IT WASN’T PRETTY; THAT’S FOR SURE!
VERSUS “That was what we call in hockey, ‘a greasy win,’” Connecticut Whale Assistant Coach J.J. Daigneault said his team gutted one out and defeated the Springfield Falcons 3-1 Sunday afternoon in front of 4, 985 at the XL Center. “But we’ll take it,”…
FROM THE CREASE with Bruce Berlet
By Bruce Berlet If the Connecticut Whale survives another wild playoff chase better than a year ago, they can look back to a 9-2 drubbing in Toronto on Feb. 9 as the turning point of the season. After tying franchise records for most goals allowed and…
FROM THE CREASE with Bruce Berlet
By Bruce Berlet Their similarities are almost eerie. Both grew up learning to skate and play hockey in Ontario, Canada. Both played for winning teams in Triple-A and the Ontario Hockey League. Both played for three OHL teams and stayed with the same…
FROM THE CREASE with Bruce Berlet
By Bruce Berlet The Connecticut Whale reached the AHL All-Star break on a bummer after their most disheartening defeat of the season. But a 3-2 loss to the Portland Pirates on Derek Whitmore’s power-play goal with 7.5 seconds left before 10,872, the…
FROM THE CREASE with Bruce Berlet
By Bruce Berlet CROMWELL, CT – As most of the Connecticut Whale players relaxed in the locker room after practice Monday morning, new/old right wing Dale Weise had a chalk talk session with assistant coach J.J. Daignault. Daignault drew up some notable…
FROM THE CREASE with Bruce Berlet
By Bruce Berlet EAST HARTFORD, CT – As Howard Baldwin and his son, Howard Jr., walked into the Rentschler Field press box just after noon Thursday, their jaws seemingly dropped to the floor as they spoke as one. “Awesome,” they said in stereo while…
FROM THE CREASE with Bruce Berlet
By Bruce Berlet The XL Center could have made some serious money selling programs Tuesday if Connecticut Whale practice was open to the public. Coach Ken Gernander and assistants J.J. Daignault and Pat Boller were in scramble mode again thanks to a…
FROM THE CREASE with Bruce Berlet
By Bruce Berlet A Hockey’s Future scouting report on Wolf Pack rookie defenseman Tomas Kundratek says he’s not expected to contribute much offensively but is responsible defensively and isn’t afraid to drop the gloves. The report proved right on in the…