By Brian Ring

Bridgeport, CT, November 2, 2011 – The Connecticut Whale fell to the Bridgeport Sound Tigers Wednesday afternoon, 4-3 in overtime, at the Webster Bank Arena at Harbor Yard.

The Sound Tigers’ Tim Wallace tallied a hat-trick in the game, including the overtime winner, to lead Bridgeport to a come-from-behind win. The Whale received two goals and an assist from rookie Jonathan Audy-Marchessault.

The defeat snapped the Whale’s five-game winning-streak, but Connecticut did gain at least a standings point for the ninth consecutive game (7-0-0-2).

“It’s 3-1 and you’re giving up odd-man chances, that’s no good,” said Whale head coach Ken Gernander.

“We were feeling good about ourselves going into the third period,” said Whale forward John Mitchell. It’s a couple mental lapses that ended up costing us the third period and eventually in overtime.”

The Sound Tigers had opened up the scoring with Wallace’s first goal of the season, as his wrist shot snuck past Whale goaltender Cam Talbot (27 saves) just 4:06 into the first period. Justin DiBenedetto and Dylan Reese assisted on the goal.

Audy-Marchessault tied the game 7:16 into the first, after breaking into the offensive end on a two-on-one with Mats Zuccarello. Zuccarello’s pass across the slot fooled Bridgeport goaltender Kevin Poulin (33 saves) and allowed Audy-Marchessault to beat the backstop high to glove side. Tim Erixon also assisted on the goal, his first AHL point coming in his first game with the Whale after starting the season with the parent New York Rangers.

The Whale took a 2-1 lead on Mitchell’s snap-shot at 16:32 of the period, his shot from the left circle beating Poulin high to the stick side. Audy-Marchessault tallied his second point of the afternoon with an assist on the goal.

Audy-Marchessault struck again with his second goal and third point of the game just 38 seconds into the final frame, scoring off of another quality pass from Zuccarello. The Whale’s first successful power-play conversion of the game gave them a 3-1 lead.

Wallace cut the Connecticut lead to 3-2 midway through the period with his second goal of the game, his shot going over the left pad of Talbot. Cizikas and DiBenedetto registered the assists on the score.

The equalizer finally came at 13:17, when Bridgeport’s David Ullstrom put his fifth goal of the season up and over Talbot, after the Whale had failed to get the puck out of their zone along the boards.

Wallace netted the game-winner, his third of the game, at 3:12 of overtime, breaking in on a three-on-one and ripping a shot past Talbot.  That came just after a Whale power play had expired.

During the game, it was announced that the Whale’s Chad Johnson has been selected as the Reebok/AHL Goaltender of the Month for October. Johnson made five October appearances and went 3-0-2, tying for the league lead among qualified goalies in both goals-against average (1.69) and save percentage (.942).

The Whale will finally return home this Friday, when Connecticut hosts the brand-new St. John’s IceCaps at the XL Center (7:00) on “Power Ghouls” night. The Whale will be hosting a special on-ice Halloween costume parade and offering  a buy-one get-one ticket deal to fans who come to the game in costume. CL&P employees who present their company ID at the Public Power Ticket Office at the XL Center will also be extended the buy-one-get-one-free offer on Upper Level tickets for Friday night.

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

Connecticut Whale 3 at Bridgeport Sound Tigers 4 (OT)
Wednesday, November 2, 2011 – Webster Bank Arena

Connecticut 1 1 1 0 – 3
Bridgeport 1 0 2 1 – 4

1st Period-1, Bridgeport, Wallace 1 (DiBenedetto, Reese), 4:06. 2, Connecticut, Audy-Marchessault 3 (Zuccarello, Erixon), 7:16. Penalties-Redden Ct (high-sticking), 10:58; Gillies Bri (roughing), 13:44; served by Romano Bri (bench minor – too many men), 17:16.

2nd Period-3, Connecticut, Mitchell 3 (Audy-Marchessault), 13:32. Penalties-Niederreiter Bri (hooking), 6:34; Nightingale Ct (delay of game), 14:30; Bickel Ct (fighting), 17:22; Haley Bri (fighting), 17:22; Backman Bri (hooking), 19:27.

3rd Period-4, Connecticut, Audy-Marchessault 4 (Zuccarello, Mitchell), 0:38 (PP). 5, Bridgeport, Wallace 2 (Cizikas, DiBenedetto), 9:24. 6, Bridgeport, Ullstrom 5 (Wishart), 13:17. Penalties-No Penalties

OT Period-7, Bridgeport, Wallace 3 (Cizikas, Reese), 3:22. Penalties-Wishart Bri (high-sticking), 0:50.

Shots on Goal-Connecticut 11-8-14-3-36. Bridgeport 11-9-10-1-31.
Power Play Opportunities-Connecticut 1 / 5; Bridgeport 0 / 2.
Goalies-Connecticut, Talbot 3-2-0 (31 shots-27 saves). Bridgeport, Poulin 2-3-0 (36 shots-33 saves).
A-7,696
Referees-Jamie Koharski (84).
Linesmen-Marty Demers (79), Kevin Redding (16).

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

HARTFORD, November 1, 2011:  No Halloween? No power? The Connecticut Whale has announced today a special “Power Ghouls” Night home game this Friday, November 4 against the St. John’s Ice Caps, complete with an on-ice costume parade and a special buy-one-get-one-free ticket with costume.

“We hope your family is warm and safe until your power is restored. To help give Whale fans a brief respite we’re offering a place for your family to warm up, while enjoying the first-place Connecticut Whale,” said Howard Baldwin, Jr, President & COO, Whalers Sports & Entertainment. “With most towns postponing trick-or-treating activities because of the snowstorm, this will be an extra opportunity for fans of all ages to dress up and come out and have some fun.”

Friday night’s game will feature a Halloween costume parade on the ice during the first intermission, and prizes will be awarded for best kid’s costume and best adult’s costume.  Also, fans who come in costume can take advantage of a buy-one-get-one-free offer on Upper Level tickets for Friday’s game.  That discount is available for both kids’ and adults’ tickets, through the Public Power Ticket Office at the XL Center only.

“This the Whale’s only home game in a span of almost four weeks, so with the team off to a great start, we hope a lot of folks will want to join us at the XL Center for an enjoyable night,” Baldwin, Jr. said.

As a thank-you to Connecticut Light & Power workers, who have worked so exhaustively to remedy the power-outage problems around the state, CL&P employees who present their company ID at the Public Power Ticket Office at the XL Center will also be extended the buy-one-get-one-free offer on Upper Level tickets for Friday night.

Faceoff for Friday’s game between the Whale and the IceCaps is 7:00 PM at the XL Center, and tickets to all 2011-12 Whale home games are on sale now at the Public Power Ticket Office at the XL Center, as well as on-line at www.ctwhale.com and through TicketMaster Charge-by-phone at 1-800-745-3000.

Save on your tickets, and get the best seats, with a ticket plan for the Whale’s 2011-12 AHL campaign, which are on sale now. For information on season seats and mini plans, visit www.ctwhale.com, or call the CT Whale ticket office at (860) 728-3366 to talk with an account executive today.

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

New York, November 1, 2011 – New York Rangers President and General Manager Glen Sather announced today that forward Sean Avery has been recalled from the Connecticut Whale of the American Hockey League (AHL).

Avery, 31, tallied a goal in his season debut with Connecticut on October 28 at Adirondack after missing the first seven games of the season due to a shoulder injury.  He has registered one goal, along with seven penalty minutes and 11 shots on goal in two games this season.  Avery returns to the Rangers where he has registered 42 goals and 78 assists for 120 points, along with 580 penalty minutes in 249 games over five seasons.  The Rangers have posted a record of 129-89-31 with him in the lineup since originally being acquired on February 5, 2007.

The Pickering, Ontario native was acquired by the Rangers with John Seymour from Los Angeles, in exchange for Jason Ward, Marc-Andre Cliché and Jan Marek on February 5, 2007.  New York re-acquired Avery on March 3, 2009, claiming him off re-entry waivers from Dallas.  He was originally signed as a free agent by Detroit on September 21, 1999.

The Rangers practice schedule for tomorrow, November 2, is 11:00 a.m. at the MSG Training Center.

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

Photo credit:  Getty Images

HARTFORD, October 31, 2011:  Whalers Sports and Entertainment announced today that the Connecticut Whale’s game this Wednesday, November 2 in Bridgeport, which features a special morning start time of 11:00 AM, will be broadcast on “Beethoven Radio” WCCC-AM 1290.

The pregame show, with the voice of the Whale, Bob Crawford, will hit the air on Beethoven Radio at 10:50 on Wednesday for this GEICO Connecticut Cup matchup.

The Whale are back on home ice at the XL Center this Friday night, November 4, when the new St. John’s IceCaps make their first-ever visit to Hartford for a 7:00 game.  For that battle, Whale “Rockin’ Hockey” action will return to “The Rock” 106.9 WCCC-FM.

Tickets to all 2011-12 Whale home games are on sale now at the Public Power Ticket Office at the XL Center, as well as on-line at www.ctwhale.com and through TicketMaster Charge-by-phone at 1-800-745-3000.

Save on your tickets, and get the best seats, with a ticket plan for the Whale’s 2011-12 AHL campaign, which are on sale now. For information on season seats and mini plans, visit www.ctwhale.com, or call the CT Whale ticket office at (860) 728-3366 to talk with an account executive today.

New York, October 30, 2011 – New York Rangers President and General Manager Glen Sather announced today that the club has recalled forward Andre Deveaux from the Connecticut Whale of the American Hockey League (AHL).

Deveaux, 27, notched a power play goal in a 3-2 shootout win at Worcester yesterday, and has registered six points (four goals, two assists) and 23 penalty minutes in nine games with Connecticut this season.

He leads the team and is tied for fifth in the AHL in power play goals (three), and is tied for first on Connecticut in goals and second in points.

Deveaux recorded a four-game scoring streak from October 14 at Albany to October 22 at Springfield, tallying five points (three goals, two assists) over the span.

He made his Connecticut debut on October 8 at Adirondack, and registered his first point as a Whale with a goal on October 14 at Albany.

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.

NOTE: According to Blueshirts United, the Rangers sent Tim Erixon and Kris Newbury back to the Whale on Saturday night.

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

By Brian Ring

Worcester, MA, October 29, 2011 – The Connecticut Whale defeated the Worcester Sharks, 3-2  in a shootout, Saturday night at the DCU Center in Worcester, MA. Sean Avery provided the shootout winner for Connecticut, who won their fifth straight game. The Whale has earned at least a point in the standings in eight straight contests (6-0-0-2).

The first two periods of game saw no scoring by either team, but a back-and-forth third period would give way to an exciting overtime and shootout.

“They got a big power-play goal to take the lead and then we answered back with one of our own,” said Whale head coach Ken Gernander. “We had pretty good success in the shootout to get the extra point.”

The first period saw little offense, with the Whale outshooting the Sharks by a 9-4 margin. Connecticut was afforded a pair of power-plays within the first half of the frame, but they could not capitalize against Worcester goaltender Tyson Sexsmith (27 saves). The Sharks had one power-play in the period on an Avery unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, but the Whale defense did not allow many chances on netminder Chad Johnson (26 saves).

Neither team would score in the second either, despite Connecticut piling up 22 shots through two periods to Worcester’s ten. Sexsmith continued to get quite a bit of action at his end of the ice, but his efforts managed to keep both teams scoreless entering what would be a wild third period.

Andreas Thuresson put the Whale on the board first at 5:01 of the third, wristing a shot past a screened Sexsmith from the top of the left circle. Thuresson’s third goal of the season came unassisted.

The Sharks tied it 12:40 into the period, as a broken-up pass turned into a chance for Cam McIntyre, who managed to put the puck past Johnson. Tommy Wingels and Brandon Mashinter both assisted on the equalizer.

Worcester took a temporary 2-1 lead just moments later on the power-play, with Stu Bickel off for cross-checking. Matt Irwin’s third goal of the season beat Johnson from the left point high to his glove side for the Sharks’ first lead of the night.

It was short-lived, as Andre Deveaux scored his fourth goal of the year, on the power-play, to knot the game up for Connecticut. Deveaux planted himself in front of Sexsmith, fighting off the Worcester defense to put a loose puck past the Sharks’ goaltender. Brendan Bell and Wade Redden assisted on Deveaux’s goal, for Bell it was his fourth helper in four games in a Whale uniform.

Neither team could find the back of the net the rest of the way and overtime proved scoreless, so the two teams headed to the shootout to break their 2-2 tie.

The shootout was tied at two goals each after five rounds, with Mats Zuccarello and Thuresson both scoring for the Whale. Wingels tied it for the Sharks in a do-or-die situation, forcing Avery to make his shootout debut for Connecticut. Avery’s nifty move gave the Whale a lead, and Johnson’s subsequent stop on Mashinter gave Connecticut the 3-2 win.

“Early on in the season we came out to good starts and didn’t sustain it, allowed teams to come back on us. As of late, we’ve had a little bit more killer instinct and been able to close games out,” said Gernander. “Tonight, we had a pretty good opportunity to close the game out, we gave them the lead late in the game, but with a good power-play goal we got ourselves back into the game, and like I said, get the extra point.”

The Whale will be back in action Wednesday morning, when they take on the Bridgeport Sound Tigers at the Webster Bank Arena at Harbor Yard in a special school-day game (11:00 AM). Connecticut will finally return home on Friday, when the Whale hosts the brand-new affiliate of the Winnipeg Jets, the St. John’s IceCaps (7:00).

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

Connecticut Whale 3 (SO) at Worcester Sharks 2
Saturday, October 29, 2011 – DCU Center

Connecticut 0 0 2 0 – 3
Worcester 0 0 2 0 – 2

1st Period- No Scoring.Penalties-Acolatse Wor (holding), 4:52; Connolly Wor (interference), 8:14; McKelvie Ct (unsportsmanlike conduct), 13:07.

2nd Period- No Scoring.Penalties-McCarthy Wor (hooking), 0:23; Moore Wor (boarding), 7:02; Avery Ct (slashing), 8:48.

3rd Period-1, Connecticut, Thuresson 3 (Tessier), 5:01. 2, Worcester, MacIntyre 1 (Wingels, Mashinter), 12:40. 3, Worcester, Irwin 3 (Sullivan, Connolly), 14:21 (PP). 4, Connecticut, Deveaux 4 (Bell, Redden), 15:21 (PP). Penalties-Tanski Ct (fighting), 5:41; Moon Wor (fighting), 5:41; Mashinter Wor (goaltender interference), 8:20; Bickel Ct (cross-checking), 12:34; Acolatse Wor (cross-checking), 15:03.

OT Period- No Scoring.Penalties-Nightingale Ct (hooking), 0:55.

Shootout – Connecticut 3 (Zuccarello G, Thuresson G, Mitchell NG, Audy-Marchessault NG, Bell NG, Avery G), Worcester 2 (Connolly NG, Reid NG, Guite G, Acolatse NG, Wingels G, Mashinter NG).
Shots on Goal-Connecticut 9-13-7-0-1-30. Worcester 4-6-18-2-0-30.
Power Play Opportunities-Connecticut 1 / 6; Worcester 1 / 4.
Goalies-Connecticut, Johnson 3-0-2 (30 shots-28 saves). Worcester, Sexsmith 2-0-2 (29 shots-27 saves).
A-2,639
Referees-Chris Brown (86).
Linesmen-Brian MacDonald (72), Bob Paquette (18).

By Brian Ring

Glens Falls, NY, October 28, 2011 – The Connecticut Whale defeated the Adirondack Phantoms, 4-2, Friday night at the Glens Falls Civic Center. The win was the fourth straight for the Whale, who moved into first place in the Northeast Division with their triumph over the Phantoms.

The Whale took the first lead of the game while shorthanded, after Carl Hagelin was flagged for slashing at 12:45 of the first period. Kelsey Tessier and Jordan Owens broke into the Phantoms’ zone on a two-on-one, with Tessier sliding the puck to Owens, who had a wide open net against Adirondack goaltender Michael Leighton (27 saves). Brendan Bell earned the secondary assist on the goal, his second point in three games with the Whale.

The Phantoms tied the game up just 28 seconds later on the Hagelin power-play, when Eric Wellwood wired a shot past Connecticut goaltender Cam Talbot (27 saves). Tom Sestito registered an assist on the goal in his first game against the Whale this season, as did Leighton.

Connecticut had caught a break earlier in the period, when an apparent Phantoms goal was waved off. Talbot had attempted to cover a loose puck with his blocker, but appeared to push it over the goal line accidently. It was deemed, however, that the official had already blown the whistle.

John Mitchell gave the Whale a 2-1 lead just 46 seconds into the second period, firing a laser of a shot past Leighton. Mitchell entered the offensive end on a three-on-one with Hagelin and Jared Nightingale, but opted to take the shot. Mats Zuccarello assisted on the goal in his first game after sustaining an injury in last Saturday’s game in Springfield.

Owens extended the Connecticut lead to 3-1 at 16:26 of the second period, when he blistered a shot past Leighton from the Phantoms’ blue line for his second goal of the night and the eventual game-winner. Scott Tanski and Pavel Valentenko assisted on the goal.  For Tanski it was his first pro point and for Valentenko, his first point of the season after missing the first two weeks to injury.

The Phantoms closed the Whale lead to 3-2 on a goal from Harry Zolnierczyk scored with just 1:49 remaining in the third with the Whale’s Mitchell in the box. Denis Hamel and Jason Akeson assisted on the score, but Adirondack could not muster the equalizer.

Sean Avery marked his Whale season debut with an empty-net goal with just 32 seconds left in the third period to seal a 4-2 Connecticut victory. Jonathan Audy-Marchessault and Bell assisted on the goal.

The first-place Whale will return to action Saturday night, when they head to Worcester to take on the Sharks at the DCU Center (7:05, “The Rock” 106.9 WCCC-FM). Connecticut will meet the Bridgeport Sound Tigers in a special school-day start time on Wednesday (11:00 AM) at the Webster Bank Arena at Harbor Yard before finally returning home on Fri., Nov. 4, when the Whale will host the brand-new St. John’s IceCaps (7:00).

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

Connecticut Whale 4 at Adirondack Phantoms 2
Friday, October 28, 2011 – Glens Falls Civic Center

Connecticut 1 2 1 – 4
Adirondack 1 0 1 – 2

1st Period-1, Connecticut, Owens 1 (Tessier, Bell), 13:09 (SH). 2, Adirondack, Wellwood 4 (Sestito, Leighton), 13:37 (PP). Penalties-Bourdon Adk (slashing), 8:49; Hagelin Ct (slashing), 12:45; Mitchell Ct (tripping), 14:03; Grant Ct (delay of game), 17:10.

2nd Period-3, Connecticut, Mitchell 2 (Zuccarello), 0:46. 4, Connecticut, Owens 2 (Valentenko, Tanski), 16:26. Penalties-Lauridsen Adk (cross-checking), 7:40; Mitchell Ct (roughing), 9:01; Marshall Adk (roughing), 9:01; Valentenko Ct (boarding), 10:20.

3rd Period-5, Adirondack, Zolnierczyk 4 (Hamel, Akeson), 18:11 (PP). 6, Connecticut, Avery 1 (Audy-Marchessault, Bell), 19:27 (EN). Penalties-Deveaux Ct (double minor – high-sticking), 9:26; Mitchell Ct (cross-checking), 16:35; Avery Ct (fighting), 19:27; Bourdon Adk (fighting), 19:27.

Shots on Goal-Connecticut 9-12-10-31. Adirondack 8-11-10-29.
Power Play Opportunities-Connecticut 0 / 2; Adirondack 2 / 7.
Goalies-Connecticut, Talbot 2-1-0 (29 shots-27 saves). Adirondack, Leighton 4-1-0 (30 shots-27 saves).
A-2,910
Referees-Chris Ciamaga (24).
Linesmen-Robert St. Lawrence (10), Mike Emanatian (69).

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

By Brian Ring

After wrapping up three straight wins last weekend, the Whale will take to the road for a pair of games on Friday and Saturday.

Friday will see Connecticut travel to Glens Falls, NY to take on the Adirondack Phantoms for the second time on the young season, looking to avenge a 6-3 opening night loss to their new Northeast Division rival (7:00). On Saturday (7:05), the Whale will head over to Worcester to meet a traditional rival in the Sharks, who have yet to lose in regulation this year (3-0-0-1).

The Whale had opened up a 3-1 lead over the Phantoms back in the season opener on October 8^th in Glens Falls, but were unable to hold on to the lead in spite of Kris Newbury’s hat trick. Despite being in the same division as the Phantoms, the Whale will face Adirondack just twice more after Friday’s game, so it is crucial for the Whale to pick up points against division opponents when possible.

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

“We know Adirondack’s a good opponent,” said Whale head coach Ken Gernander. “They’re doing well, they’re right at the top of the thing in standings there. You know the lead we had, the start we had was encouraging, and it was kind of symptomatic of our team early on that we couldn’t maintain those leads, but since then I hope we’ve got it rectified and it will be a good contest. “

The Whale did fail to maintain leads in that contest and also against Albany and Bridgeport so far this season, but this past weekend’s action would seem to indicate a turnaround. Connecticut cut down on penalties during a 5-0 drubbing of the Manchester Monarchs last Friday, as well as in a 2-1, come-from-behind victory over the Springfield Falcons on Saturday and a 4-1 win on Sunday. The disciplined Whale were able to maintain pressure on their opponents throughout the weekend, without fumbling their lead.

“Of all the things you can control for the most part, discipline you can control,” explained Gernander.

“Hockey’s hard enough to win games without giving your opponent manpower advantages and taking some of our players out of the flow of the game and overtaxing others. It just encompasses so much, so if we can be disciplined I think it will help a lot of the long run.”

As for what the Whale can expect on Saturday during their first encounter with the Sharks, Worcester brings in a dangerous power-play that has tallied seven goals in just four games this season, making discipline even more crucial. The Sharks also own the league’s number one penalty-killing unit going into Thursday’s action, allowing just one goal so far while short-handed. Impressive rookie Mike Connolly, fresh out of the University of Minnesota-Duluth, may also be a factor, as he has gathered seven points (4-3-7) over his first four professional games.

“They’ve always been kind of a strong opponent and a rival of ours, just given the geographic distance, and we’re familiar with quite a few of the faces on their team and we’ll know what to expect there,” said Gernander. “First time around the league, everybody’s trying to feel each other out.”

As usual, both of this weekend’s games can be heard on “Rockin’ Hockey Radio” on “The Rock”, 106.9 WCCC-FM.  Fans can also watch all of the action on-line at www.ahllive.com.

Following this weekend’s action, the Whale will travel to Bridgeport Wednesday to face the Sound Tigers in GEICO Connecticut Cup action at a special school day start time (11:00 AM). The Whale will finally return home on Friday, Nov. 4, when they will host the new St. John’s IceCaps, top affiliate of the Winnipeg Jets, at the XL Center (7:00).

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

By Brian Ring

A player beginning his professional career after four excellent and high-scoring junior seasons could be expected to struggle and become frustrated when he faces the inevitable challenges that come with the different pace of the American Hockey League.

Whale rookie Jonathan Audy-Marchessault, however, has taken it as a learning experience, one that he has already made strides on. The Cap-Rouge, Que. native entered this season coming off of an outstanding final year for the Quebec Remparts of the QMJHL, having tallied 95 points (40-55-95) in just 68 games with his junior club. Despite the fact that he went undrafted, Audy-Marchessault was readily recognized for his achievements, being named as a First-Team QMJHL All-Star and winning the Bud Light Cup as the league’s player of the year.

As a former teammate of both Ryan Bourque and Kelsey Tessier with Quebec, Audy-Marchessault attracted the interest of the Rangers organization, which signed him to a Whale AHL contract.  Audy-Marchessault was brought in to both the Traverse City Prospects Tournament, and to the Rangers rookie camp and main training camp, to showcase his skills. He impressed enough to earn himself a spot with the Whale, and you would be hard-pressed to find a better fit for him than on a team with two of his prior teammates. Entering any NHL-style training camp can be intimidating, but one run by Rangers head coach John Tortorella could be especially daunting. Ryan Bourque’s prior camp experience, however, helped him to show his fellow rookie the ropes.

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

“It’s been really good [having him and Tessier there],” said Audy-Marchessault. “When I went to Traverse City and to New York, I didn’t know what to expect and Ryan was teaching me a lot about what to do and keep my play simple and give me some confidence. It was really good for me to have Ryan there.”

Whale sophomore Kelsey Tessier went through a similar situation last year, entering his first pro season after spending three and a half seasons with the Remparts. Tessier, a New Brunswick native, helped Audy-Marchessault get accustomed to the Hartford area and as an added bonus speaks fluent French, making Audy-Marchessault’s transition from Quebec City to Connecticut’s capital that much easier.

“When I came to the Whale camp, with Kelsey the first day he gave me a little tour of the city and showed us some buildings that we could live in. They were really good for me,” said Audy-Marchessault.

On-ice production often does not happen instantaneously for players making the leap from junior hockey to the professional ranks, and other than a shootout game-winner against Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in the second game of the season, Audy-Marchessault failed to reach the score sheet. He broke out in a big way this past weekend, however, during a home-and-home set with one of the Whale’s biggest rivals, the Springfield Falcons.

With Connecticut trailing 1-0 to Springfield in Saturday’s game, Audy-Marchessault tapped defenseman Tomas Kundratek’s rebound past Falcons goaltender Dan Taylor for his first professional goal.  That tied the game, which the Whale would eventually go on to win. Audy-Marchessault carried the confidence he gained from breaking his point-scoring drought into the next afternoon’s action, scoring on Springfield’s Manny Legace once and assisting on two other goals in Connecticut’s 4-1 win over the Falcons.

“It felt pretty good,” said Audy-Marchessault of his best weekend as a pro.”When I came here, my first games, I was kind of stressed a little bit and I didn’t know what to expect and I’m getting used to the game a little bit, so this weekend went pretty well for me and for the team. It’s a good weekend but we have to look forward now.”

The 5-9, 175 pound forward is not looking too far ahead, despite his recent success, instead choosing to work on one skill he knows he will have to improve in order to keep advancing in the professional ranks.

“I think it’s my speed,” said Audy-Marchessault. “You always have to improve your speed in your one-on-one battles because here, the guys are bigger and faster. The neutral zone is closing a lot, so you don’t have much space to make plays, but I mean you kind of learn that stuff over the years and with games of experience. It’s going better and better and I think I’m working on it and I think I’ll be good to go forward.”

He will have a wide selection of teammates to try and emulate this season, with the Whale boasting a large number of players that have had a great deal of success at both the AHL and the NHL level. In fact, another even more diminutive sniping forward has been a particular source of help for the rookie.

“There’s really some good examples,” Audy-Marchessault said of his veteran teammates. “When you look at them, they have some good skill, they work always in practice. Like a guy like, it’s only been one week he’s here, but Zuccarello, he’s a pretty nice guy. When I watch those guys that have had success in the past here and in the NHL, NHL games, they are good examples for me.”

Like his fellow rookies in the Whale dressing room, Audy-Marchessault has a unique opportunity this season to play with and learn from veterans like Sean Avery, Wade Redden and Kris Newbury.  Unlike some of his teammates, though,  he also gets to play with some of his junior teammates. The presence of Bourque and Tessier on the Whale can only help to improve the game of not only Audy-Marchessault, but of all three former Remparts stars.

New York, October 25, 2011 – New York Rangers President and General Manager Glen Sather announced today that defenseman Brendan Bell has been assigned to the Connecticut Whale of the American Hockey League (AHL).

Bell, 28, registered two shots on goal in 11:26 of ice time while making his Rangers debut on Saturday at Edmonton.  He returns to Connecticut where he has registered one assist and 12 penalty minutes in two games this season.

The Ottawa, Ontario native was signed by the Rangers as a free agent on August 9, 2011.  He was originally selected by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the third round, 65th overall, in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft.

The Rangers practice schedule for tomorrow, October 26, is 11:00 a.m. at Madison Square Garden.

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