By Bruce Berlet

After being among the AHL’s elite for most of the season, the Connecticut Whale looks to smooth their first speed bump as the midpoint of the season arrives Friday night in Norfolk, Va.

The Whale’s four-game winless streak (0-2-1-1) is their longest of the franchise’s 15^th season, but they still have a five-point lead over Albany in the Northeast Division despite the loss of their two leading scorers, center John Mitchell and rookie left wing Carl Hagelin, to the parent New York Rangers and injuries to veteran defenseman Wade Redden and skilled wing Mats Zuccarello, named to the Eastern Conference All-Star team last week after playing in only 18 games.

“For the most part, we played some pretty good hockey until last week,” said veteran center Kris Newbury, now the Whale’s leading scorer (15 goals, 21 assists) despite missing five games while on recall to the Rangers and four games because of a suspension. “Our special teams have been good (power play is tied for third at 21.6 percent, the penalty killing is 14^th at 83 percent), which always gives you a good chance to win, we’re getting lots of production from our defensemen and scorers are scoring and grinders are grinding.

“We seemed to have a couple letdowns the last few games, and it’s something we have to correct or we’re going to find ourselves slipping out of first place. We just have to put this behind us and get a fresh start in Norfolk.”

In the current mini-slump, the Whale (19-12-2-4) lost in overtime at Portland and in regulation at Binghamton, and then in a shootout and regulation to the Springfield Falcons (17-16-1-1), whom they had beaten five consecutive times by a combined 21-10 score. The Whale will have to play the next three games without rugged right wing Andre Deveaux, their third-leading scorer (11 goals, 14 assists), who was suspended Tuesday for two boarding incidents in the games against the Falcons.

Veteran defenseman Brendan Bell, an alternate captain with Newbury and Deveaux since Redden was injured Dec. 17, said the Whale has done “a pretty good job of keeping our head above water” despite the injuries and call-ups, which also include rugged defenseman Stu Bickel on Dec. 19.

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“I think all things considered, it’s been a pretty successful first half,” said Bell, who started the season with the Rangers but played only one game. “Our power play is on the upswing, some of our young guys like Marchie (All-Star rookie right wing Jonathan Audy-Marchessault) and (defenseman) Tim (Erixon) have good numbers and really contributed a lot, but if we could balance out our attack a little more, we’d be a more effective team.

“We’re kind of limping into the halfway point, but that’s bound to happen during the course of a season. Our top line can’t score every goal every night, but this league relies a lot on older guys and young prospects. If we can get contributions up and down the lineup, not necessarily every night but just here and there, we’ll be a real force to be reckoned with. Hopefully we just stick with it, string a few more wins together and get off this train we’re on.”

Until the calendar changed to 2012 last week, the Whale hadn’t lost more than two games in a row, and they failed to earn at least a point in such situations only twice. So no one is pushing a panic button as the Whale plays at Norfolk (21-13-1-2) on Friday and Saturday nights and at Portland (16-15-2-3) on Wednesday night before returning for a five-game homestand that begins Jan. 20 against Atlantic Division leader St. John’s (22-9-4-1). But with three road games looming, the Whale needs to improve away from the XL Center. They’re 0-5-1-0 on the road since a 6-3 victory at Springfield on Dec. 3, to fall to 9-9-2-1 outside Hartford.

“I think if you look at it as a whole, the first half has gone pretty well,” said Chad Johnson (10-6-0-4, 2.48 goals-against average, .914 save percentage, one shutout), who has formed a solid goaltending tandem with Cam Talbot (9-6-2-0, 3.03, .895, two shutouts). “But the last few games we’ve taken kind of a pretty big step back as far as our goal and team identity of getting pucks in, getting pucks out and doing the little things. You can see how it makes a difference because those little things add up. Right now we’re not getting that for the full 60 minutes, and while we’ve got some points, it’s disappointing not to beat teams that you know you can beat.

“So you have to catch it and turn it around and do what we have to do to be consistent through the whole season and get back to what we do well, paying the price to get pucks in, get pucks out in key times or make a big play or be disciplined to do things that win games. We just have to get that focus back. We just have to regroup as a team and stick together. We just need that consistency from start to finish because that’s where we were having success.”

While the Whale has succeeded on most fronts, their major aims for the second half are to reduce penalties (they rank sixth with 18.05 minutes a game), get more balanced scoring and hold leads, which plagued them early and the last half-dozen games, some of which they won. But while they’ve won five times when trailing after two periods, which is unusual, they’ve also lost as many games when they led after 40 minutes.

“I like our position in the standings after having slow starts the last couple of years,” coach Ken Gernander said. “So it’s good that we’ve got a lot of points (44), but I think we’ve left a lot of points out there as far as managing our game and being able to close games out when we have the lead going into the third period. I’d like to see that improved, and I’d like to see a little more secondary scoring. Our power play is doing a good job and we have some players who are putting up good offensive numbers, but we need to have a little more secondary scoring.

“Discipline also comes and goes, kind of like the third-period thing, so I’d like to see more consistency in that regard. … You’re going to have to continue to improve. I don’t care who you are, everybody in the league is going to get better and better as things go along.”

The line of Newbury, Audy-Marchessault and Deveaux carried much of the offense for several weeks before center Kelsey Tessier and wings Francois Bouchard and Andreas Thuresson picked up their pace recently. Wing Sean Avery is expected to help the attack when he returns from an illness, and Zuccarello’s comeback from an injury that has sidelined him 13 games will be beneficial, particularly on the power play.

The Whale also should get help from center Erik Christensen, who accepted a two-week conditioning assignment Wednesday after being a healthy scratch for 18 of the Rangers’ last 22 games, including the last 10 since Dec. 17.  Christensen met the Whale Thursday in Voorhees, NJ and skated in a practice the team held there before continuing on to Norfolk.

“I’ve only played four games in the last (22), so I just want to play hockey,” Christensen told BlueshirtsUnited.com. “I know I’ll be back (to New York), but I’m just excited to play again. Bag skating (after practice) really stinks, but I don’t blame Torts for not changing the lineup. He’s doing what’s best for the team, and I’d be doing the same thing. I watch the games every night, and our team is playing great. We’re an exciting team to watch, and it’s exciting to be a part of a good team, even if I’m not playing.

“I’m thrilled to be a part of the Rangers still and watch the team be successful, but at the same time, I still love to play, and this is a good opportunity for me to do that. The way we (the Rangers) put our bodies on the line on shots and are a physical team, injuries happen. We’ve been fairly fortunate this year. We’ve had a few guys go down, but the core of our team has stayed pretty healthy. But you never know, and I’m looking at this as a chance to stay sharp and sort of get my game going, get a little confidence, hopefully score a few goals and just get my legs under me again so if something does happen, like an injury, they’re not going to have any hesitation to put me in.”

The return of Erixon from the Rangers on Dec. 16 helped the defense’s mobility and offensive potential, which assistant coach J.J. Daigneault hopes improves down the stretch.

“I’m very satisfied with the power play, and the guys who I get to work with are very receptive and talented,” said Daigneault, who handles the defense and power play. “We have some good offensive defensemen like Erixon, and Brendan Bell has been a pleasure to work with. Guys want to learn and are willing to adjust because we’re adjusting all the time, so that’s one area that I’m very satisfied with.

“But I’d like a lot more goals to come from the back side. Some nights the power play isn’t going to be working, so we need some secondary scoring and to find ways to score five-on-five. I’m always preaching a four-man attack, so I’d like more goals from the back side regardless of your skill set. Whether you’re Bell or (Jared) Nightingale, a defensive defenseman or maybe more a stay-at-home defenseman, I’d like guys to get involved more offensively.

“And even though it’s the midpoint, you still want the team to get better because points are going to be much more difficult to pick up in the second half of the season. A lot of games will be one-goal games, and I think we’re going to have to be much better defensively and always work on our discipline, along with getting better with playing with the lead. We’ve had three-goal leads we’ve lost, and that can’t happen anymore, not in the second half of a season.”

Tessier, who has continued to be a solid contributor in all areas after receiving the Unsung Hero/Seventh Player Award from the media in his rookie season, might have summed things up best when he pointed out “it’s a marathon, not a sprint.”

“We just have to come back to our basics and play like we did at the start of the year,” Tessier said. “We just have to keep it so simple. We’ve been throwing the puck around in the middle, so we just have to put it behind their defense, do a lot of communication and play that dirty game where when (teams) come to play against the Connecticut Whale they don’t like it because we’re a tenacious team that wants to go in the corners, work hard and show them that it (stinks) to play against us.

“We have to have people thinking, ‘Oh, man, these guys are on us every time we have the puck, they drive the net, they chip the puck behind our defense, they just finish their hits.’ Those are the small things that definitely make a big difference.”

While the Whale will be trying to regain their footing, the Rangers hope to continue a run to the top of the NHL with five straight wins and 10 of 11 heading into a game against Ottawa on Thursday night thanks largely to Wolf Pack and Whale graduates who have helped the parent club to its best start since the 1993-94 season, when they last won the Stanley Cup. It began with defenseman Marc Staal becoming an All-Star on Broadway after playing his first 12 pro games with the Wolf Pack in the 2006 Calder Cup playoffs and has continued through forwards Ryan Callahan, the Rangers’ captain, Brandon Dubinsky and Artem Anisimov and defensemen Dan Girardi, Michael Sauer, Ryan McDonagh and Michael Del Zotto, who spent the second half of last season in Hartford reviving his game after being a member of the NHL All-Rookie Team in 2009-10.

The Rangers have had Newbury, Deveaux, Erixon, Hagelin, Mitchell and Bickel join or rejoin them and contribute this season, earning plaudits for the players and coaches Gernander, Daigneault and Pat Boller.

“I think each year as you’re building your team, you need a surprise, and Hagelin has been a pleasant one,” Rangers coach John Tortorella told the New York media. “It’s another young kid, and not only is he helping us offensively, but he’s doing a lot of good things away from the puck. You need that, and we were hoping to have it during (training) camp and didn’t. I think the guys down in the minor leagues did a good job, and he has played very well since he’s been here.

“It’s really exciting for me to have a kid step into a lineup and be able to have me feel more and more comfortable to put him in situations. Obviously his speed is really good for us, but he’s doing a lot of the little things, too. A kid, too, and I think that’s so important for our team to keep on bringing kids in.”

Rangers president and general manager Glen Sather told Christopher Botta of the New York Times News Service that he credits Tortorella and Gernander with the development of the young players and cited Rangers assistant GM/assistant coach/Whale GM Jim Schoenfeld with being the link between the majors and minors.

“We play the same system here (in New York) and in Connecticut,” Sather said. “Everyone is taught the same. When we call players up, they fit right in.”

Schoenfeld said the Whale has persevered through all the injuries and call-ups who have not only “fit right in” on Broadway but made a difference.

“It speaks very well for the job that Kenny, J.J. and Patty are doing and the commitment the players are making,” Schoenfeld said. “The team is still at the top of their division, which I think is pretty good considering all the players that we have used and kept. The staff has obviously done a good job, and the players have listened to what they’ve been told and have been executing.

“They haven’t played a flawless game, but none of us do. But I think the effort is good, the attitude is good and there’s some good leadership there. And they’re going to have to find a way to get it done without the players who are here (in New York) because it looks like these guys have a pretty good chance of being here all season. (But) we feel we still have depth there that could come up and play if and when we need it. So it has been kind of a seamless thing for us to have these players come up from Hartford and have a positive impact on the team right away.”

Erixon, 20, a first-round pick (23^rd overall) of Calgary in 2009 and acquired from the Flames on June 1, started the season with the Rangers, going scoreless in nine games before being assigned to the Whale on Oct. 29 to get more ice time in all situations, which he is doing.

“Having Tim (in New York) playing eight minutes a game is kind of counterproductive to his development,” Schoenfeld said.

Erixon, the son of former Rangers wing Jan Erixon, was called up on an emergency basis on Dec. 14 because of injuries, then returned to Hartford two days later and is averaging a point a game (two goals and 17 assists in 19 games). Newbury continued to make a strong gritty impression in six games after playing 11 with the Blueshirts last season, and Deveaux proved another valuable physical, checking presence in his nine games.

The speedy Hagelin, who co-captained the University of Michigan to the NCAA championship game last season, provided more offense at first than the Rangers could have expected with two two-goal games and seven total in his first 16 games. He has been compared to Rico Fata, who also was fast but didn’t have the touch that Hagelin has.

“It’s a credit to the work that the staff (in Hartford) did with him,” Schoenfeld said. “We knew he was a good skater and could handle the puck reasonably well, but he had to learn the pro game. Speed is a great thing and a tremendous asset that he has, but sometimes you can save yourself steps just by proper positioning and letting the game come to you, especially defensively, where you’ve got to let things develop a bit. When you play against good people, no matter how quickly you skate, they start moving that puck around and you’re always chasing it.

“Sometimes thinking is something that should be ahead of skating, and he was skating all over the place mistaking effort for accomplishment. But he was a quick study, and by the time we got him, (the Whale coaches) had him where he had a real good understanding of positioning both five-on-five and killing penalties. He’s had a real positive impact on our club, and we’ll increase his role in that regard if he continues to improve.”

Mitchell has been a more low-key contributor, starting with being on a checking line with Dubinsky and Brian Boyle against some of the NHL’s top lines. But when Tortorella changed three of his four lines and moved Mitchell alongside Michael Rupp in the Winter Classic on Jan. 2, Mitchell responded with assists on Rupp’s second and third goals of the season that wiped out the Philadelphia Flyers’ two-goal lead and helped the Rangers notch a 3-2 victory.

But the line changes and Whale grads’ effectiveness didn’t stop there as Tortorella then put Hagelin alongside Boyle and Ruslan Fedotenko and moved Mitchell from wing to center between Rupp and Brandon Prust after obviously learning more about Mitchell after earlier admitting he didn’t know anything about him from his days with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Tortorella also said he was impressed with how much Schoenfeld and Gernander had talked up the veteran forward.

Bickel was one of the biggest surprises in training camp before being among the final players sent to Hartford. He has continued to play his aggressive, physical style that earned him his first NHL games after being acquired last season from the Anaheim Ducks for defenseman Nigel Williams.

“Last year was the first year that Bickel didn’t play all or part of the season in the ECHL,” Schoenfeld said. “He was basically a part-time player in the AHL, then last year he earned his stripes a little bit and was a surprise in training camp that he had advanced that much. Now he came up and fit right in, which is kind of what we expected. He gives an element that every team needs, so it’s been a real good fit for us.”

Bickel played his 10^th NHL game in a 2-1 shootout victory over Phoenix on Tuesday night, meaning he would have to clear waivers in order to be reassigned to the Whale. Because right-handed defensemen who are efficient and tough are a rare commodity, it’s unlikely he’ll be reassigned, especially because of his age (25), size (6 foot 4, 207 pounds) and contract ($600,000 as an impending restricted free agent). Plus, Sauer isn’t close to returning from a concussion sustained when he hit his head on the boards after a collision with All-Star defenseman Dion Phaneuf of Toronto on Dec. 5, and Steve Eminger is expected to be out another 6-to-8 weeks with a separated right shoulder sustained on Dec. 17 that prompted Bickel’s call-up. So with the trade deadline on Feb. 27, Bickel likely will remain in the lineup unless the Rangers obtain a more experienced right-handed defenseman for the playoff push.

“At the start, the coaches kind of just let me play in order to see what I was about and what I could do, but now there’s a lot more dialogue about fitting in with how the team does things and what the defensemen are expected to do in different situations,” said Bickel, who is plus-4 and had as many points (four) in his first three games with the Rangers as he did in 27 games with the Whale. “I don’t think that there’s too much I have to change, I have to stay aggressive and be physical, but certainly I can improve my coverage and my reads on certain plays.

“There’s been a fair amount of teaching about my positional play, so I just have to continue learning and staying with it.”

Staal, who has been paired with Bickel in his five games since returning from post-concussion symptoms, said, “The one thing you notice about Stu right away is that he’s very sure of himself on the ice. His confidence doesn’t seem to waver.”

Even former Rangers defenseman and captain Dave Maloney, a commentator on MSG Radio, has been effusive about the newcomers and Whale coaching staff.

“Last year, Ryan McDonagh had a pretty good training camp and finds himself starting the season in Hartford, then after (38 games) comes up and becomes a real player,” said Maloney, whose son Dave Jr. now does video work for the Whale. “I think you can credit with what goes on in Hartford with Kenny Gernander, J.J. Daigneault and Pat Boller and the job that they continue to do. Mitchell and Hagelin came in and stepped right in and have been factors.

“It sends a message to Hartford that when you’re playing well, we’re paying attention. And it also tells the guys in the Blueshirts that, hey, if I’m not doing my job than I better be careful because there could be somebody who gets called up to replace me. That’s what Erik Christensen is going through now, and the better Mitchell and Hagelin play then the harder it is to get back in the lineup. So it’s that two-fold thing of getting excited about the younger players but hoping the vets can be involved, too. It keeps you on your toes.”

Since Maloney made his comments a few weeks ago, Jeff Woywitka has been a healthy scratch after Bickel arrived, and Avery was reassigned when Rupp returned from knee surgery. Christensen will finally get a chance to get some ice time this weekend with the Whale.

But wins and losses aside, Gernander, Daigneault and Boller have accomplished the more important task of developing players for the parent club, something the organization hopes continues on both fronts in the second half of the season and includes long runs in the Stanley and Calder Cup playoffs.

But as Schoenfeld said/warned: “They’ve done a good job, but they have to stick to it because both teams are a long way from the finish line so it’s far too little early for anyone to be taking any bows.”

Tortorella proved that Monday when he sent his players back to the locker room because he didn’t like how practice started after a day-and-a-half off and a 35-minute video session to point out shortcomings in their Winter Classic win. Rupp said Tortorella decided “to push the reset button” and got the desired results.

“We didn’t want anything negative from practice to carry over into (Tuesday’s) game,” Rupp said. “One of our strongest assets is we don’t let things slide. Today was more coming in here pressing the reset button and getting us mentally into it, and I thought we practiced well after that and will carry that into (Tuesday’s) game.”

And they did. In one of the most entertaining games of the season, the Rangers beat the Coyotes as Henrik Lundqvist made 18 saves in regulation and overtime and stopped five of six shots in the shootout that was decided when center Derek Stepan scored in the sixth round on his first try this season after going 0-for-5 as a rookie a year ago. Marian Gaborik kept the Rangers alive in the third round of the shootout after having a penalty shot stopped by Mike Smith’s spectacular, lunging stick save – one of the best ever – with 1:50 left in overtime.

“I just tried to refocus, and I’m glad it worked out,” Gaborik said of his shootout success, which reflected on what Tortorella had desired in practice a day earlier.

Gernander wouldn’t be afraid to do the same thing as Tortorella if he saw any complacency setting in.

It’s the Rangers-Whale way these days.

NORFOLK ENDS FIVE-GAME HOMESTAND VERSUS WHALE

Norfolk has started a five-game homestand with two losses to Albany last weekend (5-4 in overtime and 3-1 in regulation) and a 3-2 loss to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Tuesday night. The games Friday and Saturday night are the first of four between the Whale and Admirals, who visit the XL Center on Jan. 21 and March 10.

Admirals center Trevor Smith is third in the league in scoring with 18 goals and 26 assists and is plus-17. He’s followed by left wing Cory Conacher, who is fifth in the league and leads AHL rookies with 41 points (21 goals, 20 assists), which is six more than runner-up Audy-Marchessault. Defenseman Mark Barberio is third on the team in scoring (4, 29) and first in plus-minus (plus-20), followed by right wing Carter Ashton (15, 12) and center Tyler Johnson (13, 9).

Dustin Tokarski (14-9-0, 2.47 GAA, .901 save percentage, two shutouts) and Jaroslav Janus (7-5-2, 3.04, .893) have done the goaltending for the Admirals, who share the AHL’s third-best power play with the Whale.

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By Bruce Berlet

The Connecticut Whale added a new player to their roster Wednesday, center Erik Christensen.  And they could have a second new player, wing Wojtek Wolski, in the near future.

Christensen agreed to a two-week conditioning assignment request by the New York Rangers. He has one goal and four assists in 20 games with the Blueshirts.

Christensen, 28, told the New York media that it was “never a question of saying ‘no,’ it was ‘yes’ all the way.”

“I spoke to my agent, and we decided this was the best thing for me,” Christensen said. “I haven’t played a lot. I really love hockey. I mean that’s why I play the game. That’s more the point, I just want to play hockey. I understand there are things I need to work on, but I just want to be on the ice. I’m excited to get some games again. This will give me the chance to go and play. Plus, it will keep me prepared in case something happens and I need to go back in the lineup.”

Coach John Tortorella said Christensen came to a quick decision in accepting the conditioning assignment and that he was pleased with the 28 year-old’s decision.

“It’s for the right reason,” Tortorella said. “He’s been out a lot and he needs to play.”

Last season, Christensen played in 69 games and tied his career high with 11 goals and added 16 assists.

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Wolski, acquired last season from Phoenix for defenseman Michal Rozsival, has two assists in only six games in an injury-plagued second campaign with the Rangers and hasn’t played since Nov. 3 when he had surgery for a sports hernia. Tortorella said Wolski also has been asked to join the Whale but was discussing the possibility with his representatives. Wolski remained with the Blueshirts because of a shoulder injury that former Hartford Wolf Pack forward Brandon Dubinsky sustained when hit by Taylor Pyatt in a 2-1 shootout victory over Phoenix on Tuesday night. Dubinsky did not practice Wednesday and will be a game-time decision to play against the Ottawa Senators at Madison Square Garden on Thursday night.

“They should be impact players at (the AHL) level,” Whale coach Ken Gernander said of Christensen and possibly Wolski before the team bus departed Wednesday for Voorhees, NJ and then to Norfolk, VA. “They’re in shape, but obviously part of a two-week conditioning is to get your game agility or game conditioning back. But they’re pretty high-caliber players, so I think (the game shape) will come back quickly and they should be impact players at this level.”

The Whale (19-12-2-4) can use some reinforcements since rugged right wing Andre Deveaux, their third-leading scorer with 11 goals and 14 assists and a major force on the power play and No. 1 line with Kris Newbury and All-Star rookie wing Jonathan Audy-Marchessault, was suspended for three games Tuesday for two boarding incidents against the Falcons.

Christensen, a third-round pick of the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2002 who was claimed off waivers from the Anaheim Ducks on Dec. 2, 2009, has been squeezed out of the Rangers lineup largely because veteran center John Mitchell and speedy rookie left wing Carl Hagelin have contributed so much to the surging Rangers since being called up Nov. 24. Christensen and Wolski have had little chance to crack the lineup, which Tortorella again said he wasn’t about to change after the Rangers’ win Tuesday night, their fifth in a row and 10^th in 11 starts.

Christensen and Wolski had to give their consent for a conditioning assignment and also have to do so for their stay to last more than 14 days.

After games Friday and Saturday nights in Norfolk against the Admirals (21-13-1-2), who are second in the East Division to Hershey but have lost the first three games of a five-game homestand, the Whale plays at Portland next Wednesday and then returns home for the start of a five-game homestand Jan. 20 against the Atlantic Division-leading St. John’s IceCaps, the new affiliate of the new Winnipeg Jets. Deveaux will be eligible to return for the St. John’s game.

Deveaux has been effective on the Whale’s No. 1 line and especially as a net-front presence on the power play, which has moved into a tie for third in the league with Norfolk at 21.6 percent. Deveaux, who signed a free-agent contract Aug. 16, has a team-high nine power-play goals, which is tied for second in the league to the 11 of Graham Mink of Hershey.

KUDOS TO RECORD-SETTING SOUND TIGERS GOALIE

Congratulations to Bridgeport Sound Tigers goalie Kevin Poulin on setting team records with three consecutive shutouts (all 4-0 wins) and a shutout streak of 221 minutes, 54 seconds, only 27:57 shy of the AHL record set by Hockey Hall of Famer Johnny Bower over parts of five games with the Cleveland Barons from Nov. 27 to Dec. 7, 1957.

The Sound Tigers’ new shutout record is 224:06, as Poulin was pulled for an extra attacker for more than two minutes during his streak. His record run began on New Year’s Eve in a 4-2 loss at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, continued through the shutout wins over Worcester, Manchester and Portland and ended when Calle Ridderwall scored at 3:37 of the second period in a 3-2 shootout victory at Providence on Sunday. At one point, Poulin stopped 94 consecutive shots on the way to easily breaking the team shutout record of 156:09 set in March 2002 by Rick DiPietro, the first overall pick by the New York Islanders in 2000.

“Not giving up a goal, we made a statement as a team,” Poulin told Mike Fornabaio of the Connecticut Post. “We’re a good defense-oriented team, and we can score a lot of goals. It started in our zone. If we do good in our zone, we get opportunities.”

Poulin’s four wins last week earned him the Reebok/AHL Player of the Week award on Monday. He stopped 98 of 100 shots and had a 0.48 goals-against average after entering the week having lost six of his previous seven decisions. He made 21, 24 and 31 saves in the successive shutouts and 22 stops in the win over Providence.

On the strength of his week, Poulin lowered his GAA from 3.27 to 2.77 and improved his save percentage from .891 to .905. A fifth-round pick of the Islanders in 2008, the 21-year-old Poulin has an 11-12-0 record in 23 games with the Sound Tigers and also made one start for the Islanders. The second-year pro from Montreal split his rookie season between Bridgeport and Long Island, going 10-5-0 with a 2.19 GAA and .932 save percentage in 15 AHL games and 4-2-1, 2.44, .924 in 10 NHL games.

The Sound Tigers (16-17-3-1), whose first-year coach is former Hartford Wolf Pack defenseman Brent Thompson, needed Poulin’s recent efforts after going 2-10-0-0 in December to fall into the Northeast Division cellar. Poulin has started 10 consecutive games since Anders Nilsson was called up by the Islanders on Dec. 16.

KLEINENDORST, EAKINS ADDED TO ALL-STAR COACHING STAFFS

AHL president and CEO Dave Andrews announced Wednesday that Kurt Kleindorst of the Binghamton Senators and former Rangers and Beast of New Haven defenseman Dallas Eakins of the Toronto Marlies have been named to the coaching staffs for the AHL All-Star Classic on Jan. 29-30 in Atlantic City, N.J. Kleinendorst will join IceCaps head coach Keith McCambridge in the Eastern Conference, while Eakins will work with Oklahoma City Barons head coach Todd Nelson on the Western Conference bench.

Kleinendorst, 51, is in his fifth AHL season as a head coach and second in Binghamton after leading the Senators to the city’s first Calder Cup championship in 2010-11. The former NHL assistant with the New Jersey Devils will be making his first AHL All-Star appearance.

Eakins, 44, is in his third season behind the Marlies’ bench after a stint as an assistant with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Eakins, also a first-time All-Star, played parts of 12 seasons in the AHL and won a Calder Cup with the Chicago Wolves in 2002. He also skated in 120 NHL games with Winnipeg/Phoenix, Florida, St. Louis, Toronto, Calgary and the Rangers and Islanders.

Fan balloting for the All-Star starters runs through noon Jan. 23 at www.theahl.com and facebook.com/theahl. By completing the official ballot, fans are entered to win a grand prize of a team-signed All-Star jersey. Five more winners will receive two tickets to the All-Star skills competition and All-Star Game in Atlantic City, N.J. The All-Star Classic begins with the skills completion Jan. 29 from 3-5 p.m., followed by an autograph session at the arena, and the All-Star Game is Jan. 30 at 7 p.m.

Former Hartford Whalers defenseman John Stevens is among four selected for induction into the AHL Hall of Fame as the Class of 2012. Others to be recognized Jan. 30 at 11 a.m. at the AHL Hall of Fame induction and awards ceremony at the Circus Maximus Theatre at Caesars Atlantic City in New Jersey are Joe Crozier, Jack Gordon and Zellio Toppazzini.

Hockey Hall of Famers and Philadelphia Flyers legends Bill Barber and Bob Clarke will be honorary captains and stand on the team benches during the skills competition and All-Star Game and be recognized at the Hall of Fame inductions and awards ceremony. Rosters were released last week and are at www.theahl.com. Captains are former Wolf Pack left wing Boyd Kane of the Hershey Bears for the Eastern Conference and Darren Haydar of the Chicago Wolves for the Western Conference.

Single-session tickets for the All-Star Classic go on sale on Friday at noon, and a variety of ticket options are available for Jan. 29 and 30. For the skills competition, tickets are $13 for the upper bowl, $16 for the lower bowl and $21 on the glass. Rates for groups of at least 15 people are $11 for the upper bowl and $14 for the lower bowl.

Game tickets are $19 for the upper bowl, $22 for the lower bowl and $31 on the glass, and group rates are $16 for the upper bowl and $18 for the lower bowl. A special four pack for $79 – four upper bowl tickets, four hot dogs and four soft drinks – is available for the All-Star Game. Family four-packs must be purchased in advance.

Tickets can be purchased at the Boardwalk Hall box office, all Ticketmaster locations, by calling 800-736-1420 or at www.ticketmaster.com. For group orders, call 609-348-7023.

In addition to groups of 15 or more, single-session discounts are also available to students and military. Student and military tickets must be purchased at the box office after Jan. 13 and require a valid ID. Purchase is limited to one ticket per person. Group discounts cannot be combined with any other offers. Fan experience packages for hockey fans, clubs and youth organizations can also be purchased on a first-come, first-served basis.

Special hotel rates are also available at Caesars Atlantic City and Bally’s Atlantic City on Sunday and Monday night. To reserve rooms at Caesars ($49 for each night) or at Bally’s ($35), call 888-516-2215 and mention code PAHL. Both properties are located on the Boardwalk and are less than a 10-minute walk to Boardwalk Hall.

MCLELLAN TO COACH WITH TORTORELLA IN NHL ALL-STAR GAME

Former Wolf Pack/Whale/Rangers right wing Dale Weise scored his third goal of the season off an assist from former Wolf Pack/Rangers forward Manny Malhotra on Monday night, but the visiting Vancouver Canucks lost 2-1 to the Florida Panthers of first-year coach Kevin Dineen, the former Whalers standout right wing and captain.

Marcel Goc had a goal and an assist as the Panthers kept Canucks coach Alain Vigneault from becoming the Western Conference coach for the NHL All-Star Game on Jan. 29 in Ottawa. Instead, it will be San Jose’s Todd McLellan. The spot was determined by which team has the greatest points percentage in the Western Conference through Monday’s games. Tortorella wrapped up the Eastern Conference’s spot Friday.

Scott Clemmensen, making his second start in three games with Jose Theodore sidelined with a knee injury, had 25 saves for the Panthers to improve to 5-1-3. Roberto Luongo, who spent five seasons with Florida before being traded to Vancouver in June 2006, stopped 20 shots for the Canucks, who were coming off a 4-3 win at Boston in a rematch of the Stanley Cup finals won by the Bruins in seven games. Luongo entered the game with a 3-0-1 record and 1.68 GAA against Florida since the trade. … The remaining All-Stars will be announced Thursday. Last week, fan voting determined the first six players for the game, and Ottawa fans got four of their favorites in: defenseman Erik Karlsson, who led all players with 939,951 votes, and forwards Daniel Alfreddson, Jason Spezza and Milan Michalek. Bruins goalie Tim Thomas and Toronto defenseman Dion Phaneuf were also selected. The remaining players will include 36 more veterans and 12 rookies, who will participate in the Honda SuperSkills competition at All-Star Weekend. Each team will have 27 players, including rookies. … When Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist stopped five of six shots in the shootout victory over Phoenix on Tuesday night, it was his 39^th shootout win, moving one ahead of the New Jersey Devils’ Martin Brodeur as the all-time leader. Lundqvist and wing Marian Gaborik are locks to be named All-Stars, with former Wolf Pack defenseman Dan Girardi worthy of selection for his solid play while averaging the most ice time in the league (27:18) for the team with the best record (27-9-4). … The Tampa Bay Lightning has signed former Wolf Pack forward Tom Pyatt to a two-year, $1.2 million contract extension through the 2013-14 season. Pyatt, the younger brother of the Coyotes’ Taylor Pyatt, has a career-high three goals and two assists in 36 games this season, increasing his NHL totals to seven goals and 10 assists in 137 NHL games with the Lightning and Montreal Canadiens. He also played in 25 Stanley Cup playoff games with the Canadiens, getting two goals and two assists. Pyatt was the Rangers’ fourth-round pick in 2007 who had 19 goals and 29 assists in 115 games with the Wolf Pack before being traded to Montreal with center Scott Gomez and defenseman Michael Busto for defenseman Ryan McDonagh and Pavel Valentenko, former Yale center Chris Higgins and former Springfield Pics defenseman Doug Janik on June 30, 2009. … The Edmonton Oilers re-signed former Wolf Pack and Rangers defenseman Corey Potter to a two-year contract worth $750,000 in 2012-13 and $800,000 in 2013-14. Potter has three goals and 11 assists in 27 games in his first season with the Oilers. A fourth-round pick of the Rangers in 2003, Potter had 22 goals and 81 assists and was often among the AHL leaders in plus-minus in 246 games with the Wolf Pack. He also had one goal and one assist in eight games with the Rangers before signing a free-agent contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins on July 16, 2010. But he played only one game with the Penguins, spending most of last season with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, before signing with Edmonton. … The Coyotes claimed center Gilbert Brule off re-entry waivers from the Oilers. Brule, a first-round pick (sixth overall) of the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2005, was playing for Oklahoma City, where he had eight goals and 10 assists in 27 games for the Barons, who have the best record (23-10-1-3) in the Western Conference and third best overall in the AHL. … Bruins wing Brad Marchand was suspended five games and will forfeit $152,439 in salary for clipping Vancouver defenseman Sami Salo into the boards in the Canucks’ win Saturday. Marchand, who got a two-game suspension in March 2011, is classified as a repeat offender under the terms of the collective bargaining agreement. His fine goes to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund. He missed games Tuesday against Winnipeg and Thursday against Montreal and will also sit out Saturday at Carolina, Monday at Florida and Tuesday at Tampa Bay. He will be eligible to return Jan. 19 at New Jersey. And Marchand’s response? “I don’t really care what my reputation is,” he said. “I just want to play. I’m doing this as my job. I love this team. I’m just trying to be a player, and I don’t care what my reputation is really. I’m not out there to hurt guys. When I’m out there, I play a hard-nosed game and play hard. If guys are soft and don’t like it, then that’s fine. I’m not out there to please anybody. I’m out there to do my job.”

RANGERS PROSPECT JOINS LOKOMOTIV YAROSLAVL

Defenseman Mikhail Pashnin, the Rangers’ seventh-round pick in 2009, will be helping Lokomotiv Yaroslav of the Kontinental Hockey League rebuild from the disastrous Sept. 7 plane crash that killed 36 players and staff of the Russian team. Pashnin’s agent, Alexei Dementiev, said his client will be moving from CSKA Moscow because he will have a better chance to enhance his development.

“After the tragedy occurred in Yaroslavl, KHL team adopted a ‘road map’ with regards to restoration of the team,” Dementiev said. “Each club has been given the opportunity to protect two players born between 1989 and 1994. Mikhail wasn’t among this number because CSKA has a large number of promising young players, and Lokomotiv was interested in his services. Negotiations lasted a long time, but in the end, he decided that he would move to the Yaroslavl team.”

Dementiev added the decision was difficult for Pashnin because CSKA “had become Mikhail’s home” in the 21/2 years since he was drafted first overall by CSKA in the KHL’s first entry draft. The 22-year-old signed a two-year extension with CSKA last summer.

FALCONS FANS CONTINUE TO ROLL

The Falcons fans were even more successful than their favorite players last weekend, beating Whale fans 7-4 and 4-1 in Games 4 and 5 in their seven-game series at the XL Center and MassMutual Center in Springfield.

The Whale fans added several new players, but the Falcons fans still clinched the inaugural series by extending their winning streak to five. Despite the series being clinched, the final two games will be played Feb. 10 at 5 p.m. at the MassMutual Center and March 17, St. Patrick’s Day, at 4 p.m. at the XL Center. Tickets ($10) for the Feb. 10 game are available at whalefalconsfangame@gmail.com. Tickets for the final game will be available soon. For more information, visit facebook.com/whalefalconsfangame. A portion of ticket sales benefits Defending the Blue Line, an organization that helps children of military families play hockey. The first five games have raised $750 for DBL. … The Falcons’ wins Friday, Saturday and Sunday were their first sweep of a three-game weekend since Dec. 1-3, 2006, when they beat Manchester, Providence and Lowell. … College students can get discounted tickets to weekday Whale games with the “Ditch the Dorms” deal. For Monday through Friday games, students who show a valid student ID at the Public Power Ticket office at the XL Center can get $2 off upper-level tickets and $5 off lower-level seats. … A run of Whale giveaways starts with Wade Redden Bobblehead Night, sponsored by Click It or Ticket, on Jan. 21, when there will be a doubleheader as the Whale hosts Norfolk at 7 p.m. after a Canadian Women’s Hockey League game between the Boston Blades and Team Alberta at 4 p.m. in the “International Hockey Challenge Presented by Aetna.”

Other giveaways include Trading Cards Set II of All-Star rookie right wing Jonathan Audy-Marchessault, Cam Talbot, Kelsey Tessier, Ryan Bourque, Jordan Owens and a historic tribute to former Wolf Pack All-Star right wing and Rangers captain Ryan Callahan, sponsored by Webster Bank, on Jan. 27 (Wilkes-Barre/Scranton) and Trading Cards Set III of All-Star wing Mats Zuccarello, Wade Redden, Kris Newbury, Chad Johnson and Carl Hagelin, now with the Rangers, sponsored by Supercuts, on Jan. 28 (Springfield), when selected players will sign autographs on the cards after the game. … The Whale’s annual Tip-A-Player Dinner and Sports Carnival, presented by Aetna, is Jan. 22 from 4 to 7 p.m. at the XL Center. Whale players will serve dinner for the benefit of Gaylord Specialty Healthcare in Wallingford, and other activities will include autographs and photos, locker room tours and a silent auction. Adult tickets are $30, and tickets for children 12 and under are $20. To purchase tickets, visit a table outside Section 101 at Whale games or call 860-728-3366 or 203-248-2881.

CONNECTICUT HALL OF FAME NIGHT ON MARCH 10

The Whale and Connecticut Hockey Hall of Fame will host Connecticut Hockey Hall of Fame Night at the XL Center on March 10 when the Norfolk Admirals are in town.

Eight new members to be named will be inducted before the game at 7 p.m. The first class of inductees since 1990 also will be recognized on the ice during the first intermission.

The Class of 2012 will be announced later this month, and fans will receive a special souvenir as 5,000 Hall of Fame posters will be given out courtesy of SuperCuts. For more information, visit www.cthockeyHOF.org.

ANNIVERSARY OF WHALERS’ DEBUT IN HARTFORD

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that Wednesday is the 37^th anniversary of the New England Whalers’ first game in Hartford. The World Hockey Association team had moved from Boston but had to wait until midseason for the completion of the construction of the new Hartford (now XL) Civic Center.

The Eastern Division-leading Whalers played 13 games at the Big E Coliseum in West Springfield before facing the San Diego Mariners and future Whalers center Andre Lacroix in their Hartford debut on Jan. 11, 1975. I was there, as that first Whalers team included captain Rick Ley, Larry Pleau, Tom Webster, Tommy Abrahamsson and enforcer Nick Fotiu. Future coach Don Blackburn had the Whalers’ first goal at home, and Fred O’Donnell and Wayne “Swoop” Carleton also scored at the Whalers led 3-2 after two periods. Michel Rouleau scored with 5:51 left in regulation, setting the stage for Garry Swain to get the Whalers’ first winning goal at the Civic Center, shorthanded in overtime, for a 4-3 victory. Al Smith was the winning goalie.

“I remember San Diego tied it up late, forcing overtime,” Swain said via email Wednesday. “We took a penalty in the OT, and Tom Earl and I were out to kill the penalty. There was a faceoff just outside their blueline, and off the faceoff I pushed the puck past their center, picked it up, walked around their defenseman, Kevin Morrison, and shot from the top of the right-hand circle, beating Ernie Wakely, low stick side. I was mobbed by the team and interviewed on the ice. There was a low-key private party in the Sheraton after the game. Good start!!!!”

Swain, who now does sponsorship sales for Whalers Sports and Entertainment and color commentary with play-by-play man Bob Crawford on Whale radio, had one parting shot: “I’ve lived off this and the Russian game forever!”

Swain also had the winning goal in the Whalers’ monumental 5-2 upset of the Soviet national team. Both games drew sellout crowds of 10,507 that went home happy, as they often did until the Whalers left for North Carolina after their finale on April 13, 1997. Six months later, the Hartford Wolf Pack debuted, and the Whale is in pursuit of the 15^th consecutive winning season in franchise history.

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New York, January 11, 2011 – New York Rangers President and General Manager Glen Sather announced today that forward Erik Christensen has been assigned to the Connecticut Whale of the American Hockey League (AHL) on a conditioning stint.

Christensen, 28, has registered one goal and four assists for five points in 20 games this season.  He recorded four points (one goal, three assists) in a three-game span from October 31 vs. San Jose to November 5 vs. Montreal.  Christensen is tied for third in the NHL all-time in shootout game-deciding goals (11), ranks ninth in shootout goals (24) and ranks fifth in shootout shooting percentage (52.2%) among active skaters with at least 10 shootout attempts.  He has not dressed in 20 games this season, including each of the last 10 contests.  His last appearance was on December 17 at Phoenix.

The Edmonton, Alberta native was acquired by the Rangers on December 2, 2009, claiming him off waivers from Anaheim.  He was originally selected by the Pittsburgh Penguins as a third round choice, 69th overall, in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft.

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Photo credit: AP Photo