Whale Weekly

Published on November 26, 2012 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Connecticut Whale News Release


The Whale (9-7-1-0,19 pts.) jumped to two games over the .500 mark for the first time on the year by sweeping three games this past weekend. A four-goal third period enabled the Whale to win a see-saw battle Friday night in Bridgeport by a final score of 7-5, the Whale's first triumph over the Sound Tigers in three tries. Connecticut then knocked off defending Calder Cup-champion Norfolk 5-2 Saturday night at home, before traveling to Springfield on Sunday and beating the Northeast Division-leading Falcons, 3-2. Ryan Bourque's goal with 15.6 seconds left in the third period won that game, and Chad Kolarik was the top contributor on the week, with his first Whale hat trick, and the Whale's first of the year as a team, in Saturday's win and 3-4-7 in the three games.

AMERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE STANDINGS

Atlantic Division

Rank Team GP W L OTL SL PTS PCT GF GA STK P10 S/O PIM

1 Manchester Monarchs 18 9 6 2 1 21 0.583 49 43 2-0-2-0 4-4-2-0 1-1 274

2 Worcester Sharks 18 9 7 1 1 20 0.556 50 56 0-1-0-0 6-3-1-0 2-1 427

3 St. John's IceCaps 19 9 9 0 1 19 0.500 46 53 1-0-0-1 5-4-0-1 1-1 264

4 Portland Pirates 18 8 8 1 1 18 0.500 57 61 1-0-0-0 4-5-0-1 0-1 389

5 Providence Bruins 16 7 8 0 1 15 0.469 33 48 0-1-0-0 5-4-0-1 2-1 299

Northeast Division

Rank Team GP W L OTL SL PTS PCT GF GA STK P10 S/O PIM

1 Springfield Falcons 17 10 3 1 3 24 0.706 59 36 0-1-1-1 5-2-1-2 0-3 293

2 Bridgeport Sound Tigers 17 10 7 0 0 20 0.588 56 57 0-3-0-0 5-5-0-0 1-0 442

3 Connecticut Whale 17 9 7 1 0 19 0.559 58 57 4-0-0-0 6-4-0-0 1-0 383

4 Adirondack Phantoms 17 9 8 0 0 18 0.529 44 47 3-0-0-0 6-4-0-0 0-0 389

5 Albany Devils 16 4 7 0 5 13 0.406 37 49 0-2-0-1 2-3-0-5 0-5 266

East Division

Rank Team GP W L OTL SL PTS PCT GF GA STK P10 S/O PIM

1 Syracuse Crunch 17 12 3 1 1 26 0.765 65 42 2-0-0-0 8-2-0-0 0-1 406

2 Binghamton Senators 16 10 4 1 1 22 0.688 45 38 6-0-0-1 7-2-0-1 0-1 352

3 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins 18 11 7 0 0 22 0.611 48 40 3-0-0-0 8-2-0-0 3-0 356

4 Hershey Bears 18 7 10 1 0 15 0.417 44 53 1-0-0-0 3-7-0-0 1-0 338

5 Norfolk Admirals 17 7 10 0 0 14 0.412 48 58 0-5-0-0 2-8-0-0 2-0 378

North Division

Rank Team GP W L OTL SL PTS PCT GF GA STK P10 S/O PIM

1 Abbotsford Heat 18 12 2 2 2 28 0.778 51 32 2-0-1-0 7-1-2-0 1-2 298

2 Lake Erie Monsters 19 10 7 1 1 22 0.579 60 57 1-0-0-1 4-4-1-1 4-1 345

3 Rochester Americans 16 9 6 1 0 19 0.594 58 48 1-0-0-0 5-4-1-0 2-0 333

4 Toronto Marlies 18 9 8 0 1 19 0.528 58 52 0-3-0-0 6-4-0-0 0-1 368

5 Hamilton Bulldogs 16 6 8 1 1 14 0.438 34 52 0-1-0-0 3-6-0-1 1-1 367

Midwest Division

Rank Team GP W L OTL SL PTS PCT GF GA STK P10 S/O PIM

1 Grand Rapids Griffins 17 10 5 1 1 22 0.647 62 53 0-1-0-0 8-2-0-0 2-1 239

2 Chicago Wolves 17 8 6 2 1 19 0.559 49 54 0-1-0-1 3-4-2-1 2-1 235

3 Rockford IceHogs 18 9 8 0 1 19 0.528 56 57 3-0-0-0 5-5-0-0 2-1 430

4 Milwaukee Admirals 18 8 8 1 1 18 0.500 51 56 2-0-0-1 5-3-1-1 1-1 249

5 Peoria Rivermen 18 6 9 2 1 15 0.417 43 66 0-1-0-0 4-5-1-0 1-1 261

South Division

Rank Team GP W L OTL SL PTS PCT GF GA STK P10 S/O PIM

1 Charlotte Checkers 19 12 5 0 2 26 0.684 67 52 0-2-0-0 6-3-0-1 1-2 244

2 Oklahoma City Barons 18 11 5 1 1 24 0.667 62 53 6-0-1-0 6-2-1-1 0-1 365

3 Houston Aeros 18 9 6 1 2 21 0.583 61 55 3-0-0-0 5-3-0-2 1-2 219

4 Texas Stars 16 7 7 1 1 16 0.500 37 47 1-0-1-0 4-4-1-1 2-1 269

5 San Antonio Rampage 17 4 10 0 3 11 0.324 39 55 0-6-0-2 2-6-0-2 0-3 292

This week:

The Whale have another three-game slate on tap this weekend, and after a Friday-night visit to Providence to battle the Bruins (7:05 PM faceoff), Ken Gernander's troops will play seven of their next eight games at home. That stretch starts with a contest against the Syracuse Crunch Saturday night at the XL Center (7:00), and the first 3,000 fans into that game will receive a free Whale poster, courtesy of SuperCuts. Then on Sunday the Whale entertain the Springfield Falcons, in a game that faces of at 5:00.

Friday, November 30 at Providence Bruins (Dunkin' Donuts Center Providence), 7:05 p.m.

- This is the second of six meetings on the year between the Whale and Bruins, and Connecticut's first of three trips to the Dunkin' Donuts Center Providence. In the first game between the two teams October 27 in Hartford, the Whale triumphed by a score of 6-3, led by Kris Newbury's goal and two assists.

- At 7-8-0-1 for 15 points, the Bruins trail the field in the Atlantic Division, three points behind fourth-place Portland. Providence split a pair of games in St. John's this past weekend, winning 3-2 in a shootout on Saturday and dropping a 6-0 decision to the IceCaps on Sunday.

- Chris Bourque (2-10-12 in 16 GP), older brother of the Whale's Ryan Bourque, and rookie Ryan Spooner (4-8-12 in 15 GP) share the Bruin points lead.

- Radio - live with Bob Crawford on "Beethoven Radio" AM 1290, and on-line at www.ctwhale.com.

Saturday, December 1 vs. the Syracuse Crunch at the XL Center, 7:00 p.m.

- The first 3,000 fans at this game take home a free Whale poster, sponsored by SuperCuts.

- The Crunch is in the first year of an affiliation with the NHL's Tampa Bay Lightning, who stocked the Calder Cup-winning Norfolk Admirals last season.

- Under reigning AHL Coach of the Year Jon Cooper, Syracuse is 12-3-1-1 for an Eastern Conference-leading 26 points. That includes a 9-0-0-1 mark on the road.

- The Crunch's Tyler Johnson (13-7-20 in 17 GP) leads the AHL in goals and is tied for fourth in points, and last year's AHL MVP and Rookie of the Year Cory Conacher has 9-9-18 in 17 games, good for a tie for eighth in the league in points.

- This is the first of two games between the Whale and Syracuse on the year, and the Crunch's only visit to the XL Center. The two teams split a pair of battles last season, with the Whale winning 3-1 at home February 7 and losing 2-1 in a shootout on the last day of their regular season, April 14, in Syracuse.

- Radio - live with Bob Crawford and Mark Bailey on "The Rock" 106.9 WCCC-FM. All Whale Saturday night games this year will be beamed on The Rock 106.9 WCCC's 50,000 watts of power. Also available on-line at www.ctwhale.com.

Sunday, December 2 vs. Springfield Falcons at the XL Center, 5:00 p.m.

- At this game, and all Whale Sunday home games, fans can purchase "Click It or Ticket Sunday Family Value Packs", which include a ticket, a hot dog or a slice of pizza and a soda, for just $18 each.

- Sunday's 3-2 victory in Springfield was the Whale's first in three games on the year against the Falcons. Springfield had outscored the Whale by a combined margin of 12-2 in the first two meetings, including a 10-2 blowout November 4 in the Falcons' only previous visit to the XL Center.

- The defeat to the Whale Sunday extended Springfield's first losing streak of the year to three games (0-1-1-1), but it was only the third regulation loss of the season for the Northeast Division-leading Falcons (10-3-1-3, 24 pts.).

- Sean Collins scored both of Springfield's goals Sunday against the Whale, both assisted by former Whale Jonathan Audy-Marchessault, the Falcons' leading scorer (6-14-20 in 17 GP), who is tied for third in the AHL in assists and tied for fourth in points.

- Radio - live with Bob Crawford on "Beethoven Radio" AM 1290, and on-line at www.ctwhale.com.

Whale Community Appearances:

The Whale's "Read to the Rink Tour" has the following appearances scheduled this week. For further information on these, or any other Whale community initiatives, contact Whale community relations manager Frank Berrian, at (860) 541-4728:

- Tuesday, November 27, 11:00 AM-1:00 PM, Canton Middle School, 76 Simonds Ave., Collinsville, CT

Pucky, the Whale's lovable mascot, takes the Read to the Rink message to Canton.

- Friday, November 30, 10:00-11:00 AM, Judson Elementary School, 124 Hamilton Lane, Watertown, CT

Pucky meets and greets elementary-school youngsters in Watertown.

- Friday, November 30, 2:00-3:30 PM, Polk Elementary School, 437 Buckingham St., Oakville, CT

Pucky and the Read to the Rink Tour continue to delight elementary schoolers in western Connecticut.

"Whale TV":

- A new edition of "CT Whale Insider" will be posted this Thursday, November 29 at www.ctwhale.com. CT Whale Insider is a weekly on-line show that will provide viewers with behind-the-scenes features and exclusive content never before available to Hartford hockey fans. Hosted by the voice of the Whale, Bob Crawford, CT Whale Insider will include segments such as "Whale Week in Review", "One on One with Bob Crawford", "Around the AHL", "On the Road with the Whale", "It all Starts Here" and more, and will be available exclusively at the Whale's official website, www.ctwhale.com.

Recent Transactions:

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Whale Tales:

From now through January 4, the Whale are offering a special "Holiday Gift Pack". The deal includes four flex vouchers good for any 2012-13 game, four pairs of snazzy Connecticut Whale sunglasses and one Dunkin' Donuts gift card. Holiday Gift Packs are available for only $50 each for the Blue level and $75 each for the Green level. To order, and for more details, visit the Whale's official website at www.ctwhale.com.

The Whale's next Friday-night home game is December 14, when the Albany Devils make their first visit of the season to the XL Center for a 7:00 game. At each and every Friday Whale home game this year, fans can enjoy $1 hot dogs and $2 beers until 8:00 PM.

Tickets for all Whale regular season home games at the XL Center are on sale now at the Public Power Ticket Office at the XL Center, through TicketMaster Charge-by-Phone at 1-800-745-3000 and on-line at www.ticketmaster.com.

Season tickets for the Whale's 2012-13 AHL season are still available. For information on season seats, and all of the Whale's many ticketing options, visit www.ctwhale.com, or call the CT Whale ticket office at (860) 548-2000 to talk with an account executive today.

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American Hockey League Stories from November 26, 2012


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