Whale Weekly

Published on December 17, 2012 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Connecticut Whale News Release


The Whale (11-13-2-0, 24 pts.) went 1-2-0-0 in three home games this past week. Connecticut erased a 1-0 third-period deficit Wednesday to defeat the Worcester Sharks 2-1, but then could not hold leads of 1-0, 2-1 or 3-2 Friday vs. Albany, losing by a score of 4-3. The Whale then suffered its second 1-0 home loss in less than a week Saturday, at the hands of the Portland Pirates. J.T. Miller, now headed to the World Junior Championship in Russia to play for Team USA, scored the game-winning goal for the Whale Wednesday, and added an assist.

AMERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE STANDINGS

Atlantic Division

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

1 Portland Pirates 27 15 10 1 1 32 0.593 82 83 5-0-0-0 8-2-0-0 1-1 597

2 Providence Bruins 25 14 9 0 2 30 0.600 61 69 0-1-0-0 7-2-0-1 4-2 454

3 Worcester Sharks 26 13 10 1 2 29 0.558 72 78 0-1-0-0 5-4-0-1 5-2 589

4 Manchester Monarchs 27 12 11 2 2 28 0.519 75 70 1-0-0-1 3-5-1-1 1-2 397

5 St. John's IceCaps 28 13 14 0 1 27 0.482 66 77 2-0-0-0 5-5-0-0 1-1 389

Northeast Division

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

1 Springfield Falcons 25 15 5 2 3 35 0.700 87 58 1-0-1-0 5-3-1-1 1-3 421

2 Bridgeport Sound Tigers 26 12 11 1 2 27 0.519 79 87 2-0-1-1 2-5-1-2 1-2 674

3 Albany Devils 23 9 8 0 6 24 0.522 55 61 5-0-0-1 5-3-0-2 0-6 388

4 Connecticut Whale 26 11 13 2 0 24 0.462 74 88 0-2-0-0 3-6-1-0 1-0 498

5 Adirondack Phantoms 25 10 14 1 0 21 0.420 61 75 0-2-1-0 3-6-1-0 1-0 566

East Division

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

1 Syracuse Crunch 26 17 6 1 2 37 0.712 95 70 3-0-0-0 6-3-0-1 0-2 681

2 Binghamton Senators 22 14 6 1 1 30 0.682 70 53 1-0-0-0 8-2-0-0 0-1 479

3 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins 25 13 10 1 1 28 0.560 69 68 0-3-1-1 5-3-1-1 3-1 553

4 Hershey Bears 27 13 12 1 1 28 0.519 73 75 2-0-0-1 7-2-0-1 1-1 480

5 Norfolk Admirals 24 11 12 1 0 23 0.479 69 74 2-0-1-0 4-5-1-0 3-0 507

North Division

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

1 Abbotsford Heat 26 15 5 3 3 36 0.692 66 52 1-0-0-0 4-3-2-1 2-3 385

2 Toronto Marlies 25 15 9 0 1 31 0.620 85 68 2-0-0-0 6-4-0-0 1-1 468

3 Rochester Americans 24 12 9 2 1 27 0.562 82 76 2-0-0-1 4-4-1-1 3-1 430

4 Lake Erie Monsters 27 12 13 1 1 26 0.481 82 88 0-4-0-0 3-6-0-1 4-1 449

5 Hamilton Bulldogs 24 10 12 1 1 22 0.458 55 76 0-1-0-0 5-5-0-0 1-1 516

Midwest Division

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

1 Grand Rapids Griffins 24 13 9 1 1 28 0.583 74 70 0-2-0-0 5-5-0-0 2-1 406

2 Rockford IceHogs 27 13 12 1 1 28 0.519 88 86 0-3-1-0 5-4-1-0 2-1 672

3 Chicago Wolves 24 12 9 2 1 27 0.562 65 71 3-0-0-0 5-4-0-1 2-1 359

4 Milwaukee Admirals 26 12 11 2 1 27 0.519 73 79 1-0-0-0 6-3-1-0 1-1 336

5 Peoria Rivermen 26 11 11 2 2 26 0.500 63 83 4-0-0-0 6-3-0-1 1-2 350

South Division

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

1 Charlotte Checkers 28 17 9 0 2 36 0.643 90 74 4-0-0-0 5-5-0-0 2-2 378

2 Houston Aeros 26 14 8 1 3 32 0.615 82 73 1-0-0-0 7-2-0-1 3-3 321

3 Texas Stars 25 13 8 2 2 30 0.600 62 65 4-0-1-1 7-1-1-1 3-2 373

4 Oklahoma City Barons 26 13 9 1 3 30 0.577 86 78 2-0-0-1 4-4-0-2 0-3 521

5 San Antonio Rampage 28 10 15 0 3 23 0.411 71 87 0-4-0-0 5-5-0-0 0-3 490

This week:

The Whale have two more games to play before breaking for the Christmas holiday. Connecticut will travel to Manchester for a 7:00 PM game this Friday, before hosting the Providence Bruins on "Military Appreciation Night" Saturday at the XL Center (7:00).

Friday, December 21 at the Manchester Monarchs (Verizon Wireless Arena), 7:00 p.m.

- This is the second visit in less than two weeks for the Whale to Manchester. Connecticut also traveled to the Granite State December 8, and were handed a 9-2 defeat by the Monarchs.

- Last year the Whale won all three of its trips to Manchester, on the way to a 5-0-0-1 slate in the season series.

- The Monarchs are 1-2-0-1 in four games since that victory over the Whale and stand at 12-11-2-2 for 28 points on the season. That puts them fourth in the air-tight Atlantic Division, in which only five points separate first from last place.

- Manchester points leader Brandon Kozun (8-14-22 in 27 GP) had two goals and an assist the Monarchs' December 8 win over the Whale, earning First-Star honors.

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

Saturday, December 22 vs. the Providence Bruins at the XL Center, 7:00 p.m.

- This is "Military Appreciation Night" at the XL Center, with a jersey auction in the second intermission to benefit the VFW of Connecticut.

- The Whale's annual "Teddy Bear Toss" will also take place at this game. Fans are encouraged to bring new, unwrapped soft toys to the game and, when the Whale scores its first goal, heave them on to the ice to be donated to local children's charities. Also, teddy bears will be for sale in the XL Center atrium, with a portion of the proceeds benefitting St. Jude Children's Hospital.

- The Bruins had a 7-0-0-1 streak snapped in a 4-0 home loss to St. John's in their last action Sunday in Providence. Since losing five of their first seven games, the Bruins (14-9-0-2, 30 pts.) are 12-4-0-2 in 18 games and are only two points out of first place in the Atlantic Division.

- The Whale and Providence have split two previous get-togethers, with each winning on its own home ice. The Whale downed the Bruins by a 6-3 score October 27 in Providence's first visit to the XL Center.

- With 13 goals on the year, Jamie Tardif (13-5-18 in 25 GP) has more than twice as many as any of his Bruins teammates, and has scored six times (6-1-7) in the last five games.

- 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 .

Whale Community Appearances:

The Whale have 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, December 18, 4:00-6:30 PM, Asylum Hill Boys & Girls Club, 170 Sigourney St., Hartford, CT

The entire Whale team will be throwing a Christmas party at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Hartford's largest club, enjoying holiday cheer with a group of roughly 200 youngsters. The festivities will include the players joining the kids in games, both in the gym and game room, holiday ornament-making, decorating cookies, and more. Also, toys collected during an employee toy drive at the XL Center will be presented to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Hartford.

- Wednesday, December 19, 6:00-7:00 PM, Parade of Novelties Sports, Buckland Hills Mall, Manchester, CT

Whale forward Kelsey Tessier, joined by Pucky, the Whale's lovable mascot, will be meeting and greeting fans and signing autographs from 6:00-7:00 PM at Parade of Novelties Sports, which is located on the upper level of Zone C of the Buckland Hills Mall.

Recent Transactions:

Bryan Hince - signed to Professional Tryout (PTO) agreement by the Whale December 12.

Jason Missiaen - reassigned from the Whale to Greenville (ECHL) December 12.

Whale Tales:

As part of AEG's Season of Giving, AEG Connecticut, in conjunction with Winterfest Hartford and the City of Hartford, will host an afternoon of free public skating at the XL Center this Sunday, December 23. Free public skating will be available throughout downtown Hartford that day, as skaters can also take advantage of the Winterfest outdoor skating rink at Bushnell Park. The XL Center will be open from 12 noon to 4:00 PM on December 23 for all wishing to enjoy an exhilarating twirl on the Whale's home rink, and all who come to the XL Center during the free skating hours will receive a Whale voucher redeemable for a free ticket to any 2012-13 home game. Those wishing to skate at the XL Center must bring their own skates, and there will be areas provided for spectators to watch if they choose not to take the ice. In addition to the XL Center skating experience, outdoor skating will be available at Winterfest from 12 noon to 8:00 pm.

The Whale's next Friday-night home game is January 4, when the Adirondack Phantoms 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 the end of the first intermission.

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 Sunday home game is January 6, when the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins come into the XL Center for a 3:00 game. At every Sunday home game this year, fans can take advantage of the Whale's "Click It or Ticket Sunday Family Value Packs", which include a ticket, a hot dog or a pizza slice and a soda, all for just $18.

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 December 17, 2012


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