BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings

HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack will get a solid test of the resurgence in their play tonight as they play host to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. The AHL affiliate of the Pittsburgh Penguins now sit in second place in the Atlantic Division and fourth overall in the conference with a record of 15-7-1-0. The Baby Penguins also have a two-game winning streak.

“They are a very good team,” Pack head coach Keith McCambridge said. “They have a lot of balance. They sit where they are in the standings for a reason. For us, it’s about playing the right way as we have of late, and play with consistency and make sure we’re also collecting points along the way with getting eight-out-of-a possible-ten points in our last five games. That helps us along with learning and growing (as a team) and helps impact our play.”

McCambridge gave his players a maintenance day off on Thursday.

The Wolf Pack record stands at 10-12-3-2 (25 points) putting them in seventh place, just two points behind the Hershey Bears and one point behind the Bridgeport Sound Tigers.

Games between the Penguins and the Pack have always been both entertaining and unpredictable over the years. A street-fight-like pre-game brawl nearly happened in 2005. In one of Mike Sullivan’s last AHL games as a head coach, Wilkes-Barre rallied from a 5-1 deficit to win 6-5 in overtime dull is not a word to describe their meetings.

The uptick in the Pack’s play has several components. The most noticeable has been the team’s physical play. It has gone up several notches and is paying off with wins.

“From where we were at the beginning of the season, we do check better. For some guys, it’s a bigger part of their game than others. As a group identity, we have made strides in that area and with that, we’re getting separation and more chances in the offensive zone and defensively we’re more difficult on opposing players. It does force more turnovers and has created more chances for us in the offensive zone and we create more penalties taken on us. It’s more the style we want to play.”

Vinni Lettieri’s play as a centerman who can also play wing has pushed the team forward. He has 10 goals and his versatility has become his calling card.

“He has quickness and he isn’t afraid to shoot the puck. The first three strides are most important in the National League and at this level. Versatility is a good thing for a pro athlete and he has provided that for us. When he played wing with (Filip) Chytil and whenever we have needed a center, he has been able to step in. He played center throughout college. It’s a lot easier to go from the middle to the wing than vice versa and he has that versatility in his back pocket,” remarked McCambridge.

Increased play from offseason signings such as Cole Schneider (two goals against his former team in Rochester) a revived captain in Joe Whitney has helped as they were signed to help the offense as the young players developed.

“They have a responsibility to have their games in the area where we signed them for with their contracts. They’re going to have ups-and-downs during the season, but it’s nice to see those guys get their game back on track.”

The play on the backend has improved with Tony DeAngelo seeming far more comfortable than he was at the beginning of the season

“When he was sent down, you did expect a little downtime. He too has been able to get his game back on track. He has given us some big minutes, He is in his third season as a pro. It’s a real credit to him and he gets the tempo back up in all three zones. (On the) power-play, he’s really comfortable and he has gotten himself acclimated to what he needs to do at the American Hockey League level to make himself known and on the radar for the parent club,” McCambridge said.

DeAngelo is on his third team in three years.

Players who come down to the AHL always have to adapt to change.

”In all my years as a coach, whether it’s training camp or during the season, every player adjusts differently (to their being sent down). Some guys it takes a month, some two or three games and some plug back into the way they were playing in the National (Hockey) League. Every player is at a different point in their career and the mental mindset is going to be different to adjust.”

The sole lineup change goaltender Chris Nell reassignment to the Adirondack Thunder.

“We had two rookies though (Alexandar) Georgiev had a bit more experience having played overseas in Finland. It’s a feeling out process how they handle the workload, adjust to the shooters in the American Hockey League and whether it benefits their development to stay here or go to the ECHL. Nell stole some games for us early and he has had some games where you’re going to have a learning curve. He goes to Adirondack to work on his game. They were looking for a goalie, so with a logjam in Greenville, they’re only so many spots to go around. A lot of good goalies come out of the ECHL too, and he will play in important, quality minutes.”

McCambridge approaches those types of conversations with great care.

“I talk to players who are in Nell’s situation like I would want some coach to speak to my son and you want it to be handled professionally and properly. They have family and friends too. They like and want to get better.”

NOTES:

The weekend kicks off in the XL Center Atrium with the Suffield-based party band, Hear For The Party. They will set the pre-game tone with an ‘80’s-fueled-set of hits beginning at 6:00 pm and they’ll play until just before game time.

Filip Chytil is off to Buffalo to participate with the Czech Republic World Junior team. While on the WJC training camp he’ll be gone until potentially January 5^th or whenever the Czechs are done.

“It’s a great experience for him to play with his countrymen against some of the best competition in the world in their age bracket,” McCambridge stated.

Chytil has fully recovered from his cervical neck sprain that he suffered on a hit in Toronto by Andreas Johanssen.

Dan Catenacci (lower body) is out for Friday and is listed day to day.

Wilkes Barre/Scranton features several of ex-Wolf Pack and CT Whale. Those players include Chris Summers, Ryan Haggerty, and Christian Thomas – a potential Team Canada Olympic team participant.

Goalie Steve Michalek (Glastonbury/Loomis Chaffe) was recalled by Minnesota from Iowa and was the back up in Alex Stalock’s 28 save shutout.

The AHL announced former Bridgeport head coach Scott Pellerin (currently Toronto’s Director of Player Development) and Craig Cunningham (Arizona Coyote scout) are the honorary captains for the 2018 AHL All-Star Classic in Utica.

Ex-Pack, Akim Aliu, who was in camp with Ontario before being cut has signed with HC Banska Bystrica (Slovakia-SLEL).

Brian Morgan of UCONN is loaned out from Pensacola (SPHL) to Reading (ECHL).

Former Quinnipiac University goalie star Eric Hartzell signs with Quad City (ECHL) after starting the year with HK Nitra (Slovakia-SLEL).

The guy who succeeded him at QU, Michael Garteig, goes from Utica (AHL) to Kalamazoo (ECHL).

Ex-CT Whale and Ranger, Wojtech Wolski, was traded from the struggling Kunlun (China-KHL) to his old Russian team Mettalurg Magnitogorsk (Russia-KHL).

Chayse Primeau, the second oldest son of ex-Whaler Keith Primeau, is currently with Dubuque (USHL) and makes a commitment to the University Nebraska-Omaha (NCHC) for next fall.

One of Primeau’s teammates is Tyce Thompson (Orange, CT/Salisbury Prep), the son of ex-Pack defenseman and current Bridgeport head coach, Brent Thomson. He is also the younger brother of Tage Thompson (Orange/UCONN) currently with San Antonio.

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The post CANTLON: HARTFORD WOLF PACK WEEKEND PREVIEW  first appeared on Howlings.

NYR ASSIGN ALEXANDAR GEORGIEV TO PACK

BY: The New York Rangers

NEW YORK, December 6, 2017 – New York Rangers General Manager Jeff Gorton announced today that the team has assigned goaltender Alexandar Georgiev to the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League (AHL).

Georgiev was recalled by the Rangers on Dec. 5 and he dressed for the team’s game on Dec. 5 at Pittsburgh. He has appeared in 17 games with the Wolf Pack this season, posting a 4-7-4 record, along with a 3.29 GAA and a .897 SV%. Georgiev has made at least 30 saves in seven of his 17 AHL appearances in 2017-18, including four of his last six AHL appearances.

The post GUESS HENRIK’S FEELING BETTER… GEORGIEV SENT BACK TO PACK first appeared on Howlings.

26-year-old assigned to Hartford (AHL)

BY: The New York Rangers

NEW YORK, December 6, 2017 – New York Rangers General Manager Jeff Gorton announced today that the team has signed free agent goaltender Marek Mazanec and has assigned Mazanec to the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League (AHL).

Mazanec, 26, has appeared in 31 career NHL games over parts of three seasons (2013-14 – 2014-15; 2016-17), all with Nashville, posting an 8-13-4 record, along with a 2.98 GAA, a .895 SV%, and two shutouts. He made 25 of his 31 appearances with the Predators during his rookie season in 2013-14. Mazanec was named the NHL’s Rookie of the Month for November of 2013, as he posted a 5-4-1 record, along with a 2.00 GAA, a .932 SV%, and two shutouts in 10 appearances during the month. He stopped 22 of 24 shots he faced while making his NHL debut on Nov. 8, 2013, at Winnipeg, and he stopped 39 of 41 shots he faced to earn his first career NHL win on Nov. 16, 2013, vs. Chicago.

The 6-4, 187-pounder appeared in 23 games with HC Slovan Bratislava of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) this season, posting a 3.40 GAA and a .899 SV%. Mazanec made at least 30 saves in 13 of his 23 KHL appearances. He made his KHL debut on Aug. 23, 2017, against SKA, and he stopped 29 of 31 shots he faced to earn his first career KHL win on Aug. 30, 2017, against Dinamo Minsk.

In addition to his NHL experience, Mazanec has appeared in 165 games in the American Hockey League (AHL) over parts of four seasons (2013-14 – 2016-17), posting an 82-60-17 record, along with a 2.59 GAA, a .909 SV%, and 11 shutouts. He appeared in a playoff game in three of his four AHL seasons, and he also posted a .912 SV% or better in three of the four seasons.

The Pisek, Czech Republic, native was originally selected by Nashville in the sixth round, 179th overall, of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft.

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The post RANGERS SIGN FREE AGENT GOALTENDER MAREK MAZANEC first appeared on Howlings.

NEW YORK RANGERS PROSPECT REPORT: DEC. 4

1. Sean Day tallied four assists/points and posted a plus-two rating in three games during the week. He established a single-game OHL career-high with three assists and tied a single-game OHL career-high with three points on Nov. 30 vs. North Bay. The Rangers’ third-round pick (81st overall) in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft has recorded a point in seven of the last nine games (one goal, eight assists), in 11 of the last 14 games (three goals, 12 assists), and in 15 of the last 19 games (four goals, 15 assists). He ranks second on Windsor in assists (16) and is tied for fourth on the team in points (20) this season. In addition, he leads team defensemen in goals (four), assists, and points in 2017-18. Day also ranks 10th among OHL defensemen (min. 20 games played) in points per game this season (0.87), and he is tied for 11th among OHL defensemen in assists in 2017-18.
2. Lias Andersson tallied two points (one goal, one assist) and recorded three shots on goal on Nov. 28 against Rogle. Andersson has recorded five points (two goals, three assists) over the last three games. The Rangers’ first-round pick (seventh overall) in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft has registered a goal/point in five of the last eight games, tallying nine points (five goals, four assists) over the span. Andersson has also tallied 11 points (five goals, six assists) in his last 12 SHL games with Frolunda, as well as 13 points (seven goals, six assists) in 20 SHL contests with Frolunda this season. Among SHL players younger than 20 years old, Andersson ranks second in goals (seven) and points (13) in 2017-18. Andersson also ranks third on Frolunda in goals and ranks fifth on the team in points this season.
3. Ty Ronning tallied two goals/points and registered 20 shots on goal in three games during the week. Ronning registered a goal, led all skaters with eight shots on goal, and was selected as the game’s First Star on Dec. 1 at Prince George. The Rangers’ seventh-round pick (201st overall) in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft has recorded a goal in 15 of the last 19 contests (20 goals, nine assists over the span). Ronning has registered 26 goals in 29 games with Vancouver in 2017-18, and he has recorded at least one goal in 19 of the 29 contests. He leads the Giants in goals (26), points (38), plus/minus rating (plus-11), and shots on goal (158) thus far this season. In addition, Ronning leads the WHL in shots on goal and is tied for second in the league in goals in 2017-18.

• Ryan Gropp registered three goals/points in three games during the week, and he posted his first career multi-goal/point game in the AHL by recording two goals on Dec. 2 at Toronto. The Rangers’ second-round pick (41st overall) in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft has tallied four goals/points in the last four games and five points (four goals, one assist) in the last six contests. 

• Vince Pedrie registered two points (one goal, one assist) and a plus-two rating on Dec. 1 at Rochester. Pedrie has tallied an assist/point in four of the last six games (one goal, four assists over the span). He has recorded seven points (two goals, five assists) in 14 AHL games this season, and he leads Wolf Pack defensemen in points per game in 2017-18 (0.50). 

• Vinni Lettieri tallied a point in two of three games during the week (one goal, one assist). Lettieri has registered a point in 13 of his last 20 games, tallying 16 points (nine goals, seven assists) over the span. He leads the Wolf Pack in goals (nine) and power play goals (five), and ranks second in points (16) in 2017-18. In addition, Lettieri ranks sixth among AHL rookies in goals and is tied for ninth among AHL rookies in points this season. 

• Peter Holland made his debut with the Wolf Pack on Dec. 1 at Rochester, and he recorded his first assist/point with Hartford on Dec. 2 at Toronto. Holland, who was acquired by the Rangers from Montreal on Nov. 30, has registered 19 points (eight goals, 11 assists) in 22 AHL games in 2017-18. 

• Brandon Crawley recorded two assists/points, including his first career AHL assist, on Dec. 1 at Rochester. 

• Gabriel Fontaine registered his second career AHL goal/point on Nov. 29 vs. Springfield. The Rangers’ sixth-round pick (171st overall) in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft has also posted a plus-three rating over the last three games. 

• Alexandar Georgiev started all three games for the Wolf Pack during the week, and he made at least 30 saves in two of the three contests. He has made 30 or more saves in four of his last five starts.

• Dawson Leedahl was reassigned to Hartford from the Greenville Swamp Rabbits on Nov. 30, and he posted a plus-two rating while making his AHL debut with the Wolf Pack on Dec. 1 at Rochester. Leedahl registered 17 points (seven goals, 10 assists) in 18 ECHL games with Greenville this season prior to being reassigned to the Wolf Pack.

• Alexei Bereglazov tallied his first assist/point of the season in the KHL and posted a plus-three rating in 25:51 of ice time to help Metallurg earn a 4-3 win on Dec. 3 against Barys. He has averaged 22:16 of ice time per game in 10 games with Metallurg in 2017-18. 

• Tim Gettinger tallied two points (one goal, one assist) in three games during the week, and he registered the game-winning goal on Dec. 3 at Ottawa. The Rangers’ fifth-round pick (141st overall) in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft has recorded a point in seven of the last eight games (six goals, four assists over the span), and he has tallied a goal in six of the eight contests. Gettinger has recorded 29 points (15 goals, 14 assists) and a plus-13 rating in 28 games with Sault Ste. Marie this season. He ranks fifth in the OHL in shots on goal this season (116). In addition, Gettinger leads Sault Ste. Marie in shots on goal ranks third in goals, ranks fourth in points, is tied for fourth in plus/minus rating, and is tied for fifth in assists in 2017-18. 

• Brandon Halverson stopped 36 of 38 shots he faced in his only appearance of the week with Greenville on Dec. 1 against Orlando. The Rangers’ second-round pick (59th overall) in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft has made 30 or more saves in nine of his 12 ECHL appearances this season.

• Adam Huska stopped 26 of 27 shots he faced to earn his third consecutive win on Nov. 28 against Northeastern. In addition, Huska allowed one goal in a game for the fourth consecutive contest. The Rangers’ seventh-round pick (184th overall) in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft has only allowed one goal in five of his last seven appearances, posting a 3-3-1 record, along with a 2.00 GAA and a .924 SV% over the span.

• Dominik Lakatos registered a goal while skating in his second game this season with HC Benatky nad Jizerou in the Czech Republic. The Rangers’ sixth-round pick (157th overall) in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft has tallied two points (one goal, one assist) in two games with HC Benatky in 2017-18.

• Tyler Nanne registered a power play goal and posted a plus-one rating on Dec. 1 against Wisconsin. The Rangers’ fifth-round pick (142nd overall) in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft has tallied three points (one goal, two assists) in the last three games, as well as four points (one goal, three assists) in the last six games. Nanne has registered six points (two goals, four assists) and has posted a plus-two rating with the University of Minnesota this season. He is tied for first among team defensemen in goals and ranks third among team defensemen in points in 2017-18.

• Tarmo Reunanen tallied an assist while making his season debut with SaPKo on Dec. 2. SaPKo is a team in the Mestis league in Finland. The Rangers’ fourth-round pick (98th overall) in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft registered nine assists in 42 games with TUTO in Mestis during the 2016-17 season.

• Igor Shesterkin stopped 28 of 30 shots he faced and earned a win on Nov. 29 against Avangard. The Rangers’ fourth-round pick (118th overall) in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft has posted a 19-0-1 record, along with a 1.57 GAA, a .941 SV%, and 4 SO in 20 KHL appearances this season. Over the last two seasons with SKA, Shesterkin has posted a 50-4-2 record, along with a 1.62 GAA, a .938 SV%, and 12 SO in 59 appearances. He ranks second in the KHL in SV%, ranks fourth in GAA, and is tied for sixth in shutouts this season.

• Patrik Virta tallied two assists, recorded four shots on goal, posted a plus-two rating, and won 13 of 20 faceoffs (65.0%) on Nov. 29 against KooKoo. The Rangers’ seventh-round pick (207th overall) in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft has recorded 17 points (four goals, 13 assists) in 27 games with TPS in Liiga this season. Virta has tied a Liiga career-high in assists in 2017-18. He ranks third on TPS in assists and is tied for third on the team in points this season.

• Sergey Zborovskiy recorded an assist/point in all three games during the week (three assists over the span). The Rangers’ third-round pick (79th overall) in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft has registered a point in four of the last five games (one goal, three assists), and he has recorded 14 points (five goals, nine assists) in 21 games with Greenville this season. Zborovskiy is tied for first among ECHL rookie defensemen in points in 2017-18.

“His seemingly near-effortless skating ability has improved. He is stronger, faster, and more powerful than he was last season. He is also processing the play better in both directions.” – Rangers Amateur Scout Peter Stephan on Sean Day

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The post NEW YORK RANGERS PROSPECT REPORT: DEC. 4 first appeared on Howlings.