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Wolf Pack Take Regular Season Finale, 5-3

April 11, 2009 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Connecticut Whale News Release


HARTFORD, Conn. - A late drive to win another division title successfully ended 24 hours earlier.

But plenty still had to be determined for the Hartford Wolf Pack Saturday night, but it wasn't at the XL Center.

The Wolf Pack survived three Springfield Falcons power-play goals, with Dale Weise breaking a tie and then captain Greg Moore scoring into an empty net for a 5-3 victory before 7,171.

Then the Wolf Pack learned they would open their 12th postseason in as many years in the AHL at home on Thursday at 7 p.m. against Worcester, which finished fourth in the Atlantic Division when Portland defeated Manchester, 5-4. The Wolf Pack were 4-3-0-1 against the Sharks. Second-seeded Providence will face No. 3 Portland in the other division semifinal.

"Penalties will be an area that we address in the next couple of days, but the guys wanted to enjoy their day off (today), so it was kind of a feel-good finish," Wolf Pack coach Ken Gernander said.

The Wolf Pack (46-27-3-4) were in last place in early December but finished 26-11-1-1 down the stretch to win a third division title and their first since 2004. The Falcons (24-44-8-4) finished last in the Atlantic Division, missing the playoffs for the sixth consecutive year.

"We had a bit of a slow start, but then we got a streak together in February and played some pretty good hockey, and now it's time to take it to the next level," Gernander said. "The season was a day-to-day process individually and as a team, and now hopefully we'll be a little more disciplined and smarter so we aren't shorthanded so much.

"It was very tight all season against Worcester, but the team we see Thursday will be a little different because they just got several players back from injuries. But that's hockey."

All-AHL right wing P.A. Parenteau (concussion) and Tommy Pyatt (personal) might return for the playoffs.

Moore, who returned Friday after missing nine games with a concussion, said he wasn't surprised the team made the comeback it did the last few months.

"We're excited about the playoffs and will be focusing on our game plan starting Monday at practice," Moore said. "Am I surprised we won the division? Yes and no. The Wolf Pack has a great tradition and never write ourselves off. We have high expectations in this locker room and organization and expect ourselves to be there toward the end of the season.

"But at the same time, we've had some ups and downs, though even when we were in last place, it was a tight division so we knew we were still in it. We had a lot of major contributors like Patrick Rissmiller and Mark Bell come in. But (goalie Matt) Zaba was a huge contributor to giving us the confidence that we can play the way we can."

The Wolf Pack scored twice on their first four shots in the opening 5:05. On the game's first shift, Rissmiller took a pass from Bell, used Cody Wild as a screen and beat Dany Sabourin (25 saves) from the right circle at 39 seconds. Artem Anisimov then worked a give-and-go with Weise and banked a shot off Sabourin for his team-leading 37th goal.

The Falcons got to 2-1 on the game's first power play as Ryan Stone deflected Jordan Eberle's shot from the right circle past Zaba (22 saves).

Zaba kept the Wolf Pack ahead when he denied 37-goal scorer Ryan Potulny alone in front at 12:13 and then stopped Rob Schremp's backhander with 5:50 left.

Given those reprieves, the Wolf Pack took a 3-1 lead when Jordan Owens hustled down left wing to ignite a 3-on-1 and dropped a pass to David Urquhart, who beat Sabourin to the glove side from 30 feet in the slot with 2:20 left.

Zaba stopped Stone's backhander in front 1:05 into the second period, but the Falcons continued to use the power play to their advantage. First, Stone's pass from behind the net went off the skate of Wolf Pack defenseman Corey Potter to Potulny, who scored his team-high 38th goal under the crossbar at 10:31.

Then after the Wolf Pack buzzed Sabourin without getting many clean shots on net, the Falcons tied it on their sixth power play as Potulny got the puck to Eberle, who got behind Wolf Pack defenseman Jared Nightingale and beat Zaba with 3:54 left in the period.

The teams jostled for the first half of the third period before Weise scored from 30 feet in the slot at 10:50 after two shots by Rissmiller and a third by Brian Fahey. Moore iced it with his 23rd goal with 26.8 seconds left.

"In my (three) years here, this is the tightest group we've had," Moore said. "Everyone gets along real well on and off the ice. I think we have a great balance of having fun and being focused. We really do enjoy playing together."

After the game, the Wolf Pack handed out their team awards: MVP-Parenteau; Defenseman of the year-Potter; Seventh Player/Unsung Hero-Michael Sauer; Bob Girouard Character Award-Owens; Fan Favorite-Owens.



American Hockey League Stories from April 11, 2009


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