RoundTwo of GEICO Cup goes Saturday
Published on November 3, 2004 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Connecticut Whale News Release
Hartford, November 3, 2004: The Hartford Civic Center will be the site of round two of the GEICO Connecticut Cup pitting the Hartford Wolf Pack (7-0-0-0) against the Bridgeport Sound Tigers (4-5-0-0). The Pack won the first game of the series 3-2 in Bridgeport. Willie O'Ree, the first black player in the history of the National Hockey League, is scheduled to drop the puck in a ceremonial face-off.
O'Ree's professional hockey career spanned 21 seasons, mostly in the old Western League with the Los Angeles Blades and San Diego Gulls. Local fans may remember O'Ree played his first six games as a professional with the Springfield Indians of the AHL in 1957-58, the same year he played two games with the Boston Bruins. The right winger spent 43 games in the NHL with the Bruins in 1960-61 and in 1972-73, returned to the New England area after a number of seasons in the old Western League, and played 50 games with the New Haven Nighthawks.
O'Ree joined the NHL in 1998 as their Director of Youth Development for NHL Diversity, a not-for-profit youth hockey organization that is committed to offering economically disadvantaged boys and girls of all ages across North America the opportunity to play the game. In 2003, the 69-year-old was honored with the Lester Patrick Award for outstanding service to hockey in the United States.
This is also the Pack's first "Guaranteed Win Night". If the Pack do not beat Bridgeport, fans in attendance will receive a coupon good for a free ticket to the Wolf Pack's game against Hershey on Wednesday, November 10.
The GEICO Connecticut Cup will be presented to the team that wins the ten game series between the clubs during the 2004-05 regular season.
The AHL's Hartford Wolf Pack hockey club is part of Madison Square Garden LP. Cablevision Systems Corporation owns a controlling interest in MSG LP, which also includes the New York Rangers (NHL), New York Knicks (NBA), the New York Liberty (WNBA), the MSG Network, Fox Sports Net and the Madison Square Garden arena complex.
American Hockey League Stories from November 3, 2004
- Original P-Bruin Zholtok Dies - Providence Bruins
- Sharp, Murphy lift Phantoms past Ducks - Cincinnati RailRaiders
- Aeros rally falls short in Worcester - Worcester IceCats
- Phantoms down Cincinnati 4-2 for fifth win in a row - Adirondack Phantoms
- Cats streak extended to five - Worcester IceCats
- Kids can take shots on goal on ice after next two Sunday games - Houston Aeros
- 'Cats community reading program - Worcester IceCats
- RoundTwo of GEICO Cup goes Saturday - Connecticut Whale
- Hemingway reassigned - Worcester IceCats
- Grizzlies Re-Call Frantisek Lukes - Utah Grizzlies
- Wolves and Comcast Extend Landmark Deal to 2007-08 - Chicago Wolves
- AHL Quick Hits - AHL
- Bears sign NHL veteran Jamie Rivers - Hershey Bears
- Aeros continue road trip tonight in Worcester - Houston Aeros
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
