Wolf Pack Weekly, January 19-24
Jan 19, 2016The Wolf Pack (19-19-2-0, 40 pts., .500 pts. percentage) have climbed into a tie for fifth place in the Atlantic Division, by winning a season-high five straight games. The Pack started a stretch of five straight road games with a 1-0 shutout of the Springfield Falcons on Friday night. Magnus Hellberg stopped 32 Falcon shots to post his second whitewash of the season in that game, and Marek Hrivik’s late first-period goal was the only scoring. In Allentown, PA on Saturday night, Adam Tambellini’s power-play goal 1:51 into the third period was the winner, in a 2-1 Hartford victory over the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. Then, in a holiday matinee in Providence Monday, Brady Skjei scored at 1:47 of overtime to give the Wolf Pack a 3-2 win over the Bruins. Jack Combs had the other two Hartford goals in that game, his first Wolf Pack scores.
For the latest AHL standings, click here.
This week: The Wolf Pack finish a stretch of five straight road games with visits to Albany and Bridgeport, and then return home to the XL Center Sunday for a battle with the Portland Pirates. The Wolf Pack and Devils face off at 7:00 on Wednesday night, in Hartford’s first visit of the season to the Times Union Center, and then Saturday night’s Wolf Pack/Sound Tigers tilt in Bridgeport is a 7:30 start. On Sunday in Hartford the Wolf Pack and Pirates get going at 3:00.
Wednesday, January 20 at the Albany Devils (New Jersey) at the Times Union Center, 7:00 PM
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This is the fourth meeting of the year between the Wolf Pack and Devils, but the Pack’s first of three trips to Albany. The Wolf Pack lost both of the first two games of the season series at home, but rebounded to take the last encounter, 4-3 in overtime, last Sunday at the XL Center.
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After a six-game winning streak from December 26-January 9, Albany has won just one of its last four games (1-1-0-2), and suffered a 1-0 overtime defeat in their last game Saturday night in Utica. The Devils still came into the week with the third-best record in the Eastern Conference, though, with a mark of 23-9-5-0 for 51 points and a .689 points percentage.
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Albany goaltender Scott Wedgewood (6-1-1, 1.53 goals-against average, 94.4% save percentage, one shutout), had a personal streak of five straight wins snapped in Saturday’s 1-0 overtime loss at Utica, despite stopping 43 shots.
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Broadcast – live with Bob Crawford on News Radio 1410 WPOP, on-line at newsradio1410.iheart.com and on iHeartRadio. Video streaming at www.ahllive.com.
Saturday, January 23 at the Bridgeport Sound Tigers (Islanders) at Webster Bank Arena, 7:30 PM
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The Wolf Pack have won the last two games of the season series with their Connecticut rivals, both at the XL Center, but dropped the first three head-to-head battles of the season in Bridgeport.
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The Sound Tigers are in the midst of a six-game losing streak and have fallen to 19-19-2-1 (41 pts., .500). That puts them in a fifth-place tie with the Wolf Pack in the Atlantic Division.
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Bridgeport centerman James Wright, a seventh-year pro with 146 career NHL games-played to his credit, had a goal and two assists in the last matchup between the Wolf Pack and Sound Tigers, a 5-4 Hartford win January 9 at the XL Center.
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Broadcast – live with Bob Crawford on News Radio 1410 WPOP, on-line at newsradio1410.iheart.com and on iHeartRadio. Video streaming at www.ahllive.com.
Sunday, January 24 vs. the Portland Pirates (Florida) at the XL Center, 3:00 PM
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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 Pirates bring a five-game win streak into the week and are 16-3-1-0 in their last 20 games. Since January 1, when Scott Allen took over as Pirate head coach after Tom Rowe was promoted to Associate General Manager with the parent Florida Panthers, Portland is 5-1-0-0.
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Pirate veteran goaltender Mike McKenna has won 12 straight decisions dating back to December 12, and is 18-7-1 on the year with a 2.27 goals-against average. That is good for fourth in the AHL in wins and sixth in GAA.
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This is the fourth game of a ten-game season series between the Wolf Pack and Pirates, and both teams have held sway thus far on their respective home ices. The Pack defeated the Pirates 5-2 December 29 in Portland’s first visit to the XL Center, after the Pirates had swept a pair of meetings in Maine in mid-November
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Tickets for this and all remaining 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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Friday, January 22, 2:00 PM, Alfred E. Burr Elementary School, 400 Wethersfield Ave., Hartford, CT: Wolf Pack players Ryan Graves and Chris Summers are scheduled to speak to a group of Hartford third-graders about goal-setting and teamwork.
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Friday, January 22, 2:30 PM, Wolcott Elementary School, 71 Wolcott Rd., West Hartford, CT: Wolf Pack players Nicklas Jensen and Chad Nehring are scheduled to join Sonar, the Wolf Pack’s lovable mascot, in promoting the Wolf Pack’s “Read to the Rink” program, presented by ProHealth Physicians and “Healthy Me”.
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Saturday, January 23, 10:00 AM, Imagine Nation, One Pleasant St., Bristol, CT: Sonar joins in the fun at Imagine Nation-A Museum Early Learning Center, as youngsters indulge their senses in the wonders of the winter season.
Recent Transactions:
Alex Krushelnyski – returned by the Wolf Pack to Utah (ECHL) January 14.
Practice: All Wolf Pack practices at Champions Skating Center in Cromwell are open to the public. Schedule is subject to change.
Wed., January 20 10:00 – 10:30 AM, Champions Skating Center (game at Albany)
Thurs., January 21 10:30 – 11:30 AM, Champions Skating Center
Fri., January 22 10:30 – 11:30 AM, XL Center
Sat., January 23 11:45 AM – 12:15 PM, Trinity College (game at Bridgeport)
Sun., January 24 Game vs. Portland
Mon., January 25 10:30 – 11:30 AM, XL Center
“Hartford Hockey Heritage Weekend”: January 29 and 30 is “Hartford Hockey Heritage Weekend” at the XL Center, as the Pack salutes over four decades of hockey history in Hartford. On Friday, January 29, when the Wolf Pack host Bridgeport in a 7:15 PM game, the first 2,000 fans will take home a free Wolf Pack trading card set, presented by Qdoba Mexican Grill. Then, on Saturday, January 30, which will feature the Wolf Pack vs. the St. John’s IceCaps at 7:00, the first 2,000 fans will receive an OYO Ken Gernander sports figurine, sponsored by Aetna, and former Hartford Whaler star Geoff Sanderson will make a special appearance.
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 date is January 29, when the Bridgeport Sound Tigers invade the XL Center (7:15 PM faceoff).
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.