New York, December 1, 2011 – New York Rangers President and General Manager Glen Sather announced today that forward Andre Deveaux has been assigned to the Connecticut Whale of the American Hockey League (AHL).

Deveaux, 27, has registered one assist and 29 penalty minutes in nine games with the Rangers.  He tallied his first point as a Ranger with an assist on the game-winning goal on November 5 vs. Montreal.  Deveaux made his debut with the Blueshirts on October 31 vs. San Jose, following his recall from Connecticut the day before.  The Rangers have posted a record of 7-2-0 when he is in the lineup.  Deveaux has missed the last three games while serving a three-game suspension.

He returns to Connecticut where he has registered four goals and two assists, along with 23 penalty minutes in nine games this season.  Deveaux led the team and was tied for fifth in the AHL with three power play goals at the time of his recall on October 30.  He was also tied for the team lead in goals and second in points.

The Freeport, Bahamas native was signed by the Rangers as a free agent on August 16, 2011. He was originally selected by the Montreal Canadiens in the sixth round, 182nd overall, in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft.

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

Photo credit: Reuters Pictures

By Bruce Berlet

The Connecticut Whale players had a rare day off from the rink Sunday, but applied their energy to an even more important endeavor than playing hockey.

Each player bowled two games during two shifts with 220 fans at their annual Bowl-A-Thon at AMF Silver Lanes in East Hartford, raising $15,000 for Special Olympics Connecticut while signing autographs, chatting with admirers and giving the customary needle to teammates for missed shots or gutter balls. Cash Kings, a Special Olympics Windsor team of athletes, raised the most money, $1,340, to help bring the event’s 10-year total to more than $240,000.

For the scoring record, forward Jordan Owens had a high game of 211, in what he said was his first bowling since he did the Bowl-A-Thon with the then Hartford Wolf Pack two years ago. Low man was rookie right wing Scott Tanski, who had 74 but raised his arms in triumph as he happily accepted his “booby prize.” Defenseman Pavel Valentenko also was delighted to point out that he DIDN’T have the low score as in past years.

But it was all in good fun for a good cause by a bunch of good guys, who volunteer their time during the season doing the Bowl-A-Thon, Tip-A-Player dinner at the XL Center and speaking engagements at schools and charity organizations throughout the area.

“The guys really enjoy doing things like this,” said defenseman Jared Nightingale, the Whale’s AHL Man of the Year last season for his extensive charity work in the community and whose 191 was the third highest score Sunday behind Owens and goalie Cam Talbot (194). “It’s a nice way to get away from the game and into get into the community and with people who enjoy you and the team.”

One of their biggest fans is 33-year-old Jaimaine Johnson of Windsor, the globe messenger for Special Olympics Connecticut who speaks to charity groups around the state.

“I talk about track and field and bowling,” Johnson said. “My favorite is bowling, so I had a lot of fun today.”

Johnson bowled with defenseman Wade Redden and forward Mats Zuccarello, as each player earned a minimum donation of $200 for two games. There also were raffles for Whale apparel, hockey memorabilia and restaurant gift cards.

“This year’s Bowl-A-Thon was another huge success,” said Jackie Turro, director of development for Special Olympics Connecticut. “The staff at the Connecticut Whale has been incredibly supportive of our event and the Special Olympics movement. What’s great about this event is that in addition to Whale fans, many of our Special Olympics athletes are the participants. They go out and raise money on their own and get to show off their bowling skills to their favorite Whale players. All the Whale players get involved and have a great time interacting with our athletes, who look forward to this event all year long. We’re very fortunate to have such incredible support from the Connecticut Whale, from management to the players.”

Well, that about says it all. Well done to all the Whale players and administrative personnel.

To continue reading, click on the read more button below if you’re on the home page.

WHALE, FALCONS FANS PLAY DOUBLEHEADER THIS WEEKEND

Whale fans will look to get even in their seven-game series with Falcons fans in Game 2 at the MassMutual Center in Springfield on Saturday at 4 p.m. (doors open at 3:30). Falcons fans notched a 10-6 victory on Oct. 23 at the XL Center, in the inaugural game of the historic series originated by Seth Dussault of Easthampton, Mass. Matt Marychuk of Glastonbury created a Facebook page to see if there were any interested players, and he and Dussault managed the social media page as interest grew. They used the page to sign up fans to play and communicate between the players and managed to fill rosters for each fan team. The idea caught the attention of the Falcons and then Whale front office, leading to players of all ages and skill levels participating in the series.

Tickets include admission to the AHL game. A portion of ticket sales benefits Defending the Blue Line, an organization that helps children of military families play hockey. Game 1 raised $200, and ticket sales for Games 2 and 3 have already added $400 to the donation. Game 3 is Sunday at noon (doors open at 11:30 a.m.) at the XL Center, before the Whale hosts the defending Calder Cup champion Binghamton Senators at 3 p.m.

For games this weekend, fans can email whalefalconsfangame@gmail.com and tell Dussault that they want tickets that he can bring on game day. Dussault can’t get more tickets on game day, so fans have to email him by Friday for the game on Saturday and by Saturday for the game on Sunday. Tickets are available in advance for games in Springfield by contacting Damon Markiewicz at dmarkiewicz@falconsahl.com. Advance tickets in Hartford are available by contacting Dussault at whalefalconsfangame@gmail.com. All future tickets must be purchased at least 10 days before the game. Information on all the games and the series is available at www.facebook.com/WhaleFalconsFanGame.

Tickets for Game 4 on Jan. 7 in Hartford at 4 p.m. and Jan. 8 in Springfield at 12:30 p.m. will go on sale Monday. Tickets for the final two games on Feb. 10 in Springfield at 5 p.m. and March 17 in Hartford at 4 p.m. will be available in the near future.

And mark Jan. 22, 2012 on your calendar. That’s when the Whale’s annual Tip-A-Player Dinner will be held from 4-7 p.m. at the XL Center. More information will be coming soon.

MITCHELL, HAGELIN MAKING THEIR MARK ON BROADWAY

Veteran center John Mitchell and rookie left wing Carl Hagelin certainly have made a major impression since being called up from the Whale last Thursday. Each has a point in each of their three games, all wins, while playing together on a line with Brian Boyle. And each has been presented “The Broadway Hat” as the team’s top player in a vote of their teammates.

Hagelin earned the honor on Sunday, when he had the insurance goal off a pass by Mitchell and rebound of a shot by former Wolf Pack defenseman Ryan McDonagh in a 2-0 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers. Mitchell was awarded the special chapeau Tuesday night, after scoring the Rangers’ second goal in a four-goal second period on a nifty drop pass from Hagelin in a 4-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins, the NHL’s top team.

“It’s kinda neat,” Mitchell said of the hat. “It’s kind of small actually. I don’t know if they are washing it and it is shrinking or what. But it’s pretty neat to be able to put it on, that’s for sure.”

But Mitchell was more interested in the Rangers continuing their run after beating three of the NHL’s top teams – Washington, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh – in five days.

“It is vital to this team to not take it easy and not go lightly on an opponent that is maybe wounded and kind of weak right now,” Mitchell told the New York media after practice Wednesday. “We have to keep the killer instinct going and go, go, go and go hard because every point counts. It doesn’t matter what team we play, we have to make sure to bring it every night.”

Rangers coach John Tortorella said Mitchell “is bringing it” since joining the Blueshirts.

“He’s doing the work along the walls, scores a big goal for us,” Tortorella said after the Rangers won their third in a row and improved to 7-1-1 at home, matching their best start at Madison Square Garden through nine games since 1992. “He and Hagelin have stepped right in and added some speed, handled the puck and made plays. Hopefully we continue.”

Hagelin led all skaters with six shots on goal, and had three blocked shots, in 11:50 of ice time Tuesday night. He’s the first Ranger to get points in his first three NHL games since Steven King, a supplemental draft pick in 1991 from East Greenwich, R.I., had a point in four consecutive games to start the 1992-93 season.

The Rangers outshot the Penguins 30-27 and remained the only NHL team that is unbeaten when outshooting their opponent (7-0-0). Goalie Henrik Lundqvist had 24 saves to improve to 10-4-3, including 5-1-1 at MSG. Lundqvist completed November with an 8-1-0 record, 1.88 goals-against average, .937 save percentage and one shutout.

Sidney Crosby, who hadn’t played at MSG in a year because of post-concussion symptoms, had two assists but didn’t score, while going against the Rangers’ top defensive pairing of former Wolf Pack players Dan Girardi and Ryan McDonagh. Crosby has two goals and nine assists in five games since returning to the Penguins’ lineup Nov. 21.

RANGERS FANS VOTING

Fans can vote at www.Blueshirtsunited.com for the starting lineup for the Rangers’ team in the Rangers-Flyers outdoor alumni game at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia on Dec. 31 as part of the Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic. By casting a vote, fans will be entered to win a host of prizes, including Winter Classic jerseys and tickets to the alumni game and Winter Classic on Jan. 2.

Rangers players scheduled to compete include Hall of Famers Brian Leetch, a Cheshire native, Glenn Anderson and Mike Gartner, former Hartford Wolf Pack players Dale Purinton, Dan Blackburn and Darius Kasparaitis, former Whalers Nick Fotiu, Darren Turcotte and Nick Kypreos, along with Adam Graves, John Vanbiesbrouck, Brian Mullen, Ron Duguay and commentator Dave Maloney, whose son Dave Jr. now works for the Whale. Hall of Famer Mark Messier isn’t on the roster because of scheduled surgery in December, but hopes to recover in time to play in the game.

Coaches will be Mike Keenan, Colin Campbell and former Whalers general manager Emile Francis. The Rangers off-ice ambassadors will be Rod Gilbert, Ed Giacomin and Harry Howell, all of whom have had their numbers retired. For ticket information on the alumni game, call 212-465-6080.

The Rangers are offering special one-day and three-day NHL Winter Classic Road Trip packages presented by Amtrak. Packages include round-trip transportation to Philadelphia, game tickets, access to a pregame tailgate party with Rangers alumni, passes to watch practice and much more. For more information, visit www.newyorkrangers.com.

‘WHITE OUT FOR MANDI’ AT YALE ON FRIDAY

The Yale women’s ice hockey team is dedicating its game against Princeton at Ingalls Rink in New Haven on Friday to Mandi Schwartz, utilizing it as a fundraiser for the Mandi Schwartz Foundation. Senior forward and captain Alecz Hughes started the charity in memory of Schwartz, the Yale center who died in April after battling cancer for more than two years.

The goal is to pack Ingalls Rink, with everyone wearing white as a “White Out for Mandi” show of support. No admission will be charged, and donations for the foundation will be accepted at the door. The team is also lining up pledges from donors based on the attendance total, so every person who attends will count towards the final donation total. Special white t-shirts will be sold, and youth hockey teams are encouraged to come wearing white jerseys. The Bulldogs will honor Mandi in a special pregame ceremony.

The event also will help raise awareness of the need for marrow donors and umbilical cord blood donors. In an effort to save her life last year, Mandi had a stem cell transplant utilizing blood from two anonymous umbilical cord blood donations. Stem cells for patients with life-threatening illnesses like Mandi’s can also come from marrow donors. Yale hosts an annual Mandi Schwartz Marrow Donor Registration Drive every spring to help add potential donors to the Be The Match Registry. At least six matches for patients in need of transplants have been identified through the efforts. One of the matches was a Yale field hockey player Lexy Adams.

The Bulldogs hope to set an attendance record for a women’s game at Ingalls Rink. The current record is 1,539, set on Nov. 1, 2005, when Team USA played an exhibition game against the ECAC Hockey All-Stars. Last year’s “White Out for Mandi” drew 1,066, the most for a Yale women’s hockey game. The Ingalls Rink capacity is 3,500.

BRACELETS TO BENEFIT LOKMOTIV FAMILIES

Whale wives and girlfriends will be selling bracelets to benefit the families of those lost in the tragic plane crash on Sept. 7 involving the Yaroslavl Lokomotiv team in the Kontinental Hockey League in Russia. “Love for Lokomotiv” bracelets will be available for purchase at Whale home games on Dec. 9 against Hershey and Dec. 10 against Providence.

In a united effort to show support for the grieving families for those lost in the Lokomotiv tragedy, hockey wives and girlfriends around the world are raising money for their dear friends. Show your support on Dec. 9 and 10 with the comfortable red silicone bracelet, with 100 percent of the proceeds going to the foundation set up in honor of the lost team.

You can learn more about “Love for Lokomotiv” and find out how you can help at loveforlokomotiv.com.

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

By Brian Ring

Hartford, CT, November 29, 2011 – The Connecticut Whale defeated the Hershey Bears, 4-2, Tuesday night at the XL Center in Hartford. Pavel Valentenko recorded the game-winning goal, Jordan Owens had two assists and Chad Johnson made 26 saves to earn the win in net.

The Whale once again rallied from a first period deficit, erasing a 1-0 Hershey lead in the first period, while winning the game late in regulation after giving up a third-period equalizer.

“It was tough to give up the game-tying goal,” said Whale head coach Ken Gernander. “But they stuck with it and got the win.”

The Bears and the Whale traded first period goals, with Chris Bourque capitalizing on Hershey’s league-leading power-play at 12:03 of the opening frame. Keith Aucoin took over sole possession of the AHL scoring lead with an assist on the goal, on a night that he would register points number 29 and 30.

Mats Zuccarello responded for Connecticut, tying the game for the Whale just under two minutes later with his fourth goal of the campaign. Jonathan Audy-Marchessault and Blake Parlett both assisted on the tally. Audy-Marchessault entered the Bears’ zone with Zuccarello, passing to the Norwegian forward for a two-on-one goal.

The Whale took a 2-1 lead at 14:20 of the second period, when Aaron Voros ripped a shot from the slot over the glove of Bears goaltender Braden Holtby (19 saves) for Voros’ first goal of the season.

Connecticut carried their lead deep into the third period, but immediately following a successful penalty-kill the Whale allowed the game-tying score at 10:49. Graham Mink scored off of a bounce off a Whale defenders’ skate from an Aucoin shot. Chris Bourque picked up his second point of the night with the secondary assist on the goal.

Pavel Valentenko got the lead right back for the Whale, scoring on a slap shot from the left point at 15:56, his second goal of the season and second in as many games. Jordan Owens assisted on the score, the eventual game-winner.

“It was a great pass,” said Valentenko. “It was just my job to hit the net.”

The Whale iced the win with an empty-net goal from Chris McKelvie, his first goal of the season, with 1:16 left in the final period. Owens recorded his second assist of the night on the play, with Kelsey Tessier also earning a helper.

“Like we’ve shown all year, we came out on top and battled to the end,” said Johnson. “It was a good game.”

Connecticut will look to extend their winning streak to three straight games on Friday night in Providence, when they take on the Bruins (7:05). The Whale will meet the Springfield Falcons in Springfield on Saturday (7:00), before hosting the defending Calder Cup champion Binghamton Senators Sunday afternoon at the XL Center (3:00).

To continue reading, click on the read more button below if you’re on the home page.

Hershey Bears 2 at Connecticut Whale 4
Tuesday, November 29, 2011 – XL Center Veterans Memorial Coliseum

Hershey 1 0 1 – 2
Connecticut 1 1 2 – 4

1st Period-1, Hershey, Bourque 11 (Micflikier, Aucoin), 12:03 (PP). 2, Connecticut, Zuccarello 4 (Audy-Marchessault, Parlett), 14:01. Penalties-Redden Ct (delay of game), 9:59; Thuresson Ct (double minor – high-sticking), 10:32; Richmond Her (interference, roughing), 13:44; McKelvie Ct (roughing), 13:44.

2nd Period-3, Connecticut, Voros 1   14:20. Penalties-No Penalties

3rd Period-4, Hershey, Mink 7 (Aucoin, Bourque), 10:49. 5, Connecticut, Valentenko 2 (Owens), 15:56. 6, Connecticut, McKelvie 1 (Owens, Tessier), 18:44 (EN). Penalties-Flemming Her (roughing), 8:44; Tanski Ct (goaltender interference, roughing), 8:44; Mink Her (high-sticking), 13:04.

Shots on Goal-Hershey 11-7-10-28. Connecticut 7-6-10-23.

By Bruce Berlet

After Tim Erixon had another strong game for the Connecticut Whale last week, including a personal North American pro best of three assists, veteran defenseman Brendan Bell offered kudos about how the Swedish rookie blueliner handled his reassignment from the parent New York Rangers.

“With young players, you’re here to learn, and it takes some time because (the AHL) isn’t an easy league to play in,” said Bell, who played one game with the Rangers after being signed as a free agent in the offseason and before being sent down a second time Oct. 25. “But you hone your craft and you bide your time, and the thing about Tim that’s been good is that he hasn’t been frustrated, he hasn’t pouted, he hasn’t done any of that stuff since he’s been here (Oct. 29). He’s just trying to learn and get better, and he’ll probably get there (the NHL) quicker because of that.”

Much the same about not pouting could be said for Bell, a healthy scratch on Nov. 13 at St. John’s, where he played his first two pro seasons. After sitting out a 4-3 loss to the IceCaps, Bell was reinserted into the lineup and made critical plays in three consecutive 3-2 victories in extra time.

First, Bell took a brilliant 80-foot lead pass from Mats Zuccarello, broke behind the Bridgeport Sound Tigers defense and made a nifty deke before slipping the puck between goalie Kevin Poulin’s legs for his first goal with the Whale with only 6.8 seconds left in overtime.

The following afternoon in Providence, Bell scored midway through a dominating third period to kick-start the Whale from a two-goal deficit to a shootout win on goals by veteran John Mitchell and rookie Carl Hagelin, who were called up Thursday and assisted on new linemate Brian Boyle’s winner in their Rangers debuts Friday, a 6-3 victory over the Washington Capitals. Mitchell then assisted on Hagelin’s first NHL goal in a 2-0 win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday.

To continue reading, click on the read more button below if you’re on the home page.

Three nights earlier against Portland, the Whale trailed by two goals late in the second period but rallied to win, as determined rookie Jonathan Audy-Marchessault scored a shorthanded goal with 1:11 left in regulation and then Bell picked up an Erixon rebound, patiently held the puck and slid a bad-angled shot past goalie Curtis McIlhinney with 1:39 to go in overtime to complete a hat trick of excellence.

It was a classic case of not getting upset about being benched, but responding to a challenge from coach Ken Gernander in as professional a manner imaginable.

“I knew things weren’t going very well for me, but it (sitting out) gave me a day to look at my game and try to get things going right,” said the 28-year-old Bell, who has been in 101 NHL games with Toronto, Phoenix and the Rangers and 387 AHL games with St. John’s, Toronto, San Antonio, Binghamton, Peoria, Syracuse and the Whale. “Maybe it gave me a little extra motivation, but I know in my own head that I just had to play better.”

Bell’s second overtime winner in five days helped improve his season totals to three goals and five assists, and being plus-4 in the three games after sitting out got him to even in the plus-minus rating in 13 games with the Whale. His eight points are tied for the team lead among defensemen with Erixon, who has one goal and seven assists in only 10 games since being reassigned on Oct. 29.

“I had a good chance early in the first period where (Zuccarello) made a really good pass backdoor to me, and I tried to take my time on that one, too, but (McElhinney) was kind of flopping and I hit the post,” Bell said after his overtime winner against Portland. “So this one I wanted to make sure that I really buried it. It was kind of a rolling puck, and it landed right on my stick. It was a wide open net, so I just took my time and tried to get it back there as quick as I could. … Things are kind of going my way right now. I didn’t have a very good game. I thought I could have been better. But the puck lands on my stick with a minute left in overtime with a wide open net, then I must be doing something right.”

Gernander agreed Bell has contributed on offense as he had hoped.

“Those are types of things that are strengths of (Bell): his offensive ability, his poise with the puck, he’s got good hands,” Gernander said. “There’s a lot in that package, and I guess that’s one of the areas where it has showed through.”

The overtime-shootout-overtime winning run made the Whale 3-2-0-1 when trailing after two periods. And they added to that impressive mark at Springfield on Saturday night, when Andreas Thuresson scored his second goal of the third period, off Stu Bickel’s shot and Ryan Bourque’s tip, with only 21.6 seconds left as the Whale rallied from a two-goal deficit to yet another 3-2 victory.

“I think that’s the good thing about having some older guys on your team,” said Bell, whose passion for hockey and appreciation for the NHL was reinvigorated while playing last season for EHC Biel in the Swiss League. “When you’re down a goal or when you’re pressing late, you can make plays. You can’t just fire pucks out. You can’t get nervous with it, and that’s the good thing about our club is having a bunch of older guys.

“When you’ve got some older guys and some talented guys, you’ve got to make plays with the puck. I think some of the guys have really taken charge later in games now.”

Especially Bell, named an alternate captain with Zuccarello when Wade Redden was injured and Kris Newbury suspended. Though Redden returned Friday night, Bell remained an alternate as a replacement for Mitchell. It shows what Gernander and assistants J.J. Daigneault and Pat Boller thought of the nine-year veteran. Gernander even used Bell on a few shifts at center Friday and Saturday nights because the Whale had only 11 healthy forwards, though Zuccarello moved from wing to the middle in the third period when Thuresson scored his two goals to pull out the win.

Bell’s efforts haven’t gone unnoticed by teammates.

“Good players want the puck,” said defenseman Blake Parlett, whose goal ignited the Whale’s comeback against the Pirates. “He has wanted it in overtime, made good plays and has gotten the win for us.”

Parlett also noted a recent Whale turnaround in the lead department.

“At the start of the year we’d go into the third period with the lead and have trouble holding it,” he said. “But the last couple of games it has been the total opposite. We’ve been going into the third (period) down, and we’ve just come together as a team and rallied back.”

Major beneficiaries of the turnaround have been goalies Chad Johnson (5-3-2, 2.63 goals-against average, .905 save percentage, one shutout) and Cam Talbot (6-3-0, 2.88, .891, one shutout).

“Obviously losing leads was addressed quite a few times because we gave up a few early on,” Talbot said. “But going forward, I think we knew it was more of a mental thing. We’d get up and then we’d just take the foot off the gas pedal a little bit, so it was just a mental standpoint for us that when we get third-period leads that we need to hold them. And when we’re down in the third period that has to be our best period to come back and either force overtime or win it in the third.”

Gernander said perseverance and tenacity have been the keys to the Whale’s recent comebacks.

“They’ve had an unwillingness to relent,” he said. “For the most part, you have to have that same desperation when you’re holding a lead, but it has to be directed differently. It has to be more sound decisions, as opposed to a more attack mode when you’re trailing. It’s a little bit easier to be tenacious when you’re behind. You don’t want to be laid back, but your efforts or energies have to be directed in a sense of momentum.

“You don’t want to change your game. You don’t want to sit back. You don’t want to be passive. But you still have to make sound decisions. There’s certain things that you’d like to see as a coach that the guys do, whereas you have a little bit of leeway or liberty to take some risks when you’re trailing.”

The Whale also has been helped by the maturation of Erixon, who has improved steadily, capped by assisting on all three goals in the win over the Pirates.

“Timmy is really stepping up, playing some big minutes with Redden and (Jared) Nightingale out of the lineup,” Talbot said after the Portland game. “He has filled in really well anchoring the power play and now getting some penalty kill time, too. I think he has really stepped into that PK role. He has been great for us since he’s been here, and he’s only going to get better. He’s just a young guy (20), and we’re looking forward to that for sure.”

BOURQUE BROTHERS BOWL I

The sons of Hockey Hall of Famer Ray Bourque, Chris and Ryan, are always more interested in team than self, but whenever “a first” is involved, it’s something special.

That certainly will be the case Tuesday night, when the Bourque brothers play against each other for the first time as the Hershey Bears (9-5-3-2) visit the XL Center. It’s the start of the Whale’s most hectic stretch this season: four games in six days, capped by visits to Providence and Springfield on Friday and Saturday nights and hosting defending Calder Cup champion Binghamton on Sunday at 3 p.m.

Bourque Bowl I matches two left wings with similar gritty styles but different roles. Chris, 25, is a six-year pro veteran who helped the Bears win three Calder Cups and was playoff MVP in 2010. Ryan, 20, is a rookie who specializes in defense, penalty killing and providing energy.

It also will be a bit emotional for Whale wing Francois Bouchard and Bears defenseman Tomas Kundratek, who were traded for each other by the parent Washington Capitals and Rangers on Nov. 8. Bouchard, whose best friend on the Bears was Chris Bourque, played three seasons in Hershey and Washington and was a key contributor to Calder Cup titles in 2009 and 2010.

“I’m excited about playing against all my old buddies, so it’ll be fun but kind of weird, too,” said Bouchard, who has one goal in seven games with the Whale after being scoreless in nine games with the Bears. “I played with about 10 of the Hershey players for at least two years, so I know them really well, especially Chris, who was my best friend on the team and roommate on the road. The Bears are coming into Hartford on Monday night, so I’m having dinner with the Bourques and some of the other Hershey players who have texted me.

“But it’s business, too. Just because I know a lot of the guys doesn’t mean I’m not going to finish my checks. I know what a really good team they have, so it’s going to be a big challenge for us. But in the end, I just want to win the game and get those two points.”

Gernander said he and assistants J.J. Daigneault and Pat Boller would pick Bouchard’s brain a bit for some info on the Bears, but they’d also still pre-scout via game films.

“It’ll be a little bit of both,” Gernander said. “He was there two weeks ago, but things might have changed since then. That’s the nature of the AHL. You want to stay current because everything is always a work in motion.”

Kundratek, the Rangers’ third-round pick in 2008, had been a healthy scratch for his last five games in Hartford. He is scoreless and plus-1 in four games with the Bears after having two assists and being minus-1 in seven games with the Whale and is also excited to play against his former mates.

“It will be like another game, playing simple, focused and be just like another game,” Kundratek told Tim Leone of The Patriot-News in Hershey. “I have friends there. They kind of texted me, and I was talking to them about it. They’re excited to play against me. I’m excited to play against them. It will be a great game.”

Chris Bourque (10 goals, 16 assists) is part of a potent line with frequent All-Star center and fellow alternate captain Keith Aucoin (4, AHL-high 24 assists) and former Hartford Wolf Pack left wing Boyd Kane (8, 4, plus-12), the Bears’ captain. Aucoin had four assists in a 6-5 loss to Lake Erie on Saturday night to take over the AHL scoring lead. Bourque had three assists, and now ranks third in the league in points. Aucoin leads the AHL in power-play assists (11), and he and Bourque share the league lead in power-play points (13), one more than the Bears’ Jacob Micflikier (8, 12). Veteran wing Graham Mink (6, 10) is also dangerous, and Braden Holtby (5-4-1, 2.68, .891, one shutout) and Dany Sabourin (4-4-1, 3.21, .897, one shutout) have split the goaltending. The Bears lead the AHL in power-play efficiency (29.5 percent) and penalty minutes (23.16 per game). They are a solid 5-2-1-1 on the road, while the Whale is 4-1-0-1 at home.

The Whale (11-5-1-2) reached the quarter pole of their season Saturday night in dramatic fashion despite being shorthanded at forward. Kris Newbury’s four-game suspension ends Tuesday night, and he’ll give the Whale a 12^th forward against the Bruins (8-13-1-1), who are on a 0-5-0-1 slide since a 3-2 victory over Worcester on Nov. 13.

INSPIRED WHITMORE NAMED REEBOK/AHL PLAYER OF THE WEEK

After seeing teammates Corey Tropp, Zack Kassian, Paul Szczechura, T.J. Brennan and Brayden McNabb get called up by the Buffalo Sabres, Rochester Americans left wing Derek Whitmore had some added incentive to earn his own promotion.

Well, with his parents and about two dozen other family members and friends looking on, Whitmore put on quite a show in a 5-3 victory over Hamilton on Saturday night. In both the periods that the Amerks shot at the end where his relatives and friends were sitting, Whitmore scored two goals, the first two coming in the first 1:53. Then he broke a 3-3 tie with the other two goals in the third period, giving him five goals and a plus-3 rating in the two wins. The native of the Rochester suburb of Greece, N.Y., also had the insurance goal in a 4-2 victory over Albany on Friday night.

“It means a lot, it’s a special night,” Whitmore told Kevin Oklobzija of the Democrat and Chronicle in Rochester after his Saturday night outburst. “This is the team I idolized as a kid. My first hat trick, in an Amerk sweater, in this building, it’s very special. I think my dad threw a hat (after the third goal).”

And to think that Whitmore had never had a hat trick as a pro in 263 AHL games, 20 with the Amerks. But the 27-year-old got a “four-bagger” to become the first Amerk to score four goals in a game since current Sabres star Jason Pominville in October 2005, when he continued on to five.

Whitmore’s record night led to the five goals and a plus-3 rating in two games that earned him the Reebok/AHL Player of the Week award on Monday. Whitmore leads the Amerks with 10 goals and 16 points and is tied for the team lead among forwards with a plus-8. He signed as a free agent with the Sabres on March 26, 2008 and has 67 goals and 53 assists with Rochester and Portland.

Maybe now Whitmore will get the call that players such as Tropp and Kassian got.  But Whitmore is happy for his former teammates who joined the injury-riddled Sabres and has no bitterness about still being in Rochester.

“Obviously you want to be getting better every day and some day get to the big show,” said Whitmore, who was instrumental in Portland ousting the Whale in the first round of the playoffs in April. “But you can’t get frustrated over guys getting called up and you’re not. I’m here, I have a job to do, and I want to do as much as I can personally to help this team win in the American League.”

The 5,016 fans at the War Memorial loved the show, as did teammates such as center Mark Voakes, who was in Wolf Pack camp in 2010 and played most of the season with Greenville in the ECHL before being promoted to Portland.

“It’s as fun to watch for us as it is for everyone else,” Voakes said. “When a guy’s got a hot stick, get him the puck, period.”

HURRICANES, CAPITALS REPLACE MAURICE, BOUDREAU

Milwaukee Admirals first-year coach Kirk Muller was named coach of the Carolina Hurricanes, succeeding former Hartford Whalers coach Paul Maurice, who was fired Monday.

“Kirk is a proven leader and motivator, and he has strong communication skills,” Hurricanes president and general manager Jim Rutherford said in a statement. “He was a captain and a Stanley Cup winner as a player and did excellent work as a coach with the Canadiens and the Admirals. We feel confident that he is the right man to lead our team now and in the future.”

Muller, 45, was replaced by Ian Herbers, 44, an assistant with the Admirals for the last two-plus seasons who was in charge of the defense and penalty kill. Former Hurricanes wing Martin Gelinas, director of player development for the parent Nashville Predators, will help Herbers until a new assistant is hired.

Muller is the 12th person to serve as head coach for the Hurricanes franchise, and the third to be named since the team moved from Hartford to North Carolina in 1997. The native of Kingston, Ontario, had a 10-6-0-1 record with the Admirals after taking the job as head coach of the Nashville Predators’ top affiliate in July. He has now inherited a team that has lost 10 of its last 13 games to fall to 8-13-4 and into last place in the Southeast Division.

Muller played 19 seasons in the NHL, made six All-Star teams and helped the Montreal Canadiens win their last Stanley Cup in 1993. Ironically, his first game as Hurricanes coach will be Tuesday night at home against the division-leading Florida Panthers, whose first-year coach is former Whalers star right wing and captain Kevin Dineen, a leading contender for NHL Coach of the Year.

Maurice’s firing came about 90 minutes after AHL Hall of Famer Bruce Boudreau was let go by the Washington Capitals and replaced by Dale Hunter. Maurice’s ouster means every team in the division except Tampa Bay, which hired Guy Boucher in 2010, has changed coaches since spring.  … Zach Boychuk scored twice as the Charlotte Checkers beat Milwaukee 3-2 on Saturday night, ending the Admirals’ AHL-record road point streak at 23 games. It was the Admirals’ first regulation loss on the road since being shut out 3-0 by the Manitoba Moose on Jan. 13.

KUDOS TO WILD FOR TRIBUTE TO BOOGAARD

Major kudos to the Minnesota Wild for their Derek Boogaard Tribute before the Calgary Flames rallied for a 5-2 victory Sunday night. Boogaard played five seasons with the Wild before signing a four-year, $6.5-million contract with the Rangers on July 1, 2010. He had one goal, one assist and 45 penalty minutes in 22 games with the Rangers before sustaining a season-ending concussion in a fight with Ottawa Senators defenseman Matt Carkner on Dec. 9, 2010. It proved to his final game, as he died of a lethal mix of alcohol and oxycodone on May 13 at the age of 28.

Until his death, Boogaard had remained active with Defending the Blue Line, a charity that helps the children from military families stay involved with the game while their parents are fighting overseas. A 10-minute pregame ceremony included a highlight video of his best plays, hits and fights and his extensive work in the community, especially with kids. Former teammates gave flowers, hugs and handshakes to his family on the ice, and there were taped memories from ex-teammates, including the Rangers’ Marian Gaborik, Brian Boyle and Brandon Prust. Gaborik and Prust also played with Boogaard on the Wild.

The Wild donated $10,000 and the Boogaard family $6,750 to Defending the Blue Line, and the family also distributed 150 tickets to military personnel. The Wild also donated tickets for future games. Well done, Wild, and if you want to see the touching ceremony, visit www.nhl.com. … St. Louis Blues coach Ken Hitchcock returned to Columbus, Ohio, on Sunday for the first time since being fired by the Blue Jackets and left a 2-1 winner, thanks to David Backes’ goal at 7:49 of the third period and Brian Elliott’s 23 saves. Hitchcock, the winningest coach in Blue Jackets history, who guided them to their only playoff berth in 2009 before being fired a season later, had insisted his first game in Columbus was “no big deal” because it was third time he had returned to a city where he had coached. He was more satisfied that the Blues have won three in a row and are 7-1-2 since he replaced Davis Payne, fired on Nov. 6 after a 6-7-0 start. Under Hitchcock, the Blues have moved with 14^th to fourth in the Western Conference. “There’s a lot of players on the other side I’m close with,” Hitchcock told the media after the game. “I have a healthy respect for those players because I would say 10 of those guys went through the wall for me.” … Philadelphia Flyers standout defenseman Chris Pronger, the second overall pick by the Whalers in 1993, will have surgery on his left knee on Tuesday and have to sit out for a month. Pronger, 37, who already had missed the last four days because of a virus, and defenseman Andreas Lilja, who will miss about six weeks with a high ankle sprain sustained Friday against Montreal, will be placed on long-term injured reserve. This is the third extended absence for Pronger this season. He missed six games after getting hit in the eye with a stick during an Oct. 24 game against Toronto and has 12 points in 13 games. If he returns four weeks from the date of surgery, Dec. 27, he’ll miss another 12 games. If his rehab runs longer, he could miss the 2012 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic against the Rangers on Jan. 2 at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. The Flyers also placed forward Andreas Nodl on waivers and recalled top forward prospect Brayden Schenn and defenseman Kevin Marshall from the Adirondack Phantoms. Schenn returns after a three-game stint in the AHL after being out a month with a broken foot. Schenn could see lots of ice time, as forwards Jaromir Jagr (lower body) and James van Riemsdyk (upper body) remain questionable for Friday’s game. … Rangers players Henrik Lundqvist and former Wolf Pack standouts Ryan Callahan, Brandon Dubinsky and Dan Girardi unveiled the team’s jersey for the Winter Classic on Monday. The jerseys can be viewed at www.newyorkrangers.com, are available for pre-order at Shop.NHL.com and will be available for purchase at Madison Square Garden beginning Dec. 5. … Canadiens wing and New Canaan native Max Pacioretty, who starred at New Canaan High and Taft School in Watertown, had a phone hearing with the NHL on Monday for his hit on Pittsburgh defenseman Kris Letang in the third period of the Penguins’ 4-3 overtime victory Saturday night. No penalty was called on the play, and Letang returned to score the winning goal.

By Bruce Berlet

Ray Bourque, one of the greatest defensemen in hockey history, speaks as confidently as ever at age 50 while continuing to carry plenty of clout, especially when it comes to discussing his sons.

Chris Bourque, 25, a three-time Calder Cup winner with the Hershey Bears, is off to his best start as a pro, which comes as little surprise to his Hall of Fame father.

“He should do well because he’s a sixth-year pro and has had other good years in the AHL and a really good year in Europe last year,” dad said of Chris, who has 10 goals and 16 assists in 19 games while playing on the Bears’ top line, with All-Star center and fellow alternate captain Keith Aucoin and former Hartford Wolf Pack left wing and captain Boyd Kane. “Everything has kind of come together for him, so it’s kind of his time, as he has done a lot of good things in the AHL and hopefully will get an opportunity (with the parent Washington Capitals) and take advantage of it. It’s a tough lineup to crack, but people are watching, so who knows?”

Ryan Bourque, 20, a rookie with the Connecticut Whale, overcame an early injury that sidelined him for six games and scored his first pro goal with his father and mother, Christiane, in attendance at a 6-3 loss to the St. John’s IceCaps on Nov. 4.

“They’re five years apart, but Ryan was always around Chris and his buddies,” Ray said. “He took a beating for many years just hanging around with them, but he loved it and they’re very close. They train together, spend a lot of time together and hang out together. They’re good brothers. They’re real tight.”

The brothers admit father really does know best when it comes to knowing their games.

To continue reading, click on the read more button below if you’re on the home page.

“I think I bring more of a speed and high-energy type game, while my brother is more finesse, can score and run the power play,” Ryan said. “He has a really good all-around game, and I like to play defensively. He’s just a high-talent, high-caliber guy. We’re different in a lot of ways but similar, too.”

Chris concurred that he’s a different player from Ryan, though he has similar attributes that can help lead to being part of a winning environment.

“Ryan is one of the best skaters that I’ve seen and really uses that to his advantage,” said Chris, who re-signed with the Capitals on July 2 after playing last season with Atlant Moscow Oblast in Russia and Lugano in Switzerland. “He can get in on the forecheck and really pester the other defensemen. He’s really aggressive and can force a lot of turnovers. He’s a great player to play with because he’s always going to be first on the puck and causing a ruckus. And he probably doesn’t get enough credit for how good he is offensively. He sees the ice really well and has a really good shot. I know the points aren’t coming right now (one goal, two assists in 12 games), but eventually they’ll come in spurts for him.

“I don’t think a lot of people realize how big of an adjustment it is coming from junior and college. I think everybody kind of goes through those moments in a season where maybe you’re second-guessing yourself. It’s all about confidence. If you have the confidence, that really helps. And when he’s playing with confidence, he’s a very gifted player and very responsible defensively, which helps his team out even more.”

Chris then couldn’t help but take a playful shot about his brother’s quickness.

“He’s got those bowlegs, so that definitely helps,” he said with a chuckle.

But Chris would have been proud of his younger brother after arguably his best game as a pro Saturday night, when he was constantly on the puck and tipped Stu Bickel’s right-point shot, creating a rebound that Andreas Thuresson swept past Danny Taylor with only 21.6 seconds left for his second goal of the game, to give the Whale another come-from-behind victory, 3-2 over the Springfield Falcons.

Dad has a special insider’s feel for his sons, after coaching each during part of their formative years on the ice and playing with both in a summer league in suburban Boston for the last half of the decade since he retired as a Stanley Cup champion for the first time with the Colorado Avalanche in 2001, after being traded by the Bruins late in the previous season.

“I played a little less this summer because it’s tough to leave golf to go skating,” said a smiling Ray, who has had a single-digit handicap for years and is still an 8 at three country clubs while playing in numerous charity events. “I skate a lot in the winter, but not so much in the summer. Once a week on a Wednesday night after dinner is enough, but it really is a lot of fun, a real blast, skating with Chris and Ryan.”

Ray said he has never moved up front to form a Bourque-Bourque-Bourque line to resemble the Marty Howe-Gordie Howe-Mark Howe combo that played for the World Hockey Association’s Houston Aeros and New England Whalers and NHL’s Hartford Whalers in 1973-1980.

“But we’ve had a couple of goals of Bourque from Bourque and Bourque,” Ray said proudly. “I remember playing against Gordie when he was 50, and that’s what I am now, so it’s pretty incredible what he was able to do at that age.”

Ray and Christiane also will have a rather incredible experience Tuesday night, when Chris and Ryan play against each other for the first time as Hershey visits the XL Center. It’s the first time that brothers will face off in Hartford since the Whalers’ Keith Primeau played against brother Wayne of the Buffalo Sabres for the first time on April 7, 1997. That matchup was made memorable when Keith came to the aid of goalie Sean Burke and scored a takedown and unanimous decision in a fight with Wayne in the second period of the Whalers’ 4-2 victory.

“That’s blood, man,” a smiling Keith said in the postgame locker room. “I’m just a little disappointed that it had to happen, but right away I came in and called my parents and apologized, so I got that out of the way.”

Chris said there won’t be a repeat of the Primeaus for the Bourques.

“I’ve had one career fight and I’m 1-0 and looking to keep it that way,” he said with a laugh. “That’s not my job.”

Chris’ main job is to play a tenacious brand of hockey, and be interested in matters such as Ryan being his best man on July 15 when he married his longtime girlfriend Kimberly McManus, a 2009 Brown University graduate and aspiring actress.

The Bourques get to see Ryan play regularly since he’s about two hours from their home. They also occasionally travel to watch Chris when Hershey is in the area, or they drive to central Pennsylvania, where the Bears have a nine-year-old, 10,500-seat building for hockey and one of the AHL’s strongest fan bases. They’ve seen Chris help the Bears capture the three AHL titles and be named playoff MVP the last time they won in 2010.

So the big question is: Who will be dad and mom be rooting for on Tuesday?

“We’ll just watch the game and hope both do well. You can’t lose in that one,” dad said proudly.

Ryan and Chris are trying to keep this “first” in their lives in perspective.

“It’s going to be a fun time and an awesome experience, but it’s only one game,” Ryan said. “And I’m sure it’s not going to be the last time I play against him.”

No, it won’t. The Whale and Bears face off three more times this season – Dec. 9 at the XL Center and Feb. 4 and April 8 at Hershey.

Still, the first meeting is always a little different and more significant and noteworthy.

“It’s very exciting and definitely special,” Chris said. “When the schedule came out, I think both of us kind of looked at that date and knew what that game was going to mean to us since we’ve never been able to play against each other. There’s not that much of an age difference, but it’s a five-year gap where you don’t play against each other when you’re in high school or growing up. So we’ve never had a chance to play against each other in a real game, so it’s going to be fun playing against my little brother.”

When reminded about 30 to 40 family members and friends are scheduled to head to Hartford from their hometown of Boxford, Mass., Chris chuckled and said, “I’m going to let Ryan worry about the tickets.”

As with any offspring, dad said Chris and Ryan have similarities and differences.

“They’re similar in their passion for the game,” Ray said. “They love playing it, they work real hard and they prepare well. But their games are a little different. Ryan might just be a tad quicker in some ways. Chris is a better finisher in terms of scoring. They both see the ice really well, but Chris is probably more of a natural scorer than Ryan.”

Ryan and Chris admitted the accuracy of that assessment, and each has tried to learn and pick up traits from the other.

“His compete level really sticks out,” Ryan said of Chris. “I’ve never really known a friend or kid who has loved the game as much as him. He’s a rink rat. He can’t get away from the rink, even in the summer league when he’s taping his stick two hours before the game. I’m still in the pool or thinking about summer things, and he’s still thinking about hockey.

“But he has been great for me. He has been through the ropes, he knows what it’s like at the professional level, he knows how hard it can be at times, so he has been great when I’ve been down or negative and picks me right up. I’m thankful to have him, and if you look what he’s done at (the AHL level), it’s crazy. He already has three rings in this league, and you can learn a lot from a guy with that experience and track record. Washington is a tough lineup to crack, but he has a long career ahead of him, so I’m sure he’ll find his spot sooner or later.”

Though playing with Chris and other older players in his formative years was difficult at times, it proved mighty beneficial for Ryan in the long run.

“Chris has got a great group of friends at home like Keith Yandle and Ryan Whitney, so skating with guys who have made a name for themselves at the NHL level helps out a lot,” Ryan said. “I’m thankful to have been able to do it.”

Chris said playing with older youngsters definitely helped Ryan.

“It put him in a situation where he was always the smallest kid out there and having to play with kids four or five years older, even if you’d stick him in the net,” Chris said. “I wouldn’t take it easy on him by any means, and I probably won’t be dropping the gloves with him because he’d probably beat me up.”

But Chris was there to offer assistance in all facets of the game – and life.

“I’ve been up and down in the minors for five-six years, and I’ve pretty much seen it all,” Chris said. “It’s definitely not an easy road to be on, but it’s something that you have to go through to get to the next level. I’m always there whenever he has a question, if he’s down or even if he’s up, just to keep letting him know to just stay the course and eventually he’s going to get the opportunity. And hopefully he can capitalize on the opportunity that’s given him. It seems like the Rangers are pretty high on him, and they should be because he’s a good player. He just has to stay the course and just grind it out and just keep learning every day.

“The American Hockey League is a very good league, and he just has to keep getting better every day. Hopefully I can answer any question that he has because I’ve been there and been on some pretty successful teams, so I know what the whole deal is. He just has to keep going at it. He’s there for a reason and hopefully they realize that.”

The upcoming mano-a-mano hasn’t changed Chris’ desire to provide helpful brotherly advice.

“We talk pretty much every day,” Chris said. “We’re pretty close, and I just check up on him and see how things are going. We play in the same conference, so I check the schedule and see how the scores went and then kind of ask him how it went. We keep in contact a lot, especially since the Whale has (wing Francois) Bouchard (from a trade for defenseman Tomas Kundratek). We were pretty close, too, and I still keep in touch with Bouchard and now he and Ryan are always together because they knew each other from before.

“(Bouchard’s deal) was tough because that was the first time one of my best friends got traded. We actually got kind of emotional when we said goodbye to each other, but it’s good that he’s close there, and it looks like he got put into a good situation. He wasn’t getting too much playing time in Hershey, so he deserves a break like that to be able to prove to himself and show that he belongs. It’s a good situation for him to be put in, and I know he was very excited to get traded to that organization. I know he’s very happy to be there. Knowing Ryan makes it easier, and he has got (rookie Jonathan) Audy-Marchessault, another French guy, there, too.”

Chris and Ryan are similar in that both are wings in the 5-foot-8, 180-pound range who starred at Cushing Academy in Ashburnham, Mass., and on U.S. national teams before taking vastly different final approaches to the pros.

Chris, a second-round pick of the Capitals in 2004, elected to play in college but spent only one season at Boston University before turning pro and joining the Portland Pirates at the end of his freshman year (2004-05).

“I would have loved to see him at BU for four years, but after that experience, he started playing pro at 19, and that wasn’t all bad,” Ray said.

Chris said his parents wanted him to try college, and when he was growing up, he always wanted to go to Boston University. So when renowned BU coach Jack Parker offered Chris a scholarship, he took the offer. Then after getting 10 goals and 13 assists in 35 games as a freshman, Chris planned to join the Moncton Wildcats in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League because it was hosting the Memorial Cup the following year. But the Capitals wanted Chris to sign with them, so instead of playing junior hockey, he turned pro and played six games with the Pirates, then affiliated with Washington.

“I was tempted to go to Moncton because my best friend from high school, Keith Yandle (now with the Phoenix Coyotes), had gone there, so it would have been nice to play with him,” Chris said. “I just wanted to play hockey every day. I didn’t want to have to worry about exams and all that. School just wasn’t for me, just as it isn’t for everyone. I definitely enjoyed my time at BU and don’t regret the decision going there. It’s a great school, and Jack Parker is one of the most legendary coaches in college hockey, so it was fun to be able to play for him.”

Ryan, a third-round pick of the New York Rangers in 2009, was supposed to go to the University of New Hampshire but visited the QMJHL’s Quebec Remparts, who had his rights, and decided that was the route that he wanted to take. He leaned that way because the QMJHL was closer to the pros than college as far as the number of games played, plus the Remparts’ owner, general manager and coach was Hall of Fame goalie Patrick Roy, a close friend of his dad and a teammate on the Stanley Cup champions in Colorado.

“I knew Patrick so well, and Quebec is a beautiful place, so I thought Ryan would have a really nice experience there, and he did,” Ray said.

“Obviously I was a young kid and had their support, but ultimately it was my decision, 100 percent my call,” Ryan said. “They just gave me advice and the pros and cons of school and juniors, and ultimately I decided I wanted to go to Quebec because of it being more like the pros.”

But after two seasons with the Remparts that included time with Whale teammates Audy-Marchessault and Kelsey Tessier, Ryan decided to turn pro and was among the Rangers’ final cuts this year after accompanying the team to Europe for four preseason games.

“Ryan came out of the U.S. national development program and knew he was a few years away, so he went to Quebec and now he’s in Hartford,” Ray said. “He and Jonathan only really played together on the power play, but they were fun to watch and put up some pretty good numbers.”

It will be difficult for Chris or Ryan to approach the numbers and greatness of their dad, but they will forever be indebted to him for how he has helped shape their careers and, more importantly, their lives.

“It was always such a pleasure to be able to go to the rink with my brother when we were younger,” Chris said when asked about this father’s biggest influence. “We would hang around the rinks, watch practice and be able to go and skate before and after them. That was probably the best privilege to have and just being able to watch those guys day in day out and see what it’s really like to be a hockey player really made me want to be one.

“There was no doubt in my mind that I was going to try to become a professional hockey player because the lifestyle just seemed so fun and exciting. To be able to do something that you love to do and go to the rink every day was just awesome. I’m happy that it has worked out pretty well for me so far so hopefully it can keep going.”

Chris and Ryan learned under the coaching tutelage of their father and still have frequent talks before games.

“He just wants to make sure that we work hard every shift and leave it all on the ice and be responsible,” Chris said. “You have to be respectful when you go to the rink and be respectful of your teammates. That’s pretty much what he always harps on us.”

Ryan echoed those thoughts, saying, “His professionalism, how he carries himself on and off the ice and his work ethic. I was young when he was playing, but I knew nobody worked harder than him, and he was so competitive. When you have a competitive attitude like that, you’re going to be very successful in life in whatever you do, not just athletic competition.”

Ryan smiled when told his dad said he had an 8 handicap in golf.

“I wouldn’t take that number,” Ryan said. “He can be a lot lower than that.”

Then there are those summer league hockey games for dad and his sons.

“He stays on defense and lets the two young guys do most of the skating,” Ryan said with a smile. “For him, it must be awesome, and for us, to have a dad who’s 48, 49, 50 years old and probably the best player in the league … I don’t know how that works, but I think it just shows that you might grow old in body but not in mind.”

Chris proudly said, “He’s a freak of nature, that guy,” comparing his father to another former Bruins legendary defenseman whose number is also retired in the rafters, Bobby Orr.

“It was unbelievable and how incredible shape he was in and how good a player he was,” Chris said, alluding to his father’s 21-year career in which he frequently played 30 minutes a game and hardly seemed to break a sweat. “Sometimes they have those old Bruins games on NESN that I watch, and he was the best player, by far, on the ice every game that you see.

“He and Bobby Orr were players who are ahead of their generation. It’s ridiculous how good those guys were, and they’re the guys you talk about. Dad is 50 now, but he’s still one of the best players on the ice (in the summer league). He makes unbelievable passes; he has an unbelievable shot and can actually move pretty good for a big man. He always says he’s going to try to make a comeback, and I bet he could still play if he really wanted to.”

Could there be another father-son trio skating around the ice in downtown Hartford somewhere down the line? Now that would be worth the price of admission, just as it was to watch the Howes together a quarter of a century ago.

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

Photo credit: Getty Images

By Brian Ring

Springfield, MA, November 26, 2011 – The Connecticut Whale rallied from two goals down to defeat the Springfield Falcons, 3-2, at the MassMutual Center Saturday night.

Andreas Thuresson had two goals, including the late game-winning score, to help make the Whale a perfect 3-0 against the Falcons this season.

“It was a pretty gutty win, I think,” said Whale head coach Ken Gernander. “They’ve been doing that a lot, persevering in the third period. It’s a big win on the road for them.”

Connecticut native Cam Atkinson had put the Falcons on the board first, turning in the slot and firing a wrist shot past Whale goaltender Chad Johnson (26 saves) 4:11 into the first period. Alexandre Giroux and Nick Drazenovic assisted on the goal, the only scoring of the period, during which the Falcons outshot the Whale 9-4.

Springfield increased their lead to 2-0 at 9:46 of the second, as Drazenovic scored off a deflection from a Whale defender. Johnson had made several stops on in-close opportunities, but Drazenovic finally got it up and over the Whale netminder. Atkinson received his second point of the night with an assist, with Tomas Kubalik gathering the other helper.

Pavel Valentenko scored for the Whale to cut the deficit to one with his first goal of the season, his slap shot beating Springfield goaltender Dan Taylor (16 saves) at the 14:23 mark of the second period. Mats Zuccarello and Jonathan Audy-Marchessault tallied the assists on the goal. Audy-Marchessault extended a point streak to three games with the assist.

The Whale tied it on Thuresson’s bad angle shot at 14:09 of the third period. Thuresson was below the right circle when he fired a wrist shot past Taylor, evening the game at two apiece. Audy-Marchessault recorded his second assist of the contest on Thuresson’s first goal of the game.

Thuresson would strike again with the game-winning tally, his second of the night, with just 21.6 seconds remaining in the third period. Stu Bickel’s shot from the right point was deflected in front by Ryan Bourque, and after Taylor made the save, Thuresson put the rebound in.

“Bickel got a good shot towards the net, Bourque tipped it, I just went hard to the net and the puck was loose and I tried to swing it in,” said Thuresson.

The Whale will return home on Tuesday night, when Connecticut hosts the Hershey Bears (7:00). The team will be on the road again next Friday and Saturday, meeting the Bruins in Providence on Dec. 2 (7:05) and then the Falcons again on Dec. 3 (7:00).

To continue reading, click on the read more button below if you’re on the home page.

Connecticut Whale 3 at Springfield Falcons 2
Saturday, November 26, 2011 – MassMutual Center

Connecticut 0 1 2 – 3
Springfield 1 1 0 – 2

1st Period-1, Springfield, Atkinson 9 (Drazenovic, Giroux), 4:11. Penalties-Tanski Ct (checking to the head), 7:11; Lebda Spr (holding the stick), 17:46.

2nd Period-2, Springfield, Drazenovic 5 (Atkinson, Kubalik), 9:46 (PP). 3, Connecticut, Valentenko 1 (Zuccarello, Audy-Marchessault), 14:23. Penalties-Goloubef Spr (tripping), 0:30; Audy-Marchessault Ct (interference), 5:47; Johnson Ct (delay of game), 8:21; Lebda Spr (high-sticking), 15:46; Owens Ct (holding), 19:19.

3rd Period-4, Connecticut, Thuresson 4 (Audy-Marchessault), 5:09. 5, Connecticut, Thuresson 5 (Bourque, Bickel), 19:38. Penalties-Calvert Spr (interference), 9:35; Voros Ct (holding the stick), 10:31.

Shots on Goal-Connecticut 4-8-7-19. Springfield 9-13-6-28.
Power Play Opportunities-Connecticut 0 / 4; Springfield 1 / 5.
Goalies-Connecticut, Johnson 5-3-2 (28 shots-26 saves). Springfield, Taylor 5-3-0 (19 shots-16 saves).
A-4,133
Referees-Chris Cozzan (18).
Linesmen-Chris Low (88), Robert St. Lawrence (10).

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

By Brian Ring

Bridgeport, CT, November 25, 2011 – The Connecticut Whale fell to the Bridgeport Sound Tigers Friday night, 6-2, at the Webster Bank Arena at Harbor Yard. The loss snapped the Whale’s three game winning streak.

Tim Wallace scored twice and Jeremy Colliton scored and added two assists for Bridgeport, while Jonathan Audy-Marchessault scored and added an assist for Connecticut.

The Sound Tigers got their first goal shorthanded, as Wallace netted his seventh of the season off of a two-on-one rush with Colliton. Colliton waited for Whale goaltender Cam Talbot (19 saves) to commit before dishing a pass to Wallace at 14:06 of the first period.

Calvin de Haan extended the Bridgeport lead to 2-0 at 6:19 of the second period, tallying his second of the year off of a feed from Tomas Marcinko. Marcinko won a faceoff cleanly to de Haan in the faceoff circle to Talbot’s right, with de Haan snapping it past the Whale netminder’s stick side.

The Sound Tigers went up by three goals on Colliton’s fourth of the season at 17:42 of the second period.  Colliton stole the puck deep in the Whale zone before snapping the puck past Talbot. Matt Donovan received the only assist on the play.

Casey Cizikas would make it four unanswered tallies for the Sound Tigers at 2:12 on a power-play.

The Whale would finally break through on Audy-Marchessault’s seventh goal of the season, on a play that had to be reviewed. The puck had appeared to cross the line, but it was initially ruled that Sound Tigers goaltender Kevin Poulin (20 saves) had covered the puck. Audy-Marchessault had indeed banged it across the line, however, with Tommy Grant and Chris McKelvie each getting an assist.

Wallace would answer back by adding his second of the night just under two minutes later for the Sound Tigers.

Bridgeport would record their sixth and last goal of the game off of a steal, as Scott Howes broke in on Talbot off a turnover and put a backhander in for his second of the season and a 6-2 lead.

Kelsey Tessier would score for the Whale with 6:23 remaining, on the power-play, to tally his first goal of the season. Audy-Marchessault got his second point of the night with an assist on the goal.

The Whale will be right back at it Saturday night, when they head to Springfield to take on the Falcons at MassMutual Center (7:00). Connecticut returns home on Tuesday night, when the Whale hosts the Hershey Bears at XL Center (7:00).

To continue reading, click on the read more button below if you’re on the home page.

Connecticut Whale 2 at Bridgeport Sound Tigers 6
Friday, November 25, 2011 – Webster Bank Arena

Connecticut 0 0 2 – 2
Bridgeport 1 2 3 – 6

1st Period-1, Bridgeport, Wallace 7 (Colliton), 14:06 (SH). Penalties-Cizikas Bri (interference), 1:19; Erixon Ct (tripping), 5:18; de Haan Bri (hooking), 12:29; Audy-Marchessault Ct (cross-checking), 19:16.

2nd Period-2, Bridgeport, de Haan 2 (Marcinko), 6:19. 3, Bridgeport, Colliton 4 (Donovan), 17:42. Penalties-Voros Ct (slashing), 3:11; Cizikas Bri (slashing), 11:08; Voros Ct (goaltender interference), 13:10; served by Romano Bri (bench minor – too many men), 19:17.

3rd Period-4, Bridgeport, Cizikas 4 (Colliton, Wishart), 2:12 (PP). 5, Connecticut, Audy-Marchessault 7 (Grant, McKelvie), 4:10. 6, Bridgeport, Wallace 8 (Howes), 9:26. 7, Bridgeport, Howes 2 11:39. 8, Connecticut, Tessier 1 (Audy-Marchessault), 13:37 (PP). Penalties-Voros Ct (holding), 1:21; Owens Ct (interference), 1:48; Tanski Ct (fighting), 6:14; Romano Bri (fighting), 6:14; Grant Ct (charging, fighting), 6:59; Gallant Bri (fighting, misconduct – continuing altercation), 6:59; Cizikas Bri (slashing), 12:17; Riley Bri (interference), 17:42.

Shots on Goal-Connecticut 8-6-8-22. Bridgeport 6-12-10-28.
Power Play Opportunities-Connecticut 1 / 6; Bridgeport 1 / 7.
Goalies-Connecticut, Talbot 6-3-0 (25 shots-19 saves); Johnson 4-3-2 (3 shots-3 saves). Bridgeport, Poulin 5-5-0 (22 shots-20 saves).
A-5,864
Referees-Jean Hebert (43).
Linesmen-Luke Galvin (2), Derek Wahl (46)

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

New York, November 24, 2011 – New York Rangers President and General Manager Glen Sather announced today that the club has recalled forwards Carl Hagelin and John Mitchell from the Connecticut Whale of the American Hockey League (AHL).

Hagelin, 23, tallied the primary assist on the shorthanded, game-tying goal with 1:11 remaining in regulation in Connecticut’s 3-2 overtime win vs. Portland yesterday.  He has registered seven goals and six assists for 13 points, along with six penalty minutes in 17 games this season.  Hagelin is currently tied for first on the team in goals, tied for second in points and tied for fifth in assists.  The AHL rookie also leads the team with a plus-12 rating, and is tied for first on the Whale with one shorthanded goal.  Hagelin is tied for 10th among AHL rookies in scoring and is tied for sixth in goals, while his plus-12 rating is tied for second in the league overall.  Hagelin posted a season-high, five-game point streak from November 4 vs. St. John’s to November 18 vs. Bridgeport (four goals, two assists), including a four-game goal streak during the stretch.

The Sodertalje, Sweden native was originally selected as the Rangers’ sixth round choice, 168th overall, in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft.

Mitchell, 26, tallied two assists, including one on the overtime game-winner, in Connecticut’s 3-2 overtime win vs. Portland yesterday.  He has registered seven goals and seven assists for 14 points, along with 20 penalty minutes in 17 games this season.  Mitchell currently leads Connecticut in scoring, is tied for first in goals and tied for second in assists.  He is also tied for second on the Whale in power play goals (two) and tied for third in shots on goal (38).  Mitchell has registered four multi-point performances, including a three-point effort on October 21 vs. Manchester (one goal, two assists).

The Oakville, Ontario native was originally selected as Toronto’s fifth round choice, 158th overall, in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft.  He was acquired by the Rangers from Toronto in exchange for a seventh round pick in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft on February 28, 2011.

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

By Brian Ring

Hartford, CT, November 23, 2011 – Brendan Bell’s second overtime goal in less than a week led the Connecticut Whale to a 3-2 victory over the Portland Pirates Wednesday night in Hartford.

Whale defenseman Tim Erixon assisted on all three of the team’s goals in the game, helping Connecticut to their third straight victory, all three wins coming either in overtime or the shootout. For the second straight game, the Whale rallied from a 2-0 deficit to win.

“It speaks to their character that they’re willing to fight right to the end there,” said Whale head coach Ken Gernander. “These guys push hard and pay the price to get the job done.”

The first period was scoreless, despite the Whale being outshot, 13-8, by the Pirates.  Connecticut had the better chances, but Portland goaltender Curtis McElhinney (33 saves) was up to the task, as he turned away numerous opportunities while helping to kill a Chris Summers penalty.

Evan Bloodoff scored the first goal of the game, putting the Pirates in the lead at 8:14 of the second period. Bloodoff rushed up the sideboards before cutting in at the circles and snapping a shot past Whale goaltender Cam Talbot’s (25 saves) blocker side. The goal was the first professional point for Bloodoff, who spent the last five seasons with the Kelowna Rockets of the WHL. Michael Stone and McElhinney both received assists on the goal.

The Pirates extended the lead to 2-0 at 13:43, as Ashton Rome buried a Summers rebound to Talbot’s left. The goal was Rome’s third of the season.

Blake Parlett got the Whale on the board and cut the visitors’ lead to 2-1 with just under three minutes remaining in the second period. John Mitchell curled around the Portland net, finding an open Parlett in the left circle, and Parlett wristed the puck past McElhinney. Erixon earned the secondary assist on the goal.

Jonathan Audy-Marchessault tied the game for the Whale with a shorthanded tally with just 1:11 remaining in the third period to send the match to overtime. Carl Hagelin’s backhand bid was kicked out to Audy-Marchessault, who persistently whacked at the loose puck until it went in the goal.

The Whale caught a break in overtime, when the Pirates’ Nick Ross was nabbed for hooking 1:44 into the extra period. With the man-advantage, Erixon quarterbacked the Whale power-play, his shot hitting McElhinney but bouncing right onto Bell’s stick with a virtually empty net. Bell settled the puck and put it in for the game-winner, his third goal of the season, for a 3-2 final score.

“He’s got good hands, there’s a lot in that package there,” said Gernander of Bell. “That’s one of the areas where it showed tonight.”

“I wanted to make sure I really buried it,” said Bell. “I took my time and tried to get it back there as quick as I could.”

Erixon earned his third helper of the night on the goal, with Mitchell notching his second assist.

The Whale will return to action after the Thanksgiving break with a pair of road tilts, taking on the Bridgeport Sound Tigers Friday night (7:00) in GEICO Connecticut Cup action, before facing the Springfield Falcons Saturday night at the MassMutual Center (7:00). Connecticut will return home next Tuesday, when the Whale plays host to the Hershey Bears (7:00).

To continue reading, click on the read more button if you’re on the home page.

Portland Pirates 2 at Connecticut Whale 3 (OT)
Wednesday, November 23, 2011 – XL Center Veterans Memorial Coliseum

Portland 0 2 0 0 – 2
Connecticut 0 1 1 1 – 3

1st Period- No Scoring. Penalties-Voros Ct (high-sticking), 8:23; Audy-Marchessault Ct (interference), 11:24; Summers Por (roughing), 16:24; Hagelin Ct (goaltender interference), 17:37.

2nd Period-1, Portland, Bloodoff 1 (Stone, McElhinney), 8:14. 2, Portland, Rome 3 (Summers, Bloodoff), 13:43. 3, Connecticut, Parlett 2 (Mitchell, Erixon), 17:08. Penalties-Long Por (tripping), 3:11; Valentenko Ct (interference), 8:32; Audy-Marchessault Ct (hooking), 11:31; Mitchell Ct (holding), 19:20.

3rd Period-4, Connecticut, Audy-Marchessault 6 (Hagelin, Erixon), 18:49 (SH). Penalties-Summers Por (holding), 3:08; Bickel Ct (tripping), 11:48; Rome Por (slashing), 15:05; Bouchard Ct (slashing), 17:10.

OT Period-5, Connecticut, Bell 3 (Erixon, Mitchell), 3:29 (PP). Penalties-Ross Por (hooking), 1:44.

Shots on Goal-Portland 13-9-3-2-27. Connecticut 8-9-16-3-36.
Power Play Opportunities-Portland 0 / 8; Connecticut 1 / 5.
Goalies-Portland, McElhinney 4-7-0 (36 shots-33 saves). Connecticut, Talbot 6-2-0 (27 shots-25 saves).
A-3,482
Referees-Mark Lemelin (41), Geno Binda (22).
Linesmen-Marty Demers (79)

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

By Bruce Berlet

Tim Erixon has certainly experienced a full gamut of emotions the past two-plus years and especially in the last six weeks.

The Connecticut Whale’s rookie defenseman decided against signing with the Calgary Flames, after being their first-round pick (23^rd overall) in 2009. Faced with the prospect of losing Erixon’s rights before this year’s NHL draft, Flames general manager Jay Feaster traded Erixon and a fifth-round pick to the New York Rangers on June 1, 2011, for prospect forward Roman Horak and two second-round picks in June.

The 20-year-old Erixon couldn’t have chosen a better destination, since his father, Jan, played his 10 NHL seasons on Broadway in 1983-93, getting 57 goals and 159 assists in 556 games while being a top defensive player. After being among the Rangers’ final cuts and seemingly missing a chance to start his NHL career in his native Sweden, All-Star Marc Staal’s continued post-concussion symptoms and former Hartford Wolf Pack defenseman Michael Sauer’s shoulder injury led to Erixon rejoining the Rangers in time to play his first two games before dozens of family and friends in his homeland.

“That was really special for me making my first NHL game in Stockholm,” Erixon said. “They hadn’t got to any of the exhibition games because it was a long trip to Gothenburg, so they came to Stockholm because those were the important games.”

Erixon said he talks to his father in Sweden as often as possible and constantly gets tips on how to improve his game.

To continue reading, click on the read more button below if you’re on the home page.

“That’s always been the case,” said Erixon, who plans to visit his family around Christmas, when the Whale has four days off. “He’s always tried to help me out on the small stuff, nothing major.”

Son also said dad has never applied any pressure, whether while growing up in Skelleftea after being born in Port Chester, N.Y., and moving to Sweden at 2 after Jan retired from the Rangers, or now that Tim is in North America.

“There are always questions about that, but it doesn’t bother me,” Erixon said. “He was a forward, and I was a defenseman. That’s a little different, but I’ve always played the game and always loved the game. It’s a big part of who I am, so I love hockey.”

But not being a goalie, especially when facing his father.

“My last game (as a goalie) as a kid, we were playing against our dads, and my dad probably had a hat trick against me,” Erixon recalled with a smile. “I never played it (goal) again.”

Erixon did excel for the Rangers’ team that finished second in the prospects tournament in Traverse City, Mich., before training camp while playing alongside rugged Dylan McIlrath, the Rangers’ first-round pick (10^th overall) in 2010. Erixon also more than held his own in six preseason games before his demotion and quick promotion. He was scoreless and minus-2 in nine games on the Rangers’ youthful defense, and was reassigned to the Whale after a 5-4 shootout loss to the Ottawa Senators on Oct. 29. Rangers coach John Tortorella said he firmly believed Erixon “is going to be a really good player for a long time in this organization” but decided to have him make a return trip to Hartford.

“We don’t want to screw this up,” Tortorella said of Erixon’s growth process. “He’s very important for the organization, and we’re really concerned that we do not want to hinder his development. He had a good camp and improved each day, but he still needs to go through the process. It’s a very difficult thing to step into a National Hockey League team as a defenseman and play. We felt the most important thing was get him playing immediately, get him more used to the North American style.”

Tortorella hopes Erixon develops similar to Ryan McDonagh, who needed an adjustment period a year ago at the start of his rookie season with the Wolf Pack, after leaving the University of Wisconsin following his junior year. McDonagh played 38 games in Hartford before joining the Rangers on Jan. 3, switching places with Michael Del Zotto. McDonagh had one goal, the winner in the season finale against the New Jersey Devils, and eight assists in 40 games and was plus-16, second on the team to Sauer’s plus-20. McDonagh has now stepped in for Staal on the Rangers’ No. 1 defensive pairing with former Wolf Pack defenseman Dan Girardi.

“I know (Erixon) was disappointed (about his demotion),” Tortorella said, “but this is the best thing for him and it will be the best thing for the organization as he goes through the process.”

Erixon had played three pro seasons with Skellefteå AIK in his hometown, but that was on larger European ice surfaces against less physical opposition. That continued in the Rangers’ final four preseason and first two regular-season games in Europe, then Erixon had to try to adjust to the smaller North American rinks and more straightforward NHL style.

“It’s a faster, more physical game here, but I enjoy the smaller ice,” Erixon said. “I think the game gets more exciting because it’s quicker and you get more scoring chances. It’s a little faster overall.”

The signing of free-agent defenseman Anton Stralman potentially cut into Erixon’s ice time, which isn’t something that he has had to worry about since arriving in Hartford. He is used in all situations – regular shift, usually with the physical, defense-oriented Stu Bickel, who also was a late cut of the Rangers, penalty killing and on the point on the power play.

Erixon feels he has improved every game since joining the Whale.

“I enjoy being a big part of the team and getting a lot of ice time and feel I’m progressing,” said Erixon, who has one goal and four assists in six games. “It’s not a secret that I want to get back to the Rangers, of course, but as long as I’m here, I’m going to try and help the team to win and try to develop.”

The smooth-skating, 6-foot-2, 195-pound Erixon said the Rangers told him to work on “really small stuff, nothing major.” He has already shown he can compete against some of the best players in the world in the Swedish Elite League and while helping Sweden win a silver medal in this year’s World Championships. He also helped his team win silver and bronze medals in the 2009 and 2010 World Junior Championships.

“I just have to keep learning and get more comfortable playing big minutes, and I’m really enjoying it,” he said.

Erixon has focused on improving his defensive play and trying to get more shots through to the net, because he’s sometimes too eager to score.

“When he’s at the point, he’s looking for guys going to the net and sticks for redirects,” Whale coach Ken Gernander said.

Whale assistant coach J.J. Daigneault, who works with the defense and handles much of the power-play work, said Erixon has been a major asset since the prospects tournament and it was “an unbelievable trade” that Rangers president and general manager Glen Sather pulled off to land the projected Top 10 pick in June.

“It brings a lot of youth to our defensive corps, not only with the Rangers but in the organization,” Daigneault said. “The organization has a wealth of good, young defensemen now, and this was a very good addition. From the get-go in Traverse City, you could tell (Erixon) is a highly skilled defenseman with an excellent first pass and unbelievable poise with the puck, both five-on-five and on special teams. He really plays the game like a 10-year veteran.”

Erixon’s development was helped by the two pro seasons in his hometown, but Daigneault said the young defenseman’s play in the prospects tournament was “a real eye-opener” for anyone who had not seen him play. NHL.com writer Mike G. Morreale selected Erixon as one of the top nine players and arguably the best in an event that included center Luke Adam, a member of the winning Buffalo Sabres team after being named AHL Rookie of the Year.

“Erixon played a lot of minutes, maybe 30 a game, and he’s still able to log a lot of ice time,” Daigneault said. “From the get-go, I knew he was a good power-play specialist, but I kind of took my time with him as far as killing penalties. But the past few games, he has been getting part of the penalty kill, and he has responded really well. He’s not extremely physical, but he gets things done with smarts. He closes the gap, angles players, has a good stick and is quick to recover loose pucks.

“Lots of times we get 20-year-olds down here who have to mature physically and basically become a man. Sometimes they just blossom when they’re 23 or 24, especially defensemen. It takes a little bit more time for them. You have to play a lot of hockey, you have to make some mistakes, you have to make some good plays and then you put everything together and all of a sudden you’re an excellent defenseman and you’re not here anymore.”

Daigneault said the 6-foot-2, 190-pound Erixon needs to bulk up a bit, but that there’s no rush because he is very diligent and disciplined and is putting in the extra time to get stronger, something that will come naturally as he gets older.

Daigneault likened Erixon’s situation to that of McDonagh, who was among the final cuts of the Rangers last season and arrived in Hartford more mature physically than Erixon, after playing three years at the University of Wisconsin. But both had to adjust to a new environment, teammates and coaching staff, the structure and the expectations. After switching places with Del Zotto on Jan. 3, McDonagh never returned to Hartford.

“I think the first few games Ryan played in shell a little bit, but it didn’t take him long and now he’s going full bore and looks more comfortable on the ice,” said Daigneault, who practices with a stick with the name of “one of my favorites” on it, McDonagh. “It starts with game conditioning, and I’ve been there, done that. I got sent down when I was 23 to the Sherbrooke Canadiens, and my first 10 games were just blowouts. I wanted things to happen and thought I was working hard, but it wasn’t happening.

“My game conditioning wasn’t that good, so Tim comes from the big team (Rangers) where he plays 10-12 minutes a game. Then we try to give him 20-22 (minutes), but sometimes your body fights it even if you want to go that much. But Tim has played some really good hockey for us, and his best is still ahead of him.”

STREAKING WHALE, PIRATES MEET WEDNESDAY; NEWBURY SUSPENDED

Two streaking teams will face off at the XL Center on Wednesday night.

The Whale (9-4-1-2), coming off their most stirring victory of the season, shoots for a third consecutive win against the Portland Pirates (8-7-0-1), who have won four in a row, all at home, allowing only two goals in each game. But the Whale will be without veteran center Kris Newbury, who received a four-game suspension from the AHL on Tuesday for an illegal check to the head of Bridgeport Sound Tigers wing Justin DiBenedetto in a 3-2 overtime victory Friday night. Newbury, who is fifth on the team in scoring (five goals, five assists) despite missing five games while on recall to the Rangers, practiced Tuesday but will miss games Wednesday, Friday at Bridgeport, Saturday at Springfield and next Tuesday at home against Hershey. DiBenedetto didn’t play for the Sound Tigers on Saturday or Sunday.

With Newbury out, veteran left wing Aaron Voros is expected to make his Whale debut after sitting out two games while working into playing shape after signing a 25-game professional tryout contract on Nov. 15. Voros, 30, has played in 251 AHL games with Albany, Lowell, Houston, Syracuse and Toronto and 162 NHL games with Minnesota, the Rangers and Anaheim, where he was scoreless with 43 penalty minutes last season.

But Voros and the rest of the Whale will be hard pressed to duplicate the team’s best win of the season Sunday. Despite being without flu-ridden co-leading scorer Mats Zuccarello (three goals, nine assists) and their injured top defensive pairing of Wade Redden and Jared Nightingale, the Whale rallied from a two-goal, third-period deficit to beat Providence 3-2 in a shootout. Rookie wing Carl Hagelin (7, 5) didn’t add to his co-leading scorer totals in regulation or overtime, but did notch the winning goal in the first extra round of the shootout to make a winner of Cam Talbot, who allowed only two power-play goals to improve to 5-1-1-0 with a 2.54 goals-against average, .903 save percentage and one shutout. The others who share the Whale scoring lead are veteran center John Mitchell (7, 5), who also scored in the shootout, and rookie forward Jonathan Audy-Marchessault (5, 7).

Also of significance Sunday were the Whale’s two goals in regulation coming from defenseman Brendan Bell, who scored with only 6.8 seconds left in overtime to beat Bridgeport on Friday night, and versatile forward Jordan Owens, noted more for his defense and tenacity than scoring, off a rebound with 1:57 left in regulation. The Whale rallied by firing 19 of their 35 shots at Anton Khudobin in the third period, which was only one fewer than the Bruins had in the game. The Whale is now 2-2-0-1 when trailing after two periods, which is far above the normal.

“It was encouraging that on a night where not everything was clicking, the guys found a way to grind it out,” Whale coach Ken Gernander said. “They persevered and had a real strong third period when you’re looking at 19 shots to five. That’s a good sign because you could have just said, ‘Hey, it’s not our night, it’s Sunday afternoon, whatever,’ but we tied it with two minutes to go. It’s good to see guys get rewarded for hard work and good play.”

The comeback win enabled the Whale to reclaim first place in the Northeast Division, but they are only one point ahead of Bridgeport, Albany and Springfield, which has won three in a row since the return from the parent Columbus Blue Jackets of former Hartford Wolf Pack wing Alexandre Giroux and rookie wing/Greenwich native Cam Atkinson, who starred at Avon Old Farms and Boston College, where he helped the Eagles win two national championships.

The Pirates, who are above .500 after starting 4-7-0-1, are led by rookie center and 2011 Hobey Baker Award winner Andy Miele (five goals, 10 assists), right wings Mathieu Beaudoin (4, 7) and Ryan Duncan (4, 7), defenseman Nathan Oystrick (4, 6) and center Brock Trotter (3, 7), acquired with a fifth-round pick in 2012 by the Phoenix Coyotes from the Montreal Canadiens for forward Petteri Nokelainen and defenseman Garrett Stafford on Oct. 23. The Pirates have veteran goalies Justin Pogge (3-1-0-1, 2.37 goals-against average, .911 save percentage) and Curtis McElhinney (4-6-0-0, 3.43, .895).

This is the first of eight meetings between the Pirates and Whale, who will be seeking to avenge a first-round playoff loss in April. The Whale will give 5,000 fans a team rally towel, sponsored by Xfinity, and will also give away a Wii and tickets to the upcoming “Jingle Jam,” starring Drake, courtesy of CBS Radio.

The Whale completes Thanksgiving week with games at Bridgeport and Springfield on Friday night and Saturday nights, with both games starting at 7 p.m.

Before their dramatic win over the Sound Tigers, the Whale lost two-goal leads in the first two GEICO Connecticut Cup meetings in a 5-4 shootout loss in Hartford on Oct. 15 and 4-3 overtime defeat in Bridgeport on Nov. 2, as wing Tim Wallace scored his only pro hat trick. The Sound Tigers (9-7-2-0) lost wing David Ullstrom, their co-leading scorer (12 goals, two assists), to his first recall to the parent New York Islanders on Sunday. Ullstrom had just completed a run of seven straight games with a goal, one shy of Jeff Tambellini’s team record, including the Sound Tigers’ two goals in the loss to the Whale. Ullstrom made his NHL debut Monday night in the Islanders’ 5-0 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins and captain Sidney Crosby, who made his season debut.

The top remaining scorer for Sound Tigers’ first-year coach Brent Thompson, a former Hartford Wolf Pack defenseman, is Wallace (6, 8), followed by left wings DiBenedetto (9, 4) and Casey Cizikas (3, 9), center and captain Jeremy Colliton (3, 7) and former Wolf Pack defenseman Dylan Reese (1, 9). Kevin Poulin (4-5-0-0, 3.66, .884) is the Sound Tigers’ top remaining goalie after Swedish rookie Anders Nilsson (5-2-0-0, 2.86, .908) was called up for the first time by the Islanders after Evgeni Nabokov was placed on injured reserve with a groin injury sustained in a 4-3 victory over the Canadiens on Thursday night. Former Wolf Pack goalie Al Montoya was already sidelined with a strained hamstring and was placed on IR on Sunday, retroactive to last Tuesday. In need of a backup goalie, Bridgeport signed former Sound Tigers, Wolf Pack and Rangers goalie Steve Valiquette to a 25-game tryout contract on Saturday.

The Whale won the first two meetings with the Falcons (10-7-0-0) in a home-and-home set Oct. 22-23. Former All-Star center Martin St. Pierre leads the Falcons in scoring (five goals, 16 assists) and plus-minus (plus-10), followed by left wing Nick Drazenovic (four goals, 13 assists), Atkinson (8, 4), center Ryan Russell (8, 2), the Rangers’ seventh-round pick in 2005 who never played in the organization before being traded to the Canadiens in 2007, and former Wolf Pack left wing and captain Dane Byers (4, 6). Byers won’t play because he was given a two-game suspension Tuesday because of an illegal check to the head in a 7-2 victory at Providence on Friday night. Byers will miss Friday’s game at Adirondack and Saturday’s game against the Whale. Giroux has six goals and three assists in only six games with the Falcons after spending most of the season with the Blue Jackets. Audy-Marchessault has two goals and two assists against the Falcons, while St. Pierre and Wade MacLeod have scored against the Whale for the Falcons, who host Adirondack on Friday night.

The Whale completes their weekend with their annual Bowl-a-Thon to benefit Special Olympics Connecticut on Sunday at the AMF Silver Lanes, 241 Silver Lane in East Hartford. There will be shifts from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 2 to 3:30 p.m., with a team of four paired with one Whale player for a minimum donation of $200 for two games. There also will be chances to win prizes, including hockey memorabilia, restaurant gift cards, apparel and more. To register, call 877-660-6667, visit www.soctbowlathon.com or enter at the door. … Goalie Dov Grumet-Morris, the Wolf Pack/Whale’s MVP and a second-team All-ECHL selection last season, has returned to the AHL with the San Antonio Rampage. He started the season with Lorenskog in Norway. … Defenseman Alexei Vasiliev, who played with the Calder Cup champion Wolf Pack in 1999-2000, has signed with Torpedo Novgorod in the Kontinental Hockey League in Russia after not re-signing with Yaroslavl Lokomotiv in the KHL after playing for the ill-fated team for 10 seasons. … Someone was still so excited about the Whale’s last-second win Friday night that the score and remaining time was back on the XL Center scoreboards after games the University of Connecticut men’s and women’s basketball teams played on Sunday and Monday night. The time was one-tenth of a second off, but who’s counting. It was still mighty exciting to see Bell successfully play beat the clock. … The Greenville Road Warriors, the Whale’s ECHL affiliate, had their first alum play in the NHL on Monday night when defenseman Marc-Andre Bourdon played for the Philadelphia Flyers in a 4-2 to the Carolina Hurricanes. Bourdon, a third-round pick of the Flyers in 2008, was plus-1 in 15:49 of ice time.

PANTHERS CONTINUE TO SURGE UNDER DINEEN

Former Hartford Whalers star right wing and captain Kevin Dineen, the frontrunner for NHL Coach of the Year, was delighted after his upstart Florida Panthers rallied from a three-goal deficit to a 4-3 victory over the New Jersey Devils and future Hall of Fame goalie Martin Brodeur on Monday night.

Kris Versteeg had two goals and one assist, Stephen Weiss had a shorthanded goal and two assists and was plus-4, and each helped set up Tomas Fleischmann’s winner with 2:03 left.

“I didn’t think he was very good tonight,” Dineen said of Fleischmann. “I thought he was trying to jump into spots late, but he has an incredible ability to find moments, and he certainly provided a big one for us tonight.”

The loss spoiled the return of Devils coach Peter DeBoer, who was fired by the Panthers on April 10 after three seasons and replaced by Dineen on May 31.

“We got what we deserved,” DeBoer said.

Meanwhile, the comeback, which tied the best in franchise history, kept the Panthers (10-6-3) in first place in the Southeast Division and tied with Philadelphia for second in the Eastern Conference. Last season, the Panthers finished 30-40-12 (72 points), last in the Eastern Conference and third worst in the NHL, ahead of only Edmonton (25-45-12, 62 points) and Colorado (30-44-8, 68 points). … Former Wolf Pack and Rangers wing Lauri Korpikoski had two goals, including on a penalty shot after being interfered with on a short-handed breakaway, and former Wolf Pack and Rangers goalie Jason LaBarbera made 31 saves, but the Washington Capitals rallied from a two-goal deficit to beat the Phoenix Coyotes 4-3 Monday night. Nicklas Backstrom scored early in the third period to tie it and then set up Brooks Laich’s power-play goal as the Capitals ended a four-game losing streak. The victory was the 200^th in the NHL career of Bruce Boudreau, who took over the Capitals in November 2007, promoted from AHL affiliate Hershey when Washington fired Glen Hanlon on Thanksgiving Day. … The HBO cameras rolled into the Rangers’ practice facility in Greenburgh, N.Y., on Monday for the network’s NHL Winter Classic preview “24/7” series. Former Wolf Pack players Ryan Callahan, the Rangers’ captain, and Dan Girardi, an alternate captain, wore microphones during practice. The Rangers face the Flyers at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia on Jan. 2 in the fifth Winter Classic. They’re at Florida on Wednesday night to challenge Dineen’s feisty Panthers.

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