HARTFORD, September 27, 2012:  The American Hockey League announced today that Connecticut Whale head coach Ken Gernander has been named to the AHL Hall of Fame, as part of the class of 2013 inductees.

Joining Gernander in the class of 2013 are Harvey Bennett, Sr., Jim Morrison and Peter White.

The new class of Hall of Fame members will officially be inaugurated into the Hall of Fame in a special induction ceremony January 28, at the 2013 Dunkin’ Donuts AHL All-Star Classic.

Gernander is entering his sixth season as head coach of the Whale, the longest-serving head man in franchise history, and his 22^nd year of association with the AHL.  Named the bench boss of the then-Hartford Wolf Pack July 23, 2007, the 43-year-old Coleraine, MN native has led the team to a record of 208-138-20-30, a .588 winning percentage, in five years at the helm.  That includes an Atlantic Division championship in 2008-09 and a team-record 110-point season in his first year, 2007-08.  Prior to assuming the head job, Gernander served the Wolf Pack for two seasons, 2005-06 and 2006-07, as an assistant coach.

Gernander retired from a 14-year playing career after the 2004-05 season, having spent the last eight of those years with the Wolf Pack and the last ten as captain of the New York Rangers’ AHL affiliate.  At the time of his retirement, Gernander was the highest-scoring American-born player in league history, with totals of 293 goals, 331 assists and 624 points in 973 games with the Wolf Pack, Binghamton Rangers and Moncton Hawks.  Gernander helped lead the Wolf Pack to the 2000 Calder Cup championship, part of a playoff career that spanned 123 postseason games-played, also an AHL mark at the time he retired.  His career total of 973 games ranks ninth all-time.

In his eight seasons with the Wolf Pack/Whale, Gernander played in a franchise-record 599 games, and is second all-time in team history in points, with 160-187-347.  His number 12 was retired October 8, 2005 and is the only one so honored by the team.

Gernander is also a two-time winner of the AHL’s Fred T. Hunt Award for sportsmanship, determination and dedication to hockey, having captured that honor in 1995-96 with Binghamton and in 2003-04 with the Wolf Pack.  A product of the University of Minnesota, Gernander turned pro in 1991 with the Hawks, after having been drafted in the fifth round in 1987 by their parent club, the Winnipeg Jets.  After three seasons with the Winnipeg organization, Gernander signed as a free agent with the Rangers July 4, 1994, and this 2012-13 campaign will be his 19^th under the Ranger banner.

Gernander is also a member of the Connecticut Hockey Hall of Fame and the Binghamton Hockey Hall of Fame.

The AHL Hall of Fame was created in 2006, to recognize, honor and celebrate individuals for their outstanding achievements and contributions specifically to the AHL.  In a unique effort to make the rich tradition of the AHL available to the widest possible audience, the AHL Hall of Fame is housed on-line at www.ahlhalloffame.com and is accessible to fans worldwide with the click of a mouse as a member of the AHL Internet Network. The Network also includes theahl.com and all 30 official team sites, and hosts more than 250 million page views each year.

The Whale open their 2012-13 season Friday, October 12 at the XL Center, with a 7:30 PM battle against their in-state rivals the Bridgeport Sound Tigers.  At that game, all fans can purchase tickets at the special price of $12 each, and that night will also kick off the Whale’s new Friday night $1 hot dogs and $2 beers promotion.

Tickets for that game, and 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 also 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.

Follow Ian on Twitter @soxanddawgs. And be sure to like us on Facebook as well.

By Bob Crawford

Goaltending often makes the difference in late-season and postseason hockey, and no individual was more responsible for the positive results the Connecticut Whale enjoyed last spring than netminder Cam Talbot.

After starting only 25 of the Whale’s first 68 games, and playing second fiddle to Chad Johnson, Talbot got the nod in five of Connecticut’s last eight games of the regular year, and then played all nine of the Whale’s playoff contests.  He was strong in the stretch run, posting two shutouts, a 1.17 goals-against average and a 95.9% save percentage in those last five regular-season starts, and the second-year pro really caught fire in the postseason.  Talbot shut out the in-state rival Bridgeport Sound Tigers, in back-to-back 3-0 decisions, in the first two games of the Whale’s first-round sweep of their Fairfield County adversaries, the first time in franchise history a goaltender had posted zeros in consecutive playoff games.  That was the start of a performance that would see Talbot register a stellar 93.9% save percentage, along with a 2.10 GAA, as the Whale’s playoff anchor.

That season-ending run had Talbot chomping at the bit to get back into action for the upcoming 2012-13 campaign, but about five weeks ago he suffered a bump in the road.

“I was just at the gym, working out, doing a ‘plyo’ (plyometric) workout, went over on my ankle the wrong way and ended up breaking a bone on the outside of my foot,” Talbot said Wednesday.

The timing of the injury, barely a month before training camp, after such a positive finish to last season, was more than a little maddening to Talbot.

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“Very frustrating,” were the Caledonia, Ontario native’s words to describe his initial reaction.  “That’s the first thing I thought of is, ‘I hope nothing’s broken,’ because I don’t want to have to miss any time, I want to pick right back up where I left off and start the season off well.  I’m still hopeful that’s going to happen, but it’s looking like it might be held off a little bit.”

The injury setback does not, however, dampen Talbot’s pride in how he finished 2011-12, or his excitement about seeking to carry the momentum over into the new season.

“I was extremely happy the way we finished the season, the way I finished the season personally,” Talbot said.  “It was a big step forward for myself, probably playing the best hockey I’ve ever played.  It was great to be able to do that, and even get recognized and get the callup at the end of the season (for the remainder of the parent New York Rangers’ postseason run).  That meant a lot to me, and I’m just looking to start the season the way I finished it, and keep pushing forward, keep getting better and keep working hard.”

As for the timetable on his recovery, Talbot reported, “I’m going to see the team doctor (Thursday).  They said it was four to six weeks in a cast, so hopefully no longer than four or five more days in the cast.  Then once I get the cast off, it’s basically how hard we can push it.  I’m trying to be back for the home opener (October 12 at the XL Center), but we’ll see about that.  I’m going to try and get back on the ice sometime next week, and then push it as hard as I can and get back for (the season opener).”

Talbot almost seemed to flip a switch in his play late last year, all of a sudden looking like a different goaltender than the one who had been unable to unseat Johnson from the number-one role over the course of nearly two years.  When asked if he did anything differently to turn things around, though, Talbot points not to anything during his hot streak, but to a time earlier in the season when he hardly played at all.

“I think it (the key point) was really about a month before that (his season-ending run),” Talbot said.  “I think I might have played in maybe one game in February.  Chad went about four weeks before I actually got a start.  So when I wasn’t playing, I was just working hard off the ice, with the trainers and the strength coach, and working as hard as I could on the ice, to make sure I was in good shape when I got back in the net.  When I got back in the net, I ended up being in probably the best shape I’ve been in, so I think that definitely helped contribute to my on-ice play and my conditioning, stuff like that.  So I think that’s when the lightbulb pretty much went off, is, ‘I’ve got to get in better shape and be ready for when I get back in there’, and I think I did a pretty good job of that.”

The proof of that is in the results, and the challenge now for Talbot is to latch onto the number-one role.  That slot is there for the taking, after Johnson left the organization as a free agent this summer, signing with the Phoenix Coyotes.

“I don’t think it plays any different mentally in my head,” said Talbot about whether he is looking at his situation any differently to start this season.  “I think every game I’ve got to approach it the same way, whether I’m going in as just playing on a Sunday or going and starting Friday-Saturday.  Either way I’m going to want to go in and play the best that I can and give the guys the best chance to win.  Obviously I hope to play more games this year with Chad gone, but I’m just going to take it one game at a time and try to play the best that I can when I’m in there.”

That philosophy of taking it one game at a time helped Talbot finish last year as one of the sharpest goaltenders in the AHL.  If he is able to bring anywhere near that level of play over the course of a season, the Whale will be well set at the game’s most important position, and the Rangers’ March 2010 signing of Talbot out of the University of Alabama-Huntsville will have proven to be a brilliant pickup.

HARTFORD, September 26, 2012:  Connecticut Whale general manager Jim Schoenfeld announced today that the team has signed defenseman Sebastien Piche to an American Hockey League contract.

Piche, 6-0 and 194 pounds, has split his first three pro seasons between the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins and the ECHL.  In 2011-12, the 24-year-old La Sarre, Quebec native played 22 games with the Griffins, notching three assists and 18 penalty minutes, before being traded by the parent Detroit Red Wings to Tampa Bay February 12.  The Lightning assigned Piche to the Florida Everblades of the ECHL, for whom he skated in 16 games, registering three goals and seven assists for 10 points, along with 41 PIM.  Piche and the Everblades went on to capture the ECHL championship, with Piche contributing two goals and nine assists for 11 points, plus a team-leading 51 minutes in penalties, in 18 postseason outings.

Originally signed as a free agent by Detroit April 12, 2009 out of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, Piche has logged 42 total games of AHL action in three years as a pro, with career totals of five assists and 35 PIM.  In 110 career ECHL games with the Everblades and Toledo Walleye, Piche has netted 20 goals and added 56 assists for 76 points, while serving 160 minutes in penalties.

The Whale open their 2012-13 season Friday, October 12 at the XL Center, with a 7:30 PM battle against their in-state rivals the Bridgeport Sound Tigers.  At that game, all fans can purchase tickets at the special price of $12 each, and that night will also kick off the Whale’s new Friday night $1 hot dogs and $2 beers promotion.

Tickets for that game, and 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 also 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.

Follow Ian on Twitter @soxanddawgs. And be sure to like us on Facebook as well.

HARTFORD, September 24, 2012:  Connecticut Whale general manager Jim Schoenfeld announced today that the team has signed forward Danny Hobbs to an American Hockey League contract.

Hobbs, 23, a 6-1, 196-pound native of Shawville, Quebec, played the last four seasons in Hockey East for the U. Mass-Amherst Minutemen.  In 32 games this past year, Hobbs scored 12 goals and added 12 assists for 24 points, while serving 24 minutes in penalties.  Those 12 goals were good for a tie for third on the U. Mass-Amherst squad, and Hobbs’ 24 points ranked him fifth on the team.  In his Junior year, 2010-11, Hobbs led the Minutemen in points and tied for the team lead in goals, with 12-16-28 in 32 games.

Hobbs’ four-year career totals at U. Mass-Amherst included 28 goals and 35 assists for 63 points, along with 76 PIM, in 120 games.  Prior to joining the Minutemen, Hobbs was selected by the New York Rangers in the seventh round (198^th overall) of the 2007 NHL Draft, from the Ohio Junior Blue Jackets of the United States Hockey League.

The Whale open their 2012-13 season Friday, October 12 at the XL Center, with a 7:30 PM battle against their in-state rivals the Bridgeport Sound Tigers.  At that game, all fans can purchase tickets at the special price of $12 each, and that night will also kick off the Whale’s new Friday night $1 hot dogs and $2 beers promotion.

Tickets for that game, and 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 also 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.

Follow Ian on Twitter @soxanddawgs. And be sure to like us on Facebook as well.

By Bob Crawford

It has been an anxiety-ridden last month or so for the hockey world, with the entire sport’s attention focused on the NHL labor situation.  And beyond the headlines of the principals, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and NHL Players Association chief Donald Fehr, exchanging proposals and looking for an upper hand in the negotiations, and reports of high-profile stars heading across the Atlantic to ride out the lockout with European clubs, players on the proverbial “bubble” between the NHL and AHL, like the Connecticut Whale’s Kris Newbury, were waiting and wondering what their situations would be.

During the last NHL lockout, in 2004-05, basically any player on a two-way (NHL/AHL) contract was allowed to play in the AHL.  Word was going around recently, though, that this time around would be different, that any player, like Newbury, who was eligible for waivers would be barred from coming to the AHL and would be locked out like all of the NHLers on one-way deals.  This would have been a severe blow to veteran depth players, who admittedly make good money even on their minor-league salaries, but have not had nearly the seven-figure earning power that much of the NHLPA membership enjoys.

Happily for the Newburys of the world, however, the NHL and the Players Association agreed that it would not be fair to deny veterans like Newbury a chance to play in the AHL during a lockout.  A special waiver period was held last week, during which teams could waive players on two-way deals, enabling them to be assigned to the AHL if they cleared.  Newbury did clear waivers, along with once and future Whale teammates Chad Kolarik, Mike Vernace, Tommy Grant, Brandon Segal, Micheal Haley, Sean Collins and Logan Pyett.

This, obviously, was a big relief to last year’s Whale co-leading scorer.

“I really wasn’t sure what was going to happen,” Newbury said Friday.  “I heard the waiver thing first, then I heard we might not be able to play.  So I kind of got worried there, I have to support a family.  I was kind of just letting my brain do a little thinking about what would happen if I didn’t play.  So I’m excited that we get the chance to play again and looking forward to it.”

While the lockout situation inarguably has a negative effect on the sport as a whole, it may present an opportunity for players like Newbury.  Having played regularly in the AHL, they will already be well into game shape whenever the lockout happens to come to an end.

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“You’ve got to look at it as maybe it’s an opportunity for the management to see you more down here (the AHL) playing,” Newbury said.  “So you’ve got to bring your ‘A’ game every night and show them what you can do and hopefully open their eyes and get a chance when the lockout does eventually end.

“You’ve just got to give yourself the opportunity, if there is room up there and there’s a spot, you’ve got to be willing to do whatever it takes to grab that, and it starts here in a week (with the beginning of Whale training camp).  You’ve got to bring your best work ethic every day and show the management that you’re willing to do whatever it takes.”

Another by-product of the lockout is that NHL training camps, which were to have begun Friday, have been postponed.  That has caused the Whale’s New York Ranger parent club to move Whale camp from Hartford to the Rangers’ MSG Training Center facility in Tarrytown, NY.  Barring a miraculous settlement of the lockout, Newbury and the rest of the Whale training camp roster report Friday night for the start of camp, another opportunity to display their wares to the full attention of the entire organization.

“It’s (the camp) right in their (the Rangers’) back yard,” Newbury said, “so they’re going to be there every day with their eyes open, watching how hard you work and what kind of skills you do have.  So I’m looking forward to it, it’s a great facility down there, and it’s time for guys to get away and enjoy themselves and get to know each other a little better.”

The Rangers’ depth chart underwent some changes this summer, with the most significant being the three-players-for-one deal in late July that brought Rick Nash to Gotham.  There could very well be at least one forward spot up for grabs when the NHL season begins, and Newbury hopes, again, that being game-sharpened in the AHL will give players like him a better shot at that kind of opportunity.

“Anything can happen,” Newbury said, “and a week from now guys can show up and play above their heads of what the management thinks they were capable of, and they might get a shot.  So you’ve just got to be willing to work extremely hard and show what you’ve got.”

While getting prepared for the start of training camp, Newbury, who lives with his family in West Hartford, has been training with Pyett, with whom he played in 2009-10 with the Grand Rapids Griffins.  Pyett, a fifth-year pro defenseman, is changing teams for his first time as a pro, having signed with the Rangers this summer after four seasons in the Detroit Red Wings organization.

As for what Whale fans can expect out of Pyett, Newbury offered, “He’s an offensive-minded defenseman, likes to join the play.  So any time you see him get the puck in our defensive zone and he has control of it, he’s usually looking to get going with it.  So he brings a lot of excitement to the game, and hopefully he’ll help us out a lot.”

The Whale lost a strong puck-moving defenseman too, when Tim Erixon was sent to Columbus in the Nash trade, so there may be a ready-made role in Connecticut for Pyett.

“I think that’s in the back of his mind,” Newbury said.  “He wants to show the coaching staff what he can do offensively and get that opportunity to play on the power play.

“It’ll be exciting here in a week from now, to see all the guys showing management what they have.  There’s a lot of new faces, so for the management it’s time to evaluate, and see what everyone can bring to the table.”

Newbury, for his part, was also an unrestricted free agent this summer, and whispers were that he might be headed over to Europe after nine years of back-and-forth between the NHL and AHL.  The Rangers organization, though, showed how much it thinks of the gritty centerman when it stepped up with a two-year contract offer that included an excellent AHL salary of $300,000.  Newbury gladly accepted, and now is back for a third full year under the Ranger banner, with Hartford an excellent fit for him, his wife Amanda and their three children, Jacob, Jaidyn and Jorja.

“New York’s pretty close to Hartford, so the drive down there, if you do get the call, is not bad,” Newbury said.  “And the family’s really happy here, the organization is really great, treated us A-1 since I’ve been here.  So this is very nice for us to be here, and we’re very happy.”

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HARTFORD, September 20, 2012:  Connecticut Whale general manager Jim Schoenfeld announced today that the team has signed defenseman Sam Klassen to an American Hockey League contract.

Klassen has split his first two pro seasons between the Whale and the Greenville Road Warriors of the ECHL, after signing as a free agent with the Whale’s parent club, the New York Rangers, July 27, 2009.  In 36 games with Connecticut last year, Klassen posted one assist and 18 penalty minutes, and he also saw action in 23 contests with Greenville, scoring one goal and adding five assists for six points and serving 26 PIM.

In his rookie year, 2010-11, the 6-2, 199-pound Klassen tied for the Greenville team lead in +/- among defensemen, and finished fifth overall on the club, with a +16.  He also tied for second among Road Warrior blueliners in assists and was third in points, with 3-14-17 in 66 games.  He also registered four penalty minutes in three games with the Whale.

Prior to turning pro, Klassen, 23, played four seasons in the Western Hockey League with the Saskatoon Blades, with career totals of 7-74-81 and 345 PIM in 249 games.

The Whale open their 2012-13 season Friday, October 12 at the XL Center, with a 7:30 PM battle against their in-state rivals the Bridgeport Sound Tigers.  At that game, all fans can purchase tickets at the special price of $12 each, and that night will also kick off the Whale’s new Friday night $1 hot dogs and $2 beers promotion.

Tickets for that game, and 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 also 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.

Follow Ian on Twitter @soxanddawgs. And be sure to like us on Facebook as well.

HARTFORD, September 19, 2012:  AEG Management CT and Marlin Broadcasting announced today that Marlin Broadcasting radio stations “The Rock” 106.9 WCCC-FM and “Beethoven Radio” AM 1290 will combine to carry the full schedule of Connecticut Whale games during the upcoming 2012-13 American Hockey League season.

The Whale’s 25 Saturday night games will all air on The Rock 106.9 WCCC, beamed throughout the State of Connecticut and the surrounding area on The Rock’s 50,000-watt FM signal.  The remaining 51 Whale games can be heard live on Beethoven Radio AM 1290.  2012-13 will mark the second year that Whale action has been heard on WCCC’s airwaves, and every 2012-13 Whale game will also be streamed live at www.wccc.com and www.ctwhale.com.

“This is a great arrangement for us to maximize radio exposure of Whale games this season,” said Chuck Steedman, Senior Vice-President and General Manager of AEG Management CT and the XL Center.  “The tremendous signal reach of The Rock means that our biggest nights, our Saturday games, can be heard all across the region, and the consistent presence of Beethoven Radio allows us to ensure that every game is aired live, which is a key element of marketing the team and serving our fan base.”

WCCC vice-president and general manager Boyd Arnold stated, “We are truly excited to again be working with Chuck and his great professional team.  The Whale is a highly desirable sports franchise that is a real asset to our community.  Hartford fans are very loyal and committed.  We are delighted to be able to continue broadcasting all the games.”

The relationship between the Whale and Marlin Broadcasting will continue to go beyond the game broadcasts, encompassing on-air and in-arena promotions, ticket giveaways, on-air appearances by Whale players and staff, and more.  Veteran Whale play-by-play voice Bob Crawford will return for a 16^th year behind the Whale microphone.

The broadcasts kick off with the Whale season opener Friday, October 12, the 7:30 PM home opener at the XL Center against the Whale’s in-state rivals the Bridgeport Sound Tigers.  At that game, all fans can purchase tickets at the special price of only $12 each, and that night will also kick off the Whale’s new Friday night $1 hot dogs and $2 beers promotion.

Tickets for that game, and 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 also 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.

Follow Ian on Twitter @soxanddawgs. And be sure to like us on Facebook as well.

HARTFORD, September 17, 2012:  Connecticut Whale general manager Jim Schoenfeld announced today that the team has re-signed forward Kelsey Tessier to an American Hockey League contract.

Tessier, a 5-9, 177-pound third-year pro, appeared in 75 games with the Whale last season, notching 12 goals and 18 assists for 30 points, along with 20 penalty minutes and a +3 rating.  He also scored one goal and added four assists for five points in nine playoff games, which was good for a tie for second on the Whale team in assists and third in points.

In his rookie season with the Whale, 2010-11, Tessier chipped in 10 goals and 18 assists for 28 points, and served 19 PIM, in 75 games.  A fourth-round draft pick of the Colorado Avalanche in 2008, Tessier originally joined the Whale on an AHL contract in September of 2010, after a four-year career in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.

The Whale open their 2012-13 season Friday, October 12 at the XL Center, with a 7:30 PM battle against their in-state rivals the Bridgeport Sound Tigers.  At that game, all fans can purchase tickets at the special price of $12 each, and that night will also kick off the Whale’s new Friday night $1 hot dogs and $2 beers promotion.

Tickets for that game, and 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 also 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.

NEW YORK, September 14, 2012 – New York Rangers President and General Manager Glen Sather announced today that the club has assigned the following eight players to the Connecticut Whale of the American Hockey League (AHL): defensemen Sean Collins, Logan Pyett and Mike Vernace, and forwards Tommy Grant, Micheal Haley, Chad Kolarik, Kris Newbury, and Brandon Segal.

Connecticut will open training camp on Saturday, September 29, with on-ice sessions beginning on Sunday, September 30 at XL Center in Hartford, Connecticut.

PLAYERS ASSIGNED TO CONNECTICUT (AHL) ON 9/14/12:

Defense (3):    Sean Collins, Logan Pyett, Mike Vernace

Forward (5):     Tommy Grant, Micheal Haley, Chad Kolarik, Kris Newbury, Brandon Segal

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HARTFORD, September 4, 2012:  AEG Management CT today announced individual game ticket information, and the promotional schedule, for the Connecticut Whale’s upcoming 2012-13 American Hockey League season.

Tickets for Whale regular season home games at the XL Center will go on sale this Friday, September 7 at 10:00 AM.  Whale tickets can be purchased 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.ctwhale.com and www.ticketmaster.com.

Whale single-game tickets purchased in advance of the day of the game start as low as $10 (red sections), and all youth tickets for fans 14 years of age or younger are $12.  Single-game prices of $15 (blue sections), $25 (green sections) and $28 (platinum sections) are also available, as well as “On the Glass” seats in the first row of the lower level at $45 each.  All prices will increase by $2 for tickets purchased on the day of the game.

The Whale will also be offering a pair of new discounts for selected home games this year.  For the first time, at all Friday night Whale games at the XL Center, fans can enjoy $1 hot dogs and $2 beers from 6:00-8:00 PM.  Also, all of the Whale’s nine Sunday home games will be dubbed “CTDOT Family Value Days”, at which fans can purchase packages that include a ticket, a hot dog or a slice of pizza and a soda for just $18 each.  The Family Value Days promotion is sponsored by the Connecticut Department of Transportation.

“We are totally committed to our fans’ enjoyment of the experience here at the XL Center,” said Chuck Steedman, Senior Vice-President and General Manager of AEG Management CT and the XL Center.  “We have listened to their input, and we are confident that these new price breaks in concessions and family packages, plus a packed lineup of promotional nights, will make Whale games even more appealing this season,  And this is only the beginning of many exciting announcements that we will be making throughout the year.”

The array of Whale promotional nights begins with the home opener, Friday, October 12, a 7:30 game against the Whale’s in-state rivals the Bridgeport Sound Tigers.  At that game, all fans can purchase tickets at the youth price of $12 each, and that night will also kick off the Friday night $1 hot dogs and $2 beers promotion.

Following is the Whale’s 2012-13 promotional schedule as of September 4, with numerous additional promotional nights to be announced in the near future:

Date/Opponent Faceoff Promotion

Friday, October 12 vs. Bridgeport            7:30       Opening Night

(All tickets $12; $1 Hot Dogs $2 Beers from 6-8pm)

Saturday, October 27 vs. Providence       7:00       Haunted Hockey Night

Saturday, November 24 vs. Norfolk         7:00       Social Saturday

Saturday, December 1 vs. Syracuse        7:00       SuperCuts Team Poster Giveaway

Saturday, December 22 vs. Providence   7:00       Military Appreciation Night and Teddy Bear Toss

Saturday, January 26 vs. Springfield        7:00       Girl Scout Night

Saturday, February 2 vs. Springfield        7:00       Boy Scout Sleepover

Tuesday, February 5 vs. Albany               7:00       Twitter Tuesday

Saturday, February 16 vs. Norfolk           7:00       State of Hockey Night and CTDOT T-shirt Giveaway

Tuesday, March 5 vs. Portland                7:00       Twitter Tuesday

Saturday, March 16 vs. Manchester         7:00       Connecticut Hockey Hall of Fame Night

Sunday, March 17 vs. Springfield            3:00       St. Patrick’s Day Celebration

Saturday, March 23 vs. Adirondack         7:00       Hometown Heroes Night

Sunday, March 24 vs. Binghamton           3:00       Pucky’s Pod Squad Day

Sunday, April 7 vs. Providence                3:00       Fan Appreciation Day

In addition to those promotional nights, the Whale will also be offering several season-long ticket discounts.  Seniors 62 years of age or older, students presenting a valid college or high school ID, AAA members who show their AAA cards and members of the military with a valid military ID can all purchase green or blue-section tickets for $3 off the regular price.

Season tickets for the Whale’s 2012-13 AHL season are on sale now. 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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