By: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings

HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack announced their 2023-24 home opener will be Friday, October 20, against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins for the second time in team history.

The season for the Pack will open on the road on Friday the 13th against the Providence Bruins, and the following night, the team will be in Springfield to challenge the Thunderbirds at the Mass Mutual Center.

The full schedule will be released Wednesday.

THOMPSON LEAVES BRIDGEPORT

The Bridgeport Islanders head coach, and ex-Pack defenseman, Brent Thompson, has departed The Park City to join the Anaheim Ducks, where he will join another Bridgeport coaching alum, Greg Cronin, as his new assistant. Cronin was named the new Ducks head coach last month.

Rick Kowalsky was named Thompson’s new assistant in Bridgeport last year, and like Ken Gernander a few years ago in Hartford when he saw Keith McCambridge named his new assistant, he was gone a year later.

PADDOCK

Former Wolf Pack John Paddock, 69, has retired from the Regina Pats (WHL) as Coach/GM/VP of Hockey Operations.

The AHL HOF coach won two WHL Coach of the Year honors, won a conference title, and reached a Memorial Cup final in his tenure.

In his nine years at Regina, he had 12 players drafted into the NHL. Connor Bedard was the third time a Regina player was taken first overall.

Paddock finishes with 209 wins, the second most in team history.

MISHEGOSS

Easton Armstrong, the youngest son of Wolf Pack great Derek Armstrong, who played a year-and-a-half with Paddock before being dealt to Winnipeg, will be on his third WHL team as an overage player next year. He will play with the WHL expansion Wenatchee (WA) Wild.

Ex-Pack Austin Rueschhoff will be seen up to six times next year after signing a one-year AHL deal with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.

Ex-Pack François Brassard departs the Maine Mariners and signs with the Ft. Wayne Komets (ECHL).

Former Bridgeport Sound Tiger Alan Quine leaves Ontario and signs with the Malmö IF Redhawks (Sweden-SHL).

HARTFORD WOLF PACK

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HARTFORD, CT – The American Hockey League announced today the individual team winners of the IOA/American Specialty AHL Man of the Year awards. These winners were selected by their respective clubs for their outstanding contributions to their local community and charitable organizations during the 2022-23 season.

Wolf Pack Forward Bobby Trivigno has been selected as Hartford’s IOA/American Specialty AHL Man of the Year award winner.

Trivigno participated in countless community events during the 2022-23 season, becoming a staple in Hartford. Trivigno attended multiple schools during the season, doing Q&A sessions with students. He also visited two schools during ‘Read Across America Week,’ where he took the time to read to students and preach the importance of school.

The native of Setauket, New York, also attended youth hockey practices, where he aided coaches in drills for multiple Hartford area programs.

From the list of 32 finalists, representatives from IOA/American Specialty and the AHL will choose the 2022-23 Yanick Dupré Memorial Award winner. The AHL’s annual Man of the Year award is named after the late Yanick Dupré, who died in 1997 at the age of 24 following a 16-month battle with leukemia. Dupré, an AHL All-Star in 1995, played four seasons with the Hershey Bears and also skated in 35 National Hockey League games with the Philadelphia Flyers.

The Wolf Pack return to the XL Center for Game Three of their Atlantic Division Semifinals series on Wednesday, May 3^rd. The Wolf Pack lead the Providence Bruins 2-0 in the series and can advance with a victory. The puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m. Please visit HERE.

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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By: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings

HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack has a familiar opponent for the first round of the Calder Cup playoffs.

Behind three points from Chris Wagner and a four-goal third period, the Providence Bruins defeated the Springfield Thunderbirds 7-4 on Sunday afternoon. The loss locked the Thunderbirds into the fourth spot in the Atlantic division and will face the fifth-place Wolf Pack, who make their first appearance in the postseason in eight years. The Pack will now need to contend with goalie Joel Hofer who has had a fantastic season against the Wolf Pack.

The series begins Wednesday in Springfield. On Friday, the two teams travel down I-91 to the XL Center for Game Two in Hartford. If Game Three becomes necessary, it will be played Saturday in Springfield. All the games have their opening faceoff at 7:05 PM.

This is the second time in Hartford franchise history that the two cities have battled in a Best-of-Three series. The last time Springfield was known as the Falcons, they knocked them out in two straight in 2002.

However, this is the first time the two meet with Springfield as the Thunderbirds. Hartford has the series edge over the Falcons (2-1)  and in games (6-4). This is the fourth time the two cities have met in the playoffs in 26 years.

The last time the Wolf Pack was in the playoffs was May 15th, 2014. The series was against the Hershey Bears, and the Pack won Game 6, 6-3. That would be their last series win and the previous playoff series in eight years for the New York Rangers’ top minor league team. In that series, the two home dates were played in Worcester because of XL Center conflicts with the circus that spring. They were then swept by the eventual Calder Cup champs Manchester Monarchs in the Conference Finals in their last season in Manchester before the Pacific Division was created.

The Pack won another best-of-three when they eliminated Bridgeport beating the Sound Tigers behind two consecutive shutouts by Cam Talbot.

After 14 straight seasons of making the postseason, the Wolf Pack missed the playoffs for the first time in 2009-2010.

In four of the last five years with Ken Gernander behind the bench, the Wolf Pack missed the postseason, and overall it’s been 13 of the previous 14 years without playoffs in HartCity.

The Wolf Pack arrive in the playoffs after putting on a tremendous push over the final seven weeks of the regular season before clinching the last spot in the Atlantic Division. However, before the celebration of the achievement could even be felt, the Rangers recalled four essential cogs to the Wolf Pack machinery as forwards Jonny Brodzinski and Jake Leschyshyn, defenseman Libor Hájek, and goaltender Louie Domingue were recalled to be part of their Stanley Cup Black Aces.

Leschyshyn and Hájek were healthy scratches for the games on Friday and Saturday.

All four are important, but Brodzinski, the March AHL Player of the Month, is essential.

Brodzinski’s play, especially in third periods, willed his team out of its win-one, lose-one play. However, their play was excellent at the end of the season, winning their final eight games, the longest winning streak in two years.

The streak allowed the Wolf Pack to surpass the Bridgeport Islanders and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and plant the Wolf Pack flag as the sixth entrant in their division.

Brodzinski’s recalls leave him numerically short of league-wide MVP consideration because of games played, but it’s clear he was the MVP in Hartford.

Recalling these critical components of the roster will not make it any easier on Pack head coach Kris Knoblauch.

Brodzinski and Domingue have another year left on their contacts and will return. Leschyshyn has two more years on a one-way NHL money, paying him $775K yearly. Hájek has an expiring deal at the end of the season.

The Rangers have decided that having these four in the stands is more important than having them play the most meaningful games in Hartford in eight years.

Similarly, 31 years ago, the LA Kings airlifted seven prospects, seven weeks from the end of the season, to play for the Phoenix Roadrunners (IHL). It effectively killed off any New Haven Nighthawks chances of making the Calder Cup playoffs.

With both of their parent teams out of the NHL playoffs, in Laval, the Montreal Canadiens received back Rafaël Harvey-Pinard, who scored in the two minutes in his first game back,  as well as Cayden Primeau, and Sean Farrell, making The Rocket a team to be wary of as the Calder Cup playoffs start. The Tucson Roadrunners received five players from the Arizona Coyotes.

The old cliche about “next man up” and “creating opportunities for other players” comes to the forefront for the Wolf Pack. Someone must step up for those missing points with these three skaters gone. Dylan Garand will have big shoes to fill in Domingue’s absence. He will need to be at his best between the pipes.

The reconfigured lineup was on full display Friday with what is likely to be the lineup for the Springfield series.

Will Cullye, a significant beneficiary of playing with Brodzinski this year, will likely skate with Ryan Carpenter, almost a point-a-game player, and Will Lockwood, who provided offense down the stretch.

Tim Gettinger will likely stay on the second line on the left wing. He had no goals and six points last month until Friday night. Tanner Fritz and Lauri Pajuniemi will likely be pushed up to form a new troika.

Anton Blidh will likely stay as the solid third-line left-wing as a net-front nemesis, along with the reliable Karl Henriksson and likely Bobby Trivigno, who added so much spark when he played alongside Henriksson.

The fourth line should feature Matt Rempe, at the center, sidelined as a healthy scratch over the last eight games. His 6’8 presence plus faceoff skills will be critical in the short opening round series. Turner Elson will patrol the left side and can also take draws. He might be moved up to the first line. Anything is possible.

One of the younger kids, Adam Sýkora or Bryce McConnell-Barker, may get some time on the wing. Adam Edström made a strong case for himself with his NHL move and shot on his first goal.

Blake Hillman, like Rempe, saw little game activity by the end of the regular season. He could slide in for Hájek, The other pairings of Jones-Emberson and Clendening-Kalynuk will remain untouched.

In net, it’s Garand’s from here on in. He has performed very well this season. How the defense complies? The backup in the net will be Talyn Boyko.

POSSIBLE LINES:

Cullye-Lockwood-Carpenter
Gettinger-Fritz-Pajuniemi
Henriksson-Trivigno-Blidh
Elson-Rempe- Adam Sýkora or Adam Adam Edström (?)

Jones-Emberson
Blake Hillman-Scanlin
Clendening-Kalynuk

Garand
Boyko

SCRATCHES:

Brett Berard #27 (healthy)
Louie Roehl #4 (healthy)
Bryce McConnell-Barker #8 (healthy)
Easton Brodzinski #23 (healthy)
Matt Robertson (upper body, week-to-week)
Patrick Khordorenko (season-ending shoulder surgery)
C.J. Smith (hip area surgery done for the season)

NOTES:

Media reports from Sweden speculate that Pajuniemi and his reps are conversing with several Swedish Hockey League clubs for the Finnish winger’s services next year.

Pajuniemi has an expiring two-year ELC deal at $925K-NHL/$70K-AHL. He has had no recalls in two years at all.

One player not coming next year is junior prospect Jayden Grubbe. He’s the team captain of the Red Deer Rebels (WHL). He had 67 points (18 goals,49 assists, and 71 PIM). Grubbe was drafted in the third round (65th overall) in 2021 and will be passed on.

According to Eliotte Friedmann of TSN Sportsnet, the Rangers told all the other NHL organizations they would not offer him a contract and had a June 1st deadline to do so. So, as per the CBA, they will retain his rights till August 15th, then he can work out a free-agent deal with the other 31 NHL teams.

The Rebels finished first in the WHL Central Division 43-19-3-3  and are currently in the WHL playoffs awaiting their second-round opponent after knocking off the Calgary Hitmen in five games in the first round. Grubbe had one goal and 10 points in the series.

In four WHL seasons, the 20-year-old had 95 assists, 134 points in 194 games, and along with 195 PIM. He was a seventh overall pick in the 2018 WHL Bantam Draft and was team captain for three of those four years.

He represented Canada on the U-17 World Championship team with another Rangers prospect, Brennan Othman, with three points in five games.

ROY SOMMER

San Diego Gulls head coach Roy Sommer, the all-time winningest coach in AHL history (828 wins) and who coached in the most games (1,814) in a career spanning over 25 years, announced his retirement before the team’s last game of the season.

Sommer won a Calder Cup with the original Maine Mariners in 1984. After that, he played for two years in the AHL.

During his playing days, two teammates were current Springfield GM, former Hartford Whaler player, and Rangers Director of Scouting, Kevin Maxwell. His other teammate, who would become the head coach that year after injuries, ended his career was AHL HOF John Paddock, who is now coaching Regina (WHL).

Sommer won the Louis A. Pieri AHL Coach of the Year in 2016-17 in San Jose.

One of the best Sommer stories is that he was one of the first true-born and bred California players in the mid-1970s. It was a generation before seeing California as a player’s hometown was common. He went to play junior hockey in the rough-and-tumble WHL in Western Canada.

Sommer started his hockey journey in 1978-79 as a member of the Pacific Hockey League (PHL) with the Spokane (WA) Flyers playing against the legendary Bill “Goldie” Goldthorpe.

At next year’s AHL All-Star game at the Tech CU Center in San Jose, he would be a fitting addition to be inducted into the AHL Hall of Fame. For the Oakland, CA native, it would be a home run. They should also induct Colorado resident and Wolf Pack all-time great Derek Armstrong.

Sommer teamed up with ex-Ranger, New England/Hartford Whalers Nick Fotiu as a coaching tandem with the Kentucky Thoroughblades for three years.

BERT MALLOY

Cheshire native and former Hartford Jr. Wolf Pack player, now a dual citizen, Robert “Bert” Malloy, began playing for the Australian National Team in the IIHF Division II Group A tournament in Madrid, Spain, for what is likely his last season of pro hockey.

The Mighty Roo (their national team’s name) lost their opening game to Croatia 6-4.

After falling behind 4-0, they made it close twice, first 4-3 and then 5-4, but couldn’t overcome the early, large deficit. Former AHL’er Borna Rendulic scored twice for Croatia.

Malloy was a minus-one with two shots on goal for the game.

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SPRINGFIELD, Mass. … The American Hockey League announced today that Logan Shaw of the Toronto Marlies is the 2022-23  winner of the Fred T. Hunt Memorial Award as the AHL player who best exemplifies the qualities of sportsmanship, determination, and dedication to hockey.

The award is voted on by coaches, players, and members of the media in each of the league’s 32-member cities.

In his first season with Toronto, Shaw has captained the Marlies to the North Division title while leading the team with 21 goals (tied), 45 assists, and 66 points. He has amassed just 36 minutes in penalties while skating in 67 of the club’s first 70 games entering the final weekend of the regular season, including his 600th game as a professional on Mar. 12. Shaw also represented Toronto at the 2023 AHL All-Star Classic, his second career All-Star appearance.

A 10th-year pro from Glace Bay, N.S., Shaw has totaled 104 goals and 123 assists for 227 points in 379 career AHL games with Toronto, Belleville, Manitoba, San Diego, Springfield, Portland, and San Antonio. He was originally a third-round selection by Florida in the 2011 NHL Draft. He has skated in 232 games in the National Hockey League with the Panthers, Anaheim Ducks, Montreal Canadiens, Winnipeg Jets, and Ottawa Senators. Shaw signed a three-year deal with the Marlies prior to the 2022-23 season.

This award, which was first presented by the AHL in 1978, honors the late Fred T. Hunt, a long-time contributor to the league who won three Calder Cup championships as a player and three more as a general manager during a career spent primarily with the AHL’s Buffalo Bisons and the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres. Previous winners of the award include Ross Yates (1983), Glenn Merkosky (1987, ’91), Bruce Boudreau (1988), Murray Eaves (’89, ’90), John Anderson (1992), Tim Tookey (1993), Ken Gernander (1996, 2004), Randy Cunneyworth (2000), Mike Keane (2007), Bryan Helmer (2011), Jake Dowell (2014), Tom Kostopoulos (2016), Craig Cunningham (2017), Bracken Kearns (2018), Brett Sutter (2019), John McCarthy (2020), Cal O’Reilly (2021) and Sam Anas (2022).

In operation since 1936, the American Hockey League continues to serve as the top development league for all 32 National Hockey League teams. Nearly 90 percent of all players competing in the NHL are AHL graduates, and through the years, the American Hockey League has been home to more than 100 honored members of the Hockey Hall of Fame.

The winner of the 2022-23 Louis A.R. Pieri Memorial Award (outstanding coach) will be announced on Monday.

AMERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE

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HARTFORD, CT – The XL Center got to host nine ex- Hartford Wolf Pack players last week, including seven from the 2000 AHL Calder Cup championship team and its captain, Ken Gernander, the AHL Hockey Hall-Of-Famer, and one of the three former enshrined Pack.

Brad “Shooter” Smyth, the all-time leading Wolf Pack leading scorer in team history, couldn’t make it. He played three separate times in his illustrious career in Hart City. Smyth is coaching the Canadian Ontario Provincial U-18 team, which prevented him from attending.

KEN GERNANDER

Gernander came in from Coleraine, Minnesota, where he is now the Athletic Director at Greenway High School, shedding the amateur scout label for a serene, quiet Midwestern existence.

To honor his contributions as a player, Gernander had his #12 retired by the Wolf Pack. He was later selected for AHL HHOF. Unfortunately, as a head coach, it ended under less-than-ideal circumstances as Hartford missed the playoffs four of his last five years behind the bench.

Gernander coached the last playoff squad eight years ago (nine, if you include the non-playoff pandemic season). The Pack broke that drought and qualified for the playoffs the day after his appearance.

Gernander’s leadership and in-game presence guided the team, and his often team rallying speeches were legendary. Players often used them when they went off to different hockey destinations.

Kirby, his wife, is now coaching softball at Greenway High School. In addition, his family got good news while he was en route to Hartford that his youngest daughter, Miranda, a talented softball player in her own right, had just been accepted by Division III Wisconsin Eau-Claire.

His son Micah plays Division III hockey at Gustavus Aldophus (MIAC). Gernander’s eldest son, McKenna, played at Nichols (M.A.) College (CCC) for four years. He has since graduated and lives and works now in Hartford.

His daughter McKenna participated in the Alumni game. She relayed a highly instructive set of stories about her father that really paints the picture of Gernander, the man.

“My father is perfect to be A.D. I’m not saying that just because he’s my dad. They really do love him, and it’s a perfect fit for him.

“When he was interviewed, he had two pages of ideas, and they used some of them. We didn’t have seniors on the basketball team, but he had an idea for a senior’s day for seniors in the community and to bring people out. He thought to have wrestling, having a bear – a person in full costume – wrestling the fans. It was a brilliant idea.”

While Gernander had a reputation for his toughness, he had a different approach as a parent.

“He is known as a tough guy, but my father and mother never yelled at us. He would show his disappointment in his own way. I called home one weekend,, and in speaking to my sister, she told me Dad was really upset with me. My father walked out of the house to cool down and collect his thoughts. When he came back home, he sat her down and relayeda vitalt story to illustrate his disappointment. That was always my father. My sister said by the end, I felt SOOO guilty.”

TERRY VIRTUE

Terry Virtue will always be remembered for his Game 7 Conference Final goal, which went in off Peter Ferrarro’s skate and sent the Wolf Pack to the finals.

“I was really trying to pass it, I just got the good bounce. The crowd? I don’t think I ever heard it louder,” remarked Virtue

One of Virtue’s classic moments was an opening face-off in a game when he was with Springfield when he asked Gernander if he could help him get traded to Hartford.

“I really wanted to come here, and they almost traded for me the year before. Dirk Graham nobody likes, right from the get-go. I knew it wasn’t gonna work out, “remarked Virtue, a Massachusetts resident, and a high school coach.  John Paddock forgave his sometimes on-ice discretions because “he was always trying to win.”

Virtue’s son Braedan is also a defenseman. Braedan is playing Canadian college hockey at Carleton University (OUAA).

He regaled everyone with a great story about a time early in their career about Derek Armstrong and Jimmy Roberts, the late, cigar-chomping coach, who had a set priority he learned from the great Toe Blake when he was in Montreal.

“We were in Springfield in training camp, and Jimmy Roberts was a stickler for details. So when the bus is set to leave at 9:00 AM, it really meant five minutes of. In Jimmy’s order of business, that’s what it really meant.

“Well, here’s the bus pulling out. Here comes Army, coming out with his coffee and bage,,l running after the bus. He gets on and says, ‘I thought it was nine, and Jimmy growled, nine o’clock means 8:55!”

DEREK ARMSTRONG

Armstrong was the winner of the Butterfield Trophy for being the Playoff MVP. That magical spring, Army came in from Colorado; he had a swagger and hasn’t lost any of it. He now works for the Los Angeles Kings as a special assignment coordinator.

“We had it all,” Armstrong said. “We could play any style you wanted, and we really blended well,”

His youngest son Easton lays for former New York Ranger/Hartford Whaler James Patrick with the Winnipeg Ice (WHL). The Ice are one of the league’s top teams and has a strong chance of going to the Memorial Cup.

He started the year playing for the Connor Bedard-led Regina Pats. His head coach there is Wolf Pack championship coach John Paddock, who drafted and dealt him.

J.F. LABBE

J.F. Labbé was the Pack goalie and a proven playoff performer. He won Games 5 and 6 in the Providence Bruins’ series. It kept the Wolf Pack’s hopes alive that spring and was strongly considered for MVP that year.

Labbé’s son Cyan, 15, played in the net while his father watched proudly from the bench.

The COVID pandemic ended his foray into the pro coaching ranks. He now works in private industry in the province of Quebec.

“The whole series we were behind. We always knew we could come back. We had all the pieces, Game 7 and Terry was something else,” Labbé said in French-accented English.

Bridgeport head coach, and one-time Wolf Pack, Brent Thompson, called Labbé one of the best playoff goalies he ever played against.

TODD HALL

Todd Hall is still a state resident and works at a firehouse. He is remembered for scoring one of his two playoff goals that year, the one that clinched the championship in Rochester in game six. It brought Hart City (to date) their only title in professional sports.

“You don’t always need the 50-foot slapshot, you just gotta be in the right place and right time.” Hall said.

Hall stepped down as Hamden High head coach last year to spend time with his two young girls. One plays hockey, and both are athletically inclined, like their father and mother, Melissa.

“Don’t miss it at all,” Hall said. “I did my time and enjoyed it. This is right where I should be, and want to be.”

MIKE HARDER

Mike Harder, the loquacious Ivy League grad and former assistant coach at Colgate, was an important role player down the middle of the ice. He now lives with his wife in Reno, Nevada.

“The NHL with the Hockey is for Everybody have done such a good job. We have a Learn Hockey program sponsored by the (Las Vegas Golden) Knights, even though it’s an eight-hour drive (away). They have donated more than $200 of equipment for the Learn to Play kids, and we have 16 Europeans in it. It’s all free equipment. Hockey has been cost-prohibitive over the years, and the donation really has made a difference. It’s growing fast (hockey). You see it all over Nevada,” said Harder.

He is both active in local hockey and in extending their brand. Of course, it helps that Harder is the youth hockey coach in the town.

“We have just a strong program. We have a sled hockey team going to St. Louis for the nationals next week. It’s been successful and very fulfilling, rewarding and great for the community. So there’s a lot going on,” commented Harder.

Leaving Colgate brought with it mixed emotions.

“I miss it in some ways. Colgate was really good to me as both a player and a coach, but it was time to move on. My wife had gotten a great job offer in Reno, so it was time for a new chapter and to move on, “reflected Harder.

Fond memories still linger for Harder.

“Of course, who can forget Terry’s goal? It was so big and everyday coming to the rink was so much fun.”

JOHN TRIPP

John Tripp played three seasons in Hartford. He played the year AFTER the Pack won the title. He now works in the financial services industry and shows he still has the touch while playing in the alumni game. COVID also ended his international coaching experience, where he was on the bench with the Serbian National Team

“I really wanted to go back, but once COVID hit and all the travel restrictions, I had to change course and dove into financing. It’s been as rewarding as hockey has been,” Tripp said. He works in youth hockey in Ontario.

STEFAN CHERNESKI

Stefan Cherneski, whose career was cut short by a devastating knee injury, endured grueling rehab and played in just the last game of that regular season. It was all his shattered knee would afford him. So he has stayed in Connecticut in his post-playing career. He is raising a young family with his wife.

“My knee still isn’t good. I can’t wait until I reach the age for a knee replacement. I always respect these guys. They all were around throughout it encouraging and helping me,” said Cherneski.

His last professional game was incredibly memorable in how he handled it so professionally and for Paddock, allowing him to skate the final minute of play. It let him play after being forced to retire early. It was a highly emotional moment for the one-time first-round draft pick. It was indeed a thoughtful and selfless act that was the hallmark of that version of the Wolf Pack.

MIKE MOTTAU

Mike Mottau was fresh off of winning the Hobey Baker the year before. He provided the steady hand at defense for the Wolf Pack. Unfortunately, he was a last-minute scratch. He was filling in for Burke Henry, who was unable to attend.

P.J. STOCK

Efforts to get the wildly popular P.J. Stock to attend were sadly unsuccessful because of previous commitments.

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By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack

HARTFORD, CT – New York Rangers General Manager Chris Drury announced today that the club had assigned goaltender Talyn Boyko to the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack from the Kelowna Rockets of the WHL.

Boyko, 20, appeared in 40 games for the Rockets this season, posting a record of 13-24-1 with a save percentage of .898 and a goals-against average of 3.55. He was selected in the fourth round, 112^th overall, by the Rangers in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft.

The native of Drumheller, Alberta, has appeared in 142 games during his WHL career with the Rockets and the Tri-City Americans. He has a career record of 56-67-9 with a save percentage of .899. He was named a WHL, BC Division, Second Team All-Star following the 2021-22 season. He posted a record of 29-18-5 in 54 games split between the Americans (eight games) and Rockets (46 games) that season.

The Wolf Pack returns to the XL Center for the final regular season home game on Friday, April 14^th, hosting the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Join us for Fan Appreciation Night featuring special guest Johnny Damon! The puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m. To get tickets, visit www.hartfordwolfpack.com.

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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By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack

HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack organization is excited to announce that they will celebrate the franchise’s storied past with ‘Wolf Pack Alumni Night’ on Friday, April 7^th, when the Wolf Pack hosts the Bridgeport Islanders.

As part of the celebration, numerous members of the 1999-00 team that captured the city’s first Calder Cup will be in attendance. The Wolf Pack will be joined by forwards Terry Virtue, Derek Armstrong, Brad Smyth, Ken Gernander, Todd Hall, Mike Harder, Stefan Cherneski, and John Tripp, defenseman Mike Mottau, and goaltender J.F. Labbe.

The alumni will be signing autographs and taking pictures on the concourse of the XL Center before and during the first intermission of the Wolf Pack’s pivotal game against the Islanders. They will join the Wolf Pack on the ice pregame for the night’s ceremonial puck drop.

As part of ‘Wolf Pack Alumni Night,’ the club will also be giving away an Igor Shesterkin bobblehead, courtesy of Xfinity, to the first 1,500 fans into the arena. The bobblehead will only be available at the XL Center’s main entrance inside the atrium on Trumbull Street.

Shesterkin, the reigning Vezina Trophy winner as the top goaltender in the NHL during the 2021-22 season, posted a record of 17-4-6 with a .934 save percentage in 25 games with the Wolf Pack during the 2019-20 season. He was selected to represent the Wolf Pack at the 2020 AHL All-Star Classic.

As it is every Friday night at the XL Center for Wolf Pack hockey, it’s $2 beers and $1 hot dog night! Fans can purchase $2 beers and $1 hot dogs until the end of the first intermission.

For tickets, visit hartfordwolfpack.com.

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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By: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings

HARTFORD, CT – Jake Leschyshyn had an assist and a late goal, and the overtime winner at 1:12 propelled the Hartford Wolf Pack to a hard-fought 2-1 win over the Toronto Marlies. The win was the Pack’s fifth straight and in their last non-conference opponent of the season.

“We’re happy to get two points out of that (game). It’s a big game for us standings-wise. Coming down the stretch, every game is huge for us,” Leschyshyn said. “Libor made a huge play for us on the goal. He got out in front, and I got the first shot off. It wasn’t a great shot. It’s kind of opened things up and I was able to put the second one past him.”

Pack head coach Kris Knoblauch was all smiles post-game. “The line he and Blidh have been on has just gotten better and better and that showed at the end of the game.”

The already python-like playoff squeeze was made even tighter as the Bridgeport Islanders won a controversial game on Tuesday morning in OT over the Springfield Thunderbirds, who were last year’s Calder Cup runner-up.

This now sets up a monumental game Friday night between Bridgeport and Hartford. Following a Wolf Pack 2000 Calder Cup championship Celebration Night, the game will be played with ten former players in the house, including the former captain and head coach Ken Gernander.

Since being sent down, Lechyshyn has found some hockey nirvana in Hartford.

“It’s the first time coming to a team (traded) in my pro career. The guys have been so helpful, created the chemistry we needed and now we have to not take a step back, and it’s good to get the ice time. I think I have had a good opportunity with more ice time here in all situations that I did combined its all the other places I played (this year),” remarked Leschyshyn.

In the third period, after some pinball-like play, where the Pack struggled to get the puck out of the zone, the Marlies’ Kyle Clifford found the puck and had an open chance on the right wing but hit the post at 1:53.

Keith Petruzzelli squared on Tim Gettinger, took away the short side as a shooting option, and stopped him at 3:42.

Toronto’s Graham Slagggert followed with an inadvertent high stick on Ty Emberson behind the net and went to the penalty box. After the refs checked to see if there was blood, and when there was none, he went for a two-minute minor. It opened the door for the Wolf Pack.

While shorthanded, the Marlies Pontus Holmberg got around Ryan Carpenter, but netminder Louie Domingue moved right across the top of the crease to stay with him and make the save at 10:46.

The Wolf Pack finally broke the scoreless duel late in the third.

After solid board work and puck possession by Tanner Fritz and Lauri Pajuniemi, Emberson sent a good low shot from the right point. Leschyshyn got to the rebound first and was stopped.

Anton Blidh got a second crack at the puck and put his 12th of the season past Petruzzelli with just 1:12 left in regulation.

“It was similar to the goal we had in Toronto. Late in the game. A last second tying goal to force overtime. It was a good all-around effort by everybody to get that goal,” remarked Leschyshyn.

The Marlies are holders of the league’s fifth-best record. They demonstrated why, showing no quit.

With Petruzelli pulled, the Marlies’ Alex Steeves had a great chance with 32 seconds left to tie it from the right-wing side, but Domingue made a 10-bell save.

“He’s one of those guys we lean on, maybe a little too much sometimes. We got rewarded with his play tonight with a win,” said Leschyshyn.

With 12.2 seconds left, they managed to tie the game. Topi Niemelä registered his first goal of the season when he picked up the rebound of Steeves’ shot and buried it to force extra time.

“It was a tough game all night for both teams to get real good chances and find open ice. There wasn’t a lot going on for much of the game at times. We stuck with it, stayed patience and it paid off for us by persevering,” commented Leschyshyn.

LINES:

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

Jones-Emberson
Hájek-Scanlin
Clendening-Kalynuk

Domingue
Garand

SCRATCHES:

Matt Rempe (Healthy)
Blake Hillman (Healthy)
Adam Edström #34 (Healthy)
Brett Berard (Healthy)
Adam Sýkora  #29 (Healthy)
Bryce McConnell-Barker #8 (Healthy)
Matt Robertson (Upper-body, Week-To-Week – Could be ready for the playoffs)
Patrick Khordorenko (Season-ending shoulder surgery).
C.J. Smith (Hip surgery, Done for the season)

NOTES:

The Marlies are coached by ex-Pack captain/Sound Tiger/Springfield Falcon Greg Moore. He has been at the helm for a year and a half.

Former UCONN forward Ryan Tverberg just signed his NHL ELC deal with the Maple Leafs. His Marlies ATO deal came two weeks ago. he will be forgoing his senior season at Storrs. He was a scratch for the game.

The other CT connection is G Keith Petruzzelli (Quinnipiac University). His alma mater is in the Frozen Four in Tampa Bay against Michigan Thursday night; the ETA of the game is 8:30 pm on ESPN.

The NHL parent Toronto Maple Leafs recalled forwards Nick Abbruzzese and Wayne Simmonds on emergency recall.

Off to St. John’s, Newfoundland (ECHL) are Todd Skirvington, Matt Hellickson, and Jack Badini (Old Greenwich).

Jonny, Brodzinski was the second Wolf Pack this year to win an in-season AHL award as AHL Player of the Month for March.

Cayden Primeau, son ex-Whaler Keith, was recalled again from the Laval Rocket to the parent Montreal Canadiens.

Springfield signed Garrett Sparks after being sent back to Orlando (ECHL) as St. Louis recalled Vadim Zherenko.
So too, was defenseman Matt Kessel.

Lehigh Valley gets Samuel Ersson back in goal from Philly, sitting in for Connor Hart. He was suspended from the Canadian National Team with the WJC team because of a sexual assault incident that happened years ago. The claim was settled with the Canadian WJC team and, in turn, sent Pat Nagle back to the Reading Royals (ECHL).

Peter DiLiberatore, is reassigned to Wheeling Nailers (ECHL) by the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.

Jon Gillies (Salisbury School) continues his shuttle between Columbus and Cleveland.

Luke Stevens (Yale University-ECACHL) is reassigned to Kansas City (ECHL) by Coachella Valley Firebirds.

CHICAGO WOLVES

The Chicago Wolves sent a press release to all agents of minor league players yesterday that they will operate as an independent team next year, jettisoning Carolina after just two years.

They aren’t any more independent teams in the AHL. The last two were the Worcester (MA) Ice Cats in their first season under the late Roy Boe in 1993-94. The 1991 New Haven Nighthawks were the other.

Worcester is no longer in the AHL. It’s now an ECHL city and long gone.

The Nighthawks were comprised of Quebec Nordiques (nee Colorado Avalanche) farm hands and free agents.

Dual affiliations are a thing of the past too. The Charlotte Checkers were being split by the Florida Panthers and Seattle Krakken last year while the new building in the California desert was being built. This was the first one since the ill-fated, two-year experiment called the Beast of New Haven in the late ’90s, which Carolina and Florida shared.

Chicago has had four affiliations in the last seven years. They have had a tough going with every NHL affiliate. Several years ago, a St. Louis organizational source said, “We’ll never go back there. We rather be in Mexico City than deal with them!”

The owner of the defending Calder Cup Champion Wolves is Donald Levin; he likes winning titles and entertaining fans. He has the money to do this. This divorce comes two years earlier than was expected. It’s been reported to be difficult to deal with  Tom Dundon of the Carolina Hurricanes since he brought the team from Peter Karmanos.

CARON BRIERE

Caron Brière, the eldest son of current Flyer GM and a former Springfield Falcon, Daniel Brière, was dismissed from his second NCAA team. Mercyhurst University (Erie, PA) (AHA) did so for his despicable actions in knocking an unoccupied wheelchair down a long flight of stairs to a bathroom area of a local Erie nightclub. The act was caught on a video surveillance camera and posted on Twitter.

Brière was dismissed before even playing a game for Arizona State University (NCAA Independent).

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HARTFORD, CT – The New York Rangers defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins in a dramatic first-round playoff series and now face an elimination game with the Carolina Hurricanes (nee Hartford Whalers) who lead the series three games to two in the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Meanwhile, back in the American Hockey League (AHL), the two teams in the Atlantic Division, the Springfield Thunderbirds and the Charlotte Checkers, are meeting in a 2-3-2 format. Springfield dominated from start to finish in Game 1 on Sunday afternoon at the Mass Mutual Center, crushing the Checkers 6-0. Sam Anas had two goals and an assist, while Joel Hofer, the game’s First Star, had a 35-shot shutout. (GAME SHEET)

EX- HARTFORD WOLF PACK PLAYERS MOVING

Ex-Hartford Wolf Pack forward Brodie Dupont has officially retired and becomes the full-time head coach for the Cardiff Devils (Wales-EIHL). Under Dupont’s leadership behind the bench, Cardiff won the EIHL championship. He is the 96th ex-Wolf Pack/CT Whale player to enter coaching. Dupont played as a Wolf Pack and CT Whale member and was weighing an offer to return to Connecticut.

Ex-Wolf Pack, Ryan Gropp departs IF Björklöven (Sweden Allvenskan).

Another ex-Pack, Nick Ebert, leaves Örebro HK (Sweden-SHL) for HV 71 (Sweden-SHL) next year.

In his tenth year of Polish hockey, New Britain’s Mike Cichy leaves GKS Tychy (Poland-PZIHL) and signs with Unia Oswiecim.

Rayen Petrovicky, the son of former Hartford Whaler Róbert Petrovicky, moves from TUTO (Finland-Mestis) home to HK Dukla Trencin (Slovakia-SLEL).

Brooklyn Kalmikov, the son of former Sound Tiger Konstantin Kalmikov, saw his Moncton Wildcats (QMJHL) eliminated. So he’s now heading from “The Q” and signs with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins for next season.

MORE MOVES

Closer to home, following his sophomore year, Ryan Doolin (Westminster Prep) left Sacred Heart University (AHA) and transferred to D3 Colby College (ME) (NESCAC).

Travis Turnbull, the younger cousin of former New Haven Nighthawk Randy Turnbull, heads from Schwenniger (Germany-DEL) to EHC Straubing (German-DEL).

Jack Marottollo (North Haven), the son of Sacred Heart University (AHA) head coach C.J. Marottollo, goes from South Shore (NCDC) and enrolls at Wesleyan University (Middletown) (NESCAC) in the fall.

THOSE STILL PLAYING MEANINGFUL HOCKEY…

In June, the major junior playoffs continue in Canada, leading to a later-than-planned Memorial Cup in an old AHL city, Saint John, New Brunswick.

In the WHL, current Ranger’s prospect Matt Rempe, who’s playing with the Seattle Thunderbirds, has four goals and five points in ten games, won their Game 7 finale against the Portland Winterhawks to advance to the next round.

Goalie Dylan Garand, heading to Hartford on his Entry-Level Contract (ELC) in the fall, moves on. Garland’s Kamloops Blazers (48-17-3-0) will play against Rempe’s Thunderbirds (44-18-4-2) in the WHL Western Conference championship beginning Friday.

Garand’s 1.51 Goals-Against-Average (GAA) is the WHL’s second-best in the post-season. The Red Wing’s 6’6 prospect, Sebastian Cossa of the Edmonton Oil Kings, is slightly better at 1.48. Both have three shutouts.

OTHER HARTFORD WOLF PACK PROSPECTS

Another fall training camp player is winger Ryder Korczak of the Moose Jaw Warriors. Korczak was last week’s WHL Player of the Week with ten points in ten games. Unfortunately, the Winnipeg Ice eliminated the Warriors.

In the WHL Bantam Draft, Lochlan Tetarenko, the son of Joey Tetarenko (Beast of New Haven), was selected in the third round (62nd overall) by the Saskatoon Blades.

In the US Priority portion of the draft, the son of Whaler Grant Jennings, forward Gordon Jennings, was taken in the second round (35th overall) by the Prince Albert Raiders. The Alaskan native played last season for the U-14 Alaska Oilers AA team.

California had the most players taken, with 44 drafted at 17, followed by Minnesota with 13 and Texas with nine.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Over in the OHL, two top Rangers prospects will compete against one another in the Western Conference Championship.

Will Cullye of the Windsor Spitfires has eight points in eleven games. That’s good for second-best on the team. Their opponent, Brennan Othmann of the Flint Firebirds, has a team-best 17 points on eight goals in 12 games.

Othmann had three assists in a series-clinching Game 5 with a big 7-1 clincher over Sault Ste. Marie.

Each of these players is the captain of their respective team. They met in February in a wild 7-6 overtime game, with each recording a hat trick. Cullye wears #13 and Othmann #78. The Spitfires won seven of the eight games in the regular season, and they will play for the Wayne Gretzky Conference trophy.

The series started on Saturday in Windsor. Cullye had an assist and game-high eight shots while Othmann went pointless and had one shot. Game two is on Monday.

WINDSOR SERIES

Listen to the Windsor series on old school over-the-air radio on CKLW-AM 800 (Windsor-Detroit) and online. The Eastern Conference series begins on Friday between Hamilton and North Bay. The game can also be heard on CHML-AM 900 (Hamilton).

There were no Ranger prospects in the QMJHL, but former Wolf Pack, Ranger, and Springfield Falcon, and now a head coach, Gordie Dwyer, saw his Saint John Sea Dogs eliminated in the first round of the President Cup playoffs. However, the team does get an automatic Memorial Cup cup berth as the host city.

ANOTHER RANGERS SIGNEE

Centerman Gustav Ryhahl signed a one-year, one-way, free-agent deal with the Rangers paying him $750K in the NHL and AHL. Rydahl, 27, is a 6’3 and 201-pounds physical player from the LeMat Trophy Swedish Hockey League champs Färjestad BK (Sweden-SHL), where he amassed 30 points in 44 games.

In the Clark Cup (USHL) best-of-five series final, the Sioux City Musketeers are tied at one game apiece with the Madison (WI) Capitols.

A few CT names dot the rosters of both teams.

Jake Percival (Avon) plays for Sioux City and is a UCONN recruit for the fall.

Madison has Ohio State (Big 10), Richard (DJ) Hart (Stamford), and Westport’s and QU-bound in the fall Matt McGroarty (Brunswick School). Hart, who played at UCONN in Hartford twice this year, is a fall commit.

COLLEGE HOCKEY

The changes at Storrs keep coming.

According to sources heading to Boston University will be UCONN’s associate head coach West Haven’s Joe Pereira, an ex-Sound Tiger, also formerly of South Kent Prep. He played as an undergraduate for 139 games. He was a  captain his senior season, as one of the new assistant coaches for Jay Pandolfo’s staff after his nine-year run as an assistant to the Huskies Mike Cavanaugh.

He began his college coaching career at Sacred Heart University (ACHA Division-2) as the head coach of their D2 club team, winning the Northeast Collegiate Hockey League championship in 2012-13. As a player, he spent two years as a minor league professional.

Augustana (SD) University Vikings, the 62nd and newest NCAA D1 program, has been accepted as a new conference member for the CCHA, bringing the league to eight teams.

TRANSFERS ACCEPTED

One way for a team to improve its roster is to dip into the transfer portal. NCAA D1 Independent, the Long Island University Sharks, announced seven transfers on Thursday.

The transfers are of all types, undergraduate, grad, inter-conference, non-conference, several Division-3s to Division-1, and even several cross-continent moves. As of this week, the total jumps to a staggering 157, comprised of 88 grad transfers and 69 school transfers.

The Sacred Heart Pioneers (AHA) gets Julian Kislin from Northeastern (HE).

The Quinnipiac Bobcats lose sophomore winger Ty Smilanic to Wisconsin (Big 10). Smilanic’s NHL rights were traded from Minnesota to Arizona. Meanwhile, the Bobcats received three grad transfers.

Over at Yale, they saw a grad transfer in goalie Justin Pearson who heads to UCONN (HE) next year.

UCONN’s Cassidy Bowes has yet to declare his next destination. Still, according to several sources, he’s likely to play Canadian college hockey out in Western Canada, which is closer to his home in either the CWUAA, ACAC, or the BCIHL.

MORE MOVES

Rangers prospect Simon Kjellberg has left RPI (ECACHL) for the greener pastures of Northern Michigan (CCHA).

A laundry list of players remains uncommitted, including Kyle Johnson of Yale and John Fusco of Harvard.

Eric Gotz, the nephew of former Hartford Wolf Pack player and Head Coach Ken Gernander, heads from Michigan Tech (CCHA) to Vermont (HE), where his twin uncles matriculated as young men, Jim and Jerry Gernander.

John Emmons Jr. commits to Miami (OH) (NCHC) from the Oakland (MI) Grizzlies (HPHL).

IIHF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

US had a close call winning 3-2 in OT over defensive-minded Austria. Ex-Sound Tiger Kieffer Bellows scored in the game. Unfortunately, the US dropped their second game 4-1 to Finland.

Next was a battle with Great Britain, which had Jackson Whistle in the net. He is the nephew of former New Haven Nighthawk Rob Whistle. Bellows scored twice in a 3-0 win.

The US knocked off Sweden on Adam Gaudette’s hat trick as ex-Springfield Falcon TJ Tynan, the two-time reigning AHL MVP, set him up with his second helper of the game.

Canada saw Pierre-Luc Dubois score twice in an opening 5-1 win.

In other games, the Czechs fell to Sweden 4-3 as ex-Pack Tomáš Kundrátek, and ex-UCONN recruit Matej Blümel scored in a comeback bid, but a 5-3 loss and then lost to Austria in their second game.

Michael Spacek scored in a 5-1 win over Latvia.

HUSKA

Current Wolf Pack Adam Húska was in net for Slovakia’s 5-1 loss to Canada and 5-3 loss to Switzerland. Huska gave up a goal to ex-Springfield Falcon Denis Malgin (one of five ex-Falcons playing in the tourney). Even though he made some acrobatic diving saves, the lack of goal support followed him to Finland from Hartford.

The Slovaks did make the quarterfinals with a 4-3 win over Kazakhstan. Húska faced little work (11 shots), and all three goals resulted from direct rebounds. Huska picked up a secondary assist on the third goal. The Slovak team capitalized with three power play goals on Pavel Akolzin’s ill-advised major for charging in center ice right in front of the Kazakhstan bench.

The Slovaks secured their chance to continue to play by beating Italy 5-2, with Húska manning the cage. Surefire top draft pick in July, Jaroslav Slafkovky, scored again.

Ex-Pack Andres Ambühl was the hero setting up the game-winning goal with 4:21 left for Switzerland in a 3-2 win over Kazakhstan.

Sweden has played ex-Pack Magnus Hellberg in the net for three of their four games. One of them was winning a championship-level-like final, a 3-2 shootout win over Finland.

Former QU Bobcat Latvian Kārlis Čukste earned the secondary assist on the game-winner with 6:19 left to play as Latvia rallied for a late 4-3 win over the British.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

THIRD PERIOD

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

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

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

SECOND PERIOD

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

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

Ronning elaborated on his coach’s thoughts.

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

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

STRONG BETWEEN THE PIPES

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

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

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

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

SCORING

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

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

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

LINES

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

Tinordi- Guittari
Jones-Scanlin
Robertson- Lundkvist

Kinkaid
Huska

SCRATCHES

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

NOTES

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

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

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

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

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

LACK OF HONOR FOR THE 2000 CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Not nearly good enough.

CONGRATULATIONS

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

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

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

HARTFORD WOLF PACK

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