By Brian Ring

Hartford, CT, October 23, 2011 – The Connecticut Whale defeated the Springfield Falcons, 4-1, Sunday afternoon at the XL Center, completing a sweep of their set of three games in three days. The Whale beat Springfield for the second consecutive night, after winning 2-1 at the MassMutual Center Saturday night.

The Whale scored three goals in the second period to open the game up, and rookie Jonathan Audy-Marchessault earned First-Star honors with a goal and two assists on the night.

“It’s key to find your team identity,” said Whale goaltender Chad Johnson after the game. “This weekend we sort of found it in all the games. This weekend, the guys and the lines really relied on each other and trusted each other and stuck together to get the two points.”

The Whale took the lead at 16:35 of the first period, when former Harford Whalers draft pick and Springfield goaltender Manny Legace (27 saves) failed to cover up a Jyri Niemi attempt. Audy-Marchessault picked up the loose puck from beside Legace and put it over the Falcons’ netminder for Audy-Marchessault’s second goal in as many games.

Connecticut managed to escape the period with their lead intact, despite taking three first period penalties.

Blake Parlett extended the Whale lead to 2-0 at 4:01 of the second period on a power play, stuffing a Carl Hagelin chance past Legace for his first goal of the season.

Connecticut struck again just 32 seconds later, when Andreas Thuresson beat Legace to make it a 3-0 game. Tommy Grant and Audy-Marchessault assisted on the goal, giving Audy-Marchessault his first multi-point professional game.

Grant put the Whale ahead 4-0 at 13:24 of the period, as Connecticut struck again on the power-play, this time with Dane Byers in the box. Grant’s initial bid was turned-away by Legace, but Audy-Marchessault picked up another rebound and fed Grant for an easy one-timer.  Stu Bickel also added an assist on the goal.

The Falcons finally got on the board at 14:33 of the third period to close the Whale lead to 4-1, when Greenwich, CT native Cam Atkinson scored his second of the season on a one-time shot against Johnson (27 saves), with the assists going to Martin St. Pierre and Cody Goloubef. That was all the offense the Falcons could muster against Johnson, who kept the Whale steady throughout the night and helped the team’s penalty-kill manage a perfect 7-for-7 performance. Connecticut also withstood a pair of Falcons five-on-three chances.

“I thought we played well through the whole game, we took some penalties but it’s going to happen during a game,” said Johnson. “I thought we did a good job of killing them. It gives your team momentum when you can get through those situations.”

The Whale will now take to the road for three straight games, heading to Glens Falls, NY Friday to take on the Adirondack Phantoms (7:00) and then to Worcester to face the Sharks Saturday (7:05). Connecticut will meet the Bridgeport Sound Tigers in school-day action next Wednesday in Bridgeport (11:00 AM) before finally returning home to host the new St. John’s IceCaps on Friday, Nov. 4 (7:00).

Springfield Falcons 1 at Connecticut Whale 4
Sunday, October 23, 2011 – XL Center Veterans Memorial Coliseum

Springfield 0 0 1 – 1
Connecticut 1 3 0 – 4

1st Period-1, Connecticut, Audy-Marchessault 2 (Niemi), 16:35. Penalties-Joudrey Spr (hooking), 1:57; Byers Spr (tripping), 5:30; Nightingale Ct (high-sticking), 10:33; Mitchell Ct (slashing), 10:46; served by McKelvie Ct (bench minor – too many men), 13:10; Thomas Spr (slashing), 19:15.

2nd Period-2, Connecticut, Parlett 1 (Hagelin), 4:01 (PP). 3, Connecticut, Thuresson 2 (Grant, Audy-Marchessault), 4:33. 4, Connecticut, Grant 1 (Audy-Marchessault, Bickel), 13:24 (PP). Penalties-Deveaux Ct (diving), 0:23; served by MacLeod Spr (bench minor – too many men), 3:21; Calvert Spr (slashing), 9:24; Byers Spr (elbowing), 11:39; Delisle Spr (high-sticking), 14:44; Byers Spr (fighting, misconduct – continuing altercation), 18:41; Bickel Ct (fighting), 18:41; Mair Spr (fighting), 18:52; Deveaux Ct (fighting, misconduct – continuing altercation), 18:52; Owens Ct (interference), 19:48.

3rd Period-5, Springfield, Atkinson 2 (St. Pierre, Goloubef), 14:33. Penalties-Drazenovic Spr (kneeing), 6:19; Russell Spr (fighting), 9:36; Owens Ct (boarding, fighting), 9:36; Bickel Ct (high-sticking), 10:47.

Shots on Goal-Springfield 10-7-11-28. Connecticut 10-18-3-31.
Power Play Opportunities-Springfield 0 / 7; Connecticut 2 / 8.
Goalies-Springfield, Legace 0-2-0 (31 shots-27 saves). Connecticut, Johnson 2-0-2 (28 shots-27 saves).
A-2,764
Referees-Tim Mayer (19), Keith Kaval (40).
Linesmen-Marty Demers (79), Luke Galvin (2).

By Brian Ring

Springfield, MA, October 22, 2011 – The Connecticut Whale defeated the Springfield Falcons, 2-1, Saturday night at the MassMutual Center. The game was the first of twelve between the two teams on the season, and the win was the Whale’s second in a row.

Connecticut’s Mats Zuccarello recorded the game-winning goal late in the third period, giving the Whale the lead in what was a low-scoring and hotly contested game. The Whale scored two goals in the third to rally from a 1-0 deficit.

“It was awesome,” said Whale head coach Ken Gernander. “He’s [Zuccarello] been a big time player for us in just the short two games he’s been with us, but he’s pretty good at generating offense for us.”

The first period was scoreless, despite a number of quality chances for the Whale during a pair of power-play opportunities. Connecticut outshot Springfield, 14-8, and dictated the majority of the play, thanks in part of the physical play of a line made up of Jordan Owens, Scott Tanski and Chris McKelvie.

Springfield netminder Dan Taylor (26 saves) made a number of notable saves to keep the frame scoreless, stopping Jonathan Audy-Marchessault and Blake Parlett on quality chances.

The Falcons took a 1-0 lead at 5:49 of the second period, as Wade MacLeod cut across the crease in front of Whale goaltender Cam Talbot (32 saves), banging the puck in after getting past the Whale defense. Cam Atkinson and Ray Macias both assisted on the goal, with Macias registering his first point with Springfield.

The Whale were outshot in the second period, 15-4, with Talbot keeping Connecticut in the game with several key saves, including a paddle effort at 16:07.

Connecticut tied it at one 2:41 into the third period, when Audy-Marchessault scored his first professional goal. Audy-Marchessault dug in to the right of Taylor and tapped a Tomas Kundratek rebound past the Springfield goaltender for the equalizer. Andre Deveaux also assisted on the goal.

Talbot continued to stand tall in goal for Connecticut, making a flurry of saves on in-close opportunities at the 13:22 mark.

“I felt really well coming off the shutout last night (a 5-0 home win over the Manchester Monarchs), and again the boys played well in front of me and blocked a lot of shots,” said Talbot. “They just kept throwing pucks at the net, pucks were bouncing off of everything and I tried to control my rebounds the best I could.  Sometimes you need to get help from the post and other times you need to get help from your defensemen, and I got a lot of help from both tonight.”

Zuccarello finally gave the Whale a 2-1 lead with 4:53 remaining in the period, with his third goal in two games. Zuccarello was below the goal line when he fired what appeared to be a centering pass, but it deflected off of the goaltender Taylor and in for the go-ahead score. Andreas Thuresson and John Mitchell assisted on the goal.

“I just tried to get it on net and it was a lucky bounce. I’ve done it before,” said a smiling Zuccarello, who admitted that he saw Taylor was a bit far out from the crease and could be vulnerable to a bank shot.

After winning two in a row, the Whale will close out their three games in three days set on Sunday, when they host the Springfield Falcons in an afternoon game at the XL Center (3:00).

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Connecticut Whale 2 at Springfield Falcons 1 – Status: Final
Saturday, October 22, 2011 – MassMutual Center

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

1st Period- No Scoring.Penalties-Regner Spr (tripping), 3:23; Byers Spr (roughing), 11:16.

2nd Period-1, Springfield, MacLeod 1 (Atkinson, Macias), 5:49. Penalties-McKelvie Ct (high-sticking), 8:31; Parlett Ct (delay of game), 9:41.

3rd Period-2, Connecticut, Audy-Marchessault 1 (Kundratek, Deveaux), 2:41. 3, Connecticut, Zuccarello 3 (Thuresson, Mitchell), 15:07. Penalties-Parlett Ct (fighting), 3:10; Mair Spr (fighting), 3:10; Goloubef Spr (high-sticking), 3:20.

Shots on Goal-Connecticut 14-4-10-28. Springfield 8-15-11-34.
Power Play Opportunities-Connecticut 0 / 3; Springfield 0 / 2.
Goalies-Connecticut, Talbot 2-1-0 (34 shots-33 saves). Springfield, Taylor 1-1-0 (28 shots-26 saves).
A-2,757
Referees-Ryan Hersey (46).
Linesmen-Robert St. Lawrence (10), Rich Patry (52).

By Brian Ring

Hartford, CT, October 21, 2011 – The Connecticut Whale defeated the Manchester Monarchs Friday night, 5-0, before 3,272 fans at the XL Center. The Whale received two goals and an assist from forward Mats Zuccarello, who made his first appearance with the club after opening the season with the parent New York Rangers.

“He’s a nifty passer and sees the ice well,” said Whale head coach Ken Gernander of Zuccarello. “He’s a clever player and a lot of fun to watch.”

Goaltender Cam Talbot recorded his first win of the season for the Whale, coming up with a 23-save shutout against the Monarchs.

“To continue on the pace they showed tonight would be in everybody’s best interest,” said Gernander.

The Whale took the lead 8:37 into the first period when Andreas Thuresson backhanded his first goal of the season past Monarchs starting goaltender Martin Jones (22 saves). Thuresson took a quick shot without turning around, the floating shot beating Jones. The score came unassisted.

Connecticut came out strong in the second period while on the power-play, scoring just 42 seconds into the frame’s opening minute to put the Whale up 2-0.  Zuccarello recorded his first goal with the Whale this season, putting the puck past a sprawling Jones. Mitchell and defenseman Blake Parlett each assisted on the goal.

“I’m here to show that I can be a player that can contribute offensively in the NHL,” said Zuccarello. “That’s everybody’s dream down here, to play there, I’ve been there and I know I can play there, I just have to keep doing it here.”

Andre Deveaux extended the Whale lead to 3-0, as the home team again capitalized on the power-play at 7:38. Parlett passed to Wade Redden in the left circle, and he immediately fed Deveaux in the Manchester slot for the easy tip-in. The goal was Deveaux’s third of the season, tying him with Carl Hagelin for the team lead.

Zuccarello struck again at 14:04 with his second goal of the game, putting in a rebound from a seemingly innocuous John Mitchell shot from the top of the circles. Mitchell received the only assist on the goal, his second of the night.

The big period continued at 16:45, when Mitchell made it 5-0. Zuccarello carried the puck across the Manchester blue line before feeding Mitchell, who laced a wrist shot up and over Jones to make it a four-goal period for the Whale.

Jeff Zatkoff made three saves for Manchester in the third period relief of Jones.

The Whale will return to action Saturday night, as they face the Springfield Falcons at the MassMutual Center in the first game of a home-and-home set (7:00). Connecticut will then return home to host the Falcons on Sunday afternoon (3:00) to close out their weekend of three games in three nights.

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Manchester Monarchs 0 at Connecticut Whale 5
Friday, October 21, 2011 – XL Center Veterans Memorial Coliseum

Manchester 0 0 0 – 0
Connecticut 1 4 0 – 5

1st Period-1, Connecticut, Thuresson 1 8:37. Penalties-Grant Ct (hooking), 1:44; Niemi Ct (slashing), 9:48; Bickel Ct (cross-checking), 10:05; Cliche Mch (holding), 12:21; Clune Mch (goaltender interference), 15:31; Bickel Ct (unsportsmanlike conduct), 15:31; Clune Mch (fighting), 17:43; Bickel Ct (fighting), 17:43; Deslauriers Mch (boarding), 19:14.

2nd Period-2, Connecticut, Zuccarello 1 (Mitchell, Parlett), 0:42 (PP). 3, Connecticut, Deveaux 3 (Redden, Parlett), 7:28 (PP). 4, Connecticut, Zuccarello 2 (Mitchell, Hagelin), 14:04. 5, Connecticut, Mitchell 1 (Zuccarello), 16:45. Penalties-Kaunisto Mch (diving), 6:52; Legein Mch (roughing), 14:55; Grant Ct (roughing), 14:55.

3rd Period- No Scoring.Penalties-Deveaux Ct (tripping), 5:16; Muzzin Mch (interference), 6:10; Vey Mch (tripping), 13:10.

Shots on Goal-Manchester 7-8-8-23. Connecticut 12-15-6-33.
Power Play Opportunities-Manchester 0 / 4; Connecticut 2 / 5.
Goalies-Manchester, Jones 3-3-0 (27 shots-22 saves); Zatkoff 0-1-0 (6 shots-6 saves). Connecticut, Talbot 1-1-0 (23 shots-23 saves).
A-3,272
Referees-Jon McIsaac (39).
Linesmen-Paul Simeon (66), Glen Cooke (6)

By Brian Ring

Rookie forward and Ontario native Scott Tanski was all but ready to head to Carleton University to start the season, but the need for an extra body put him directly on a track that would see him start his professional career by cracking the Whale roster.

After spending the last four seasons with the Brampton Battalion of the OHL, Tanski was looking to take the next step towards a professional career by attending the Ottawa school. A phone call would change that quickly, however, as he had caught the eye of Rangers director of player personnel Gordie Clark.

Clark sent Tanski an invite to the big club’s camp, which Tanski attended before joining the Whale camp run by head coach Ken Gernander. The undrafted Tanski then put on a show during the Whale’s four preseason games, a performance that was enough to open the door to the professional career that he had been working so hard for.  That does not mean, however,  that the 21-year-old expected the club’s ultimate decision.

“It’s a dream come true, obviously. It’s not what I expected,” said Tanski. “Obviously I believe in myself, but I came into camp just you know, trying to push as hard as I could and earn a spot on a team.  I wasn’t thinking ahead, I was thinking anything except the present. I went out there every day and tried to give it my all and the coaches liked what they saw and offered me a contract.”

Tanski signed shortly thereafter, making his professional debut in Connecticut’s season opener in Glens Falls, NY against the Adirondack Phantoms. It would be understandable for a player in such a whirlwind situation to need to stop to be able to catch his breath, but Tanski has maintained a steady focus and maturity that should help him along in his rookie season.

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“You’re still learning every day and obviously it’s a change,” said Tanski.  “The boys have been helping me so far and the coaches have been really good giving me insight on what to do.  I’m just trying to go out there every day and keep things simple, be reliable, get pucks in, lay the body, and get some energy because, if I can chip in on the score sheet sometimes, of course, but you know, I have a role on the team and I’ll leave the goal scoring to the guys like Mitchy (John Mitchell) and Marchy (Jonathan Audy-Marchessault) and those guys.”

He will admit, though, that it has been an adjustment from playing near his home in Brampton to moving nearly 500 miles away to the American Hockey League in Hartford, changing everything from his finances to his social life.

“It’s a little different, the guys are older here and all the guys have wives and stuff like that. Back in juniors, as a collective group everyone pretty much would hang out all the time,” said Tanski.

“Here, you have a little more time to reflect, and be on your own. It’s been a while since I’ve been away from home, when I played in Brampton, my home was only 35 minutes away. So being eight hours away from home it’s tough at times, coming from being a teenager and growing into becoming an adult, paying for your own stuff and doing all of these things.”

One of the more fortunate aspects of playing for the Connecticut Whale is the fact that the team is composed of many veterans this season, with Kris Newbury, John Mitchell, Wade Redden and others all starting the season with the team this year. Additionally, NHL veteran Sean Avery was recently sent to the Whale from New York, and another winger Tanski might be wise to model his game after, Dale Weise, attended camp with Tanski prior to being claimed off of waivers by the Vancouver Canucks. Tanski knows that these players are important for him to watch in order to grow both a professional and as a person.

“They’ve [the veterans] definitely had an influence on me coming in,” said Tanski.  “They’re definitely the type of guys that you want to watch, the guys that have been around a long time because they obviously do a lot of things right.

“Coming in, just watching their pregame preparation, just watching how they take care of themselves, it’s unbelievable. You think of some guys that have been in the league for a long time and they still treat me like I’m on a level playing field with them, so they’ve been very helpful. On the ice during situations or in practice if they see something they can work on they come up and let me know and I’m all ears because I want to learn and I want to get better. They’ve been really helpful in that sense, helping me adjust to the city and accepting me right off the bat.”

The quality mix of players that the Whale has this season in terms of grizzled veterans and fresh-faced rookies would seem to bode well for players like Tanski, Carl Hagelin, Ryan Bourque and Audy-Marchessault, all entering their first full professional season. With helpful veterans like Newbury, Redden and Jared Nightingale, among others, taking younger players under their wing, the Whale rookies seem destined to learn and improve as the year goes on

By Bruce Berlet

Sean Avery, wearing a yellow no-contact jersey, skated for the first time in nearly three weeks Wednesday morning in a 50-minute workout with the Connecticut Whale at the XL Center in Hartford.

Avery participated in the entire practice, including special teams drills in which he actually played a little defense on the penalty kill. It was his first ice time since he was injured in his third preseason game with the parent New York Rangers on Sept. 30 in Gothenburg, Sweden. His workout ended with a brief chat with Whale coach Ken Gernander and more treatment on the injury.

Avery and Gernander said they didn’t know if the left wing will play in the Whale’s next game Friday at 7 p.m. at the XL Center against the Manchester Monarchs.

“I think I could probably play, but I can’t say right now,” Avery said. “I just skated for the first time in a while, and it could feel completely different tomorrow morning.”

Gernander said playing Friday night is a bridge to be crossed when they get there.

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“Today was his first day on the ice in quite some time, and you can’t skip any steps,” Gernander said. “You have to see how it responds after today’s ice session. He didn’t do any contact, so that bridge has to be crossed. I know his overall level of fitness has been great; he has been working hard with our physical trainer Mark (Cesari).

“But that being said, there are sports-specific muscles like the groins and hip flexors, and it would be kind of foolish to push him back and risk injuring something else. The whole thing is going to be on a day-to-day basis, and it’s going to be a lot of communication between Sean, myself and the training staff.”

Avery said he doubted he would be recalled by the Rangers after he lost a battle with Erik Christensen for the 13^th and final forward spot on the NHL team. Avery cleared waivers Oct. 5, reported to the Whale five days later and had been strictly rehabbing off the ice until Wednesday.

“Probably not,” Avery said of a possible return to Broadway. “I’m not even going to think about it. It’s like you’re going to win the lottery. I guess some people do, but I’ve never had that mentality. … I’m just going to go on, but I can play in the NHL, there’s no question about that. But I feel like a completely different player already. I’m just relaxed. This game is all mental.”

Avery is earning $1,937,500 on the final year of a four-year, $15.5 million contract he signed with the Dallas Stars on July 2, 2008 after his first stint with the Rangers, though none of it applies to the salary cap of either team while he’s in the minors. That also goes for Mats Zuccarello ($1.75 million), who was assigned to the Whale Saturday night, and defenseman Wade Redden ($6.5 million).

Avery played only 23 games with the Stars before being waived and claimed by the Rangers on March 2, 2009. The Rangers and Stars are each paying half of Avery’s salary, which doesn’t count against their salary cap. If the Rangers were to recall Avery, he would be on re-entry waivers. If another team claimed Avery, he would receive half of his salary from the Stars and 25 percent from the Rangers and his new team.

Avery said he had options to play in Europe but opted to stay near his home in New York for different reasons.

“There was a lot of money on the table to go to Russia, but I don’t necessarily feel that was something that I wanted to do,” said Avery, who has been living in Middletown since he joined the Whale. “There wasn’t enough money to go somewhere like Switzerland. I’m 100 miles from home, and that certainly factors into it, for sure.”

Avery played one full preseason game with the Rangers, and said he had “a quick conversation” with Rangers coach John Tortorella before being sent to Hartford. Avery said Tortorella told him that it was the coach’s decision on who would remain with the Rangers and who would join the Whale.

While Avery and Gernander were unsure of the left wing’s status for Friday night, Avery stressed he was enjoying his second go-around in Hartford. He had two goals and one assist with the then Hartford Wolf Pack before joining the Rangers after being claimed on waivers.

“I had fun out here today,” said Avery, who watched the Whale’s home opener Saturday night, a 5-4 shootout loss to the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. “All the guys are good guys down here.”

When reminded he said he had been a bit rejuvenated being around younger players in his first stay in Hartford, the 31-year-old Avery said, “It’s certainly more authentic this time. I’ve got no pressure. I’m one of the only guys getting paid a lot of money to play and probably can truly say that doesn’t really have that much pressure. The only responsibility that I have down here is to work hard. That’s something that I consider a responsibility.”

Gernander said Avery isn’t a special case despite being an 11-year pro veteran with 87 goals, 157 assists, 1,512 penalty minutes and countless “chats” with the opposition in 565 NHL games with the Detroit Red Wings, Los Angeles Kings, Stars and Rangers. Gernander also said he doesn’t expect Avery to need much time to get in game shape.

“He’s one guy whose conditioning is not an issue or a question,” Gernander said. “It’s obviously a little bit more sports-specific for different skating strides as far as being able to skate all the time, but if your overall level of fitness is superior to others, obviously you’re going to have a quicker push back into the lineup and makes the transition a lot clearer.”

While Avery might not be in game shape yet, he certainly showed plenty of quickness Wednesday and freely chatted with teammates, though his role hasn’t been determined.

“I would expect that when he gets in our lineup that he would be able to chip in in several different areas,” Gernander said. “He’s a good skater, you know he can play a physical style of game, you know he can mix it up and he’s got offensive capabilities. He’s got a lot of NHL attributes because he has an NHL career, so I think he’s going to be able to participate, help our team in a number of different fronts. We’re not going to just pigeon-hole him into one role.”

The Whale could use Avery, as they have only 11 healthy forwards with center Kris Newbury having been called up on Saturday night and rookie left wing Ryan Bourque and right wing Chad Kolarik still recovering from injuries. Defenseman Jyri Niemi played left wing on Saturday night.

Defenseman Pavel Valentenko practiced with the team for a third consecutive day, staying out for extra skating with assistant coach J.J. Daigneault, who handles the defense. Valentenko hasn’t played in any of the Whale’s preseason or regular-season games but hopes to return Friday or during a home-and-home set with the Springfield Falcons on Saturday night and Sunday afternoon.

“He’s being pushed,” Gernander said. “You’d like to have all available options healthy and ready to go, but we don’t want any setbacks or put anyone at risk either.”

Valentenko sustained his original injury in his only preseason game with the Rangers. Lee Baldwin, who hasn’t played in the Whale’s four games because of an injury and excess of defensemen, may get in the lineup, after Brendan Bell was called up Sunday as insurance. Former Wolf Pack defenseman Michael Sauer missed his second game Tuesday night, a 4-0 victory in Vancouver, with a shoulder injury that was aggravated in the team’s second game Oct. 8 in Stockholm. Bell, who was a healthy scratch Tuesday night, had one assist in two games with the Whale after being assigned when the Rangers returned from Europe on Oct. 9. He was an alternate captain in his Whale debut when Redden was out because of illness. Redden returned Saturday night.

By Bruce Berlet

Hartford, CT, October 15, 2011 – The Connecticut Whale lost 5-4 in a shootout to the Bridgeport Sound Tigers Saturday night, in the Whale’s home opener at the XL Center.

For the third time in four games, the Whale used their speed and strong forechecking to create a multitude of quality scoring chances and a two-goal lead, this time in less than 24 minutes.

But after surrendering and then regaining the lead on two third-period goals by speedy rookie Carl Hagelin, the second off a brilliant shorthanded effort, the Whale went to a third straight shootout before a thoroughly entertained 8,832.

But the Whale lost a second skills competition in 24 hours, scoring twice but hitting a post and a crossbar.

Sean Backman, Tyler McNeely and Tomas Marcinko got the shootout goals for the Sound Tigers (2-2-0-0), while John Mitchell and Brendan Bell tallied for the Whale. But Kris Newbury hit the post and Andreas Thuresson the crossbar, and when Kevin Poulin smothered Hagelin’s bid to send the shootout to extra rounds, the Whale had fallen to 1-1-0-2. They won their first shootout 1-0 in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., on Sunday and lost 3-2 in Albany on Friday night.

The line of Hagelin-Newbury-Andre Deveaux combined for four goals and four assists, but coach Ken Gernander was more interested in stopping the blown-lead scenarios ASAP. He’ll have to do it without Newbury, who was called up by the New York Rangers after the game with wing Mats Zuccarello being sent down after a 4-2 loss to the New York Islanders.

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“We’re going to have to try some new methods to get our point across,” Gernander said. “I thought discipline was a huge issue tonight. There’s a lot of things that discipline encompasses, but the one that seems to rear its ugly head the most frequently with our team is penalties. But sometimes it starts before the penalty is taken with shift length and frustration and being able to control yourself and some of the decisions you make because of the consequences.”

Gernander said he would consider lineup changes for the Whale’s next game Friday night against the Manchester Monarchs, though he had only 11 healthy forwards Saturday night with rookie left wing Ryan Bourque being ill.

“(Benching a player) is definitely a consideration, but there are other methods that we have to try first,” Gernander said. “But the point has to be made, and I guarantee it will this week.”

Despite the lack of forwards, the Whale generated a season-high 45 shots, 22 in the second period when they actually lost the lead. It happened in less than 91/2 minutes and included Justin DiBenedetto’s 5-on-3 goal that tied it. Marcinko put the Sound Tigers ahead with 1:34 left in the second period when he circled into the right circle and fired a shot that deflected off Bell and past a stunned Chad Johnson (23 saves).

The Whale regrouped during the second intermission, and Hagelin tied it 52 seconds into the third period when he jammed in Newbury’s pass from behind the net. Hagelin then regained the lead for the Whale when he poked a puck free in center ice, and, despite being hooked several times and drawing a delayed penalty, he broke in alone and beat Poulin to the stick side at 7:12.

“It was (Hagelin’s) strongest game to date,” Gernander said. “He used his speed effectively and was drawing penalties, not just on the goal. It was a good night for him.”

On the shorthanded beauty, Hagelin said, “I was on the left side and saw them make a play to the left so I cut across and saw the guy make kind of a blind pass and was able to intercept it and just tip it forward. The defenseman (Matt Donovan) probably slashed me five times, so I just tried to get the shot off. It was a great feeling when it went in, but it was tough with the loss.

“We’re playing really strong in the first period almost every game and get the first goal and get rolling. But then we start to take a few penalties, then they get into the game. We have to regroup now and realize we have to play strong defensively once we’re up.”

Hagelin, who played five playoff games with the Whale in April after co-captaining the University of Michigan to the NCAA title game, admitted having his best jump of the young season.

“I’m starting to get used to the league more and more, so I’m getting into a rhythm and feeling the way I should feel,” said Hagelin, who has three goals in the last two games. “My legs have been a bit sluggish the other games, but tonight the jump as there and it’s pretty easy playing with Newbury and Deveaux. They make good plays and are strong on the puck, so they just want me to stay on the wing and try to create chances from there.”

Hagelin created his own chance on his shorthanded beauty, poking the puck free.

Before departing for New York and a four-game Western trip, Newbury said the Whale has to find a way to hold onto the lead.

“Every team in this league battles hard to get two points,” said Newbury, who had one goal and two assists and left the Whale with four goals and four assists in four games. “The playoffs are hard to get into, so we have to tighten up in our own end and go from there. Some penalties can be corrected, but it’s still early, so we learn from stuff.”

Some of the crowd hadn’t settled into their seats when Newbury backhanded in a rebound of Deveaux’s shot from the right boards at 28 seconds off a pass by defenseman Jared Nightingale.

The Whale nearly doubled their lead at 8:37, but Poulin (41 saves) came out to stop Thuresson’s breakaway. On the ensuing Sound Tigers rush, Johnson stopped McNeely’s good bid off left wing.

The Whale controlled much of the remainder of the period, but Poulin got his pad on Kelsey Tessier’s deflection with 35 seconds left to keep it a one-goal game.

The Sound Tigers nearly tied it 1:21 into the second period, but Johnson stood his ground and denied Casey Cizikas out of the left corner off a steal from Mitchell.

The Whale immediately regained control and took a 2-0 lead as Deveaux took a pass from Newbury and hustled to lift his third rebound past Poulin at 3:59.

The Whale pressed during most of their second power play, and Poulin then somehow got his right pad on Tessier’s backhander after a brilliant pass from Tanski at 7:28 to prevent the Whale from taking a commanding 3-0 lead.

Then after the Whale amassed a 27-8 shot advantage in the opening 28:59, the tide began to turn as David Ullstrom picked up a loose puck in center ice, eluded Hagelin along the right boards to create a 2-on-1 and beat Johnson to the far side from the right circle at 8:59.

After Poulin made good stops on Hagelin and Blake Parlett and Johnson nabbed Ullstrom’s 30-foot shot from the slot, Mitchell was called for unsportsmanlike conduct and Nightingale got a high-sticking penalty, giving the Sound Tigers a 5-on-3 power play for 47 seconds. The Sound Tigers capitalized, as DiBenedetto deflected in Ty Wishart’s shot from the slot for his fifth goal with 5:38 left to tie it at 2.

The Sound Tigers then capped their comeback via the fortuitous bounce off Bell. Suddenly they had the lead despite being outshot 34-16 through two periods.

But the Whale regrouped during the second intermission and regained the lead thanks to Hagelin, whose bid for a hat trick nine seconds after his shorthanded goal hit the crossbar. Given that reprieve, the Sound Tigers tied it again when Brett Gallant deflected Wishart’s shot from the blueline past a screened Johnson at 9:33.

The Whale nearly pulled out a regulation win on a late power play, but Poulin stopped two good bids by Mitchell with 25 seconds left. The Whale had another power-play opportunity in overtime when Hagelin drew a hooking penalty on McNeely with 37 seconds left but couldn’t get a shot on Poulin, setting up a third straight skills competition that again ended badly.

REDDEN RETURNS, BOURQUE OUT

Whale veteran defenseman Wade Redden returned after missing a 3-2 shootout loss at Albany on Friday night because of sickness, but Bourque’s absence left the Whale short a forward. Redden again donned an A as alternate captain with Newbury and Mitchell and was reunited with Nightingale.

The other Whale scratches were defenseman Lee Baldwin and injured defenseman Pavel Valentenko, right wing Chad Kolarik and left wing Sean Avery.

The Sound Tigers scratched goalie Anders Nilsson, defenseman Benn Olson and right wing Tony Romano. One of the Tigers’ assistant coaches is West Haven native Eric Boguniecki, the AHL’s MVP in 2002 while with the then Worcester IceCats. Boguniecki ended his 13-year pro career in the 2009-10 season as a player/coach for Sound Tigers coach and former Wolf Pack defenseman Brent Thompson with the Alaska Aces in the ECHL and was named the team’s second assistant coach on July 12. It’s his second go-around with the Islanders organization, as he played for the Sound Tigers and parent club in the 2006-07 season. Thompson led the Aces to the Kelly Cup championship and was ECHL Coach of the Year last season before being named Sound Tigers coach on June 28. He won the AHL’s Yanick Dupre Memorial Award as Man of the Year in 1999 while with the Wolf Pack.

After a Friday-night home game against the Manchester Monarchs, the Whale play a home-and-home series with the Springfield Falcons (2-2-0-0), who lost 4-1 to visiting Providence on Saturday night. The Whale visits the MassMutual Center in Springfield on Saturday at 7 p.m. and then hosts the Falcons next Sunday at 3 p.m. Before the second game, Whale and Falcons fans will face off at noon in the first game of their inaugural seven-game series. For information on how to join the teams and tickets to the seven games, visit www.whalefalconsfangame@gmail.com.

The Columbus Blue Jackets recalled former Hartford Wolf Pack wing Alexandre Giroux from the Falcons on Thursday, replacing Greenwich native and former Avon Old Farms and Boston College standout Cam Atkinson, a right wing and sixth-round pick in 2008. Giroux was the AHL’s MVP in 2009 after getting 60 goals and 37 assists in 39 games with the Hershey Bears, who won their first of back-to-back Calder Cup titles that season. Atkinson made the NHL club after being the surprise of training camp but had only one goal and was minus-4 in the Blue Jackets’ first four games. He had one goal as the Falcons routed Wilkes-Barre/Scranton 7-4 on Friday night and was scoreless in the loss to Providence Saturday night.

Atkinson and wing Chris Kreider, the Rangers’ first-round pick (19^th overall) in 2009 and the team’s top prospect who was named MVP of the Ice Breaker Tournament at North Dakota last weekend, were major reasons that BC won the national championship in 2010, when they the University of Wisconsin, whose key personnel included Rangers center Derek Stepan and defenseman Ryan McDonagh, who started last season with the Whale. Atkinson led the nation in goals that season with 30, including two in the title game. In a 10-game stretch, he had three hat tricks, then proved that wasn’t a fluke last season when he had 31 goals and 21 assists in 38 games before the top-seeded Eagles were upset by Colorado College in the NCAA West Regional semifinals with Kreider on the sidelines with a broken jaw. Atkinson then signed a two-year contract with the Blue Jackets and had three goals and two assists in five games with the Falcons.

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

AHL STAFF TO RUN IN MEMORY OF ACE BAILEY

Six AHL staff members will be running half-marathons Sunday in Hershey, Pa., and Toronto, Ontario, in memory of Ace Bailey and in support of the Ace Bailey Children’s Foundation.  The foundation was established in memory of Garnet “Ace” Bailey, who was killed in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. His family created the foundation to honor his memory and to perpetuate his deep caring for the happiness of children through the AHL’s work.

The Floating Hospital for Children at Tufts Medical Center in Boston is the recipient of the funding. The foundation focuses on the well-being of hospitalized children through the building and renovation of hospital environments that improve the family-centered and softer side of hospital care. The foundation strives to reduce the stress of pediatric hospitalization by creating environments that are less clinical in appearance and more comforting and soothing for children and their families.

The AHL has received donations from many different hockey partners to help raise money for the foundation and began auctioning off the items on Wednesday. To bid on an item or to make a monetary donation, visit www.theahl.com.

Bridgeport Sound Tigers 5 (SO) at Connecticut Whale 4
Saturday, October 15, 2011 – XL Center Veterans Memorial Coliseum

Bridgeport 0 3 1 0 – 5
Connecticut 1 1 2 0 – 4

1st Period-1, Connecticut, Newbury 4 (Deveaux, Nightingale), 0:28. Penalties-Mitchell Ct (hooking), 9:27; Cizikas Bri (roughing), 12:24.

2nd Period-2, Connecticut, Deveaux 2 (Newbury, Hagelin), 3:59. 3, Bridgeport, Ullstrom 1 (Reese, Colliton), 8:59. 4, Bridgeport, DiBenedetto 5 (Wishart, Ullstrom), 15:48 (PP). 5, Bridgeport, Marcinko 2 (Langkow), 18:26. Penalties-Donovan Bri (tripping), 4:39; Bell Ct (slashing), 9:08; Cizikas Bri (interference), 9:17; de Haan Bri (holding the stick), 11:43; Mitchell Ct (unsportsmanlike conduct), 14:12; Nightingale Ct (high-sticking), 15:25; Newbury Ct (roughing), 18:34.

3rd Period-6, Connecticut, Hagelin 2 (Newbury, Nightingale), 0:52. 7, Connecticut, Hagelin 3 7:12 (SH). 8, Bridgeport, Gallant 1 (Wishart, Marcinko), 9:33. Penalties-served by Deveaux Ct (bench minor – too many men), 6:09; Ness Bri (interference), 17:43.

OT Period- No Scoring.Penalties-McNeely Bri (tripping), 4:23.

Shootout – Bridgeport 3 (Backman G, McNeely G, Ullstrom NG, Ness NG, Marcinko G), Connecticut 2 (Mitchell G, Bell G, Newbury NG, Thuresson NG, Hagelin NG).
Shots on Goal-Bridgeport 4-12-10-1-1-28. Connecticut 12-22-9-2-0-45.
Power Play Opportunities-Bridgeport 1 / 6; Connecticut 0 / 6.
Goalies-Bridgeport, Poulin 1-1-0 (45 shots-41 saves). Connecticut, Johnson 1-0-2 (27 shots-23 saves).
A-8,832
Referees-Jean Hebert (43).
Linesmen-Paul Simeon (66), Kevin Redding (16).

By Brian Ring

Albany, NY, October 14, 2011 – The Connecticut Whale fell to the Albany Devils Friday night, 3-2 in a shootout, at the Times-Union Center. Andre Deveaux and Carl Hagelin both scored for the Whale and Kris Newbury assisted on both goals, to give him five points in three games (3-2-5).

Joe Whitney and Matt Anderson scored for Albany, who received a game-winning shootout goal from Matt Taormina to seal the come-from-behind victory.

“We stopped going to them,” said Whale head coach Ken Gernander. “I didn’t like the way we started the [third] period. We stopped forcing the issue or attacking them and I thought we made some plays that were a little bit lax.”

The first period did not see either goaltender face very many quality chances, but Deveaux helped the Whale get the game’s first power-play opportunity when he was taken down by Mike Sislo at 18:33. With newcomer Brendan Bell and Newbury quarterbacking the power-play, Deveaux deflected Newbury’s pass from the boards past Devils goaltender Keith Kinkaid (30 saves) for the 1-0 lead. The goal was the first with the Whale for Deveaux. Bell also assisted on the play.

Carl Hagelin extended the Whale’s lead to 2-0 midway through the second period, scoring his first regular season professional goal off of another excellent pass from Newbury at 7:23. Newbury dangled through the circle on Kinkaid’s left before sliding the puck to a wide-open Hagelin for an easy one-timer.

The Devils closed their deficit to one with 4:04 left in the third, as Whale defenseman Tomas Kundratek was stripped of the puck in front of goaltender Chad Johnson (28 saves) by Joe Whitney. Whitney then beat Johnson glove-side high for his first pro goal. The goal came unassisted.

Albany tied the game with their first power-play goal of the season when Matt Anderson’s shot found its way underneath Johnson. Anderson’s second of the year was assisted by Sislo and Vladimir Zharkov.

Johnson kept the game tied for the Whale and eventually forced overtime after a period that was largely carried by the Devils. The Whale goaltender made multiple saves on Stephane Veilleux, including a stellar glove save that preserved the stalemate.

Neither team could break through in overtime, resulting in the Whale’s second straight shootout, after Connecticut beat Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in their first of the year, 1-0, on Sunday.

The goalies were sharp again in the shootout, but Taormina managed the only goal of the tie-breaker, as Johnson could not hold on to his bid. Taormina’s goal proved the shootout and game-winner, as Kinkaid stopped all five Whale shooters.

“You’ve got to get up for tomorrow and get two points out of that game,” said Johnson. “We’re going to be pretty excited for the home opener, so it should be a good game and I’m looking forward to it.”

Connecticut will host the first Whale home opener Saturday, in a GEICO Connecticut Cup battle against the Bridgeport Sound Tigers at the XL Center at 7:00. Five-thousand fans at that game will receive a free Whale magnetic schedule, sponsored by Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over. Tickets to the home opener, and 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.

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

Connecticut Whale 2 at Albany Devils 3 (SO)
Friday, October 14, 2011 – Times Union Center

Connecticut 1 1 0 0 – 2
Albany 0 1 1 0 – 3

1st Period-1, Connecticut, Deveaux 1 (Newbury, Bell), 18:46 (PP). Penalties-Nightingale Ct (fighting), 8:33; Veilleux Alb (fighting), 8:33; Sislo Alb (interference), 18:33; Bickel Ct (cross-checking, fighting), 19:56; Zharkov Alb (fighting), 19:56.

2nd Period-2, Connecticut, Hagelin 1 (Newbury), 7:23. 3, Albany, Whitney 1   15:56. Penalties-McKelvie Ct (elbowing), 9:54; Bickel Ct (fighting), 13:48; Corrente Alb (cross-checking, fighting), 13:48; Kundratek Ct (interference), 17:44.

3rd Period-4, Albany, Anderson 2 (Sislo, Zharkov), 5:40 (PP). Penalties-Anderson Alb (high-sticking), 2:16; Tanski Ct (holding), 5:15; Veilleux Alb (slashing), 10:36.

OT Period- No Scoring. Penalties-Bell Ct (misconduct – abuse of officials), 5:00; Sestito Alb (misconduct – abuse of officials), 5:00.

Shootout – Connecticut 0 (Mitchell NG, Thuresson NG, Newbury NG, Audy-Marchessault NG, Deveaux NG), Albany 1 (Wiseman NG, Sislo NG, Whitney NG, Taormina G, Anderson NG).
Shots on Goal-Connecticut 8-12-9-3-0-32. Albany 6-9-13-2-1-31.
Power Play Opportunities-Connecticut 1 / 4; Albany 1 / 4.
Goalies-Connecticut, Johnson 1-0-1 (30 shots-28 saves). Albany, Kinkaid 1-1-0 (32 shots-30 saves).
A-2,318
Referees-Jarrod Ragusin (42).
Linesmen-Frank Murphy (29), Robert St. Lawrence (10).

HARTFORD, October 13, 2011:  Whalers Sports and Entertainment announced today that former New England Whaler Garry Swain will be joining veteran play-by-play man Bob Crawford as a commentator during this season’s Connecticut Whale home game radio broadcasts as part of “Rockin’ Hockey” on 106.9 WCCC-FM.

Swain, a first-round draft pick of the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins in 1968 and a veteran of three seasons with the WHA’s Whalers, brings additional broadcast experience to the radio booth. Swain has previously worked with Bob Neumeier, former voice of the Hartford Whalers on WTIC-AM and currently a broadcaster for NBC Sports and Comcast SportsNet New England. He has also done games with former Whaler broadcaster Chuck Kaiton, currently the radio play-by-play voice of the Carolina Hurricanes.

“I have a passion for the game and I have an eye towards bringing the Hartford market back to prominence in the hockey world,” said Swain. “It’s nice not only to work with another professional in Bob Crawford, but also Howard Baldwin, and to help with his vision.”

Swain has already been on board with Whalers Sports and Entertainment for some time, working in the Business Development department in sponsorship sales.

The Whale’s regular-season home opener is this Saturday, October 15, a GEICO Connecticut Cup game vs. the Bridgeport Sound Tigers.  Five-thousand fans at that game will receive a free Whale magnetic schedule, sponsored by Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.  Tickets to that game, and 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.

HARTFORD, October 13, 2011: Whalers Sports & Entertainment president and COO Howard Baldwin, Jr. announced today an agreement with WCCT-TV, Connecticut’s CW affiliate, to telecast five 2011-12 Connecticut Whale home games.

This new deal will be billed as “Whale TV”, and represents a return of AHL action to the local TV airwaves for the first time since the 2006-07 season.

“Together with our new radio relationship with WCCC-FM, this television package represents a major upgrade in broadcast exposure for our games,” Baldwin, Jr. said.  “We look at this expanded broadcast presence as a major pillar of our goal of expanding interest in the Whale and restoring Hartford’s status as a premier hockey market.”

The games are all prime, Saturday night dates, starting with a major-rivalry contest against the Providence Bruins Saturday, December 10.  The full schedule is as follows (all games face off at 7:00 PM):

• Saturday, December 10   vs. Providence Bruins
• Saturday, January 28       vs. Springfield Falcons
• Saturday, February 18     vs. Worcester Sharks
• Saturday, March 10         vs. Norfolk Admirals
• Saturday, March 31         vs. Adirondack Phantoms

Whale TV also includes all Whale internet video content and will soon extend to other distribution deals with major media companies.

WCCT-TV’s Whale TV telecasts will be presented by Webster Bank, and on all Whale television nights, fans can enjoy a live pregame show from a special set in the XL Center atrium.

The Whale open the home portion of their 2011-12 American Hockey League season this Saturday, October 15, with a GEICO Connecticut Cup game vs. the Bridgeport Sound Tigers at the XL Center.  Tickets to that game, and 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.

By Bruce Berlet

Connecticut Whale coach Ken Gernander offered goalie Chad Johnson a bit of a challenge before the franchise began its 15^th season last weekend.

After a solid rookie pro season in 2009-10, Johnson was less successful last season, compiling a 16-19-3 record with a 2.72 goals-against average, .901 save percentage and two shutouts in 40 games before being called up by the New York Rangers on Feb. 28 after Martin Biron sustained a season-ending broken collarbone when hit by a shot in practice. Johnson got plenty of work with Rangers goaltending coach Benoit Allaire and against NHL talent for two months, but he played only 20 minutes while backing up All-Star Henrik Lundqvist.

So how would such an unusual end to a season affect Johnson? Good question, with some special interest/thoughts from his coach in Hartford.

“Yes, we’re expecting more (from Johnson),” Gernander said. “I don’t think last season was satisfactory as far as his self-evaluation. We’re going to have a little bit higher expectations of him moving forward as far as this being his third year and having some opportunity working in the NHL. He didn’t have a lot of NHL minutes or game experience, but he had the opportunity to work with the NHL club, and if he wants to push for a job there, he’s going to have to prove himself here.”

Well, Johnson proved a major point in his season debut Sunday in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., making 41 saves in regulation and overtime and stopping three of five shots in a shootout in a 1-0 victory over the Penguins, last year’s AHL regular-season champion. It tied the second most saves in a shutout for a Hartford Wolf Pack/Whale goalie that Johan Holmqvist had in a 3-0 victory over Lowell on Dec. 23, 2000 and Cam Talbot had in a 3-0 win over Providence last Oct. 17. The team record for saves in a shutout is 44 by Milan Hnilicka in a 4-0 victory over Worcester on March 25, 2000 on the way to the franchise’s only Calder Cup title.

It was Johnson’s sixth AHL shutout and the 25^th time since shootouts returned to the AHL in 2004-05 that a game finished scoreless after 65 minutes. The Wolf Pack/Whale has played five such games and has now won four. Gernander has been part of all those tight games as a player and coach, and he had no complaints about this one.

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

“Goaltending was the big factor, the difference, and (Johnson) had a really good game,” Gernander said after practice Wednesday at Champions Skating Center in Cromwell. “It was a good start for Chad, who was real consistent throughout and made the saves he had to make.”

It was a rewarding start for Johnson, who performed well in preseason but still had the lingering question about his readiness after seeing so little game action since his last AHL appearance Feb. 24 and finishing the season almost exclusively as a spectator with the Rangers. But Johnson said he continued to concentrate on his approach to games that he admits was lacking at times last season and that he worked on extensively this summer after his time with Allaire and the Rangers.

“I just focused on simplifying my game by just looking at just each period and each game,” Johnson said. “It’s just playing my game, not trying to be somebody else or play a certain way. I’m just worried about getting my focus, which is something that wasn’t happening last season. I was focusing on things that I shouldn’t focus on like how deep I should be and where I should be on certain plays. I was too technical, and I don’t need to worry about that. I’m naturally technical and always been a guy like that who has been technical without having to think about it.

“So for me, it’s just a matter of having a good mindset going into games and knowing what to focus on and just playing my game.”

The 25-year-old Johnson insisted he didn’t feel any extra pressure to perform well after his “weird” second pro season that included the lengthy time off from competition outside of practices and working with Allaire.

“I always put a lot of pressure on myself, but I don’t think it’s something that I use as a negative or something that will hold me back,” Johnson said. “I use it as something that benefits me. Every day my plan is to put pressure on myself to win hockey games. I don’t think there was any more added pressure this year. Obviously you know you want to have a good year, but after not having a good year last season being inconsistent, I just worry about the next game. I don’t really care about what I did last year or two years ago or three years ago. It doesn’t really matter, and I really don’t care, to be honest.”

Johnson, a fifth-round pick of the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2006 acquired for a fifth-round pick in 2009 on June 27 of that year after graduating from the University of Alaska-Fairbanks, said he felt he had a good preseason because he started right off focusing on the better frame of mind.

“It helped having worked hard all summer and having some good exhibition games in New York,” Johnson said. “Now I’m just focusing here on today’s practice and what I have to do when games are going on. That’s all that really matters.”

Johnson honestly admits that while playing one period in two months was hardly an ordinary occurrence, he now feels more comfortable that his game was back at the end of the season because of being around Allaire and being challenged daily by NHL shooters.

 

“I always talk about wanting to have more stability, but that’s the game I’m in,” Johnson said. “I’m in the minors and want to be at that next level in the NHL and obviously want to be play and prove yourself. But this is the situation I’m in and things will happen where guys get hurt so you have to be ready when the opportunity arises. So hopefully someday I can have some stability at the NHL level, but today is important, so I’m just worrying about today.

“Being with the Rangers really makes you come even more prepared and makes you put your best foot forward even more.  I think I found it when I was up there as far as my game, the professionalism and speed at that level and getting confidence from Benoit. I could carry all that into the summer and prepare my mind for what I wanted to focus on during the games, which is really nothing. I just let my abilities and what I had done over the years play itself out and try and win hockey games. That’s the biggest thing.”

BALDWIN RESUMES SKATING AS AVERY CONTINUES REHAB

Defenseman Lee Baldwin has resumed practicing with the Whale after sustaining an injury in the preseason finale Oct. 2, a 3-2 victory over the Worcester Sharks. New defenseman Brendan Bell skated with the team for the second time since being assigned after the Rangers returned from Europe on Sunday.

Sean Avery, who arrived Tuesday, is receiving treatment for an injury. Avery, the Rangers’ final cut at forward after losing out for the 13^th spot to Erik Christensen, has not skated since playing in his third and final preseason game with the Rangers on Sept. 30 in Gothenburg, Sweden, when he took a high stick to the mouth in the third period and didn’t return.

Avery is not available to the media until he returns to games, and Whale coach Ken Gernander said it’s “pretty doubtful” that Avery will play this weekend at Albany on Friday night or in the team’s home opener Saturday night at 7 against the Bridgeport Sound Tigers.

“He’s not skating and only rehabbed for two days, so we have to plan accordingly,” Gernander said.

After the two games this weekend, the Whale is off for five more days before hosting the Manchester Monarchs on Oct. 21 and then playing a home-and-home series with the Springfield Falcons on Oct. 22-23, the second game at 3 p.m. at the XL Center.

The Rangers are carrying 24 players, one over the limit, but that includes All-Star defenseman Marc Staal, who is on injured reserve because of recurring post-concussion syndrome headaches, and right wing Chad Kolarik, who is on IR and now rehabbing in Hartford after surgery to repair a torn ACL in his left knee last Wednesday that will sideline him at least six months. According to capgeek.com, the Rangers have $862,604 in cap space, not including the salaries of Avery, Kolarik ($525,000), defenseman Wade Redden ($6.5 million), who cleared waivers in September, and Trumbull native and former captain Chris Drury ($3.325 million), who retired Aug. 19 after having the final year of his five-year, $35.5 million contract bought out on June 29.

The Rangers gave Avery and his agent, Pat Morris, the right to negotiate with teams in Europe, but that option was quickly abandoned because Avery will earn more in the final year of his four-year, $15.5 million contract, that he signed with the Dallas Stars on July 2, 2008 after leaving the Rangers for the first time as a free agent, than he could make in Europe. Avery played only 23 games with the Stars before being placed on re-entry waivers. The Rangers claimed him and have split his contract with the Stars since. Avery had two goals and one assist in eight games with the Wolf Pack before joining the Rangers.

With Avery in the minors, the Rangers and Stars had $1,937,500 come off their salary cap, which is good for the Rangers since they could look to acquire a veteran defenseman because of the growing uncertainty of Staal, who isn’t skating with the team. It’s bad for the Stars, who are studying moves to add a player because they could drop below the NHL-mandated salary floor of $48.3 million. The Stars have been paying half of Avery’s salary to the Rangers since losing him on recall waivers, and that $1,937,500 has also counted against Dallas’ salary cap.

“It’s an issue that we didn’t think we would have to deal with, but we do, and we are studying every option,” Stars general manager Joe Nieuwendyk said. “Bottom line, you can’t be below the floor.”

The Whale plays a third road game Friday night against their new Northeast Division rival Albany Devils, who lost their first two starts. The Devils have retained two of their top three scorers – No. 1 Matt Anderson (23 goals, 32 assists in 76 games) and former Hartford Wolf Pack wing Chad Wiseman (No. 3 with 16 goals and 28 assists in 48 games). Last season, the Devils swept the then Wolf Pack 3-2 in a shootout in Albany and 3-1 in Hartford, with both games in October.

The Whale plays their home opener Saturday against the Sound Tigers in the first of 10 GEICO Connecticut Cup games and the first opening night under the Whale banner. The Whale was 6-3-0-1 against the Sound Tigers last season, winning 3-2 in a shootout in their first game as the Whale on Nov. 27.

The Sound Tigers, who joined the Whale in the Northeast Division, have split two 4-2 decisions, losing to Portland and beating Albany, as feisty wing Justin DiBenedetto notched a hat trick and Anders Nilsson made 28 saves in his North American debut Sunday. The Sound Tigers, whose coach is former Wolf Pack defenseman Brent Thompson and whose two assistants include West Haven native and 2002 AHL MVP Eric Boguniecki, are at Adirondack on Friday night before heading to Hartford.

There will be a “Whale Blue and Green” Fan Fest in the XL Center atrium starting at 4 p.m. in which fans can hear live music, test their shooting skills in the CT Whale Slap Shot Cage sponsored by Xfinity, frolic in a bounce house and enjoy a Wii station. Five thousand fans will receive a free Whale magnetic schedule, sponsored by Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over. Tickets for all games are on sale at the Public Power Ticket Office at the XL Center, on-line at www.ctwhale.com and through TicketMaster Charge-by-phone at 1-800-745-3000.

ON COURSE TO GETTING TO KNOW TEAMMATES

With so many new players and late arrivals like the Whale, the Springfield Falcons are already heavy into team building and bonding, including at their annual Italian Columbus Day Open at Crestview Country Club in Agawam, Mass.

“Any team that is going to have success is going to hang together off the ice, condition together, have team meetings,” Falcons president and general manager Bruce Landon told Fran Sypek of the Springfield Republican. “This team has already had a ‘team lunch’ to get to know each other and get on the same page.”

Like the Whale, the Falcons lost their opener and won their second game, and the roster is expected to be tweaked the next few weeks because of injuries with the parent Columbus Blue Jackets. The loss ended the Falcons’ seven-game winning streak in season openers, while Grand Rapids had earned points in eight straight opening games (5-0-2-1) before a 3-2 loss at Rockford on Saturday night.

Former Hartford Wolf Pack left wing and captain Dane Byers has returned to provide a veteran presence. Byers, the Rangers’ second-round pick in 2004, was acquired by the Blue Jackets for Chad Kolarik on Nov. 13 but traded to the Phoenix Coyotes with Rostislav Klesla for Scottie Upshall and Sami Lepisto on Feb. 28. The Blue Jackets hated to lose Byers, who played an AHL record 85 games last season, so they re-signed him as a free agent on July 11.

“I’m excited to be back and this year we’ve got a lot of proven players, guys who have won the Calder Cup and know what it takes to get there,” Byers said. “It looks like we’re going to have a really good team.”

Winning teams tend to be close-knit groups, and Byers hopes it doesn’t take long with the Falcons.

“Events like this are great for bringing guys close together,” Byers said. “We get a chance to meet people in the community and get comfortable.”

Byers plays on a line with Cody Bass and Nicholas Drazenovic, and the trio had nine points in the first two games.

“They looked like they were in midseason form,” Falcons coach Rob Riley told Sypek.

Not lost on Byers and his teammates was that the tournament raised money for the Shriners Hospital, which the players visit while lending a hand in many community events. This was a fun day on a perfect New England Indian Summer autumn day that included lots of Italian food and drink with other ethnic items from the area. There was even a Polish tent with kielbasa and pierogi.

“With so many players, it’s a great opportunity for them to meet people in the community and get together under a relaxed atmosphere,” Riley said. “You never know how long it will take for a team to become a team, but we hope to speed up the process. We have a good mix of players.”

WHALE, FALCONS FANS TO PLAY SEVEN-GAME SERIES

Major League Baseball’s World Series begins next week, then fans of the Whale and Falcons will begin their own seven-game series Oct. 23 at the XL Center in Hartford. It’s the first-ever matchup of fans, who will compete periodically at the XL Center and the MassMutual Center in Springfield through mid-March.

Hockey fan Seth Dussault thought of the idea and cohort Matt Marychuk created a Facebook page to see if there were any interested players. Over the summer, Seth and Matt managed the social media page and 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’ front office and then the Whale’s and the fan game series was born.

Game 1 of the seven-game series begins at noon, and Game 2 is Dec. 3 in Springfield at 4:30 p.m. Tickets, priced at $16 in Hartford and $10 in Springfield, must be purchased at least 10 days prior to a game and include admission to the AHL game that night. Tickets for the other five games will be on sale soon, and a portion of the sales from all games will benefit Defending the Blue Line, an organization that helps children of military families play hockey.

The other fan games are Dec. 4 in Hartford at noon, Jan. 7 in Hartford at 4 p.m., Jan. 8 in Springfield at 12:30 p.m., Feb. 10 in Springfield at 5 p.m. and March 17 in Hartford at 4 p.m.

For information and/or tickets, contact www.whalefalconsfangame@gmail.com.

CROSBY, WHALERS REMEMBERED

Two entities not in the NHL these days, Sidney Crosby and the Hartford Whalers, received plenty of air time Tuesday night when the Pittsburgh Penguins hosted the Florida Panthers.

Crosby, the Penguins’ captain, missed his team’s home opener against the team coached by former Whalers standout right wing and captain Kevin Dineen because of lingering effects of a concussion nine months ago.

Crosby went through another game-day skate wearing a no-contact helmet but missed his fourth game of this season after being out the final three months of last season. The frustration of not knowing when he might be back was detectable in Crosby’s voice.

“It’s the same as usual,” Crosby told reporters before watching the Penguins beat the Panthers 4-2 without him and Art Ross Trophy winner Evgeni Malkin (right knee surgery). “I feels good. It went good today and I’m excited to be home. … I’m closer than I was yesterday. But I can’t give you a date. I’d love to – trust me – give you a date I can come back and play, but right now, it’s the same.”

Crosby continues to show signs that his recovery is accelerating rapidly, but he was accidentally knocked down by assistant coach Tony Granato during a drill without incident. He said again that he has had no concussion-related symptoms since training camp began Sept. 17.

“It’s never fun watching (games), but it’s nice to be getting closer and it’s nice being out there and going hard and I haven’t had anything that’s really worried me,” Crosby said. “It’s been nice to have had that the last couple of weeks.”

Crosby, 24, usually meets at least once a week with specialist Michael “Mickey” Collins, a clinician and researcher who heads the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center concussion testing unit. Crosby said the sessions usually consist of him answering various questions, taking some concussion-related tests and reviewing his progress to date.

“He asks questions and, like any other doctor and any other injury, he asks questions,” Crosby said. “There’s little tests, there’s always kind of different things they want to make sure are good in their minds, and in mine as well. There’s constant communication and we talk every few days anyway, but when I see him there’s usually a little more testing that goes with it.”

There wasn’t any anticipation when the NHL season began last week that Crosby would be ready to play this soon, but when he traveled with the team on its season-opening three-game trip through Western Canada, there was hope it could happen sooner rather than later.

But for now, Crosby must be content with beating goalie Marc-Andre Fleury during practice rather than opposing NHL goalies during games.

“I enjoy competing out there,” Crosby said. “The more you go through it and the better you come out of it, I think it’s always a good sign.”

But even when Crosby is cleared to deliver and receive hits during practice, it won’t mean he’ll immediately return to the lineup. He must get through various but undisclosed steps during full-contact practices, including making sure he is fully prepared to play all-out, with no worry or hesitation that the next big hit might cause another injury.

“When I come back, I’ve got to make sure I’m confident,” Crosby said. “If I’m thinking about that, the chances of me getting hit are probably better. The more you hesitate, the more chance of that happening. I’ll do everything I can to make sure I’m ready. At the same time, you can’t simulate getting crushed by a guy on the open ice.”

As players such as Crosby and former Wolf Pack center Marc Savard, whose career with the Stanley Cup champion Boston Bruins is likely over from a blindside hit by the Penguins’ Matt Cooke, know all too well.

Meanwhile, Dineen, who gave and took plenty of tough hits in his 18-year NHL career, was periodically interviewed during the game by Versus announcer Brian Engblom, who discussed the six Dineen brothers in hockey and their father, Bill, who played and coached for more than four decades, including the Whalers in their final season in the World Hockey Association (1978-79). He also coached Gordie Howe and sons Mark and Marty for four WHA seasons and won two championships. He was later named coach of the Philadelphia Flyers in 1992, when he coached Kevin before being fired after the 1992-93 season.

Versus also showed Mark Howe, now the head of pro scouting for the Detroit Red Wings, and mentioned how he had played with his father and brother and would inducted in the Hockey Hall of Fame in November. Engblom also mentioned how he had met with Dineen and Tampa Bay Lightning assistant general manager Pat Verbeek, another former Whalers right wing and captain, during the morning skate and then wondered out loud.

“I asked them if they wanted me to start playing ‘Brass Bonanza’ from their Whalers days,” Engblom said with a chuckle.

I’m betting they did and would have loved hearing it. … The Bruins signed forward Rich Peverley to a three-year, $10.75-million contract with a no-trade clause. He is making $1.4 million this season and will earn $3 million in 2012-13 and $3.375 million in 2013-14 and 2014-15.