By Bob Crawford
Director of Broadcasting & Public Relations
Hartford Wolf Pack
 |
The 'Pack had their streak of 10-straight shootout wins end with a 2-1
shootout loss on Sunday against the Providence Bruins in Providence. |
Providence – A Hartford Wolf Pack streak of 10 straight wins in shootouts came
to an end Sunday at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center in Providence, in a 2-1 shootout
loss to the Providence Bruins. It was the first Wolf Pack shootout defeat since
March 21, 2015, a 2-1 loss at Springfield. Bruin rookie Peter Cehlarik scored
the only goal of the shootout, after the Wolf Pack’s Matt Carey and
Providence’s Anton Blidh had traded goals in the first period. Zane McIntyre
made 31 saves in the Bruin net, and went 3-for-3 in shootout, while Magnus
Hellberg had 40 saves for the Wolf Pack.
“It was a big [standings] point,” said Hellberg. “Everybody
battled hard. We’ve lost a lot of bodies, some guys got called up and some are
injured, but I think the guys that are still here stepped up and did their
part.
“Providence is a really good team, so we know it’s always going to
be a battle when we play them,” continued the Hartford netminder. “It would
have been nice to get the extra point, but one is better than nothing.”
Playing a third straight game without their top two scorers, Marek
Hrivik and Nicklas Jensen, both of whom are on recall to the parent New York
Rangers, the Wolf Pack took a 1-0 lead at 6:04 of the
first period on what would be their only shot in the first 11:54
of the game.
Carey blocked a Matt Bartkowski shot from the left point in the
Wolf Pack zone, and was able to get free in the Bruin zone and put a forehand
bid past the stick side of McIntyre.
The Bruins equalized at 13:26, after a Wolf
Pack breakout pass missed connections. A Mat Bodie feed went into the skates of
Justin Fontaine, and Colby Cave and Wayne Simpson were able to set Blidh up
from about 30 feet out. Blidh’s hard shot beat Hellberg on his stick side.
That would be it for the offense for the day, though, with the
rest of regulation and the 3-on-3 overtime failing to yield any more goals.
Cehlarik led off the shootout for Providence, and, despite nearly
losing the puck, was able to beat Hellberg with a snap shot past his blocker.
Hellberg would go on to deny Jordan Szwarz and Colton Hargrove, but McIntyre
was perfect against Michael Joly, Fontaine and Adam Tambellini.
PACK
RECALL OKSANENE
The Hartford Wolf Pack today announced that that Ahti Oksanen has
been recalled from the team’s ECHL affiliate, the Greenville Swamp Rabbits.
A 6-3, 215-pound rookie out of Boston University, Oksanen has
skated in 19 games with the Swamp Rabbits, scoring six goals and adding five
assists for 11 points. The Kirkkonummi, Finland native leads Swamp Rabbit
rookies in points and goals, and is tied for third overall on the team in goals
and ranked fifth in points. The 23-year-old forward, who signed an AHL contract
with the Wolf Pack June 14, had totals of 51 goals and
64 assists for 115 points, along with 66 penalty minutes, in 150 career games
with Boston University.
WOLF PACK WEEK
The Wolf Pack (7-13-3-1, 18 pts., .375)
were 0-2-0-1 in three games this past week.
In an Atlantic Division tilt Wednesday at the XL Center, rookies John Gilmour and Michael
Joly scored goals. Joly’s was his first career AHL tally, but the Wolf Pack
ended up on the short end of a 4-2 score vs. the Springfield Thunderbirds.
The Toronto Marlies came to town on Saturday night, for the third meeting in eight days between
themselves and the Wolf Pack, and a four-goal second period carried Toronto to
victory, 5-3. Joly scored for a second straight game in that contest.
On Sunday in Providence, a Wolf Pack streak of ten consecutive wins in shootouts
came to an end, as the Bruins came away with a 2-1 shootout triumph. Magnus
Hellberg made a team season-high 40 saves in that game.
The Wolf Pack play their last two home games before the Christmas
holiday this week, hosting Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Wednesday
night at 7:00 PM and Syracuse Friday
evening at 7:15. The Pack then make their first
visit of the season to Hershey on Saturday night for a 7:00 game.
Upcoming
Home Games:
Wed., Dec. 14, vs. the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton
Penguins (Pittsburgh) at the XL Center, 7:00 PM
·
This is another Wolf Pack “Click It or Ticket
Family Value Pack” game. The Family Value Pack includes two tickets, two
sodas and two hot dogs, all for just $40.
·
Once again this season, every Wednesday-night
home game is a “Winning Wednesday”. If the Wolf
Pack win, fans can show their Winning Wednesday ticket
at the Agera Energy Ticket Office at the XL Center and receive a free ticket to
the next Wolf Pack home game, which is this Friday, December 16 vs. Syracuse
(some restrictions apply).
·
This is the third meeting of the year between
the Wolf Pack and Penguins, and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton has taken the first two,
including a 4-1 win November 13 in their only previous visit to the XL Center. The Penguins finished last week with an
AHL-leading .729 points percentage (16-5-3-0, 35 pts.), and they are 7-2-3-0 on
the road.
·
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton goal-scoring leader
Oskar Sundqvist (11-10-21 in 22 GP) had the AHL’s first four-goal game of the
season Saturday night, in a 6-2 home win over Hershey.
· Tickets for this and all 2016-17 Wolf Pack
home games are on sale now at the Agera Energy Ticket
Office at the XL Center, on-line at www.hartfordwolfpack.com
and by phone at (877)
522-8499. Tickets purchased in advance for kids 12 or younger are
just $10 each, and all tickets will have a $2 day-of-game increase.
·
Fri., Dec. 16 vs. the
Syracuse Crunch (Tampa Bay) at the XL Center, 7:15 PM
·
At this and every Friday-night
home game this season, fans can enjoy $1 hot dogs and $2 beers through the
start of the second period. The Crunch come into the week on a 7-1-0-1 run
under new head coach Benoit Groulx, and sit atop the North Division with a
record of 15-6-0-2 (32 pts., .696).
·
This is the first of two games on the year
between the Wolf Pack and Crunch, and Syracuse’s only visit of the season to
the XL Center. The Wolf Pack swept a two-game season series between the
two clubs last year, winning the only Hartford meeting by a score of 5-2 on October 18.
·
Crunch veteran defenseman Matt Taormina (8-12-20 in 18 GP) is tied for second among AHL blueliners in
goals had has the third-most points among league defensemen.
·
Sat., Dec. 17 at the
Hershey Bears (Washington) at Giant Center, 7:00 PM
·
This is the Wolf Pack’s first of four road
games on the year vs. the Bears, whom they defeated in the first meeting of the
season between the two teams Oct. 26 in Hartford, 3-2 in
overtime. The Wolf Pack had a win and an overtime loss to show for their
two visits to Chocolatetown last year.
·
The Bears have only one regulation loss in
their last 12 games (9-1-2-0) and are part of a five-team Atlantic Division
group that all has between 31 and 35 points. Former Connecticut Whale Christian Thomas is
tied for the AHL lead in goals, with 12-6-18 in 22
games.
·
Holiday Packs:
Wolf Pack Holiday Packs, the perfect holiday gifts for any hockey
fan, are now available, with three different packages to choose from.
·
- \ The “Hat Trick” package, priced at $149,
includes eight Blue-Level Wolf Pack ticket vouchers, redeemable for any 2016-17
Pack home game, an autographed Wolf Pack mini-helmet, a Wolf Pack holiday
ornament and the opportunity to have a photo taken at center ice at the XL
Center or in the Wolf Pack locker room.
- · The “Goal” package is priced at $99 and
features six Blue-Level ticket vouchers, an autographed Wolf Pack puck, a
holiday ornament and a signed 8x10 Wolf Pack photo.
- ·
The “Slap Shot” package is only $49 and is
comprised of two Blue-Level ticket vouchers and an autographed Wolf Pack puck.
Community Appearances:
The Wolf Pack have the following appearances scheduled this
week. For further information on these, or any other Wolf Pack community
initiatives, contact Wolf Pack community relations manager Frank Berrian, at (860) 541-4728:
·
Saturday, December 17, 9:00 AM, Governor
William A. O’Neill Armory, 360 Broad St., Hartford, CT
The Wolf Pack’s lovable mascot, Sonar, joins in the fun of the
Connecticut National Guard Families Operation ELF Holiday party, helping to
distribute some of the toys collected in the Wolf Pack’s recent “Teddy Bear Toss”.
·
Saturday, December 17, 12:30 PM, South
Windsor Pizza, 855 John Fitch Blvd., South Windsor, CT
Sonar and the Wolf Pack promo squad surprise members of the South
Windsor Special Olympics bowling team at their holiday event.
Recent Transactions:
Nicklas Jensen – recalled from the Wolf Pack by the New York
Rangers Dec. 7.
Adam Chapie – reassigned by the New York Rangers to the Wolf Pack
from Greenville (ECHL) Dec. 7.
Ahti Oksanen – recalled by the Wolf Pack from Greenville (ECHL)
Dec. 11.
Pack Tracks:
·
Once again this season, fans can enjoy $1 hot
dogs and $2 beers at every Friday Wolf Pack home game,
through the start of the second period. After this Friday,
the next Friday-night home game is Jan.
6, when the Pack host the Lehigh Valley Phantoms at 7:15
PM.
·
Each of the Wolf Pack’s Sunday
and Wednesday home games, as well as the one Tuesday home date, will feature the Wolf Pack’s “Click It or
Ticket Family Value Pack”. The Family Value Pack includes two tickets, two
sodas and two hot dogs, all for just $40. The next Family Value Pack game after
this Wednesday is Tuesday, Dec. 27,
when the Wolf Pack host the Providence Bruins in a 7:00 PM
game. The first 2,000
fans through the doors will receive a Wolf Pack winter ski hat.
·
At every Sunday Wolf
Pack home game, the first 2,000 fans will receive a “hockey bingo” card. The
spaces on these cards contain possibilities that might happen in the game, and
if they do, fans can fill in the spaces to win Wolf Pack bingo prizes. The next Sunday Wolf Pack home date is February 19,
a 5:00 PM game vs. the Springfield Thunderbirds.
Wolf Pack home game tickets can be purchased at the XL
Center ticket office, on-line at www.hartfordwolfpack.com
and by phone at (877)
522-8499. Tickets purchased in advance for kids 12 or younger are just $10
each, and all tickets will have a $2 day-of-game increase. To speak with a Wolf Pack representative about season or group
tickets, or any of the Wolf Pack’s many ticketing options, call (855) 762-6451,
or click here to request more info.
