Whale Harpoon Sharks in Shootout

December 4, 2010 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Connecticut Whale News Release


HARTFORD, Conn. - For the second consecutive night, the Connecticut Whale finished a game shorthanded, and this time they had to overcome not being two players short for 24 minutes but four short for nearly as long.

In their grittiest effort of the season, the Whale rallied from three one-goal deficits and then got shootout goals from Mats Zuccarello and Jeremy Williams for a 4-3 victory over Worcester Sharks before 5,060 at the XL Center on Saturday night.

Williams got the Whale to overtime when he slipped the rebound of a Kris Newbury shot past Alex Stalock (43 saves) with 9:52 left in regulation. Then after Stalock robbed Oren Eizenman, Chad Kolarik and Zuccarello during a late power play and the Whale killed a Newbury high-sticking penalty in overtime, the Whale won the second shootout between the teams in three days to improve to 2-10-0-2 when they trailed after two periods.

But while the Sharks prevailed 2-1 in Worcester on Wednesday night, the Whale (10-11-2-4) got to 2-4 in shootouts, extended their point streak to 4-0-0-2 and improved to 6-1-0-2 since a 1-9-2-1 slide, despite losing left wing Brodie Dupont to a body slam to the ice by Andrew Desjardins midway through the second period and defenseman Jared Nightingale and wings Justin Soryal and Devin DiDiomete to game misconducts during a brawl with 1:37 left in the second period.

"It was a real character win," said Williams, who had his team-leading 14th goal and 23rd point before getting a second shootout winner. "When you go down guys, you know you have to do a little more, and guys really stepped up."

The Whale's 47 shots were a season high and Chad Johnson made 29 saves in regulation and stopped four of five shots in the shootout as the Whale moved into fourth place in the Atlantic Division, one point ahead of Springfield, a 7-2 loser to Manchester, and within one point of third-place Worcester, which is now 1-4 in shootouts. The Sharks (11-7-1-4) had been 2-0-0-1 in their last four road games and won their last three visits to the XL Center.

But the shorthanded Whale got stronger as the game progressed, as demonstrated by a 46-32 shot advantage after the Sharks had a 14-7 edge in the first period.

"It was a good gut check, and they battled hard to the end pretty much to the man, and we're real happy with that," Whale coach Ken Gernander said. "I don't know if you can say this is something we haven't seen all year, but maybe there was more out there. I think the guys pull together and stick up for one another, but maybe just the way things came to a head tonight, it was maybe a little bit more obvious. They're a pretty tight-knit group and usually have each other's back."

The start of the game was delayed eight minutes after the Sharks' bus broke down on the way to Hartford, but it was the visitors got a fast start with the game's first five shots, including Kevin Henderson's close-in bid and rebound that Johnson scrambled to stop at 55 seconds.

Stalock then had Zuccarello talking to himself as the Sharks goalie somehow got his glove on a 30-foot shot in the slot by "the Norwegian Hobbit" at 3:08 during a power play and stacked his pads to deny him flying in off the right wing at 5:17.

Stalock made a similar save on Evgeny Grachev at 7:36, then the Sharks got a fortuitous bounce and double assist from Zuccarello to a 1-0 lead. Jonathan Cheechoo, a 56-goal scorer for the San Jose Sharks in 2005-06, deflected Zuccarello's clearing attempt to Steven Zalewski, who skated to the right boards. Zalewski's pass into the slot ticked off Zuccarello's stick to T.J. Trevelyan, who got inside Tim Kennedy and slipped the puck past Johnson on the glove side at 9:25.

Johnson had to be alert to stop Henderson's tip 1:26 into the second period, then the Whale tied it on their second power play when Dupont got inside Sharks defenseman Sean Sullivan and jammed in Newbury's centering pass at 2:58.

On an ensuing Sharks power play, Johnson robbed Cheechoo on a rebound bid, then Stalock again thwarted Zuccarello on a right-wing rush at 6:31.

The Sharks regained the lead when Cheechoo got inside defenseman Pavel Valentenko and deflected in James Marcou's centering pass at 10:02, ending the Whale's run of successful penalty kills at 22.

After Stalock denied Dupont's backhander off a left-wing rush 40 seconds later, the omnipresent Zuccarello finally solved the Sharks goalie, converting Stu Bickel's rebound for his 10th goal and a 2-2 tie at 11:00. In an ensuing fight before play resumed, Desjardins got Dupont into a hold and flipped him onto his head, and the Whale left wing never returned.

"I thought it was a pretty dangerous play," Gernander said. "Dupont had no helmet (on) and gets driven into the ice, and that's not part of things."

Gernander said he would review the game film and decide if he would send it to the league for a possible suspension.

The Whale nearly took their first lead with 2:11 left in the period, but Williams hit the left post.

A brawl broke out with 1:37 left in the period, and Soryal, DiDiomete and Nightingale were given game misconducts and Henderson was ejected for the Sharks. The Sharks ended up with a power play and took a 3-2 lead as Trevelyan stole the puck from Valentenko behind the net and passed in front to Marcou for a quick finish with 1:28 left.

The Sharks got another power play early in the third period and nearly took a two-goal lead, but Trevelyan hit the post at 2:43.

Given that reprieve, the Whale tied it on Williams' rebound and pulled out the stirring win via the skills competition.

"It was a wild one with some weird bounces," Johnson said. "Guys battled to come back, got a lot of shots in the second period and guys just stuck with it in the third, got the tying goal and hung on."

Zuccarello called it "a good win that I think we deserved."

"They got some easy goals, but I felt we were the hardest-working team, except for the first period, where we didn't come up to our standards. We played really bad," Zuccarello said. "But it was nice to get a win in a shootout for a change.

"I think all the guys were tired. I think it was almost too much ice time, and it was rough game with good speed and a lot of hits, so you're going to need all the guys. But I think Nightingale, Soryal and DiDiomete did a helluva job sticking up for our teammates. We're happy to have those guys on the team. They're important players."

REDDEN MISSES FIRST GAME; WEISE OUT AGAIN

Veteran defenseman Wade Redden missed his first Whale game with an injury sustained late in the first period of a 3-1 victory over the Providence Bruins on Friday night. Redden has two goals and 13 assists in his first 26 minor-league games since being the second overall pick of the New York Islanders in 1995. Redden was replaced by Jyri Niemi, who was paired with Nightingale after being scratched the previous four games.

Right wing Dale Weise missed his third consecutive game with an injury sustained in a 3-0 victory over Adirondack last Sunday. Weise had two goals and two assists in six games after missing 15 games because of a different injury that required surgery. He had one goal and one assist while playing hurt in the first three games before surgery.

The Wolf Pack also scratched Lee Baldwin and forward Chris McKelvie, who was loaned to the Greenville Road Warriors of the ECHL after being scratched the previous eight games and 10 of the last 11. A rookie out of Bemidji State University, McKelvie had one goal and two assists in 15 games. The Sharks scratched injured Frazer McLaren (hip), Tony Lucia (concussion) and Cam MacIntyre (groin). ... The Whale is off until Saturday night, when they host the Atlantic Division-leading Manchester Monarchs, who have won the first three meetings between the teams this season. On Saturday night, they host the Adirondack Phantoms and former coach John Paddock, who guided the Wolf Pack to their only Calder Cup title in 2000. The Whale beat the Phantoms 3-0 last Sunday behind rookie Cam Talbot's 25-save performance for his second shutout. Former Whalers defenseman Chris Kotsopoulos, who does radio color commentary on the Quinnipiac University men's hockey team's games, is scheduled to sign autographs before the game in the XL Center atrium from 6 to 7 p.m. ... Two weeks ago, Whalers Sports and Entertainment chairman and CEO Howard Baldwin appeared on "The Real Story," a half-hour, current-issues program on Ch. 61 in Hartford on Sundays at 10:30 a.m. that discusses statewide and nationwide events with in-studio experts and guests. Laurie Perez hosts the show, and Ch. 61 sports director Rich Coppola also appeared with Baldwin, who discussed the team and Whalers Hockey Fest 2011 at Rentschler Field in East Hartford on Feb. 11-23. The show can be seen at www.ctwhale.com . For more information, visit www.ctnow.com/news/therealstory.

RISSMILLER ERUPTS AGAINST FORMER MATES

Former Whale forward Patrick Rissmiller played only six games in the first six weeks of the season with the Chicago Wolves because of their excess of veteran players.

So on Nov. 10, Rissmiller was reassigned by the Atlanta Thrashers to the Lake Erie Monsters, marking a return to Cleveland from his previous four-year stint with the Barons in 2002-06.

Friday night, Rissmiller haunted his former teammates with a franchise-record four goals in a 6-3 victory over the Wolves. His first three goals were a natural hat trick and broke a 1-1 tie, and he later added an assist, giving him five goals and four assists in seven games with the Monsters. Stratford native Jaime Sifers had a goal for the Wolves, who allowed at least six goals in a game for the fifth time this season. ... Mike Angelidis had two goals, three assists and was plus-5 in the Norfolk Admirals' 7-2 victory over the Monarchs on Friday night. The Admirals are 8-1-0-2 in their last 11 visits to New Hampshire since the start of the 2005-06 season. Defenseman Mathieu Roy, in his return to Norfolk after an NHL stint with the parent Tampa Bay Lightning, had three assists and was plus-6. His defense partner, Ty Wishart, was plus-5. ... Recently signed veterans Nick Tarnasky and Jay Pandolfo scored in the third period to give the Springfield Falcons a 5-3 victory over the visiting Bridgeport Sound Tigers on Friday night. The win ended a 20-game losing streak for the Falcons in the month of December. They had been 0-15-5-0 in December since a 4-3 shootout victory in Hartford on Dec. 13, 2008.

WHALE'S TALBOT, GARLOCK, PUCKY HELP HONOR STUDENTS

More kudos to the Whale players for their expanded community involvement.

The Whale and Mega Education again teamed up to honor 25 Students of the Month at Parkville Elementary School in Hartford on Thursday. The teachers of each school involved in the program choose a student from every homeroom to be honored. The criteria for winning the award are attendance, behavior and effort.

The students and their families, who gathered in the school's library, were delighted as the green and blue of the Whale peered through the door. Attorney Jeffery Dressler, founder of Mega Education, then introduced - in a boxing ring announcer's voice - goalie Cameron Talbot, center Ryan Garlock and mascot Pucky.

Dressler gave a brief background of himself and an inspirational "stay in school" style speech in which he asked Talbot and Garlock about the end of a pro hockey player's career.

"Their career ends in their mid-30's, and then you have to go to work after that," Garlock said.

At one point Talbot interrupted the talk to tell the students that he was a four-year college student (University of Alabama-Huntsville) before coming to the Whale. Dressler again turned to the students and proved a point by saying you need to continue your education because there is a life after hockey.

The students were then called up one-by-one to receive their certificates, a gold medal and a family four-pack of Whale tickets. Each student then posed for a picture with Talbot, Garlock, Pucky and Dressler. After the students received their awards (and a congratulatory donut), they and their families had a chance to meet the players and Pucky to get pictures and autographs.

The Whale and Mega Education continue to work together to promote effort and achievement, as well as striving to be a positive role model in the community. Now there's a worthwhile cause and deed.

ALL-STAR VOTING BEGINS TUESDAY

On-line fan voting for the AHL All-Star Classic Jan. 30-31 at the Giant Center in Hershey, Pa., begins Tuesday at noon (EST) and runs through midnight Jan. 9 at theahl.com and facebook.com/theahl.

Players receiving the most votes by position will earn berths in the starting lineups of the Eastern Conference and Western Conference All-Star teams. A committee of AHL coaches will select the remaining All-Stars, and all 30 clubs must be represented.

By completing the official ballot, fans will be entered to win a grand prize of a team-signed All-Star jersey. Ten more winners will each receive an official All-Star Classic T-shirt.

Tickets for the AHL Hall of Fame induction and awards ceremony and post skills party during the All-Star Classic go on sale Saturday after the Hershey Bears' home game against Binghamton.

The induction and awards ceremony will take place at the Hershey Theater on Jan. 31 at 11 a.m. when the Hall of Fame Class of 2011 - the late Maurice Podoloff, who grew up in New Haven and graduated from Yale, Mitch Lamoureux, Harry Pidhirny and Larry Wilson - will be enshrined. AHL Hall of Famer Bruce Boudreau, former coach of the Bears and now coach of the Washington Capitals, will be the keynote speaker, and AHL graduate and 2008 Foster Hewitt Award winner Mike Emrick will be master of ceremonies.

The post-skills party will be at the Hershey Lodge on Jan. 30 from 6 to 10 p.m. It will feature a tailgate theme while watching the NHL All-Star Game with a buffet-style menu of food and drinks.

Ticket packages for the two events are $75 and can be purchased after the Bears' game Saturday at the Giant Center box office or by calling 717-534-3911. Availability is limited, and there is a six-ticket limit per person.

Also, an exclusive All-Star Classic VIP package for $199 includes Club Section tickets, parking vouchers for the skills competition and All-Star Game, a meal voucher for the All-Star Game, tickets for the post-skills party and Hall of Fame induction and awards ceremony and a gift bag.

There are only 50 packages available, and they also go on sale after Saturday night's game. Tickets for the skills competition Jan. 30 at 3 p.m. and the All-Star Game on Jan. 31 at 7 p.m. are nearly sold out. Contact the Giant Center box office for information. ... The Sound Tigers' annual holiday toy drive began Saturday night and runs through Dec. 19. The Sound Tigers will work with the Bridgeport Fire Department to gather toys and teddy bears to be distributed to local children and families. Fans are encouraged to donate during games Saturday night, Wednesday night and Dec. 17-19. Fans can also donate throughout the week by bringing toys to the Sound Tigers front office at the Arena at Harbor Yard. The toys and teddy bears will be distributed by Sound Tigers players and front office staff members. Before the Sound Tigers game against Worcester on Dec. 18, the Bridgeport Fire Department will play a charity hockey game against the Worcester Fire Department to assist families of Bridgeport firefighter Michel Baik and Lt. Steven Velasquez, who were killed in the line of duty on July 24 in Bridgeport.

DRURY GETTING CLOSER TO RETURNING

Trumbull native and Rangers center/captain Chris Drury is getting closer to returning to the lineup - finally.

Drury has played only 9 minutes, 11 seconds this season, but that's 9 minutes, 11 seconds more than fellow veteran Vinny Prospal, an assistant captain.

Drury's only ice time was in the Rangers' home opener Oct. 15 before he re-broke the left index finger that had been fractured early in training camp. He has been skating for a few weeks but only recently got the OK to grip a stick. Meanwhile, Prospal, another forward, hasn't played at all after knee problems during camp and subsequent surgery.

"Chris can pass, but he can't shoot," Rangers coach John Tortorella told reporters in New York on Friday. "He's getting better ... if he doesn't shoot himself (from frustration).

"Vinny, he's been skating a bit, no equipment, just sweats, but the process is moving forward. I spoke to (trainer Jim Ramsay) after practice a couple of days ago, and Rammer is really encouraged.

"Those two players have punched the clock every day, putting in their four of five hours. It's encouraging. They're both on the right road."

On Saturday, Tortorella told reporters that Drury could return "in a couple of weeks," but insiders say it's doubtful he'll do a conditioning stint with the Whale before rejoining the Rangers. Meanwhile, there is no estimate on the return date for Prospal, who underwent surgery on Oct. 18 on the same knee that he had scoped late last December.

Despite their absence, and that of leading scorer Marian Gaborik for several weeks, the Rangers (16-11-1) were tied with the Montreal Canadiens for the fourth-most victories in the NHL behind the Washington Capitals (18), Pittsburgh Penguins (17) and Detroit Red Wings (17) heading into Saturday's games. The Rangers have won four of their last five games and nine of 13 after a sweep of the lowly New York Islanders in which they won a track meet 6-5 on Thursday night and a tight-checking 2-0 decision on Friday night, when Henrik Lundqvist had to make only 17 saves for his fourth - and easiest - shutout of the season.

Much of that success can be attributed to continued solid work by Wolf Pack/Whale graduates Ryan Callahan, an assistant captain and All-Star candidate after playing on the U.S. Olympic team with Drury, Brandon Dubinsky, Marc Staal, Dan Girardi, Artem Anisimov and Michael Sauer, who is a team-best plus-8 and has played regularly lately after sharing time on defense with Matt Gilroy, who had four assists in five games with the Wolf Pack last season. Dubinsky (12 goals, 11 assists) and Callahan (8, 13) are the Rangers' leading scorers, and Derek Stepan (6, 10), who turned pro after his sophomore year at NCAA runner-up Wisconsin, is third, one point ahead of Gaborik (8, 7 in 15 games) and Anisimov (7, 8).

"I think the best thing is that we've been able to win different types of games," Dubinsky said after Friday's game. "We've focused on being a physical group. Everybody chips in and everybody plays hard. We want to grind all night, and when we do that, it wears down our opponents.

"We're not pretty, but we're focused on creating an identity as a hard team to play against that finds way to win."

An excellent assessment by young Mr. Dubinsky and a major reason the Rangers are a perfect 7-0-0-0 on the second day of back-to-back games thanks largely to keeping it simple because of fatigue. Good advice for any team in most any sport.



American Hockey League Stories from December 4, 2010


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