AHL American Hockey League

'W' is for Wolf Pack

Published on November 8, 2004 under American Hockey League (AHL) News Release


SPRINGFIELD, Mass. ... They fell one goal short of a trip to the Calder Cup Final last spring, but the Hartford Wolf Pack have wasted no time filling up the "W" column and returning to the ranks of the American Hockey League's elite teams in 2004-05.

A franchise-record nine-game winning streak out of the gate has the Wolf Pack on top of the overall league standings with impressive consistency and efficiency. Once again led by standout goaltending and defense, Hartford has allowed a grand total of nine goals in its nine games, yielding as many as two goals in a game only once.

Jason LaBarbera is quickly proving that last year's record-setting season was no fluke. The former third-round draft choice of the New York Rangers won both the Baz Bastien (outstanding goaltender) and Les Cunningham (most valuable player) awards in 2003-04 after going 34-9-9 with a 1.59 goals-against average and an AHL-record 13 shutouts. For an encore, LaBarbera has won his first six starts of 2004-05, stopping 166 of 171 shots for a 0.82 GAA and a .971 save percentage, and earning Koho AHL Goaltender of the Month honors for October. Steve Valiquette has been just as sharp in his three appearances, allowing just four goals on 77 shots.

Both goaltenders are quick to credit their defenders for the team's success. Maxim Kondratiev, acquired by the Rangers in last year's deal for Brian Leetch, has joined former Russian national teammate Fedor Tyutin on the Wolf Pack's blue line, along with returnees Lawrence Nycholat, Bryce Lampman and Martin Grenier and newcomers Jeff MacMillan and rookie Thomas Pock.

Hartford's offense has been effective if not flashy, with 20 of the 21 skaters to play a game this year finding the scoresheet at least once. Jozef Balej, who averaged better than a point per game last season, shares with Dominic Moore the team lead at nine points. Four players are even with a team-high three goals apiece: Balej, Chad Wiseman, Alexandre Giroux and Craig Weller, who has played both defense and forward for head coach Ryan McGill this season.

Every player on the roster is even or better in the plus/minus column, as the Pack have allowed just five even-strength goals. Hartford has killed off all but four of its 51 shorthanded situations (92.2 percent), and has not given up a third-period goal since opening night against Philadelphia.

The AHL record for the longest winning streak to start a season is 11 games, set by a 1984-85 Rochester Americans team that was coached by current Wolf Pack general manager Jim Schoenfeld. Hartford hits the ice four times in five nights this week, including the final three games of a six-game homestand. Wednesday's game against Hershey is being televised live by the MSG Network (DirecTV Ch. 621; Dish Network Ch. 412).

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MORE STREAKS ... In the final game at Winnipeg Arena, David LeNeveu made 36 saves and was a perfect 5-for-5 in the shootout as Utah beat Manitoba on Saturday, 2-1, for the Grizzlies' first win of the year after an 0-7-0-1 start... Grand Rapids has dropped its last four after opening the season with five consecutive wins; it is the franchise's first four-game losing streak on home ice since 1998... Milwaukee has won five in a row and is still unbeaten in regulation this season (8-0-1-0)... Philadelphia has won seven in a row since losing its first two games of the season; East Division rival Wilkes-Barre/Scranton has won five straight since a 1-4-1-1 start... With co-coach John Paddock sitting on 499 wins for his AHL career, Binghamton is 0-2-1-1 in its last four... In the North Division, St. John's has won three in a row after dropping six of its first eight, and Rochester has three straight wins following a 1-4-2-1 start... Manchester's seven-game winning streak and Mathieu Garon's personal 15-game AHL unbeaten streak both ended in a 4-2 loss to Worcester on Friday... The IceCats then saw their own six-game winning run end with an overtime loss to Portland on Saturday.

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RECORD CROWD SEES AMERKS WIN ... A crowd of 12,126 fans at the HSBC Arena in Buffalo watched Rochester defeat Cincinnati on Friday night, 3-1. It was the largest crowd ever at an Amerks' home game. Thomas Vanek, the Sabres' first-round pick (fifth overall) in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft, scored twice in the win, and Ryan Miller made 29 saves. It was the biggest crowd for any AHL game in Buffalo since 1973, when 15,019 fans packed the Aud to see the Cincinnati Swords, then the Sabres' affiliate, clinch their first Calder Cup championship.

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OFF THE ICE ... Rampage fans are asked to "Lend a Helping Yam" at this Thursday's game against Milwaukee and bring canned goods to the annual Thanksgiving food drive at the SBC Center... Syracuse's Mark Hartigan, Joe Motzko and Andre Lakos are scheduled to serve as celebrity bartenders on Wednesday night, with all tips generated by the players being donated to the local SPCA chapter... Igor Larionov, a member of three Stanley Cup championship teams in Detroit, will sign autographs before Saturday's game at Van Andel Arena, as part of Grand Rapids' Hockeytown Heroes series.

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ETC. ... A capacity crowd of 13,985 fans took in the closing ceremonies at Winnipeg Arena on Saturday night, the final game at the old barn which opened in 1955... Winless in its previous seven games and down by four goals, Springfield staged a late rally on Friday night and defeated Portland, 6-5, capped by rookie Adam Henrich's goal in overtime... Houston rookie Josh Harding posted two shutouts last week, including a 40-save effort against Grand Rapids... San Antonio's Travis Scott made 38 saves in a 5-0 win over Syracuse on Friday for his 21st career AHL shutout, tops among active goaltenders... When Hamilton's Chris Higgins beat Cleveland's Dimitri Patzold on Tuesday night, it marked the first successful penalty shot goal by a Bulldogs player since Mike Watt converted against Albany during the 1998 playoffs... Edmonton's Tyler Moss denied Syracuse's Jeff Panzer on a penalty shot in overtime on Tuesday night; the Road Runners went on to win in a shootout... Dean McAmmond of Albany and Matthias Trattnig of Syracuse have each converted four shootout attempts this season, but neither has scored a goal in regular play... Ten of the 11 games played in the AHL Saturday night were decided by a single goal... Hartford goaltender Jason LaBarbera will enter the AHL chat room on theahl.com this Thursday, Nov. 11, at 2:00 p.m. ET.

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American Hockey League Stories from November 8, 2004


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