belzile, Riley Nash, a Pack killer in Charlotte with the Checkers last year, and Connecticut product and resident Nick Bonino.

Quick is from Hamden and received a one-year $825K deal from the Blueshirts.

The three-time Stanley Cup Champion started last year in LA and was traded twice on Trade Deadline Day in March. He spent half a day with the Columbus Blue Jackets before being dealt to the Vegas Golden Knights, where he earned that third Stanley Cup ring.

Quick went to and played for Hamden High School Green Dragons under Todd Hall, the ex-Pack assistant coach. Hall was then a recently retired player and retired as Hamden’s head coach a year ago.

Quick also went on to play prep school hockey at the Avon Old Farms (AOF), the acclaimed program coached by John Gardner, who also had Cheshire’s Brian Leetch there at one time too.

At the time, AOF’s assistant coach was former Hartford Whaler, Ranger, and Wolf Pack assistant coach, Ulf Samuelsson.

AOF has produced several Stanley Cup champions starting with Leetch (the first to go to the NHL), Quick, Bonino, and 12 others who have gone on to play in the NHL, including the retired Matt Martin (Hamden), ex-Bridgport Sound Tiger/Wolf Pack and Yalie, Jeff Hamilton, another former Yale Bulldog, Chris Higgins, and presently Anaheim’s Trevor Zegras.

Wheeler comes to New York after spending over a decade with the Winnipeg Jets on a super cap friendly $800K deal for one year.

Belzile was with the Montreal Canadiens last year. He gets a two-year cap complaint deal at $775K per season. He is a depth addition and will likely play in Hartford. He split last year between Laval and injury-riddled Montreal and was Laval’s captain. He has been in the Montreal system for the previous five years. He’s been in Laval for the last three years and the team’s last two years in St. John’s. He is an 11-year minor pro veteran who played in San Antonio for his first three years.

Riley Nash gets two years at $775K on a one-way ticket.

Bonino is from Unionville, near the RI border. He grew up in Farmington. He signed a one-year deal at $800K and played for the San Jose Sharks and Pittsburgh Penguins last year.

The Rangers added depth at defense for Hartford in signing Connor Mackey to a one-year, two-way deal at $775K for NHL play and $400K in the AHL. He split thirty games last season between the Calgary Flames and Arizona Coyotes and played ten more for the USA WC Team, where he replaced Nikko Mikkola on the depth chart, who left for the Florida Panthers.

More relief was brought for the Wolf Pack blueline, which began the day with just four players. Signed was Nikolas Brouillard, to a one-year, $775K one-way money. He played in San Diego Gulls for the last three years. In Juniors, he played for five years in the QMJHL for Drummondville, Quebec, and Rouyn-Noranda and was an All-Star three times.

He spent three years in Montreal at McGill University (OUAA) in Canadian college hockey under the guidance of head coach and ex-Pack, David Urquhart before heading to San Diego.

NOTES:

Ex-Pack Jesper Fast re-signs a two-year deal in Carolina with the Hurricanes for $2.4M.

Two ex-Wolf Pack goalies sign deals as Cam Talbot departs Ottawa for the LA Kings signing a one-year $1M contract, and Dustin Tokarski signs a one-year, two-way deal with the Buffalo Sabres for $775K.

New Canaan’s Max Pacioretty (Taft) moves up the East Coast and signs a one-year $2M contract in Washington with the Capitals.

Former Sound Tiger Kyle Burroughs heads down the West Coast from the Vancouver Canucks to the San Jose Sharks for three years at $1.1M annually.

Ryan MacKinnon leaves Bridgeport for Belleville Senators, whose contract has not yet been posted.

Nick Bjugstad, the nephew of ex-New Haven Nighthawk Scott Bjugstad, leaves the Edmonton Oilers and signs in Arizona for two years at $2.1M.

Vladimir Namestnikov, a former Ranger and son of ex-Pack Evgeny “John” Namestnikov, re-ups with Winnipeg, who Tampa Bay traded for two more years at $2M.

Connor Clifton (Quinnipiac University), who faded at the end of the season in Boston, incredibly gets three years at $3.3M per in Buffalo. Another former Bobcat, Brogan Rafferty, leaves Coachella Valley and the Seattle organization and signs a two-year, one-way deal for $775K with Detroit.

The Red Wings sign former Yale Bulldog Alex Lyon, who was largely responsible for the Florida Panthers getting in the playoffs. The goalie signs for two years at $900K per one-way with a Calder Cup title in his back pocket.

The Seattle Kraken signed ex-Yale Bulldog John Hayden to a one-year extension at $775K.

Ex-Pack Vinni Lettieri returns home to Minnesota and signs a two-year, two-way deal $775K-NHL/$550K-AHL with the Wild. Former CT Whale Jayson Megna departs San Jose to replace him in Providence. The Bruins signed him to a one-year deal at $775K.

Ex-Pack Ryan Graves leaves the New Jersy Devils for Pittsburgh and signs a six-year deal for $4.5M per season. He led the NHL plus/minus the last two years.

Justin Richards, who couldn’t throw the puck in the net two years ago, leaves Columbus for Buffalo for a one-year, one-way $775K deal.

Leaving St. Louis for Tampa Bay is Logan Brown, the son of former Whaler Jeff Brown, signs a one-year, two-way deal for $775K-NHL/$250K-AHL.

Noel Acciari (Kent School), who split last year between St. Louis and the Toronto Maple Leafs, signs a three-year deal in Pittsburgh for $2M per.

And still searching for new deals in the NHL, AHL, or Europe are;

Michael Del Zotto (Anaheim ex-Pack/Ranger)
Jack McBain (Arizona, son of former New Haven Senator Andrew)
Malte Stromwall (Carolina ex-Pack)
Andy Welinski (Chicago via Rockford ex-Pack)
Keith Kinkaid (Colorado with ex-Pack)
Ross Colton (Taft) (just acquired this week by Colorado, and before he could even put on an Avalanche jersey)
Jon Gillies (Columbus, Salisbury School, played with three teams last year)
Magnus Hellberg and Danny O’Regan (Detroit, ex-Pack)
J.F. Berube (Florida, ex-Sound Tiger/Wolf Pack)
Anthony Bitetto (ex-Pack)
Oliver Wahlstrom (Islanders/ex-Sound Tiger)
Kieffer Bellows (Philadelphia ex-Sound Tiger)
Peter Diliberatore (Pittsburgh, via Scranton/Wilkes Barre – was acquired at the trade deadline, Quinnipiac)
Strauss Mann (San Jose, Greenwich/Brunswick School)
Vitali Kravtsov (Vancouver, but already bolted back to Russia to Traktor Chelyabinsk of the KHL)
Morgan Barron (Winnipeg ex-Pack)

The Bridgeport Islanders did not qualify Collin Adams, Blade Jenkins, and the already-in-Europe, Bode Wild.

Ivan Nikolishin, the son of former Whaler Andrei Nikolishin, has left Amur Khaborvsk (Russia-KHL) with no new destination yet.

NEW YORK RANGERS

HARTFORD WOLF PACK

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The post FREE AGENCY AND THE NEW YORK RANGERS first appeared on Howlings.

By: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings

WILKES-BARRE, PA – The Hartford Wolf Pack defeated the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins 5-1 to finish their final three-in-three weekend of the season in a strong fashion at the Mohegan Sun Arena on Sunday.

With eight games to go, the win sets up a major contest with in-state, Atlantic Division rival, the Bridgeport Islanders (30-25-7-1 68 points). The Wolf Pack trail Bridgeport by one point for the last playoff spot in the Atlantic Division. They head for a showdown for a crucial mid-week showdown Wednesday night at the XL Center.

In the third period, the Wolf Pack (28-25-4-7 67 points) effectively kept the Penguins, undermanned by recalls and injuries, under wraps and at bay to secure the win.

With Libor Hajek in the penalty box on a Tripping call at 9:40,  on the resulting power play, Drew Cagguila collided with Jonny Brodzinski at the Penguins’ blue line. Afterward, Cagguila got back into the flow and received a pass at the midway point of the Wolf Pack zone. He then found Jon Gruden all alone on the left wing-side. Gruden wired a shot high to the short side inside the right post on Louis Domingue to register the only Penguins goal on the power play at 10:31.

That made it 4-1, and it remained that way until, with only 36 seconds left, Turner Elson took a Tim Gettinger pass to score the empty net goal for the 5-1 final.

The Penguins had plenty of Grade-A scoring chances that Domingue stopped.  Tyler Sikura, Sam Houde, and Nathan Légaré all challenged Domingue with their chances only to see those chances evaporate. With 4:06 left, Filip Hållander had a golden opportunity over a down on the ice Domingue but put his backhander over the crossbar.

After Josh Maniscalco’s effort that Domingue denied, the Pack netminder tried to shoot for the empty net after former Pack goaltender Dustin Tokarski was pulled for an extra attacker, but his airborne attempt was knocked down in the zone and forced him to make a save instead.

The Pack could have scored two final empty net goals, but Tanner Fritz’s tally was ruled offside.

SECOND PERIOD

In the second period, the Penguins came out gunning and fired the first seven shots before the Pack registered their first shot at 9:35.

Despite being held to one credited shot on goal to that point, the Pack made the second one count.

Newcomer Anton Blidh tallied his tenth of the season after Turner Elson fired it behind the net. Penguins defenseman Jon Lizotte mishandled the puck and gave it right to Blidh, who quickly lifted it over Tokarski’s right shoulder, off the crossbar, and in for a 4-0  lead at 10:27.

Shortly afterward, the Penguins nearly scored as Peter DiLibertore’s dump-in ricocheted off a stanchion that separates the glass behind the net, which trapped Domingue, who was out to play the puck. The carom went to Cagguila, but a combination of defenseman Wyatt Kalynuk and Domingue each got a piece of the puck and incredibly kept it out of the net at 10:54.

With 3:06 left, Tokarski made a remarkable right skate save, preventing Will Cullye from a goal celebration. He then stopped Will Lockwood with a blocker save and denied Elson with 1:31 remaining.

Blidh, just one game removed from returning from his transatlantic trip from Sweden, put the puck off the crossbar on Tokarski.

FIRST PERIOD

The Pack controlled the game from the start in a must-win game situation.

16 seconds after the opening faceoff, Zac Jones maneuvered with the puck through the whole Penguins team and fired the first Wolf Pack shot of the game that found the back of the net. It was the fastest-scored goal for the Pack to start a road game this season and second fastest overall. It was Jones’ eighth of the season.

At 6:25, the Wolf Pack pushed the gas pedal to the floor as Ryan Carpenter was on the left wing side. He found Will Lockwood, speeding through the middle of the ice and surging past the Penguins’ defense, and gave him the puck. Lockwood registered his second Wolf Pack goal and 14th of the season overall for the 2-0 lead.

Former Quinnipiac player and now Penguins’ defenseman Peter DiLiberatore put the puck out of play, earning a two-minute visit to the penalty box for a Delay of Game call at 13:19. It took the Pack only 14 seconds to make the Penguins pay for the 23-year-old’s mistake.

Fritz was low the right-wing wall and fired a perfect cross-ice pass through the box to Pack captain Jonny Brodzinski, who buried his 19th of the season at 13:33.

At 18:05, rookie Brett Berard had a quality chance on one of the 14 shots the Pack fired at Tokarski, who was just sent down from the parent Pittsburgh Penguins.

LINES:

Cullye-Leschyshyn-Brodzinski
Gettinger-Lockwood-Carpenter
Fritz-Pajuniemi-Blidh
Elson-Berard-Trivigno

Jones-Emberson
Hájek-Scanlin
Clendening- Kalynuk

Domingue
Garand

SCRATCHES:

Matt Robertson (Upper-body, long-term)
Cristiano DiGiacinto (Healthy)
Karl Henriksson (Healthy)
Matt Rempe (Healthy)
Blake Hillman (Healthy)
Patrick Khordorenko (Season-ending shoulder surgery)
C.J. Smith (Hip area surgery done for the season)

NOTES:

Wilkes Barrer/Scranton recalled Louie Roehl from the Wheeling Nailers (ECHL), but he was scratched.

Quinnipiac was victorious at the NCAA Regional in Bridgeport 4-1 over Ohio State. They advance to the Frozen Four in Tampa against Michigan, where Sandy Hook’s Mackie Samoskevich (Chicago) scored at 52 seconds of overtime with a lightning wrist shot over Penn State that sent Michigan to their 27th Frozen Four appearance.

Boston University, who feature former Avon Old Farms player Jamie Armstrong, the son of Arizona Coyotes’ GM Bill Armstrong, will play Bryce Brodzinski, the youngest brother of Jonny Brodzinski and Minnesota, in the other semifinal game.

Next Saturday night’s Wolf Pack game against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms will be broadcast on the NHL Network live in a prime-time slot at 7 PM.

HARTFORD WOLF PACK

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The post HARTFORD WOLF PACK BEAT WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON PENGUINS first appeared on Howlings.

By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack

WILKES-BARRE, PA – The Hartford Wolf Pack wrapped up their final three-in-three set of the season with a strong performance on Sunday afternoon, cruising to a 5-1 victory over the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins to earn four of a possible six points on the weekend.

Will Lockwood continued a career year on Sunday, potting his 14^th goal of the season 6:25 into the contest. Entering the zone on a two-on-one with Ryan Carpenter, Lockwood took a pass and went to his backhand before lifting a shot over Dustin Tokarski to give the Wolf Pack a 2-0 lead. The goal was Lockwood’s second with the club and would stand as the game-winner.

For the second meeting in a row with the Penguins, the Wolf Pack would score in the game’s opening minute to take a lead they never lost. Zac Jones collected a puck in the neutral zone and danced into the Penguins’ end, weaving his way to the top of the left-wing circle before snapping a shot toward the goal. The shot beat Tokarski by the glove, giving the Wolf Pack the lead 16 seconds into the game.

Lockwood would then extend the Hartford lead to 2-0 at the 6:25 mark, scoring on the two-on-one rush with Carpenter. However, Hartford’s dominant period ended with a third goal at 13:33, this time on the powerplay. Tanner Fritz held the puck on the right wing wall, setting things up on Hartford’s third powerplay of the night. The veteran forward sent a perfect pass across the ice to Jonny Brodzinski, who fired a quick shot from the left-wing circle that beat Tokarski for the captain’s 18^th goal of the season.

Anton Blidh made it a 4-0 game 10:27 into the middle frame, taking a loose puck behind the Penguins’ goal, making his way to the front of the net, and snapping a backhand shot over the shoulder of Tokarski. The shot rang the crossbar and landed in the back of the net for Blidh’s tenth goal of the season.

The Penguins did get a powerplay goal at 10:31 of the third period, as Jonathan Gruden beat Louis Domingue for his 15^th goal of the season. However, it wouldn’t be enough in the end, as Turner Elson fired the dagger into an empty net at 19:24 for his 13^th goal of the campaign.

Domingue made 27 saves for his second victory in as many outings in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton this season against his former club.

The Pack return to the XL Center on Wednesday, March 29^th, hosting the Bridgeport Islanders in the penultimate installment of the ‘Battle of Connecticut’ this season. The puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m. To get tickets, visit www.hartfordwolfpack.com.

About OVG360: OVG360, a division of Oak View Group, is a full-service venue management and hospitality company that helps client partners reimagine the sports, live entertainment, and convention industries for the betterment of the venue, employees, artists, athletes, and surrounding communities. With a portfolio of more than 200 client partners spanning arenas, stadiums, convention centers, performing arts centers, cultural institutions, and state fairs around the globe, OVG360 provides services, resources, and expertise designed to elevate every aspect of business that matters to venue operators. Service-oriented and driven by social responsibility, OVG360 helps facilities drive value through excellence and innovation in food services, booking and content development, sustainable operations, public health and safety, and more.

ABOUT THE HARTFORD WOLF PACK: The Hartford Wolf Pack has been a premier franchise in the American Hockey League since the team’s inception in 1997. The Wolf Pack is the top player-development affiliate of the NHL’s New York Rangers and plays at the XL Center. The Wolf Pack has been home to some of the Rangers’ newest faces, including Igor Shesterkin, Filip Chytil, and Ryan Lindgren. Follow the Wolf Pack on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok.

HARTFORD WOLF PACK

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The post HARTFORD WOLF PACK CRUSH WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON PENGUINS first appeared on Howlings.

By Gerry Cantlon, Howlings

HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack put up a furious comeback effort in the third period to send the game to overtime, but they fell short in the shootout and fell 4-3 to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in the 2022-23 home opener before a large and loud crowd at the XL Center Saturday night.

“We’ve started the season off with some terrific teams. It’s been a tough start is an understatement right now. We had a chance to capitalize on a team that played last night and we didn’t. We played well in third and if we had a little more time, we could’ve done something (tie it up), but we didn’t, “said a reflective head coach Kris Knoblauch.

New veteran player C.J. Smith scored twice in the third to rally a Wolf Pack despite a horrendous second as they gutted out a point in a game they were outplayed for long stretches to earn that solo point in the standings.

His first tally at 3:58 on the powerplay, he zipped over Filip Lindberg’s glove to the upper part of the net.

His second marker evened the game at 17:24 and was his third of the season. It came from 35 feet out on a hard wrister from off the right-wing wall.

Smith had shown in Chicago his desire to be around the puck in pressure situations, and he was a difference-maker in this game.

“I want the puck. I wanna score. I want it as much as I can,” commented Smith.

With this new crop of Wolf Pack players, finding a team identity is their present struggle.

“We’re still trying to find (our identity) as the game went along. We found ourselves finally, and finished strong. We finally got pucks in deep and were able to work on their D better. We need a little more jam from the whole team right now. We have to find identity first, by building trust out there. They go hand in hand.”

It’s not selfish play; just we have a learning curve here with a lot of young guys. Pro hockey is hard. The AHL is hard. It’s a learning process.”

Knoblauch is enthused with his early season contributions.

“We brought him in to give our lineup a boost. He can carry the puck and create offense. He’s getting more comfortable now, and its showing. The first weekend he was just there. Tonight, you could tell right off the bat, he was tougher to check against. With his two goals tonight that’s why we exactly brought him here,” remarked Knoblauch in his post-game press conference.

The turnovers and fundamental lack of defense in the second period left goaltender Louie Domingue hung out to dry to a solid Wilkes-Barre offense. Nevertheless, they managed to jump out to a 3-0 lead. Andy Andovski got behind the Pack’s Andy Zelinski and Domingue in a position where he could do nothing, giving Andovski his first pro goal.

Then Alexnder Nylander, the son of former Hartford Whaler and New York Ranger Michael Nylander, got to a loose puck just outside the blue line. He walked on the left wing side from 35 feet out and used Zelinski as a screen for a shot that got past Domingue.

The second period saw the Penguins score quickly twice and maintain general control of the play as Wolf Pack puck management was non-existent. About 15 seconds after C.J. Smith rang one off the post, a Matt Robertson turnover to Jon Lizotte resulted in his shuffling the puck ahead to a wide-open Filip Hållander. He split the defense and scored on a breakaway from twenty feet out. Just like that, the Wolf Pack was down 3-0.

“We played a good first and third period. The first 15 minutes of the second, we were awful. In the offensive and defensive zone, our puck management wasn’t there and it hurt us. In a long season, you’ll have mistakes. I didn’t like what I saw out there. (We) won’t have a good season with those types of mistakes,” Knoblauch said.

Domingue made two of his 12 stops on Drew O’Connor on the same sequence midway through the period. The first came off the left-wing side and then from off the right to keep the score what it was.

The only piece of good Wolf Pack news came on their second goal. Julien Gauthier got his second goal of the year from 35 feet out from the slot as Robertson’s left point shot hit some legs and sticks. However, the puck was unattended, and Gauthier swooped right in on the right wing, unloaded, and put the Wolf Pack on the board. 

NOTES:

The Pack opening game night attendance was 5,001. It was a healthy number, but far short of the team record 12,934 for their first home opener in 1997 against the now defunct Portland (ME) Pirates. In addition, it was the second-worst opening night attendance behind last year’s 4,119.

Last weekend, ex-Pack Adam Cracknell of the Tucson Roadrunners, playing at the unheard-of age of 37, played in his 1,000th professional game. That includes ten years and ten teams in the AHL, ECHL, Europe, and of course, the NHL. The game was in Henderson, Neva, da at the brand-new Dollar Loam Arena, which opened late last season.

Tip of the chapeau to the Henderson Silver Knights for allowing his father to announce the Roadrunners’ opening lineup last week. A grand gesture on their opening night.

Ex-Pack Phil DiGuiseppe was sent to Abbotsford by Vancouver. It was strictly as a cap casualty to keep the Canucks in CBA compliance. They have no money left at the NHL level. It’s reminiscent of ex-Pack Jason LaBarbera, who is now Calgary’s goalie coach (another ex-Wolf Pack, Mackenzie Skapski, is their AHL goalie coach at the Calgary Wranglers) situation in 2006-07. He was in Manchester when the Kings hid and dumped his NHL salary.

A confusing late development when former UCONN forward Vladislav Firstov was reassigned from Iowa to Torpedo Novgorod (Russia-KHL) yesterday.

Confusing how?

The NHL, and by extension, the AHL, supposedly broke off all contact with the KHL over Russia’s invasion and subsequent destruction in Ukraine.

However, AHL players past and present are still signing there, and now this reassignment.

How?

Isn’t the war still going in Ukraine?

An AHL coach, who requested anonymity, said, “Sooner or later, they’ll all have to leave. It’s getting worse. It’s not getting better over there. Look at the young girl over there (WNBA forward Brittany Greiner). She got ten years. They all have targets on their back. Something bad is going to happen like Greiner. They’re hostage bait.”

Bridgeport sent Ryan MacKinnon and Jimmy Lambert to Worcester (ECHL).

Islanders prized rookie William Dufour scored the game’s first goal Friday 1:25 in and the game-winner in OT as Bridgeport downed Providence 5-4 on the road.

The Penguins sent former UCONN captain defenseman David Drake and forward Brooklyn Kamilkov, son of former Sound Tiger Konstantin, to Wheeling (ECHL).

The Penguins have Samuel Poulin, son of former Hartford Whaler Patrick Poulin, in the lineup, but he was a late call-up to Pittsburgh. Last year in their first meeting, he scored in the final minute of regulation to tie the game.

The ECHL opens this weekend, and only one of the 27 teams doesn’t have either an ex-Pack, Islander/Sound Tiger, UCONN/Yale/Quinnipiac/Sacred Heart University, or a Connecticut resident connection, and that’s the Newfoundland (St. John’s) Growlers, the Double AA affiliate of the Toronto Marlies.

The biggest surprise was former Sound Tiger Bode Wild in Atlanta.

Seven ex-Packs from last year are starting the season there.

In college hockey, #14 ranked UCONN Huskies improved to 5-1 with a 4-2 OT win at BU Friday night. Nick Capone (East Haven/Salisbury School) continued his strong start with another goal for the Tampa Bay Lightning draft pick.

The Terriers saw postgraduate former Avon Old Farms Winged Beaver Jamie Armstrong, son of Arizona GM Bill, collect a goal and an assist.

On Saturday night, the Huskies lost 4-2 to BU.

In a big season early season college match-up, the Minnesota Golden Gophers, led by captain Jonny Brodzinski’s youngest brother Bryce, had a strong 3-2 come-from-behind OT win over North Dakota in a highly entertaining game.

A little overseas note as former Nighthawk Andrei Kovalev starts his second season as a head coach with Dynamo Maladzyechna in Belarus for the Vyassha Hockey League (VHL) in which their AHL equivalent and ex-Pack Petr Skudra, also in Belarus in the National League as the head coach of Saryarka Karaganda.

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By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack

HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack host the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in the home opener at the XL Center.

The Pack have returned as tonight they will take the ice at the XL Center for the first time during the 2022-23 season for the 26^th home opener in franchise history. The club opens the home portion of the schedule with a visit from the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.

The puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m.

Tale of The Tape:

This is the first of six meetings between the Wolf Pack and Penguins during the 2022-23 season and the first of three at the XL Center. The Penguins will also make stops in Hartford on February 4^th and April 14^th. The clubs next meet on November 11^th in Pennsylvania.

The division rivals split a six-game series last year, with the home team winning all six meetings. The Wolf Pack posted a record of 3-2-1-0, while the Penguins went 3-2-0-1.

In the last meeting on April 24^th, the Wolf Pack took a 6-3 decision in their season finale. Alex Whelan and Lauri Pajuniemi each scored a pair for the Pack, while Bobby Trivigno scored his first professional goal. Filip Hållander scored a pair for the Penguins in defeat, while Alex Nylander also hit the scoresheet.

Hartford is 27-29-8-2 with one tie against the Penguins all-time.

Wolf Pack Outlook:

The Wolf Pack opened their season with a pair of defeats in Charlotte at the hands of the Checkers last weekend. After a 4-3 overtime defeat on Friday night, Hartford dropped a 3-1 decision to the Checkers on Saturday night in the weekend finale. Dylan Garand made 28 saves in the loss, and Turner Elson notched a powerplay goal for his first tally with the club, but Riley Nash’s third-period powerplay goal would prove to be the difference. Connor Bunnaman and Santtu Kinnunen (ENG) also scored for the Checkers in the win.

Will Cuylle (1 g, 1 a), Elson (1 g, 1 a), and Matthew Robertson (2 a) are tied for the Wolf Pack’s scoring lead through one weekend of play. Cuylle also leads the club with eight shots in just two games.

Hartford scored a powerplay goal in both opening weekend games, while Pajuniemi scored on Friday night to notch his second opening night goal in as many seasons.

Penguins Outlook:

The Penguins opened a three-in-three weekend with their first victory of the season last night, defeating the Laval Rocket 2-1. Nylander opened the scoring 7:11 in with a powerplay goal, while Nathan Legare scored his first of the season at 13:36 of the contest to make it a 2-0 game. Dustin Tokarski tossed aside 26 shots for his first win of the campaign.

Following tonight’s contest, the Pens will head to Providence to take on the Bruins tomorrow afternoon.

Nylander leads the Pens in scoring with four points (2 g, 2 a) through three official games.

The Penguins’ second game of the season, played in Utica against the Comets on Monday night, was suspended due to a power outage at the building. That game will be completed on January 24^th in Utica.

Game Information:

WATCH: AHLTV
LISTEN: Mixlr

Tonight, the first 1,500 fans through the door will receive a 2022-23 Wolf Pack magnetic schedule courtesy of Pepsi Zero Sugar! Are you coming to tonight’s game? Be sure to be in your seat early for the introduction of the team! Can’t make it? Play-by-play voice of the Wolf Pack, Alex Thomas, will have ‘Wolf Pack Pregame’ starting at 6:40 p.m. on AHLTV and Mixlr. The pregame festivities will air live.

Tickets are available at hartfordwolfpack.com.

About OVG360: OVG360, a division of Oak View Group, is a full-service venue management and hospitality company that helps client partners reimagine the sports, live entertainment, and convention industries for the betterment of the venue, employees, artists, athletes, and surrounding communities. With a portfolio of more than 200 client partners spanning arenas, stadiums, convention centers, performing arts centers, cultural institutions, and state fairs around the globe, OVG360 provides services, resources, and expertise designed to elevate every aspect of business that matters to venue operators. Service-oriented and driven by social responsibility, OVG360 helps facilities drive value through excellence and innovation in food services, booking and content development, sustainable operations, public health, public safety, and more.

ABOUT THE HARTFORD WOLF PACK: The Hartford Wolf Pack has been a premier franchise in the American Hockey League since the team’s inception in 1997. The Wolf Pack is the top player-development affiliate of the NHL’s New York Rangers and plays at the XL Center. The Wolf Pack has been home to some of the Rangers’ newest faces, including Igor Shesterkin, Filip Chytil, and Ryan Lindgren. Follow the Wolf Pack on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok.

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HARTFORD WOLF PACK OPEN TRAINING CAMP

By: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings

HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack opened training camp as the cool brisk feel of a cold rink filled the air as the 26th edition of the New York Rangers AHL affiliate kicked off at the XL Center on Monday.

The organization thoroughly revamped the roster to cleanse the hockey palate after leaving such a sour taste at the end of last season. Therefore there will be a new generation of Pack players with a new style. Despite the complete overhaul, roster positions will be hard to come by. A surprising number of those at training camp will head to Jacksonville to play for the team’s ECHL affiliate, the IceMen.

The few tryouts at each position are varied. The smattering includes a former Arizona State defenseman who transferred from Bowling Green (CCHA) in Tim Theocharidaris. He played a few games at the end of last season with the Adirondack Thunder (ECHL) and Utica Comets. In addition, the team granted ex-UCONN Husky Joe Masonius a tryout. He hooked up with another Adirondack/Utica connection who spent some time in Ft. Wayne with the Komets last year and is signed with the Kalamazoo Wings (ECHL) for this season.

Up front, the former BC Eagle Sam Sternschein, who is already signed with Jacksonville, where he had already played eleven games and got the third tryout. Next, Brendan Harris,  who played collegiately with Bemidji St. (NCHC), was granted one. After that, he played for the Icemen (ECHL), the Double AA team of Hartford, and Wheeling. Finally, Jake Ryczek, a Springfield, MA native, is already signed by Adirondack (ECHL).

Big goalie Talyn Boyko is here under an ATO (amateur) tryout and will be going back to Kelowna (WHL) when camp ends.

The lineup is as follows;

Forwards (19): Easton Brodzinski, Will Cuylle, Cristiano DiGiacinto, Turner Elson, Tanner Fritz, Tim Gettinger, Brendan Harris, Karl Henriksson, Zach Jordan, Patrick Khodorenko, Ryder Korczak, Ryan Lohin, Lauri Pajuniemi, Matt Rempe, Austin Rueschhoff, C.J. Smith, Sam Sternschein, Bobby Trivigno, and Alex Whelan.

Defensemen (12): Ty Emberson, Zach Giuttari, Louka Henault, Blake Hillman, Luke Martin, Joe Masonius, Matthew Robertson, Jake Ryczek, Brandon Scanlin, Hunter Skinner, Tim Theocharidis,

Goaltenders (5): Talyn Boyko, Louis Domingue, Parker Gahagen, Dylan Garand, and Olof Lindbom.

The Wolf Pack open the 2022-23 season on Friday, October 14th, when they visit the Charlotte Checkers at 7:00 PM with ex-Pack Anthony Bitetto just sent down by the parent club, the Florida Panthers. Then, the Wolf Pack hosts its home opener on Saturday, October 22nd, at 7 PM when the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and their goaltender, the recently sent down ex-Pack, Dustin Tokarski, provide the opposition.

NOTES:

Patrick Sieloff was a Pack defenseman two years ago. Then, he signed a tryout deal with the all-new San Jose Barracuda and their brand-new arena, The Tech CU Center.

Ex-Pack Magnus Hellberg has gotten himself back to the NHL. He was picked off waivers from the Seattle Krakken from Ottawa after the Senators lost ex-CT Whale/Wolf Pack Cam Talbot for five to seven weeks to a broken rib, according to the Ottawa Sun, in a freak pre-game injury.

Hellberg has had an incredible hockey journey over the past year. First, he was in the KHL in the Olympic city of HC Sochi in his fifth year (one in China, four in Russia). Then, with the outbreak of the Ukrainian War, he left after representing Sweden in last year’s Olympics and again at the World Championships.

Hellberg signed with the Detroit Red Wings and played a late-season game. He is likely ticketed for the Grands Rapids Griffins this year. He wound up with the Seattle Krakken in mid-July with the Coachella Valley Firebirds (Palm Springs), his likely new residence, and here he winds up in Ottawa, the Canadian capital city.

Ex-Pack Greg McKegg was sent to the Bakersfield Condors.

UCONN traveled and swept their first Hockey East series of the season. They won 3-1 over the Vermont Catamounts as Matt Wood posted another goal and two points. Vermont post-grad Andrew Lucas added another two points. Arsenii Sergeev got his first win, and Chase Bradley got his first goal. Former Husky Jonny Evans is in camp with the Hershey Bears.

Fellow former teammates were assigned to their AHL teams.

Jáchym Kondelík and goalie Tomáš Vomáčka, both from Czechia (Czech Republic), were sent to the Milwaukee Admirals. Luke Evangelista is the second cousin of former Hartford Whaler and now Toronto Maple Leafs President Brendan Shanahan.

The Arizona Coyotes have some ties to Connecticut.

Former New Haven Senator John Ferguson, Jr. is the Assistant GM of the Coyotes and the GM of the Tucson RoadRunners (AHL).

Former New England Whaler, as well as a great player and Hartford Whaler Coach/GM, Larry Pleau, is a special advisor to the GM.

West Haven’s Eric Boguniecki, who played at Westminster Prep and the Gunn School, formerly known as The Gunnery School, and who was an assistant coach of the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, is now an Arizona Pro Scout.

Luke Curadi of Cheshire, who played public school hockey at Notre Dame-West Haven and junior hockey with the Hartford Jr. Wolf Pack and a training camp invitee for the AHL Wolf Pack, is in his second year as a Coyotes amateur scout.

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HARTFORD, CT – The bench boss is back!

Head Coach Kris Knoblauch is back with the Hartford Wolf Pack after a two-week stint with the NY Rangers after it became necessary for Head Coach David Quinn and the entire coaching staff to quarantine per NHL’s COVID-19 protocols.

“Just like the players; up and back,” Knoblauch said with a chuckle.

When asked about his treatment by the parent NY Rangers, Knoblauch said, “They treated me nicely. I’m very grateful for that opportunity. It was unusual but rewarding.”

GETTING THE CALL

It’s incredibly rare for coaches to be recalled to the parent team, with the exception being firings. However, with Covid-19, the unusual has become commonplace.  Even given the unusual circumstances around their promotion, Knoblauch and Associate Head Coach, Gord Murphy,  were caught thoroughly off guard.

“I was on the ice just finishing practice, and I got a note to call Chris (Drury) immediately. That usually means a player is being called up immediately. This time, it wasn’t a player they needed; it was a coach they needed. (I was told) The tests (results) were not yet known, so go home, pack, and get here (New York). We don’t know if we need you for one game or five games.”

Murphy thought he was kidding until he put his skates and all his gear in his hockey bag.

Once summoned, Knoblauch raced home to pack some clothes. he was totally unprepared for either a day’s work or, as it turned out to be, five games worth.

“We checked into the hotel about 3:30 or 4:00 then got over to the rink to get all the pre-game scout info,” Knoblauch said, recounting the time-compressed crazy afternoon he experienced.

He and Murphy had to drive to New York in separate cars, not limousines, as further Covid precaution.

“Got to plan if one guy’s tests don’t match up,” Knoblauch said in relaying just how insane this situation was.

PREPARING FOR THE FIRST GAME

He received the pre-game scouting info prepared by Rangers Assistant Coach Greg Brown and maintained communication with Head Coach David Quinn daily. They sometimes spoke two or three times regarding various topics from game tendencies to who was playing well and team situations and game operations.

Over the entire two weeks that Knoblauch coached in New York, the team had only one formal team practice.

Then came a 9-0 whitewashing of the Philadelphia Flyers in front of a limited MSG crowd. Mika Zibanejad had a hat trick and five points.

Before the game, Knoblauch focused more on the opposite hockey game he might have to contend with.

“Before the game, I was thinking the Rangers are making a big push to get in the playoffs. If it’s late and we have a 2-1 lead, who will be on the ice? If we’re down 2-1, when do I pull the goalie? Thankfully, I didn’t have to think about that at all. For that, I was very grateful.”

He has been on the bench calling line changes with names like (Jonny) Brodzinski, (Morgan) Barron, and (Tim) Gettinger. Now he’s calling Zibanejad, (Chris) Kreider, and (Filip) Chytil. It must have been a tad different.

“Well, after the first period, it was pretty easy to call the Zibanejad line,” Knoblauch said with a laugh and a whimsical smile.

GAME TWO

The Rangers won without Knoblauch on Thursday, 3-2 in OT. Chytil, an ex-Pack, scored, and they defeated the Buffalo Sabres, who featured two ex-Pack playing well, goalie Dustin Tokarski (44 saves) and former captain Steven Fogarty, who was a plus-1 with two shots in 13:31 of ice time. Tage Thompson (Milford/UCONN) scored the game-tying goal with 3.8 seconds left in regulation.

Knoblauch returns after getting a short hockey grad course and getting tossed into the firepit of NHL hockey. He comes back to Hartford with some important lessons to impart to the team he guides.

COACHING LESSONS

“I think the realization of what it takes it takes to get to the NHL, and that everybody has a role, unlike in the American (Hockey) League level. You can be a skill guy, but faceoff specialists, PK guys, physical energy guys, even more so in the NHL. For me, the scheduling (day-to-day activities) is so chaotic.”

When asked about the lessons he learned while at the NHL level, Knoblauch said, “You really learn more about yourself under adversity and difficulty,” He said reflectively. “The team was playing pretty well, so I really coached as I have always coached. I was actually coaching less on the details than I usually do because of the arrangements that had been made for us.”

He returns to find his team in a very different place than when he left.

PACK GAMES WHILE AWAY

“I watched both games. I was able to see the Providence (Bruins) game live and was impressed with how the team played; and Patty (Boller) and Jeff (Malcolm) did a great job coaching and getting them prepared to play, and they were ready.

“The Bridgeport (Sound Tigers) and Providence games were solid team efforts. We moved the puck well out of the defensive zone, and we handled the puck well in the offensive zone. I was very happy to see the effort we had,” Knoblauch said in assessing his troops during his absence.

The power play awoke from its season-long slumber and now has an 18.6% percentage, which puts it in the middle of the AHL pack rather than nesting at the nadir of the league’s rankings.

Knoblauch remarked how his secondary unit has been at the core of the recent resurgence.

“We got two goals from our second unit against Bridgeport. Overall, it’s been to simplify things. Skate faster, move the puck quicker, shoot more, and that allowed us to get more pucks to the net. We were trying to rely on skill (only). You need skill, but we needed to show more urgency, and we did.“

WHERE THE IMPROVEMENT IS COMING

The emergence of a solid scoring line consisting of rookie center Justin Richards, flanked by veteran Tim Gettinger, and the forceful play of Ty Ronning has benefitted the Wolf Pack. It makes Knoblauch quite happy about their progress and their recent results.

“They have been arguably our best line as of late, and you want them to keep that up. The more you play together, the more comfortable you get with one another and know what they’re gonna do so you can put pucks in areas. You’ll know they’ll be there even though you don’t see them or know what direction they’re going in. The more you play together, the better your chances will be. There’s a lot to like about that line.”

The Wolf Pack enter the final five weeks of the season, playing fairly close to a normal AHL schedule. In April, that can be expected, with nine games presently scheduled.

’This is why we’re here. You can have all the practices and instructions, but we’re here to play games. The competition is where the fun is. You can teach all the line drills you want, but players have to go out and show what they can do. These games at the end of March showed what we can do and set us up for this month.”

HUSKA

The team will go with the 6’4 acrobatic Adam Huska in goal for a third straight game on Friday. He gets a solid endorsement from his coach.

“He has a year under his belt. He has a calmness about him, and we got off to a shaky start, and they know we have a veteran goalie in there who has been in this situation before and provides a lot of calmness for the team. He is our starter now. Last year, he played behind (Igor) Shesterkin, and now he has the responsibility on his shoulders, and that can be intimidating; he’s our go-to guy.”

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MARLBOROUGH, MA – The Hartford Wolf Pack marched into the New England Sports Center and erased a nine-game winless streak by toppling the Providence Bruins 4-2 in an old-style, physical Providence-Hartford meeting.

The Wolf Pack record improves to 4-6-1-0 (9 pts). Providence’s record drops to 11-3-1-0 (23 pts) and is still tops in the Atlantic Division by 14 points over Hartford.

The Wolf Pack face-off against the 3-7-0-0 (6 pts) Bridgeport Sound Tigers on Saturday at 1 PM at the XL Center.

All the tweaks to the Wolf Pack lineup had their desired effect in what was their most complete game since the start of the season.

PACK DOMINATE FIRST PERIOD

The first twenty minutes added up to the best period since their opening game and where the Wolf Pack did their most damage of the day.

The team’s moribund power play, which entered the game operating at 12%, awoke scoring on their first two chances.

Rookie James Sanchez scored his first professional goal as he got the puck back after a shot on goal. Paul Thompson dislodged it from Bruins starting netminder, Jeremy Swayman. He couldn’t cover the puck, and Sanchez swooped in and jammed it home at 8:03.

Just 2:01 later, the Wolf Pack cashed in on an instigator penalty that was issued to the Bruins’ Ian MacKinnon in a wrestle/scrap with Patrick Sieloff.

Tarmo Reunanen cut to the middle of the ice just below the blue line and made a high-end, behind-the-back pass to Anthony Greco at the right point. Greco sent a low shot on the net. Morgan Barron was positioned in front and deflected the shot off the crossbar for his sixth goal of the season.

The offensive roll for the Pack continued in gaining a 3-0 lead with a solid transition play.

Justin Richards got Tim Gettinger moving. As he crossed the Bruins blueline from left-to-right, he was tripped by Urho Vaakanainen and a penalty was called. During the delayed penalty, Gettinger was on the ice and swept the puck back. Ty Ronning quickly got to the loose puck and picked it up and swept across the net. He snuck a backhander past Swayman to the short side for his third goal of the season at 17:22.

The Pack outshot the Bruins 16-5 in the period and were committed to stepping in front of pucks and blocking shots which benefitted goaltender, Adam Huska, who made his first start since February 27th, just his fifth start of the entire season, who also looked solid throughout.

LET’S GET READY TO RUMBLE

After having already played each other eight times to this point in the season, in the third-period tensions spilled over and the gloves came off.  The Pack’s 6’7 rookie, Auston Rueschhoff, outdueled Matt Filipe in the first pro fights for both players.

Mason Geersten was battling in front protecting Huska when the Bruins’ Jakub Lauko took an extra swipe at the puck. That act sent the two to pair off for a battle.

Lauko, a rookie and a willing combatant, fought the much larger Geersten who scored a TKO as he cut Lauko open, sending him to the locker room for repairs.

With 2:09 left in the game and a screen in front of Huska (23 saves), Robert Lantosi’s snapshot found the back of the net spoiling the shutout for the former UCONN Husky netminder. It was his first win since playing in Slovakia.

Before the goal was scored there was a final eruption of hostilities. The officials prevented it from turning into a major melee with MacKinnon trying to go with Huska and everybody paired off. No punches were thrown and MacKinnon was tossed at 14:56

SECOND PERIOD

The Wolf Pack managed to avoid their season-long second-period blues. They did so by widening their lead and surrendering just one on a power play. They exited the period up 4-1.

The Pack clamped down on the Bruins, holding them to just two shots on goal in the first ten minutes of the period, and made it 4-0 on Barron’s excellent effort.

Barron received a pass from Reunanen in the Pack zone. He took that pass and went upright, thru center unchecked. Barron gained entry into the Bruins’ end of the ice and ripped a 35-foot wrist shot past Swayman (27 saves) for his second goal of the game and seventh of the season at 11:57.

The loss was Swayman’s first of the season against seven wins.

The Wolf Pack had to kill a roughing call to Geersten, who was roughing it up with MacKinnon in front of the Wolf Pack bench.

The Bruins took advantage after Brady Lyle’s first shot was blocked by Richards, he launched another from the left point. Huska made the save, but Anton Blidh, who was alone in front, jammed in the rebound for his third goal of the season at 14:33 to make it 4-1.

With 25 seconds left in the period and the Wolf Pack again on the PK, Greco had a shorthanded breakaway bid late in the PK, but Swayman stopped him.

Huska responded for the Pack with a big and timely stop on Alex-Olivier Voyer with two seconds left in the period. Filipe made a strong play on a pass from behind the net, but Huska kept the advantage to three goals.

There was some rough stuff as the period ended between Thompson and Voyer, the Bruins Josiah Didier with Sieloff, and a Euro shoving match with Reunanen and Vaaakanainen.

LINES

Newell-Barron-Greco
Richards-Gettinger-Ronning
Khordorenko-Thompson-Whelan
Sanchez- Rueschhoff-Geersten

Raddysh-Crawley
LoVerde-Reunanen
Giutarri-Sieloff

Huska
Wall

SCRATCHES

Gabriel Fontaine (upper-body injury)
Jeff Taylor
Will Cullye
Michael O’Leary
Ryan Dmowskinewly
Zach Bezzola

Michael Lackey
Francois Brassard

COACHES

Pat Boller
Jeff Malcolm
Brook Ballard

It was Boller’s first time, since 2016-17 when he was an assistant to Ken Gernander, that he was behind the bench. He’s coaching his third game since head coach Kris Knoblauch and associate coach Gord Murphy were recalled to the New York Rangers last Wednesday after David Quinn and his entire staff were subject of COVID protocols.

Malcolm, the team’s goalie consultant, and a Yale grad is handling the defensemen, and Ballard is one of the Rangers skills coaches.

THREE STARS

1. Morgan Barron (2 goals)
2. Tarmo Reunanen (2 assists)
3. James Sanchez (first pro goal)

HONORABLE MENTIONS

1. Ty Ronning
2. Patrick Sieloff
3. Darren Raddysh

NOTES

The Wolf Pack adds another defenseman as Hunter Skinner is recalled from his loan to the Utah Grizzlies (ECHL).

Skinner, 19, was a fourth-round (112th overall) selection in 2019 from London (OHL). Since the OHL has not been in session, the 6’3 200-pound rearguard has been playing in Utah.

Boston recalled goalie Callum Booth (Salisbury School) to their taxi squad and simultaneously reassigned both Swayman and defenseman Vaakanainen to Providence.

Ex-Pack captain, Steven Fogarty, was recalled by the Buffalo Sabres from the Rochester Americans. He has five goals (four on the power play) and eight points in ten games, which is good for the second-best on the Americans roster. Heading back to Rochester and three others is ex-Wolf Pack goalie, Dustin Tokarski, after returns after two NHL starts, one of them against the Rangers earlier this week.

The Avalanche returns ex-CT Whale, Jayson Megna, to the Colorado Eagles.

Philadelphia recalls goalie, Alex Lyon (Yale University), from the Lehigh Valley Phantoms to be on their taxi squad. The same thing for Mark Kastelic, the son of former Hartford Whaler Ed Kastelic, as he is recalled from the Belleville Senators by Ottawa.

Mike McKee (Kent School) is loaned to the Tucson Roadrunners (AHL) by the Tulsa Oilers (ECHL).

Marc Johnstone, the captain for the last two years at Sacred Heart University (AHA), signs a deal with the South Carolina Stingrays (ECHL).

Former Wolf Pack great, Derek Armstrong, saw his youngest son, Easton, lace them up with the WHL’s Regina Pats. They are in their limited hub city playing a 25 game schedule with Regina’s Brandt Centre being one of the sites. The team GM and VP of Operations is Wolf Pack great, and AHL Hall of Famer, John Paddock.

The younger Armstrong is pointless in five games though he played earlier this season with brother Dawson for six games tallying six points with the Utah Outliers (USPHL-Premier).

The team did go to the league national finals losing in the quarterfinal round to the Chicago Cougars in Virginia Beach, VA, the home of the USPHL’s Hampton Roads Whalers. The team did win the Mountain Division title beating the Pueblo (NM) Bulls 5-3 back on March 14th.

Dawson Armstrong finished the season with 15 goals and 31 points in 45 games, second on the team while sporting the very familiar number 17 jersey that his father Derek wore with the Wolf Pack. That very same 17 is one of three numbers that should be retired by the organization.

GAME CENTER

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HARTFORD, CT – Off the ice, a contract is being drawn up with the approved and agreed upon amendments to the present Hartford Wolf Pack lease agreement for a CRDA Board approval at their regular monthly meeting coming up on January 21st.

Because MSG has an existing contract, the Wolf Pack training staff is very hard at work preparing for training camp at the XL Center. To fit things into the yet-to-be-announced AHL schedule matrix, likely in the 24 to 38 game range, as previously reported by Cantlon’s Corner, as recently as last week, the Wolf Pack will likely have a schedule closer to 24 games.

The AHL schedules were expected to be released by the end of the week, but that is more likely to come early next week as a lot of horse-trading is ongoing to meet the league requirement.

In other Wolf Pack related news, two former New York Rangers/Wolf Pack players are making their way into broadcasting. NBCSN has announced that the newest additions to their NHL broadcast team are the recently retired former Rangers’ Captain, Ryan Callahan, and Dominic Moore.

RANGERS-PACK PLAYER MOVEMENT

The ice is down at the XL Center as well as in Cromwell at their practice facility, Champions Skating Center, and is ready to go for some skates to cut their turns.

The first batch of Rangers cuts came on Monday with a second batch made on Tuesday with their respective destinations being the taxi squad in New York and the AHL in Hartford.

Morgan Barron, Anthony Bitetto, Colin Blackwell, Libor Hajek, Matthew Robertson, and goalie, Keith Kinkaid will be on the Rangers’ taxi squad.

Meanwhile, those who are Hartford-bound include:

Goalies: Adam Huska and Tyler Wall.

Defenseman: Brandon Crawley, Darren Raddysh, and Tarmo Reunanen

Forwards: Jonny Brodzinski, Gabriel Fontaine, Tim Gettinger, Anthony Greco, Patrick Khodorenko, and Austin Rueschoff.

The Wolf Pack has several returning players who are back on AHL deals. Those players include Mason Geersten, Nick Jones, Vincent Loverde, Patrick Newell, Justin Richards (newcomer), Ty Ronning, and off-season, free-agent signee, Paul Thompson.

Geersten, LoVerde, and Thompson will comprise three-of-the-five AHL veteran spots that are allowed on the roster.

Richards is the son of a current NHL assistant coach, Todd Richards of the Nashville Predators.

Richards, former UCONN Husky, Max Letunov, two sons of Hartford Whaler, Kurtis MacDermid (Los Angeles), and Kasperi Kapanen (Pittsburgh), were among the 18 players listed on the NHL’s COVID-19 Protocol List as being unable to play.

The Dallas Stars had six who were not listed in the press release.

Remaining under contract to the Rangers but being left in Europe to play are Vitali Kravtsov, who’s with Traktor Chelyabinsk (Russia-KHL), Nils Lundkvist, who plays for Lulea HF (Sweden (SHL), and Yegor Rykov remaining with CSKA Moscow (Russia-KHL).

As if the Wolf Pack don’t have enough defenseman, some media are reporting that a first-rounder (22nd overall) in October, Braden Schneider, who’s fresh off winning a silver medal with Canada at the World Junior Championship, could be signing in a few days to what is likely a likely an ATO deal. This allows him to start the season in Harford until his junior team, the Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL) being their season.

The WHL and OHL are granting waivers to 18-years-olds since the leagues are not operating. This will allow them to get AHL ice time. The current NHL and AHL CBAs prohibit 18-years-old, junior eligible players from playing in the AHL until their junior season ends, then, they can come to play.

100+ PLAYERS ON MONDAY WAIVERS

A pair of ex-Wolf Pack players, one-time captain, Steven Fogarty, and Dustin Tokarski were both assigned to the Rochester Americans, as was a defenseman, Mattias Samuelsson, the son of one time New Haven Nighthawk, Kjell Samuelsson.

Ex-CT Whale, Michael Del Zotto, signs a one-year, two-way deal with the Columbus Blue Jackets for $700K for play in the NHL and $400K for time played in the AHL.

Ex-Bridgeport Sound Tiger, Travis Hamonic, signs a one-year deal paying $1.25M with the Vancouver Canucks.

Ex-Pack, Sean Day, Daniel Walcott, and one-time, Taft prep player, Ross Colton, all were assigned to the Syracuse Crunch. As part of the dual affiliation arrangement this year, Chase Priskie (Quinnipiac) is assigned to Syracuse by the Florida Panthers.

Joining Tampa Bay was ex-Pack, Boo Nieves. He will be on the Lightning’s taxi squad. On Tuesday, Nieves signed a one-year, two-way deal paying the same he earned last season, $708K, for play in either league.

Ten months ago, it would be stunning to think that Nieves would be in the NHL this year when he was unable to play a game in the AHL over the final 19 games last year. It’s quite the comeback story.

COVID ALLOWING FINLEY & OTHERS AHL OPPORTUNITIES

Jack Finley, 18, the son of former Wolf Pack and Ranger, Jeff Finley, who is now an amateur scout with the Winnipeg Jets, has had a wild hockey ride since October.

He was drafted by Tampa Bay in the second round (57th overall) and signed his three-year, entry-level deal last month.

He was scheduled to go back to juniors with the Spokane Chiefs (WHL). That team is in Washington State and borders Canada. The border remains closed. He signed a provisional contract to play with the West Kelowna Warriors (BCHL) until the WHL season was to start and a determination made on where, when, or even if Spokane would play.

The BCHL season has yet to start. The start date, like the WHL, has been pushed back by British Columbia’s Public Health Order (BC PHO) most likely until February.

Finley went to Tampa Bay’s training camp, and he was assigned on Monday to the Syracuse Crunch (AHL).

So, because the WHL (and OHL) are not playing, and the AHL will start February 5th, the league has given a waiver allowing 18-year-olds, like Finley, who, because of contractual agreements with the NHL and AHL would otherwise be prohibited from playing in the AHL because of their age, now can play.

Usually, they are unable to play until their regular season or playoffs in juniors are completed.

What a wild year for one player!

MORE PLAYER MOVEMENT

Dennis Yan, of Syracuse, signs with EHC Linz (Austria-IceHL) making 225 of last season’s AHL’ers to sign in Europe.

The Islander sent the Sound Tigers Samuel Bolduc,  Cole Bardeau, Tanner Fritz, A.J. Greer, Thomas Hickey, the truculent, Josh Ho-Sang, Grant Hutton, Simon Holmstrom, Mason Jobst, Bode Wild, and Parker Wotherspoon.

Andrew Ladd was assigned, but whether the NHL vet will report is somewhat of a question mark.

The Islanders’ taxi squad assignees were Kieffer Bellows, Austin Czarnik, Otto Koivula, and Jakub Skarek. All except Czarnik played in Bridgeport last year.

Ex-Sound Tiger defensemen, captain Kyle Burroughs, and Kevin Czuczman were re-assigned. Burroughs goes to the Colorado Eagles while Czuczman heads to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Alan Quine goes to the Bakersfield Condors.

EX-PACK MOVING AROUND

Ex-Pack/Ranger, Lias Andersson, and Mason Marchment, the son of former Hartford Whaler, Bryan Marchment, are on the LA King taxi squad. Tyler Madden (Avon Old Farms) is sent to the Ontario Reign.

The Nashville Predators send Pat Harper (New Canaan/AOF) to the Chicago Wolves and Mathieu Olivier, the son of former New Haven Knight, Simon Olivier, to their taxi squad.

The Anaheim Ducks put a pair of ex-Wolf Pack players, Vinni Lettieri and Kodie Curran, to the taxi squad. They send Trevor Zegras (AOF), fresh off his WJC gold medal, MVP performance, to the San Diego Gulls.

The Las Vegas Knights send ex-Pack, Danny O’Regan to the Henderson Silver Knights.

Ex-Pack, Steve Kampfer, and Paul Carey (Salisbury School) were assigned to the Providence Bruins by the Boston Bruins.

Micheal Haley (Wolf Pack/Sound Tigers) and Matt Peca (Quinnipiac University) are on the Ottawa Senators taxi squad.

Ex-Pack, Dylan McIlrath and Dominic Turgeon, the son of former Whaler, Patrick Turgeon, were both sent to the Grand Rapids Griffins.

The Chicago Wolves receive ex-Pack, Joey Keane, and Sacred Heart University product, Jason Cotton from the Carolina Hurricanes.

The Belleville Senators get three sons of ex-Whalers, Logan Brown (Jeff), Ridley Greig (Mark), and Mark Kastelic (Ed). Greig is on a junior waiver from Brandon (WHL).

CONNECTICUT CONNECTIONS

AHL assignees include; Chad Krys (Ridgefield) to the Rockford IceHogs, Ken Agostino (Yale) to the Toronto Marlies, and Alex Lyon (Yale) heads to the Philadelphia Flyers taxi squad.

Jon Gillies (Salisbury School) and Sam Anas (Quinnipiac), who would have been in Springfield with the Thunderbirds, are heading to the Utica Comets, as part of the dual affiliation by the St. Louis Blues and the  Vancouver Canuks for this season.

Tommy Cross (Simsbury/Westminster Prep) was put on Florida’s injury list as an undisclosed injury.

Ex-Pack Josh Nicholls goes from Kunlun China (KHL) to Heilbronner (Germany DEL-2).

Ex-Sound Tiger, David Ullstrom, was involved in a four-player trade in Switzerland He goes from EHC Biel/Bienne (Switzerland-LNA) to HC Davos (Switzerland-LNA).

Landon Ferraro, the son of Whaler great, Ray Ferraro, goes from Löwen Frankfurt (Germany DEL-2) to Cologne (Germany-DEL).

Ex-Sound Tiger goalie, Frederic Cloutier, steps down a notch going from HC Bolzano (Italy-IceHL) to Unterland (Italy Division-2).

The NHL expansion team, the Seattle Kraken, continues to be a haven for former New Haven Nighthawks, Hartford Whalers, and New York Rangers as Norm MacIver is hired as their first Director of Player Personnel. He played for all three teams.

MacIver has been with the Chicago Blackhawks for the past eleven years in that role and as Assistant GM. In his other life, he was an assistant coach for three years with the Springfield Falcons.

Former Nighthawk (under two different affiliations) plus the Whalers and Rangers, Paul Fenton, departs the Minnesota Wild as a scout after being fired as a GM. He is now a special advisor to the new Florida Panthers’ GM, Bill Zito.

Fenton’s son, P.J. Fenton, came over from Minnesota with him to Florida as a scout as well.

Zito has another advisor. He is another former Nighthawk head coach, Rick Dudley.

Tyrell Boucher, of the University of Alaska-Anchorage Seawolves (WCHA), transfers in the second-semester inter-conference to Northern Michigan University since the Seawolves opted not to play this year and the program is disbanding making 55 transfers in the NCAA this season.

Two more college players sign with Greenville (ECHL). Gordi Myer of Ohio State (Big 10) and Luc Brown from the University of Alaska-Anchorage join the Swamp Rabbits.

Tyler Irvine of Merrimack College (HE) signs with Binghamton (AHL) nee Newark Devils for this year making 209 Division I players who have signed pro deals and 346 total college player Division I and III to sign deals in North America and Europe.

The conference breakdown is; Hockey East has 38, the NCHC has 37, Big 10 has 35, ECACHL 34, WCHA 32, AHA 28, and NCAA Division I independent Arizona State has four.

Wyatt Ege of Ohio State (Big 10) signs with HK Nitra (Slovakia-SLEL). Eriks Zohovcs Alaska-Fairbanks (WCHA) heads back home to play with HZ Prizma Riga (Latvia-LHL).

Nicodemus Numavicius from Division III Middlebury College (NESCAC) also heads home to Lithuania and is skating with Energie Elektrenai making 87 college players Division I and III have signed in Europe.

Pat Lawn leaves West Kelowna (BCHL), which is not playing, and signs with the CT Junior Rangers (Stamford) of the NCDC.

HOCKEY LEAGUE NEWS

As expected on Tuesday, the ECHL announced two new expansion franchises that will bring its membership to 28 franchises, four short of the preferred hockey model of 32- NHL 32 teams, AHL 32 teams, and the ECHL 32 teams, when business returns to normal for the 2021-22 season.

Coralville, Iowa, located near Iowa State University and the Xtreme Arena, will have a team, and the other will be in Trois-Rivieres Quebec (Canada) at the District 55 Coliseum that more than likely to be an affiliate of the NHL Montreal Canadiens and the AHL Laval Rocket.

The official announcement will likely come in the next month along with team colors, names, and the naming rights for the new building.

Both new teams are owned by Deacons Sports Entertainment (DSE) which also owns the ECHL Newfoundland (St. John’s) Growlers.

The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, one of Canada’s three major-junior leagues, announced that its twelve Quebec-based teams will re-start play later this month. The tentative date is January 22nd.

The games will be played in protected environments in the four QMJHL cities of Chicoutimi, Drummondville, Rimouski, and Shawinigan. The QMJHL’s six-team Maritime Division suspended play in late November. The QMJHL is still evaluating plans for restarting play for those teams and according to QMJHL sources, no decision is imminent.

The Western Hockey League is one of the other three major-junior leagues. The WHL is comprised of 22 teams and they stated last week they will hold a 2020-21 season.

The statement details said that teams would each play a 24-game schedule (like the Wolf Pack and potentially other AHL teams) instead of its traditional 68-game schedule.

The WHL had a previously announced start date of January 8th that was wiped out by the BC PHO.

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