#OttoKoivula

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HARTFORD WOLF PACK DROP SHOOTOUT TO SPRINGFIELD THUNDERBIRDS

By: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings HARTFORD, CT - Despite Louie Domingue's repeating his season-high 42 saves, the Hartford Wolf Pack lost 1-0 to the Springfield Thunderbirds on Quinnipiac grad Matt Peca's glove-high game-winner. Dylan Garand posted a scoreless 65 minutes against Hershey, making the Pack 2-7 in shutouts this season. The lone Pack shootout goal was by a defenseman, newcomer Adam Clendening wearing jersey #5. In overtime, the Pack displayed a strong PK after Matt Robertson was penalized on a Will Bitten clean breakaway. The Pack had three blocks, and broke-up two plays, and Domingue, was solid on the delayed penalty situation on Robertson, while making a beautiful right pad save on Hugh McGing. He had three strong late OT saves on a stick save on Adam Gaudette, Matt Kessel, and Martin Frk to keep it scoreless. The Pack got a solid bid to win early in OT by Will Cullye. In the third period, Domingue was strong, made early saves on Gaudette, leading scorer Matt Highmore, who was just sent down by the St. Louis Blues, and Mathias Laferriere. McGing and Kessel tested Domingue. Steve Santini had a quality shot with Mikhail Abramov in front waiting for the rebound. Zac Jones followed with a good stick stop on Santini on his next shift. The Pack’s Bobby Trivigno, Ryan Carpenter, and then Libor Hájek tested Springfield goalie Joel Hofer in the last five minute overtime. In the final minute, with 45.7 seconds left, Hofer stopped Abramov. Cullye had a good chance as time expired in regulation. The second period saw Springfield mount some sustained offensive zone pressure. First, Carpenter had two shots five seconds apart in the first three minutes. He was left muttering to himself and six minutes in Cullye tested Hofer. Springfield Frk, Mitchell Hoelscher, and Peca were in on Domingue. Matt Rempe was in front and was pushed away by Griffin Luce (Salisbury School). Dmitri Samurukov had a quality shot at Domingue. Karl Henriksson, made a smart defensive covering the left point as Carpenter had two shorts five seconds apart in the first three minutes, left muttering to himself. Karl Henriksson made a quality defensive play at the left point, preventing any Springfield breakout and keeping the puck in as Hájek pinched in. The first period felt like a training camp period with the Wolf Pack, as they have had seven players traded over the last 72-hours all finding new addresses. Finding chemistry was going to be tough. Not changing was captain Jonny Brodzinski. At 3:40, the Pack had the first quality shot on goal in a scoreless first period. Matt Robertson from the left point. Hofer stopped Rempe on the Springfield doorstep. At 10:03 the Pack tested Hofer with their tenth shot on goal. Both teams had a powerplay chance, and neither registered a shot on goal. Domingue made a save at 12:57 and at 14:23. Newcomer Jake Leschyshyn had a chance with 1:50 to go in the period. Riding a four-game winning streak, and enduring having their lineup changed during the week. the Wolf Pack were ready for an all-important three-games-in-three-days weekend. The first two games are on the road. On Friday, they head twenty minutes up the road back to Springfield and then an hour South to Bridgeport to meet the Islanders on Saturday. Then, they have a Sunday mid-afternoon clash with the Charlotte Checkers at 3 pm at the XL Center. LINES: Cullye-Brodzinski-Pajuniemi Gettinger-Elson-Carpenter Trivigno- Fritz-Jake Leschyshyn DiGiacinto-Henriksson- Rempe Jones-Hájek Emberson-Robertson Scanlin-Adam Clendening Garand SCRATCHES: Joe Lockwood (healthy) Cooper Zech (healthy) Wyatt Kalynuk (unavailable in transit) Anton Blidh (unavailable in transit) Ben Tardif (healthy) Patrick Khordorenko (season-ending shoulder surgery) C.J. Smith (hip area surgery done for the season) NOTES: Bridgeport's top goal scorers Simon Holmstrom and Otto Koivula were recalled by the big Islanders. They returned Arnaud Durandeau, a notorious Pack killer for the past three years. Winger Collin Adams was recalled from Worcester (ECHL). Calgary Wranglers (AHL) recalled ex-Pack defenseman Tyson Helgesen and ex-Sound Tiger Calder Brooks from Rapid City (ECHL). Goalie Jon Gillies (Salisbury School) goes from Tucson to Cleveland. Hamden’s Jonathan Quick was traded twice this week, first from LA to Columbus, and then Blue Jackets moved him the next day to the Vegas Goldne Knights. Quick (AOF), who won two Stanley Cups with Los Angeles has struggled this year. He was pulled in New York despite two of the three goals not being his fault, and his visible annoyance was shown by the 37-year-old exiting on TV. He flew back with the team at the end of a road trip to LA and then was told he was traded to Columbus. Nick Bonino (Farmington/AOF) was traded from the San Jose Sharks to Pittsburgh. Vladislav Namestnikov, the son of ex-Pack Evegeni “John” Namesnikov, now a Maple Leaf scout was traded from San Jose to Winnipeg. Ex-Pack Sammy Blais who was just traded to St. Louis. He signed a contract extension. Ex-Pack goalie J.F. Berube was recalled then sent back to Charlotte by Florida. Adam Erne, (North Branford) was called up from Grand Rapids by Detroit. Pete DiLiberatore (QU) was recently sent to Savannah (ECHL) by Henderson and was dealt by Vegas to Wilkes Barre/Scranton. Fellow former Bobcat Chase Priskie goes from Rochester to San Diego. Kevin O’Neil (UCONN/Yale) was cut loose by Colorado Eagles (AHL) released from his PTO, and heads back to South Carolina (ECHL). The team also had ex-Pack goalie Keith Kinkaid, who just traded and recalled by the Avalanche. Luke Evangelista was recalled from Milwaukee by parent Nashville. Ex-CT Whale Mike Pelech of the Atlanta Gladiators (ECHL) is officially now the second all-time leader in assists in ECHL history, recording three on the road in Savannah, GA, Thursday night. Former UCONN forward Jordan Timmons was dealt from the Reading Royals (ECHL) to the Kansas City Mavericks (ECHL). HARTFORD WOLF PACK HOME Read the full article

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BANTLON: (FRI) PACK LOSE IN OT TO BRIDGEPORT

BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings BRIDGEPORT, CT - The Hartford Wolf Pack funk continues as they dropped their eighth straight game, 4-3, in overtime on Thursday afternoon to the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. The Wolf Pack are now 3-5-1-0 (7 pts) and got the point for a regulation tie. They're just one point ahead of Bridgeport 3-7-0-0 (6 points) as they head into a nine-day layoff. The game-winning goal came 29 seconds into OT on the only shot of the extra session. Rookie referee Jordan Samuels-Thomas did not call a fairly obvious crosscheck from Otto Koivula to Anthony Bitetto, who played in his first game with the Wolf Pack. After the hit on Bitetto, Koivula moved around the fallen defenseman and got the puck to Mitchell Vande Sompel behind the Wolf Pack net. He backhanded a pass in front of the net to Koivula, who put it in past Pack netminder Tyler Wall for his first goal of the season. Koivula, who had a sheepish grin, knew he had gotten away with one. “It felt good to get my first goal. We won the faceoff. I cross-checked (Bitetto). We didn’t get a call there. We got lucky. Vande Sompel found me back door. We worked hard at coming back, and we needed a win.”

THOMPSON REACTION

“I’m happy for Otto in scoring the goal and the work he has put in,  and the compete, but I was very happy with his play away from the puck. The details, even in the game we lost (on Monday), he was moving, more intense, and I liked his response, and the goal tonight was cherry on top,” commented Sound Tigers Head Coach Brent Thompson. Koivula had a chat with Thompson and the coaching staff last week. It paid off as he was rewarded with his first goal in nearly a calendar year of play. “I had a good talk with Thommer about a week ago when I was scratched for a game. I’ve been pushing myself more, and I got the reward tonight, and that felt good," Koivula said.

THIRD PERIOD

At 1:05 of the third period, the Sound Tigers took the lead as defenseman Daniel Bolduc struck for his third goal of the year, all coming against the Wolf Pack. The Sound Tigers Dmytro Timashov was along the right-wing boards and caught Bolduc moving off the right point. The 6’3 rearguard moved to the middle and cranked a shot that got by Wall and gave the Sound Tigers a 3-2 lead. At 4:50, the Wolf Pack tied the game at three on Ty Ronning's second goal of the contest. Ronning is making a strong case to remain in the lineup with his third goal of the season. Zach Giuttari's shot went wide. The puck hit off the boards behind the net and came out in front.  Ronning was at the hash marks and tipped a shot by Darren Raddysh and put it past goalie, Ken Appleby, playing in his first game in over a year. Both teams had late chances to score the game-winner, but their goalies sent the game to extra time.

SECOND PERIOD

The Wolf Pack played well in the first half of the second period, but their play waned as the period progressed, as has become a pattern. Ronning scored the Wolf Pack’s first goal. He made a solid entry into the offensive zone and dished the puck to Patrick Khordorenko. He whistled his shot that Appleby stopped, but there was a rebound that Ronning collected and put in for his second goal of the season at 3:14. The Wolf Pack made it 2-0 as Anthony Greco, playing on the fourth line, used his speed down the left-wing and got the inside position on defenseman Carter Hutton. Greco threw the puck back out in front, and rookie Michael O’Leary jammed home his first pro goal and earned his first pro point at 6:31.

TIGERS RESPOND

Bridgeport answered back as Tanner Fritz came across the blue line and sent a sharp wrist shot that Wall blockered aside. The puck was down to Wall's right with the Pack's Tim Gettinger closest, Zach Giuttari on one side and Justin Richards on the other. Prized Sound Tigers rookie, Simon Holmstrom, managed to collect the puck past all three Pack defenders and put in his third goal of the season at 7:58. "I liked our response. We didn’t hang our heads on the bench. A lot of our older guys have been through this before and know how to turn the ship around in the right direction. They stayed the course, and we went hard to the net and got rewarded.” Thompson said of his team’s response to being down two goals. The Sound Tigers, who have failed to tally a goal at home on the power play in 15 attempts, finally did so. Bode Wilf was at the right point and sent a pass to the left-wing circle. Rookie Cole Coskey sent a rocket of a one-timer past Wall for his second goal of the year, both against the Wolf Pack, at 15:22, knotting the game at two. "I’ve been happy with our puck movement. We just haven’t taken enough shots. We’ve been working on situations, and I was happy to see Cosley get rewarded from at the top of the umbrella. He hit a cannon, and we had traffic in front," Thompson remarked.

FIRST PERIOD

The first period was evenly played as each team collected eight shots on goal. The Wolf Pack's best chance came while killing off their second penalty with 15 seconds to go in the period. Gettinger sent Greco on a clean breakaway, but instead of making a move, he opted to shoot from 15 feet out to be denied by Appleby.

LINES

Brodzinski-Newell-Barron Khordorenko-Ruesschoff-Dmowski Gettinger-Richards-Ronning Thompson-O’Leary-Greco Raddysh-Sieloff Anthony Bitetto-Reunan Giutarri-Taylor Wall Brassard SCRATCHES: Mason Geersten (two-game AHL suspension) Gabriel Fontaine (upper-body) Vincent LoVerde Will Cuylle Alex Whalen James Sanchez Michael Lackey COACHES: Pat Boller Jeff Malcolm Vincent LoVerde

NOTES

Since 2016-17 when he was an assistant to Ken Gernander, it was the first time for Boller that he was behind the bench in an AHL game. For Malcolm, the team’s goalie consultant, and a Yale grad, it was his first game as a coach. LoVerde became the first active Wolf Pack player to be an assistant in a game. It will likely be at least another week that Knoblauch and his associate coach, Gord Murphy, will remain in New York with the Rangers. They will need to be there while the COVID-19 protocols are adhered to as they wait for the coaching staff to have three negative tests as per NHL COVID re-entry policy. Until then, it will be a day-to-day situation. One of the game referees was West Hartford native Jordan Samuels-Thomas (#90), a former Quinnipiac University Bobcats player who skated his youth hockey with the Hartford Jr. Wolf Pack for the Canterbury Prep Saints (New Milford). After being scratched for the last seven games, Ryan Dmowski (East Lyme/Hotchkiss) played on his 24th birthday.

PLAYER MOVEMENT

Brogan Rafferty (Quinnipiac University) is loaned by the Vancouver Canucks to the Manitoba Moose, while former college teammate, Matt Peca, was reassigned to the Belleville Senators by the Ottawa Senators. The Toronto Maple Leafs return Ken Agostino (Yale University) to the Toronto Marlies. The Providence Bruins have signed Eduards Tralmaks from the University of Maine (HE) to an ATO deal. The 24-year-old C/RW just completed his four college career with the Black Bears after elimination in the first round of the Hockey East playoffs by the University of New Hampshire. Tralmaks becomes the fourth member of the conference to sign a North American pro contract and the ninth player overall from Division I and III to have secured a North American or European deal. In the Hockey East playoffs, the UCONN Huskies are still practicing after being eliminated by Providence College on Sunday in the hopes of a remote chance for an NCAA at-large bid for the regionals in either Albany or Bridgeport. HARTFORD WOLF PACK HOME   Read the full article

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CRAWFORD: WOLF PACK WEEKLY: January 21-26, 2020

BY: Bob Crawford, Hartford Wolf Pack HARTFORD, CT - The Hartford Wolf Pack (23-10-4-5, 55 pts.) finished a stretch of four straight road games with trips to Utica and Hershey this past week.  On Wednesday night, the Wolf Pack spotted the Comets a 5-0 lead in the first period, before coming all the way back to tie the game in what would end as a 6-5 overtime loss.  Team scoring leader Vinni Lettieri lit the lamp twice in that game, including the game-tying goal with 14.8 seconds left in regulation.  In a rematch on Friday night in Utica, it was the Wolf Pack who jumped out to an early lead, going up 2-0 in the first period, but the Comets got five of the next six goals for a 6-3 win.  Lettieri scored again in that game, and Shawn McBride netted his first career pro goal.  It was a back-and-forth battle between the Wolf Pack and Bears in Hershey on Saturday night, with the Wolf Pack giving up a goal early, then getting the next three, before having to come back again in the third period.  Vitali Kravtsov scored in the third to force overtime, but the Bears prevailed in the extra session, 5-4.  Yegor Rykov tallied his first career North American pro goal in that game and had an assist. For the latest AHL standings, click here. This week: The Wolf Pack head into the AHL All-Star break with home games against Bridgeport on Friday night at 7:15, on “Pucks and Paws Night”, and Lehigh Valley at 7:00 on Saturday night. Friday, January 24 vs. the Bridgeport Sound Tigers (Islanders) at the XL Center, 7:15 PM This is “Pucks and Paws/Pet Adoption Night” at the XL Center.  Sixty-dollar packages are now available that include: two general admission game tickets for sections 234 or 235 only, one canine ticket in section 234 or 235, and one Wolf Pack collapsible pet dish for the first 200 orders.  To order Pucks and Paws Night packages, or for more information, go to hartfordwolfpack.com.  Also, in the XL Center atrium, fans can meet some furry friends who are available for adoption from local pet shelters. This game, like every Friday-night Wolf Pack home game, features $1 hot dogs, and $2 draft beers and fountain sodas, through the start of the second period, presented by Nomads Adventure Quest. The Wolf Pack are 4-1-0-0 in five previous meetings with their in-state rivals the Sound Tigers and have swept all three of their prior home games against Bridgeport. The Sound Tigers (15-23-4-1, 35 pts.) have won two of their last three games, after an 0-6-1-0 skid in their previous seven. The Sound Tigers’ Otto Koivula, who had three assists in Bridgeport’s only win over the Wolf Pack thus far this year, a 5-1 verdict December 27 in Bridgeport, scored a hat trick in the Sound Tigers’ 6-4 home win over Laval last Sunday and then had the game-winner in Bridgeport’s next outing, a 2-1 victory in Providence on Friday night.  That was after Koivula had scored only three goals in his first 23 games of the season. At this game and every Wolf Pack Friday or Saturday home game, fans are encouraged to come early for “Hockey Happy Hour” in the XL Center’s Coliseum Club.  From 5:15 PM until puck drop, a $5 wrist band gives fans access to the “Chill Zone” of the Coliseum Club, which features an appetizer buffet and $2 beers, presented by Minuteman Press. Tickets for this game, and all 2019-20 Wolf Pack home games, are on sale now at the Sunwave Gas & Power Ticket Office at the XL Center, on-line at hartfordwolfpack.com and by phone at (877) 522-8499.  Tickets purchased in advance for kids 12 or younger start at just $10 each, and all tickets will have a $3 day-of-game increase. Broadcast – live with Bob Crawford and Mark Bailey on-line at hartfordwolfpack.com.  Video streaming at theahl.com/AHLTV. Saturday, January 25 vs. the Lehigh Valley Phantoms (Philadelphia) at the XL Center, 7:00 PM This is “Under the Sea Night” at the XL Center, as the Wolf Pack celebrates being halfway to summer and the team’s nautical history. The first 2,000 fans into this game receive a free Wolf Pack tank top, courtesy of Healthtrax. The Phantoms have climbed to within one game of .500, 18-19-1-4 for 41 points, by winning five straight games and six of their last seven. With stablemate Alex Lyon on recall to the parent Philadelphia Flyers, veteran Phantom goaltender Jean-Francois Berube has won four straight decisions, two of those by shutout. The Wolf Pack are 1-1-1-0 in head-to-head competition vs. Lehigh Valley this year, including a 4-0 win December 13 in the teams’ only previous meeting in Hartford. At this game and every Wolf Pack Friday or Saturday home game, fans are encouraged to come early for “Hockey Happy Hour” in the XL Center’s Coliseum Club.  From 5:00 PM until puck drop, a $5 wrist band gives fans access to the “Chill Zone” of the Coliseum Club, which features an appetizer buffet and $2 beers, presented by Minuteman Press. Tickets for this game, and all 2019-20 Wolf Pack home games, are on sale now at the Sunwave Gas & Power Ticket Office at the XL Center, on-line at hartfordwolfpack.com and by phone at (877) 522-8499.  Tickets purchased in advance for kids 12 or younger start at just $10 each, and all tickets will have a $3 day-of-game increase. Broadcast – live with Bob Crawford and Mark Bailey on-line at hartfordwolfpack.com.  Video streaming at theahl.com/AHLTV. 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: Sunday, January 26, 2:00 PM, Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville, CT Sonar, the Wolf Pack’s lovable mascot, heads to the New England Black Wolves’ National Lacrosse League game to join in the fun of a birthday celebration for Hunter, the Black Wolves’ mascot. Recent Transactions: Libor Hajek – loaned to the Wolf Pack by the New York Rangers January 14. Jeff Taylor – loaned by the Wolf Pack to Maine (ECHL) January 14, and recalled January 20. Pack Tracks: Friday, February 14, when the Wolf Pack host the Laval Rocket at 7:15 PM, it’s “Love Is Love Night” at the XL Center, as the Wolf Pack celebrates the love for hockey, pride, and diversity.  The first 1,000 youth 12 years old or younger into the game will receive a free Wolf Pack light-up bracelet, presented by Carvel. Each of the Wolf Pack’s Sunday and Wednesday home games feature the Wolf Pack’s “Click It or Ticket Hat Trick Pack”.  The Hat Trick Pack includes two tickets, two sodas, and a large popcorn, all for just $40.  The next Hat Trick Pack game is Wednesday, February 5, a 7:00 battle with the Springfield Thunderbirds. In partnership with the Hartford Chamber of Commerce, the Wolf Pack is offering “Suit to Sweater Wednesdays”, to wash away the mid-week work blues.  Any fan showing a company ID at the Sunwave Gas & Power Ticket office can purchase Blue-Level tickets to Wolf Pack Wednesday home games for only $15 each (limit two tickets per ID).  The Wolf Pack’s next Wednesday home date is February 5, when the Springfield Thunderbirds invade the XL Center for a 7:00 game. Once again this season, fans can enjoy $1 hot dogs, and $2 draft beers and fountain sodas, at every Friday Wolf Pack home game, through the start of the second period, presented by Nomads Adventure Quest.  After this Friday, the Wolf Pack’s next Friday-night home outing is January 31, when they entertain the Springfield Thunderbirds in a 7:15 PM game. Wolf Pack home game tickets can be purchased at the Sunwave Gas & Power Ticket Office at the XL Center, on-line at hartfordwolfpack.com and by phone at (877) 522-8499.  Tickets purchased in advance for kids 12 or younger start at just $10 each, and all tickets will have a $3 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 (860) 722-9425, or click here to request more info.  To visit the Wolf Pack online, go to hartfordwolfpack.com. TRACK THE PACK ONLINE AT HARTFORDWOLFPACK.COM Read the full article

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COLLINS: PACK END THE YEAR BY KNOCKING OFF SOUND TIGERS - AGAIN!

Hartford Wolf Pack 3, Bridgeport Sound Tigers 2 BY: Micah Collins, Hartford Wolf Pack Hartford, CT, December 31, 2019 – Matt Beleskey scored twice, and Yegor Rykov had a pair of assists, Tuesday night at the XL Center, helping the Hartford Wolf Pack to a 3-2 win over the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. The win improved the Wolf Pack’s record against their in-state rivals to 4-1-0-0, and moved Hartford (19-8-2-4, 45 pts.) past the idle Providence Bruins into sole possession of first place in the Atlantic Division. “Every game they put up a good fight,” Beleskey said of the Sound Tigers, “but we’re proud of how we stuck with it and played hard.  “We came out ready to play, and that pays off any time you can get on a team early. “Confidence is a huge part of this game. When you play with confidence you play well, and we want to keep that rolling and keep going down the stretch here. The schedule always ramps up in the second half, so any cushion we can have is good.” The Sound Tigers seemed to have all the momentum Beleskey scored hist eighth of the season from behind the net, rebounding a shot off of the leg of Bridgeport starting goaltender Jared Coreau (five saves) with 11:02 left in the first period. “(Phil) Di Giuseppe made a great pass,” said Beleskey.  “It kind of bounced around in front and ended up in the net.” Di Giuseppe and Rykov assisted on the goal. Just 51 seconds later, Darren Raddysh scored his fourth goal of the year off of a tight-angle shot from just below the right circle, giving the Wolf Pack a two-goal lead. “I didn’t know what I was doing, I kind of blacked out then,” joked Raddysh. “I just threw it at the net, luckily it went in.” The goal was unassisted. With just 1:32 left in the period, Beleskey scored his second of the game and ninth of the year on the power play. “It was nice to see Beleskey get two goals,” said Raddysh of his teammate’s offensive performance. “It’s a shame we couldn’t get him the hat trick, but it was still a great game by him.” Rykov and Nick Ebert both assisted on the goal. With just 17 seconds left in the first, Otto Koivula scored his third of the year to put Bridgeport on the board, sneaking a shot past Igor Shesterkin (18 saves).  Ryan Bourque and Seth Helgeson assisted on the goal. The Sound Tigers started the second period with a goaltending change, as Coreau was replaced by Jakub Skarek (15 saves). Both teams would lock down defensively for the middle frame, with Shesterkin making key saves, as has become his standard. Beleskey was quick to praise his netminder, saying, “Shesterkin has been unbelievable, we just try to help him out where we can and make it easier on him.” Andrew Ladd beat Shesterkin with 5:51 left in the third period to bring the Sound Tigers within one. The goal was Ladd’s 10th of the season, and was assisted by Sebastian Aho and Travis St. Denis. The goal would prove to be the only one of the period, even when Bridgeport put on the pressure in the final minute of the game, pulling Skarek for the extra attacker. “They came hard at the end, we knew they wouldn’t quit,” said Raddysh. The Wolf Pack’s next action is this Friday night, January 3 in Providence against the Bruins.  Faceoff is 7:05, and all of the action can be heard live on-line at hartfordwolfpack.com.  Video streaming is available at theahl.com/AHLTV. The next Wolf Pack home game is this Saturday night, January 4, a 7:00 battle with the Utica Comets.  That is #MillenialNight at the XL Center, featuring a reusable straw set giveaway to all fans attending the game, presented by ProHealth. Tickets for  all 2019-20 Wolf Pack home games are on sale now at the Sunwave Gas & Power Ticket Office at the XL Center, on-line at hartfordwolfpack.com and by phone at (877) 522-8499.  Tickets purchased in advance for kids 12 or younger start at just $10 each, and all tickets will have a $3 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 (860) 722-9425, or click here to request more info.  To visit the Wolf Pack on line, go to hartfordwolfpack.com. Bridgeport Sound Tigers 2 at Hartford Wolf Pack 3 Tuesday, December 31, 2019 - XL Center Bridgeport 1 0 1 - 2 Hartford     3 0 0 - 3 1st Period-1, Hartford, Beleskey 8 (Di Giuseppe, Rykov), 8:58. 2, Hartford, Raddysh 4   9:49. 3, Hartford, Beleskey 9 (Rykov, Ebert), 18:28 (PP). 4, Bridgeport, Koivula 3 (R. Bourque, Helgeson), 19:43. Penalties-Geertsen Hfd (tripping), 4:14; Burroughs Bri (tripping), 6:48; Koivula Bri (hooking), 16:42. 2nd Period- No Scoring.  Penalties-Wotherspoon Bri (roughing), 11:46; Di Giuseppe Hfd (roughing), 11:46; St. Denis Bri (tripping), 15:57. 3rd Period-5, Bridgeport, Ladd 10 (Aho, St. Denis), 14:09. Penalties-Beleskey Hfd (interference), 1:38; O'Regan Hfd (tripping), 9:25; Ladd Bri (hooking), 9:40; LoVerde Hfd (holding), 12:06. Shots on Goal-Bridgeport 9-3-8-20. Hartford 8-8-7-23. Power Play Opportunities-Bridgeport 0 / 4; Hartford 1 / 4. Goalies-Bridgeport, Coreau 5-9-1 (8 shots-5 saves); Skarek 3-5-1 (15 shots-15 saves). Hartford, Shesterkin 14-4-3 (20 shots-18 saves). A-2,617 Referees-Mason Riley (79), Jim Curtin (90). Linesmen-Kevin Briganti (39), Robert St. Lawrence (10). Read the full article

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CANTLON: PACK PLAYERS NOT READY AFTER BREAK IN 5-1 DRUBBING BY SOUND TIGERS

BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings BRIDGEPORT, CT - The Bridgeport Sound Tigers pulled away from the visiting Hartford Wolf Pack with three goals in the third period to take control of what was an otherwise tight battle between the intrastate and franchise rivals and won 5-1 at the Webster Bank Arena kicking off the post-holiday break on Friday night. Andrew Ladd had two goals while Otto Koivula added three assists to drive the engine for the Sound Tigers offense. The victory was Bridgeport’s first against the Wolf Pack in four games this season. The Sound Tigers are now 9-1-0-0 when leading after two periods and the Wolf Pack record when trailing after two drops to 2-7-0-1. “We did a good enough job in stretches, but we gave up way too many odd-man rushes and the chances we gave up were really good. (Goaltender) Adam (Huska) kept us in it, particularly in the second where he made some really big saves,” Pack head coach Kris Knoblauch stated. The Wolf Pack record slips to 17-8-2-5 (41 points) and they are second in the Atlantic Division. The team heads back  to Hartford where they will prepare to play the first place Providence Bruins, 4-3 winners over the Springfield Thunderbirds, on Saturday night at 7pm at the XL Center. Igor Shesterkin is slated to be in net, but the Pack will be without team captain Steven Fogarty, who was recalled after the game by the New York Rangers as a result of the broken hand suffered by Brendan Lemieux. With Fogarty heading to the NHL, the Rangers promoted forward Dillan Fox to the Wolf Pack from their ECHL affiliate, the Maine Mariners, and signed him to a PTO deal. In Maine, Fox has 12 goals and 24 total points in 26 games. He is second in scoring behind only Terrance Wallin. Fox is a four-year minor league pro out of Division III SUNY-Plattsburgh (SUNYAC). This will be his first AHL action. Maine dropped a 5-0 game at home to the Reading Royals and will play in Worcester against the Railers on Saturday night. Bridgeport's record improves to 13-16-3-1 (30 points). They sit in seventh place in the Atlantic, just one point ahead of the last place Lehigh Valley Phantoms. The Tigers will host sixth-place Springfield on Saturday night. The Wolf Pack sought to battle back early in the third period and managed to score shorthanded. Fogarty was on the right-wing and waited as he and Boo Nieves broke in on a two-on-one. Nieves broke away from the checking of the Sound Tiger’s Travis St. Denis and got separation and took a cross-ice pass and whistled it for his third goal of the season to the short and stick-side of Jared Coreau at 2:55. The goal narrowed the Sound Tiger lead to one at 2-1. “I really thought we had a chance there scoring early. I really felt we were going to win it when we got to one goal. Then we hit a post and just after the power play ended, they scored and we didn’t recover and they quickly got another one on us,” said Knoblauch. Nieves, who has been snake-bitten in his shooting at times this season, wasn’t going do any victory laps while scoring a goal in a game his team lost. “It was good to get us back in the game at that point, and it gave us a chance. It's only a good feeling if you don’t get scored on a couple times (right after). Then it doesn’t feel so good.” 23-seconds later, Tim Gettinger snapped a shot from off the left-wing side that hit the post. That would be the closest the Wolf Pack would get again. The Sound Tigers pulled away with two goals in a 3:01 span, reestablishing a two goal lead. Ladd tallied his second of the game, and ninth of the season, when he finished off a strong passing sequence. It started with Koivula in the right wing corner hitting Josh Ho-Sang in front of the net. Ho-Sang made a sweet one-touch pass to Ladd, who then deftly put the puck into the back of the net at 6:03. “We can’t give up that much space. This is a good league and players like that are gonna score those. We gave up way too many open shots like that and we're gonna have to clean that up by tomorrow night,” said Nieves. For Bridgeport’s head coach, and former Wolf Pack, Brent Thompson, he had all of his big scoring eggs coming from one basket. Koivula, Ladd, and Ho Sang, who is in his second game after sitting out two months waiting on his trade request. It paid off in big dividends. “Otto had his feet moving tonight. Josh is a high-end caliber talent, and Ladd has that experience. Put all those pieces together, you have a powerful unit." Grant Huston followed with a 55-footer from the left point that found its way through traffic with Koivula starting the scoring play again for Bridgeport at 9:04. Kyle Burroughs put a 195-foot shot into an empty net off a clean defensive zone draw win with 33.4 seconds left to close out the game for the Sound Tigers. The games' first goal came in the second period. After gaining a clean entry, on the power play, the Sound Tigers set up shop. Matt Lorito came in off the right-point. The left-handed shot fired a bullet that Huska stopped, but for the Wolf Pack, the rebound went to the wrong guy. Kieffer Bellows of the Sound Tigers had a wide open net and deposited his team best tenth goal of the season at 10:34. For Bellows, it was his fifth straight game at home with a goal. He has nine goals in his last 12 games and is among the hottest players in the AHL. Thompson was eager to discuss his growth and development. “It's not only his play with the puck, but his play away from the play is better. He was having a tough time at the beginning of the year, but he is learning the systems. The biggest difference is he’s moving his feet and he is getting it now. It's about breaking old habits. You're in a league that is bigger and stronger, and you can’t do things you got away with like you did in college or juniors. The pace changes and I accept that it takes time.  Some break it early. Some take a year. Some take two years. It’s a long road for him, but I couldn’t be happier for him right now his attitude and work ethic. Right now it's all about confidence. 100%, he’s got it. It’s a long year if you stay focused, good things can happen." It was the first time the Sound Tigers have scored the game’s first goal this season in the series between the two teams. “We got that first goal and refocused and got some momentum and started creating chances,” said Thompson. A power-play came a result of an instigator penalty called on Darren Raddysh. He came into the play when Bridgeport’s Robert “Bobo" Carpenter nailed his defensive partner, Vincent LoVerde, from behind. Neither coach could have been happy with the officiating or the linesman. Nieves was tackled in the offensive zone in the second period. No call was made on the play. Joey Keane dropped the puck on the power- play for the trailer and he gets dropped in neutral zone on a solid hit by Carpenter. “You're not trying to get me fined are you?” replied Knoblauch with a smile and a chuckle when he was asked about the officiating. “Sometimes the calls go your way and sometimes they don’t. That’s all I’m gonna say.” Nieves on ice frustration was noticeable, but he stickhandled his way around the question too. “That’s not my area of expertise. It's frustrating and it is what is, but you just can’t let it get in your way.” The Sound Tigers generated half of their 14 shots from the back-line over the first two periods. The Pack got a solid effort from Vitali Kravtsov who had a solid chance at 5:50 of the second period. He then made a tremendous recovery play diving to block a pass to Bellows at the end of his shift. The Sound Tigers staked out a two-goal lead in the last minute of regulation of the second period. Defenseman Tyler Wotherspoon made a strong lead pass to Koivula. He took the pass and went down the left-wing side, spreading out the Wolf Pack defense and then found Ladd, a former NHL first-round pick, open, backdoor.Ladd didn’t miss with 22.7 seconds left in the period. The Pack only managed to put nine shots on net in the second period. “Well, we did go through a long stretch without a shot on net, but I don’t think (we were too choosy). I think we tried to stick-handle too much on our entries rather than chip it deep and get behind their defense,” said Knoblauch. The first period was scoreless with both teams trying to find a rhythm after coming back from the holiday break. Bridgeport had a 5-2 shot advantage in the first ten minutes. Huska made two quality stops on the five denying Grant Huston and then Bellows. Over the final ten minutes though, the Wolf Pack found their stride and outshot their hosts 7-0 and generated some quality chances in the final five minutes. Raddysh, Phil DiGiuseppe, who was just returned from his Rangers recall earlier in the day, Kravtsov, Nick Ebert, and Vincent LoVerde were all denied on solid scoring chances. LoVerde's coming in the final ten seconds of the period. LINES: Nieves - Fogarty - Beleskey O’Regan - Kravtsov - Di Giuseppe Jones - Lettieri - Gettinger Zerter-Gossage - McBride - Gropp Raddysh - LoVerde Keane - Geersten Rykov - Ebert SCRATCHES: Patrick Newell (Upper-Body, day-to-day) Jeff Taylor (Healthy) Lias Andersson (Suspended) Gabriel Fontaine (Season Ending Shoulder Surgery) NOTES: Both teams come off shutouts in their last game before the break. The Wolf Pack white-washed the Providence Bruins, 4-0, with Igor Shesterkin recording 32 saves. Meanwhile, the Sound Tigers shut-out the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins 3-0 off a 38-save performance from goalie, Jakub Skarek. It was his first AHL shutout. Bridgeport left the pre-game skate early. Seven Wolf Pack players remained as the clock hits zero. You are required to exit the ice or you can be penalized and fined by the AHL for the violation. There has been some strong goaltending so far this year in Hartford, but out West, Stockton beat San Jose 8-1 with the goaltenders only seeing 19 shots on goal. The G.A.A. for the goalies in that one is not going to look pretty. At the WJC, the US downed Germany 6-3 as a former member of the Avon Old Farms Winged Beavers, Trevor Zegras tallied four assists including a fantastic play off a turn and pass to Connor Hall, who put it in past a thoroughly surprised German goaltender. The Sound Tigers' Oliver Wahlstrom tallied his first goal of the tourney. It was the sixth of the game and came after he came off the left-wing half-wall in the German offensive zone. He cut to the middle and tucked his shot in along the ice. The US squad is off Saturday and will play the Russians on Sunday. Brooklyn Kalmikov, the son of former Sound Tiger, Konstantin Kalmikov, was traded at the QMJHL Trade Deadline from the Cape Breton Eagles to the Victoriaville Tigers. Read the full article

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CRAWFORD: PACK PUMMELED IN POST-BREAK SHOWDOWN IN BRIDGEPORT

Bridgeport Sound Tigers 5, Hartford Wolf Pack 1 BY: Bob Crawford, Hartford Wolf Pack Bridgeport, CT, December 27, 2019 – Andrew Ladd scored twice, and Otto Koivula had three assists, for the Bridgeport Sound Tigers Friday night at Webster Bank Arena, in a 5-1 win over the Hartford Wolf Pack. A Boo Nieves shorthanded goal was the only Wolf Pack score.  Hartford outshot the hosts 31-22 in the game, but Jared Coreau made 30 saves in the Bridgeport net. The game was the first for both teams since Saturday night. “I thought we did a lot of good things, especially for the first game after a long break,” Wolf Pack head coach Kris Knoblauch said.  “One thing I didn’t think we did very well was, we gave up too many odd-man rushes, and they capitalized on those.  But overall, there was a lot of good performances.” After a scoreless first period, in which the Wolf Pack outshot Bridgeport 9-5, the Sound Tigers would score a pair in the second frame. The Bridgeport power play broke the ice at 8:57, after Darren Raddysh was called for instigating a fight with Bobo Carpenter at 7:31. Wolf Pack goaltender Adam Huska (17 saves) stopped a shot from the right-wing circle by Matt Lorito, but Kieffer Bellows found the rebound and held the puck long enough to find some room to Huska’s right through which to flick it in. Ladd doubled the lead with 22.7 seconds left in the second, with his eighth goal in 20 AHL games on the season.  Koivula sliced down the left side in the Wolf Pack zone before feeding across the slot, and Huska had no chance on Ladd’s quick shot. Nieves cut the lead in half 2:55 into the third period, while teammate Nick Jones was serving a holding minor.  Nieves intercepted a Ladd pass in the Wolf Pack zone and broke out on a 2-on-1 with Steven Fogarty.  Fogarty’s pass from the right side in the Sound Tiger zone went off of Bridgeport forward Travis St. Denis’ stick to Nieves, and he put a shot past Coreau high on the stick side. Ladd restored the two-goal margin with his second of the game just 3:08 later, though, at 6:03.  A fine pass by Koivula set Josh Ho-Sang up with open ice in the middle of the Hartford zone, and he found a wide-open Ladd on the left side for an easy finish behind Huska. Grant Hutton made it a 4-1 Bridgeport lead only 3:01 after that, at 9:04.  Sebastian Aho slid a pass from the right boards to Hutton at the middle of the blue line, and his long drive beat Huska to the glove side. Parker Wotherspoon completed the scoring with an empty-net goal with 33.9 seconds left, connecting from the corner of his own zone, after Carpenter won a faceoff to Coreau’s left. The Wolf Pack are back in home-ice action at the XL Center Saturday night, hosting the Providence Bruins.  Faceoff is 7:00, and the first 2,000 fans will receive a free Wolf Pack pennant flag, courtesy of NBC Connecticut. Tickets for  all 2019-20 Wolf Pack home games are on sale now at the Sunwave Gas & Power Ticket Office at the XL Center, on-line at hartfordwolfpack.com and by phone at (877) 522-8499.  Tickets purchased in advance for kids 12 or younger start at just $10 each, and all tickets will have a $3 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 (860) 722-9425, or click here to request more info.  To visit the Wolf Pack on line, go to hartfordwolfpack.com. Hartford Wolf Pack 1 at Bridgeport Sound Tigers 5 Friday, December 27, 2019 - Webster Bank Arena Hartford     0 0 1 - 1 Bridgeport 0 2 3 - 5 1st Period- No Scoring.  Penalties-No Penalties 2nd Period-1, Bridgeport, Bellows 10 (Lorito, Quenneville), 8:57 (PP). 2, Bridgeport, Ladd 8 (Koivula, Wotherspoon), 19:37. Penalties-Raddysh Hfd (instigating, fighting, misconduct - instigating), 7:31; Carpenter Bri (fighting), 7:31; Schilkey Bri (slashing), 10:34. 3rd Period-3, Hartford, Nieves 3 (Fogarty), 2:55 (SH). 4, Bridgeport, Ladd 9 (Ho-Sang, Koivula), 6:03. 5, Bridgeport, Hutton 3 (Aho, Koivula), 9:04. 6, Bridgeport, Wotherspoon 3 (Carpenter), 19:26 (EN). Penalties-Jones Hfd (holding), 1:08. Shots on Goal-Hartford 9-9-13-31. Bridgeport 5-9-8-22. Power Play Opportunities-Hartford 0 / 1; Bridgeport 1 / 2. Goalies-Hartford, Huska 5-4-4 (21 shots-17 saves). Bridgeport, Coreau 5-8-1 (31 shots-30 saves). A-6,271 Referees-Dan Kelly (45), Alex Normandin (65). Linesmen-Nick Briganti (58), Andrew Bell (43). Read the full article