Wolf Pack Weekly

Published on March 26, 2007 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Connecticut Whale News Release


The Wolf Pack lost their only home game of last week, squandering a 2-0 lead and falling to Worcester on Friday by a score of 5-2. They then rebounded, though, for back-to-back road wins, to improve their season record to 41-26-3-0 for 85 points and surpass the 40-win mark for the eighth time in the ten-year history of the franchise. The Pack defeated Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Saturday night in Wilkes-Barre, 4-3, moving back past the Providence Bruins and into second place in the Atlantic Division in the process. Then in a divisional showdown at Providence Sunday, the Wolf Pack outlasted their hosts by a 1-0 margin, despite being outshot by a margin of 36-26. Al Montoya registered his fifth shutout of the campaign in that game, after having been pulled from his previous two starts, and Brandon Dubinsky, fresh off his first career NHL stint with the New York Rangers, had points in all three of the weekend's games (2-2-4).

This week:

The Wolf Pack are scheduled for another hectic week this week with a pair of home-and-home series, starting with the third annual "Sonar's Edu-Skate" school-day game Wednesday at the Hartford Civic Center. That game faces off at the special time of 11:00 a.m. and is a GEICO Connecticut Cup battle with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. The two Connecticut rivals hook up again Friday night in Bridgeport (7:30). That is followed by a pair of games against the division-leading Manchester Monarchs, Saturday night in Hartford (7:00) and Sunday in Manchester (4:05).

Tuesday, March 27th - "Wolf Pack Confidential" at Little Mark's Big Barbecue on ESPN Radio 1410

This week's edition of the Wolf Pack's weekly hour-long Tuesday-night talk show features Dwight Helminen and Marvin Degon as scheduled guests. Wolf Pack Confidential airs live from 7-8 PM from Little Mark's Big Barbecue, located at 279 West Main St. (Rt. 44) in Avon. Fans are invited to be on hand at Little Mark's for the show, and the guests will be taking questions from the live audience. The show can be heard live on ESPN Radio 1410 and on-line at www.hartfordwolfpack.com.

Wednesday, March 28th vs. Bridgeport at the Hartford Civic Center, 11:00 a.m.

This is the Wolf Pack's third annual Sonar's "Edu-Skate" game. This educational school day game allows students to take an exciting and unique field trip to a Wolf Pack hockey game. The goal is to use hockey as a teaching tool for kids to learn about math, geography, science, fitness and more. All students and teachers will receive a Wolf Pack pencil and "Edu-Skate" workbook, containing questions and activities that will be carried out during the game. The game presentation will be geared to the educational aspect of the day, and during stoppages in play, players will pose questions and answers and provide information to the students on the JumboTron.

Student group tickets are available at a special price of $9.00 per ticket, through the Wolf Pack ticket office (860-548-2000). Concessions will be open with lunch specials for fans as well, including a Businessman's Lunch, which includes a ticket, hot dog or pizza slice and a small soda for $11.00. Season ticket holders who cannot attend can either redeem their unused tickets for another game or donate them to a needy school.

The Wolf Pack are 6-1-0-0 in this year's GEICO Connecticut Cup series against the Sound Tigers, and have won the last six meetings after dropping the first one.

The Sound Tigers are 33-30-1-5 for 72 points and are currently two points ahead of Albany for the fourth and final playoff spot in the East Division.

With Jeff Tambellini on recall to the parent New York Islanders, West Haven, CT native Eric Boguniecki holds the top point total among players on the Sound Tiger roster, with 22-32-54 in 54 GP. He has at least a point in nine out of his last 10 games (5-13-18).

Radio - live with Bob Crawford on ESPN Radio 1410 and on the web at: www.hartfordwolfpack.com or watch on B2 Network! Go to www.hartfordwolfpack.com for details.

Friday, March 30th at Bridgeport (Bridgeport's Arena at Harbor Yard), 7:30 p.m.

This is the Wolf Pack's last visit of the regular season to the Arena at Harbor Yard, where they are 4-0-0-0 on the year, including a 5-1 win in their last trip February 25th.

Radio - live with Bob Crawford on ESPN Radio 1410 and on the web at: www.hartfordwolfpack.com or watch on B2 Network! Go to www.hartfordwolfpack.com for details.

Saturday, March 31st vs. Manchester at the Hartford Civic Center, 7:00 p.m.

The first-place Monarchs (42-19-6-1, 91 pts.) currently lead the second-place Wolf Pack by six points in the Atlantic Division.

This is another tenth-anniversary commemorative giveaway night. The first 5,000 fans will receive a Wolf Pack commemorative T-shirt.

Manchester won three divisional road games over the weekend, after they had lost their previous three contests.

Barry Brust has started four of the last eight Monarch games, including the last two, after Jason LaBarbera had gotten the call in 19 of the previous 22 contests. LaBarbera leads the AHL in save percentage (93.2), shutouts (7) and minutes-played, and is tied for the league lead in wins (34).

The Wolf Pack are 2-3-1-0 against the L.A. Kings' top affiliate this season and are 1-1-1-0 at home vs. the Monarchs.

Television - live on Fox Sports Net New England with Bob Crawford (play-by-play), Rich Coppola (color commentary) and Glenn Conticello (ice-side reporter).

Webcast - live with Mark Bailey at www.hartfordwolfpack.com, or watch on B2 Networks! Go to www.hartfordwolfpack.com for details.

Sunday, April 1st at Manchester (Verizon Wireless Arena), 4:05 p.m.

This is the season-series finale between the Wolf Pack and Monarchs, and the Pack are 1-2-0-0 in three previous visits to Manchester.

Radio - live with Bob Crawford on ESPN Radio 1410 and on the web at: www.hartfordwolfpack.com or watch on B2 Network! Go to www.hartfordwolfpack.com for details.

Injury Report:

Ivan Baranka - surgery on right thumb (out for the season).

Darius Kasparaitis - leave of absence (indefinite).

Martin Richter - infected right foot (indefinite).

Jake Taylor - surgery on left shoulder (out for the season).

Recent Transactions:

Dave Liffiton - returned by the New York Rangers to the Wolf Pack March 19th.

Kenny Smith - released from Professional Tryout (PTO) agreement by the Wolf Pack March 20th.

Brandon Dubinsky - returned by the New York Rangers to the Wolf Pack March 20th.

Nigel Dawes - recalled by the New York Rangers from the Wolf Pack March 20th and returned to the Wolf

Pack March 21st.

Zdenek Bahensky - returned by the Wolf Pack on loan to Charlotte (ECHL) March 22nd.

Andrew Gallant - signed by the Wolf Pack to an Amateur Tryout (ATO) agreement March 23rd.

Hannu Pikkarainen - reassigned by the New York Rangers to the Wolf Pack from Charlotte (ECHL) March

23rd.

Andrew Gallant - released from Amateur Tryout (ATO) agreement by the Wolf Pack March 26th.

Practice:

All Wolf Pack practices are open to the media at the Hartford Civic Center or Champions Skating Center in Cromwell. As schedules are subject to last-minute changes, please call the public relations department at (860) 246-7825 before attending a practice.

Tue., March 27 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m., Hartford Civic Center

Wed., March 28 Game vs. Bridgeport at 11:00 a.m.

Thurs., March 29 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m., Hartford Civic Center

Fri., March 30 10:00 - 11:00 a.m., Hartford Civic Center (Game at Bridgeport)

Sat., March 31 10:00 - 11:00 a.m., Hartford Civic Center (Game vs. Manchester)

Sun., April 1 Game at Manchester

Mon., April 2 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m., Hartford Civic Center

Pack Tracks:

The Family Value Night packages that fans have been enjoying for years at Guida's Family Value Nights on Fridays are now available for Wolf Pack Sunday home games as well! Family Value Night packs get you either three or four tickets, with each package consisting of a hot dog or a pizza slice, and a soda, per ticket, as well as a Wolf Pack souvenir! Three-packs start at $36 and four-packs are as low as $48. To order your Family Value Night pack, call the Wolf Pack ticket office at 860-548-2000.

New videos, player trivia and 'Where are they now?' features have recently been added to the Wolf Pack's special 10th Anniversary Site---www.10years1mission.com! Log on to test your Wolf Pack trivia knowledge, find out where your favorite players and coaches are today, and take a trip down memory lane with retrospective photos & season openers!

The 96.5 TIC Acoustic Café - Volume VI CD, featuring the music of some of today's most popular musical artists, recorded acoustically, is now on sale at all Big Y World Class Markets, FYE and Strawberries locations, as well as at the new Hartford Wolf Pack "Pack Shop" in the Hartford 21 Mall surrounding the Civic Center. Net proceeds from the sale of the CD will benefit the charitable efforts of the Hartford Wolf Pack Community Foundation. The retail price of the CD is only $9.65, and it includes cuts from Staind, KT Tunstall, The Fray, Five for Fighting, Goo Goo Dolls, Barenaked Ladies, Anna Nalick, James Blunt, Nick Lachey and Smash Mouth. Each CD includes a voucher worth $16.50 for a free ticket to see a Wednesday night or Sunday night Wolf Pack game during the 2006-07 season.

The Wolf Pack's "Pack Shop" is located in the newly-renovated Hartford 21 Mall surrounding the Civic Center. The Pack Shop is open for business 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, as well as two hours prior to and one hour after each and every Wolf Pack home game, including Saturdays and Sundays! The Pack Shop features a Wolf Pack hockey rink-tiled replica floor and offers a full line of Wolf Pack merchandise and special 10th Anniversary items. Stop by and check it out today!

Individual tickets for Wolf Pack games are on sale now at the Hartford Civic Center Box Office and all Ticketmaster locations including Macy's at the Buckland Hills Mall and at the Westfarms Mall. Tickets may also be charged by phone at (860) 525-4500, (203) 744-8100, (203) 624-0033 or (413) 733-2500 or online at www.Ticketmaster.com. Season tickets, five, 10 and 20 game packages and group tickets are also available. Contact 860-548-2000 for more details.

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American Hockey League Stories from March 26, 2007


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