Wolf Pack Weekly, December 28-January 3
Dec 28, 2015The Wolf Pack (13-16-2-0, 28 pts., .452 pts. percentage) climbed into a tie for sixth place in the Atlantic Division this past week, with a split of a pair of games on an Empire-State road trip. The Pack dropped a 4-2 decision to the Binghamton Senators in Binghamton Saturday, but rebounded to post a 1-0 shutout over the Rochester Americans Sunday at Rochester. Jeff Malcolm authored up his first career AHL whitewash in that game, making 24 saves, and Chad Nehring’s team-best ninth goal of the season was the only scoring.
For the latest AHL standings, click here.
This week: After playing five straight games, and eight out of nine, on the road, the Wolf Pack start a six-game homestand with a trio of XL Center dates this week. The Portland Pirates make their first XL Center visit of the season on Tuesday night, with faceoff at 7:00 PM. Then the Wolf Pack host the Albany Devils at 7:00 Saturday night, with the first 2,000 fans receiving a free Wolf Pack travel mug from Henkel. Finally, the Atlantic Division-leading Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins invade the XL Center Sunday, on “Superhero Family Day”, for a 3:00 faceoff.
Tuesday, December 29 vs. the Portland Pirates (Florida) at the XL Center, 7:00 PM
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The Pirates come into the week winners of six straight games, and have gone 9-1-1-0 in their last 11, to climb to 16-11-1-0 for 33 points and a .589 points percentage. That is good for fourth place in the Atlantic Division.
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This is the first of five visits on the season by the Pirates to the XL Center, after they swept a two-game series with the Wolf Pack in Portland, winning 6-2 on November 11 and 3-2 November 13.
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Pirate goal-scoring leader Kyle Rau (13-5-18 in 27 GP) is tied for second among AHL rookies in goals.
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Tickets for this and all 2015-16 Wolf Pack home games are on sale now at the Agera Energy Ticket Office at the XL Center, on-line at www.hartfordwolfpack.com and by phone at (877) 522-8499. Tickets purchased in advance for kids 12 or younger have been reduced to $10 this season, and all tickets will have a $2 day-of-game increase.
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Broadcast – live with Bob Crawford and Mark Bailey on News Radio 1410 WPOP, on-line at newsradio1410.iheart.com and on iHeartRadio. Video streaming at www.ahllive.com.
Saturday, January 2 vs. the Albany Devils (New Jersey) at the XL Center, 7:00 PM
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The first 2,000 fans into this game receive a complimentary Wolf Pack travel mug, courtesy of Henkel.
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There will be a winter clothing drive at this game. Any fan who donates a winter hat, jacket or scarf will be presented with a buy-one-get-one-free ticket voucher redeemable for any 2015-16 Wolf Pack home game.
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This is the second of six games on the year between the Wolf Pack and the Devils. Albany won the first encounter, 4-0, November 7 at the XL Center.
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Albany is second only to league-leading Toronto in the North Division, with a record of 17-8-3-0 for 37 points and a .661 points percentage. The Devils had lost four straight, though, before a 4-1 home victory over Providence in their last game Saturday.
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Veteran winger Mike Sislo is the Devils’ leading goal and point-scorer, with 13-10-23 in 28 games.
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Tickets for this and all 2015-16 Wolf Pack home games are on sale now at the Agera Energy Ticket Office at the XL Center, on-line at www.hartfordwolfpack.com and by phone at (877) 522-8499. Tickets purchased in advance for kids 12 or younger have been reduced to $10 this season, and all tickets will have a $2 day-of-game increase.
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Broadcast – live with Bob Crawford and Mark Bailey on News Radio 1410 WPOP, on-line at newsradio1410.iheart.com and on iHeartRadio. Video streaming at www.ahllive.com.
Sunday, January 3 vs. the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (Pittsburgh) at the XL Center, 3:00 PM
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This is “Superhero Family Day”, in support of the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research. The Wolf Pack will be collaborating with “Team Vermin” to bring over 30 superheros to the game, and fans are also encouraged to come to the game dressed as their favorite superhero. Special benefit tickets are available for this game for $15 each, and $5 from each benefit ticket sold will be donated to the Michael J. Fox Foundation, to help MJFF to continue aggressively funding research to find better treatments, and a cure, for Parkinson’s Disease. To purchase the benefit tickets, click here.
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The Wolf Pack’s winter clothing drive continues at this game. Any fan who donates a winter hat, jacket or scarf will be presented with a buy-one-get-one-free ticket voucher redeemable for any 2015-16 Wolf Pack home game.
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This is the day of Sonar’s birthday celebration, as a number of Sonar’s mascot friends from around the AHL, and from some favorite local teams, join him for a birthday bash.
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Wolf Pack Sunday home games again feature the Wolf Pack’s “Click It or Ticket Family Value Pack” this year. The Family Value Pack includes two tickets, two sodas and two hot dogs, all for just $35.
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The Penguins (21-7-0-1) still lead the Atlantic Division with 43 points and a .741 points percentage, but have lost their last two games and are 1-2-0-1 in their last four.
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Clark Donatelli was named the Penguins’ head coach December 22, after Wilkes-Barre/Scranton played four games under interim head coach Jay Leach. Leach had replaced Mike Sullivan, who was elevated to the head job with parent club Pittsburgh December 12.
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This is the fourth game of a six-game season series between the Wolf Pack and Penguins, and the Pack are 1-1-1-0 thus far. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s only previous visit to Hartford, November 15, was a wild back-and-forth battle, which the Penguins won 7-6 in overtime after the Wolf Pack jumped to a 5-1 lead after 20 minutes.
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Wilkes-Barre/Scranton forward Dominik Simon leads all AHL rookies in points, with 11-16-27 in 29 games.
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Tickets for this and all 2015-16 Wolf Pack home games are on sale now at the Agera Energy Ticket Office at the XL Center, on-line at www.hartfordwolfpack.com and by phone at (877) 522-8499. Tickets purchased in advance for kids 12 or younger have been reduced to $10 this season, and all tickets will have a $2 day-of-game increase.
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Broadcast – live with Bob Crawford and Mark Bailey on News Radio 1410 WPOP, on-line at newsradio1410.iheart.com and on iHeartRadio. Video streaming at www.ahllive.com.
Wolf Pack Community Appearances: The Wolf Pack have the following appearances scheduled this week. For further information on these, or any other Wolf Pack community initiatives, contact Wolf Pack community relations manager Frank Berrian, at (860) 541-4728:
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Wednesday, December 30, 9:00 AM, International Skating Center of Connecticut, 1375 Hopmeadow St., Simsbury, CT: Sonar, the Wolf Pack’s iconic mascot, takes in the action of the 27th annual Simsbury Youth Hockey Holiday Tournament.
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Thursday, December 31, 5:00 – 6:15 PM, Bushnell Park Skating Rink, Downtown Hartford: Sonar will be joining revelers welcoming in 2016 from the Bushnell Park rink.
Recent Transactions:
Magnus Hellberg – returned to the Wolf Pack by the New York Rangers December 22.
Chris Summers – returned to the Wolf Pack by the New York Rangers December 22.
Sean Escobedo – released by the Wolf Pack from a Professional Tryout (PTO) agreement December 25.
Jack Combs – recalled by the Wolf Pack from Greenville (ECHL) December 27.
Josh Nicholls – reassigned by the New York Rangers to the Wolf Pack from Greenville (ECHL) December 27.
Nick Petrecki – released by the Wolf Pack from a Professional Tryout (PTO) agreement December 27.
Practice: All Wolf Pack practices at Champions Skating Center in Cromwell are open to the public. Schedule is subject to change.
Tue., December 29 10:00 – 10:30 AM, XL Center (game vs. Portland)
Wed., December 30 10:30 – 11:30 AM, XL Center
Thurs., December 31 10:30 – 11:30 AM, XL Center
Fri., January 1 10:30 – 11:30 AM, XL Center
Sat., January 2 10:00 – 10:30 AM, XL Center (game vs. Albany)
Sun., January 3 10:00 – 10:30 AM, XL Center (game vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton)
Mon., January 4 10:30 – 11:30 AM, XL Center
Wolf Pack Holiday Packs: The perfect gift for any hockey fan is a Wolf Pack “Holiday Pack”, and there are three different Holiday Pack packages to choose from. The “Twig” package, which is priced at $149, consists of eight Wolf Pack Blue-Level vouchers, redeemable for any 2015-16 Wolf Pack home game, a signed Wolf Pack hockey stick and a $10 Dunkin’ Donuts gift card. The “Bucket” package, available for $109, includes six Blue-Level vouchers, a player-signed Wolf Pack mini-helmet and a $10 Dunkin’ Donuts gift card. The “Biscuit” package, available for only $59, is comprised of four Blue-Level vouchers, a Wolf Pack player signed puck and a $5 Dunkin’ Donuts gift card. Also, a free voucher for the Wolf Pack’s December 29 home game against the Portland Pirates has been added to all Holiday Packs. To order your Wolf Pack Holiday Pack, contact the Wolf Pack ticket office at (855) 762-6451.
Pack Tracks: On Friday home-game nights throughout the season, fans can take advantage of the Wolf Pack’s wildly popular Friday-night food and beverage discount. That means $1 hot dogs and $2 beers through the start of the second period. The next Friday home game is January 8, when the Springfield Falcons invade the XL Center (7:15 PM faceoff).
On Saturday, January 9, when the Wolf Pack host the Bridgeport Sound Tigers in a 7:00 PM game, the Wolf Pack will “Red Out” the rink, in support of heart disease awareness. The first 5,000 fans will receive a red Wolf Pack T-shirt, courtesy of CT-DOT.
The Wolf Pack have 11 Sunday home games this year, and all of those will feature the Wolf Pack’s “Click It or Ticket Family Value Pack”. The Family Value Pack includes two tickets, two sodas and two hot dogs, all for just $35. The Wolf Pack’s next Sunday home date after this Sunday is January 10, when the Albany Devils visit for a 3:00 PM game.
Every Wednesday-night Wolf Pack home game in 2015-15 is a “Winning Wednesday”. If the Wolf Pack win at home on a Wednesday night, fans can show their Winning Wednesday ticket at the Agera Energy Ticket Office at the XL Center and receive a free ticket to the next Wolf Pack home game (some restrictions apply). The Wolf Pack’s next Wednesday home outing is February 17, a 7:00 PM game vs. the Providence Bruins.
Tickets all 2015-16 Wolf Pack home games are now on sale at the XL Center ticket office, on-line at www.hartfordwolfpack.com and by phone at (877) 522-8499. Tickets purchased in advance for kids 12 or younger have been reduced to $10 this season, and all tickets will have a $2 day-of-game increase.
To speak with a Wolf Pack representative about season or group tickets, or any of the Wolf Pack’s many ticketing options, call (855) 762-6451, or click here to request more info.