By Bruce Berlet

EAST HARTFORD, Conn. – Hall of Famer Brian Leetch had just one regret.

“It went too fast,” the Cheshire native said.

Just one regret, too, for Enfield native Craig Janney, playing with Leetch for only the second time since the 1988 Winter Olympics.

“I had Brian for the winner at the end, and I screwed up,” Janney said with a smile. “I had him creeping in (off the point). It would have been a good Connecticut moment if I could have hit him with pass, but I’m a little rusty. I hit the side of the net with the darn thing.”

Instead, the fun-filled, 50-minute exhibition appropriately ended in a 4-4 tie between the Leetch/Janney Boston Bruins legends and Hartford Whalers legends in the opener of the Whale Bowl, the featured attraction of the historic “Harvest-Properties.com Whalers Hockey Fest 2011” at Rentstchler Field on Saturday.

Yvon Corriveau and Pat Verbeek gave the Whalers a 2-0 lead before Janney got the Bruins on the board. Ray Neufeld restored the Whalers’ two-goal lead, but Kenny Linseman scored twice and actor Cameron Bancroft gave the Bruins a 4-3 lead before Corriveau scored his second goal with 3:30 left. Corriveau could have won it on a penalty shot with 1:56 to go, but Cleon Daskalatis made a sprawling save to preserve the desired result.

For this was a day of stories and memories, mic’d-up referee Paul Stewart offering running commentary while telling jokes, talking to the players and “fighting” with the comical Hanson Brothers trio of “Slap Shot” fame who played in the second half.

Leetch and Hanson Brothers were the last players to exit the ice before the Connecticut Whale and Providence Bruins played the second outdoor game in the AHL’s 75-year history.

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Did Leetch want to soak up as much of a rare charity appearance as he could?

“No, I was taking pictures with a lot of the people who were working out there and signing some autographs,” Leetch said.

Not surprising for arguably the best American hockey player in history. He was a main attraction, received a standing ovation when introduced before starting on defense alongside fellow Hall of Famer Brad Park.

“I feel a connection to Connecticut and so many experiences, so it was nice to get such a reception,” Leetch said. “When you go from six to 16 (in hockey), there are a lot of changes. Each year seems like an eternal at that time, so I always feel Connecticut is where I grew up.

“It was so much fun, and I kept looking up and saying, ‘I can’t believe that’s all the time that’s left.’ It was great coming to Connecticut at an outdoor rink with guys you looked up to and played with and against as you were growing up.”

What about that final score?

“I didn’t know how it was going to work, but I know all the Bruins wanted to win because they were yelling at the end,” Leetch said with a laugh. “And the Hartford guys were at home, so you know they wanted to win, so it was good at Cleon made that save at the end.”

Leetch said it was only his fourth skating appearance in 14 months. He played in the NHL Winter Classic Legends Game at Fenway Park in Boston at the start of 2010, played with Janney in the Boston College alumni game a month ago and participated in Wayne Gretzky’s Fantasy Camp in Las Vegas last week.

“Other than that, I haven’t done anything other than skate with my friends here and there,” Leetch said. “This is a rare occasion, but as soon as you get asked to one of these outdoor things, you say yes.”

Leetch had played in a few charity events with celebrities but never outdoors, so he said he had a little trouble holding onto his light stick in winds gusting to 30 mph. But all was forgotten when the Hanson Brothers showed up in the locker room at intermission.

“When they were sitting there in their gear, everyone had big grins on their faces,” Leetch said with a wide grin. “It was awesome.”

Leetch said it took a while to figure out which number he and Park would wear. Park had No. 2 with the New York Rangers before being traded to the Bruins, where he took No. 22. When Leetch joined the Rangers after being the ninth overall pick in the 1986 NHL draft, he wore No. 2 and then went to No. 22 when dealt to the Bruins.

“Park has been good to me for a lot of years,” Park said, “but he was saying, ‘You’re taking my numbers wherever you go.’ When (Bruins captain) Rick Middleton called and asked what number I wanted, I said, ‘What’s Brad doesn’t want is the one I’m going to take.’ He told Brad, and he said, ‘No, he’s wearing the same number as I am.’ So I thought that was pretty cool. He’s been a very nice guy to me since I just started in the league.”

The 42-year-old Leetch, who retired in 1986 after his one season with the Bruins, said thoughts of a comeback, especially to run the Rangers’ suspect power play, usually vanish quickly.

“I always say I’ve been out just long enough to actually think I can come back and play,” Leetch said with a smile. “You forget how hard it is and how good everybody is. If I could still do, I’d be out there.”

Leetch, who had 247 goals and 781 assists in 1,205 NHL games, grew up playing outdoors a quarter-mile from his home in Cheshire. He now coaches 10-year-old son Jack’s squirts hockey team and does some TV work with NESN and MSG but didn’t know if he would coach adults.

“I don’t know what’s in the future, but I certainly like being involved a little bit in TV,” Leetch said. “I’d like to stay involved, but I also enjoy being home with my kids. Coaching is more time than playing. You have to be there before the players and after the players and still doing all the same traveling, so you have to be ready for it if you’re going to do it.”

After a reception Saturday night, Leetch is scheduled to fly to Deerfield Beach, Fla., on Sunday night to rejoin his wife and children, who are on vacation from school in Boston this week.

Meanwhile, Janney will be returning to Phoenix, Ariz., where he has lived since he retired in 1999.

But Janney had more memories than any of the 44 players, having his No. 15 unexpectedly retired before he dropped the ceremonial first puck before his alma mater, Enfield High School, played Northwest Catholic-West Hartford on Friday in the opener of a doubleheader.

“It was really neat and a total surprise,” Janney said. “I had no clue it was going to happen, but it was a really nice gesture. And someone said my number hadn’t been worn since I left school.”

Janney played three years at Enfield High before attending Deerfield Academy in Deerfield, Mass. He then played two years at Boston College before joining the United States national team program and competing on the 1988 U.S. Olympic team that finished seventh in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Janney was the Boston Bruins’ first-round pick (13th overall) in 1986 after being passed over by his favorite team, the Whalers, who chose Boston University wing Scott Young with the 11th pick. Two selections earlier, the Rangers had selected Leetch.

“I wanted to be a Whaler bad, but it worked out for everyone,” said Janney, who played in the 1991 Canada Cup for Team USA with Leetch and lost in the finals to unbeaten Team Canada, led by Wayne Gretzky. “Brian went on to a tremendous career in New York, Scottie Young had an unbelievable career, and I had a lot of fun in Boston, so it worked out well.”

Janney had 188 goals and 563 assists in 760 NHL games with the Bruins, St. Louis Blues, San Jose Sharks, Winnipeg Jets, Phoenix Coyotes, Tampa Bay Lightning and New York Islanders before ending a 12-year pro career in 1999 because blood clots had formed throughout his body. The Enfield Raiders could have used some of Janney’s patented passes Friday as they lost 2-0 despite a 24-11 shot advantage. Sophomore Jeff Greenwood, a first-year high school player, scored both goals, and brother Matt Greenwood made 24 saves for the Indians (8-7-2).

Janney scored Saturday but was happier about being around his former teammates.

“As cliché as it may be, what you miss about the game is the camaraderie in the locker room and nights like (Friday) night going to the banquet,” Janney said. “Those are the things you miss, and you love when you get back together like this.”

Janney, who skated for only the third time in two years, joked Leetch “had one up on all of us after a training camp for a week,” alluding to him participating in Gretzky’s Fantasy Camp.

The final score?

“Alumni games are always good when they end in a tie,” Janney said with a smile. “Everyone goes home happy and less sore.”

Janney and Leetch both lauded the efforts of former Whalers owner Howard Baldwin, chairman and CEO of Whalers Sports and Entertainment, for his efforts to get the NHL back in Hartford.

“I think it’s great what the Baldwins did allowing youth hockey, high school teams and college teams to play in this,” said Janney, who has been a NESN commentator on Hockey East games since 2008. “It just made it a true jamboree of hockey, and I think it can only be a real positive, positive thing, especially hopefully for the grassroots of hockey. I know it has been a little struggle lately, especially youth hockey-wise. Maybe this will give it a shot in the arm and get it going again.”

Leetch commended Baldwin for “doing a heck of a job.”

“He has made it clear that he’s going to do all he can to show that Connecticut is a hockey market,” Leetch said, “and if the NHL comes, it comes. But he’s just going to pump the interest of hockey. It’s awesome.”

ARMY BEATS AIC AGAIN

In the preliminary game, Mark Dube, Danny Colvin and Bryant Skarda scored in a 3:17 span of the second period as Army broke a scoreless tie and beat American International College 4-1 in an Atlantic Hockey Association game.

Dube scored off Mike Hull’s rebound on a power play at 10:33, and the Black Knights (10-18-4, 8-12-4 AHA) rode the 31-save performance of Jay Clark to their second win in less than 24 hours over the Yellow Jackets (7-20-1, 7-17-1). Army beat AIC 6-4 Friday night.

Colvin scored the winner unassisted at 13:07, then Skarda capped Army’s outburst off a pass from Mike Hull 43 seconds later. Skarda scored his second goal 51 seconds into the third period. Richard Leitner spoiled Clark’s shutout bid when he converted a goal-mouth pass from Nick Grasso with 9:31 left.

Ryan Kerpan had 29 saves for AIC.

Earlier, Farmington High School defeated the Newington/Berlin co-op team, 2-1. The day started with the Avon Youth Team beating the Springfield Pics, 6-5.

Gov. Daniel P. Malloy signed a proclamation proclaiming Feb. 11-20 as Whalers Hockey Week in the State of Connecticut.

YALE’S HUGHES FINALIST FOR NATIONAL HUMANITARIAN AWARD

Aleca Hughes, a junior forward on the Yale women’s ice hockey team whose efforts to help save lives have been inspired by teammate Mandi Schwartz’s battle with cancer, has been named a finalist for the 2011 BNY Mellon Wealth Management Hockey Humanitarian Award. The 16th winner will be introduced in a ceremony on April 8 as part of the NCAA Frozen Four in St. Paul, Minn.

Hughes is the fifth Yale women’s hockey player to be named a finalist for the award, which recognizes male or female players at the Division I or Division III levels who give back to their communities in the true humanitarian spirit. She is one of eight finalists who were selected from 25 nominees nationwide.

Schwartz’s ongoing battle with cancer has inspired many people, especially those in the hockey community, but Hughes has gone far above and beyond the call of duty. Her efforts to raise awareness of the need for bone marrow and cord blood donors, along with raising funds for Schwartz and her family, have been instrumental in Mandi’s battle and will help save the lives of countless patients with life-threatening illnesses. And Hughes has done it all while excelling in many other areas. A part of Yale’s top scoring line, Hughes has been among the Bulldogs’ leading scorers each season. She also excels in the class room, posting a 3.50 cumulative GPA, and will earn her third ECAC Hockey All-Academic Team selection this season.

Schwartz has been battling cancer for more than two years, having been diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia in December 2008. Chemotherapy initially got her into remission in the spring of 2009, and she was able to return to Yale in January 2010. But when she relapsed that spring, it became clear that she would need a stem cell transplant – essentially, a new immune system – to survive. Schwartz, like 70 percent of patients seeking donors, was unable to find a genetic match for her transplant among family members. So she had to turn to the public registries, and for several months it appeared she did not have an appropriate genetic match. It is estimated there are 16,000 patients diagnosed with leukemia each year who cannot find matching donors.

Hughes has started several community service initiatives. She and her teammates have already been a part of organizing two record-setting bone marrow donor drives at Yale that added more than 1,600 potential donors to the National Marrow Donor Program’s “Be The Match” registry. So far, at least four genetic matches for patients in need of life-saving transplants have been identified through those drives. The drives take place annually, and the 2011 drive is April 21.

Once it became clear last summer that Schwartz was in urgent need of a stem-cell transplant, Hughes became part of a worldwide effort to raise awareness of the need for bone marrow donors and umbilical cord blood donors. Schwartz’s story was featured on ESPN, ABC News and CBS News, among others. Hughes distributed literature to OB-GYNs at various places she visited throughout the summer, educating expectant parents about the need for umbilical cord blood donors. She also contacted media outlets to get stories printed that raised awareness of the need. She then took her involvement one step further by working with the Dana Farber Cancer Institute to start a bone marrow donor testing drive and a fundraiser for Schwartz based around the Chowder Cup hockey tournament in Massachusetts.

Once school was back in session in the fall, Hughes followed up her work from the summer by organizing the women’s hockey team’s “White Out for Mandi” fundraiser in November that attracted a record crowd of more than 1,000 people to Ingalls Rink for Yale’s game against RPI. Hughes got special T-shirts designed, printed and sold for the event; promoted the event through the media, including NHL.com; and organized a silent auction that included items from teams (New York Rangers, Boston Red Sox) and players (Bobby Orr, Mark Recchi, Patrick Kane). The two fundraisers that Hughes organized have raised more than $22,000 for Mandi and her family.

Those events are only part of what makes Hughes a finalist for the award. She also helps coach a Yale Youth Hockey team and participates in numerous other community service initiatives. She and her teammates recently “adopted” a nine-year old girl, Giana, who is recovering from surgery for a brain tumor. Hughes regularly takes time to visit Giana, who recently returned to school as a fourth grader. Giana is the first adoptee in the recently created program known as “Bulldog Buddies” that pairs Yale athletic teams with young brain tumor patients.

Yale’s previous Hockey Humanitarian Award finalists are Julianna Schantz-Dun (Class of 2000), Deanna McDevitt (2003), Kristin Savard (winner in 2007) and Crysti Howser (2009). No other school has had more finalists. Hughes has been involved in many team-organized events such as Youth Days, Skate with the Players and ECAC Hockey’s 2008-09 “Pink at the Rink” fundraiser for cancer research. She is her team’s representative for Yale Athletics’ Thomas W. Ford ’42 Community Outreach Program, coordinating events such as a holiday gift-giving initiative for underprivileged families in the New Haven area. She is also a member of Athletes in Action, a group of Christian student-athletes that meets weekly and performs various community service initiatives.

Recognizing her leadership potential, Hughes also had taken part in Yale Athletics’ Kiputh Leadership Academy, which develops Yale student-athletes to be world-class leaders in athletics, academics and life. As part of their participation, student-athletes work closely with peer groups to learn, develop and practice skills associated with successful leadership qualities.

On the ice, Hughes has been among Yale’s top four in goals, assists and points in each of her first three seasons, and she has 26 goals and 19 assists in her career. She has not missed a game, and last year she earned Yale’s Bulldog Award for team spirit. Hughes also has been a part of the USA Hockey program, attending the Open Olympic Tryouts in the summer of 2009.

Hughes is a graduate of Hotchkiss School in Lakeville, where she was team captain and All-New England. She also played for the Connecticut Stars, earning one silver medal and two bronze at nationals, and comes from a family of hockey players. Her father, George, played for Harvard and is seventh on the Crimson’s career scoring list. Her uncle, Jack, played for Harvard and the NHL’s Colorado Rockies. Her mother, Allison, played for Boston University. Her older brother, George, plays at St. Lawrence, and her younger brother, Gunnar, has committed to play at St. Lawrence.

An American studies major, Hughes hopes to go to law school after graduation.

Here’s hoping Aleca gets to go and has a Hockey Humanitarian Award with her.

Photo credit: Tia Ann Chapman – Hartford Courant

Glens Falls, NY, February 18, 2011 – After trailing for much of the game, the Connecticut Whale tied the score late in the third period, and then pulled out a 2-1 shootout win over the Adirondack Phantoms Friday night at the Glens Falls Civic Center.

The game was the Whale’s last tuneup before Saturday night’s historic Harvest-Properties.com Whale Bowl outdoor game at Rentschler Field against the Providence Bruins.

The only goal for much of the game was a second-period tally by Adirondack’s Mike Testwuide, but Kris Newbury scored with only 2:49 remaining in the third period to tie it at one.  Dov Grumet-Morris then stopped all four Adirondack shooters in the shootout, and Newbury and Tim Kennedy bested Phantom goaltender Johan Backlund to secure the win.

The victory was the Whale’s third straight and fifth in their last seven games, and fifth in their last six road games.  With a record of 27-22-2-5 for 61 points, the Whale, who are in third place in the AHL’s Atlantic Division, moved three points ahead of fourth-place Worcester, which lost 5-4 in Albany.

The Whale and Phantoms battled through a scoreless first period, despite a total of five power plays being awarded by referee Mark Lemelin.  The Whale, which had three man-advantages in the period, managed only six shots, while Adirondack had nine.

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The Whale was outshot 10-5 in the second period, and gave up a goal at 6:43, when they allowed multiple good chances in quick fashion around Grumet-Morris’ crease.  A rebound came to Ben Holmstrom in the slot and Grumet-Morris made a sharp save on Holmstrom’s point-blank try, but Testwuide was able to pick up the rebound at the left side of the crease.  Testwuide just managed to jam the puck between Grumet-Morris and the post, for Testwuide’s seventh goal of the season.

Backlund (22 saves) appeared headed for a shutout, before Newbury buried a rebound of a Stu Bickel shot at 17:11 of the third.  Dupont got the puck out of the corner to Bickel at the top of the circles, and Bickel’s shot went wide.  The rebound came off the boards to Newbury at the left side of the slot, though, and Newbury was able to put it into the net before Backlund could recover.

The Whale had a golden opportunity to win it late in regulation, when Lemelin awarded them a five-on-three power play for 55 seconds, but they could not convert.  The power play carried over into overtime, and after the Phantoms killed the penalty Dale Weise was hit with an unsportsmanlike conduct minor, but the Phantoms could not take advantage either.

The shootout victory was only the Whale’s third in eight trips to the post-overtime penalty-shot contest, and it was Grumet-Morris’ first trip to the shootout in a Whale uniform.  In addition to going four-for-four in the shootout, Grumet-Morris (4-2-0) stopped 28 out of 29 shots in regulation and overtime, for his fourth win in his last five appearances.

Saturday night’s Harvest-Properties.com AHL outdoor game between the Whale and Providence faces off at 7:00 PM at Rentschler Field.  The AHL contest will be preceded at 4:00 by a Whalers legends vs. Boston Bruins legends game.

Connecticut Whale 2 (SO) at Adirondack Phantoms 1
Friday, February 18, 2011 – Glens Falls Civic Center

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

1st Period- No Scoring.Penalties-Gustafsson Adk (delay of game), 0:35; Garlock Ct (slashing), 7:42; Rinaldo Adk (interference), 10:57; DiDiomete Ct (fighting), 13:04; Rinaldo Adk (fighting), 13:04; Soryal Ct (tripping), 15:59; Bordson Adk (hooking), 17:59; Niemi Ct (roughing), 20:00; Holmstrom Adk (roughing), 20:00.

2nd Period-1, Adirondack, Testwuide 7 (Holmstrom, Ryan), 6:43. Penalties-Rinaldo Adk (high-sticking), 8:14; Tessier Ct (hooking), 14:46.

3rd Period-2, Connecticut, Newbury 9 (Bickel), 17:11. Penalties-Niemi Ct (tripping), 2:59; Grachev Ct (delay of game), 6:16; Newbury Ct (fighting), 17:11; Rinaldo Adk (fighting), 17:11; Walker Adk (roughing), 18:07; Kalinski Adk (tripping), 19:11.

OT Period- No Scoring.Penalties-Weise Ct (unsportsmanlike conduct), 1:50.

Shootout – Connecticut 2 (Kennedy G, Williams NG, Newbury G), Adirondack 0 (Ryan NG, Hamel NG, Moore NG, Pither NG).
Shots on Goal-Connecticut 6-5-11-1-1-24. Adirondack 9-10-9-1-0-29.
Power Play Opportunities-Connecticut 0 / 6; Adirondack 0 / 6.
Goalies-Connecticut, Grumet-Morris 4-2-0 (29 shots-28 saves). Adirondack, Backlund 7-13-3 (23 shots-22 saves).
A-3,012
Referees-Mark Lemelin (84).
Linesmen-Robert St. Lawrence (10), Steeve Lemay (64).

By Bruce Berlet

The countdown has reached zero.

The Harvest-Properties.com Whale Bowl arrives Saturday, and the Connecticut Whale and Providence Bruins are more than a little enthused about participating in the second AHL outdoor game before what will be a record AHL crowd at Rentschler Field in East Hartford.

“Excitement is probably the best way to describe our mindset,” said Whale left wing Brodie Dupont, who grew up playing outdoors in the town of St. Lazare, Manitoba, population 265, where his father is mayor. “Guys are excited about something different, and a lot of them haven’t played outdoors for a while. Going there for practice (on Tuesday morning) was kind of cool, and I didn’t think the wind made that big of a difference, though you could feel it out there.

“But the guys have talked about the game for a while. It’s not often you get to do something on a stage like this. We’ve all played outdoors, but not on this kind of a stage. The boys obviously watch all the outdoor games, whether it’s the NHL Classics or college, because it’s usually a pretty big event. Playing before so many people is probably going to be a record for everyone, and looking at the weather forecast, it’s going to be nice, so the crowd is going to have fun.

“It’s all part of the atmosphere. I think people coming to watch will be there more for the atmosphere than to watch a good, high-quality hockey game. The fans will be excited, so I’m sure both teams will be able to build off of it. It’s going to be cool for both teams.”

Cool, indeed, though not as cool as much of this often gruesome winter during which there was record snowfall in January. Three weeks ago, it would have been hard to fathom that there would be a concern about rain and the weather being too warm, but with temperatures forecast for the mid-30s to 40 Saturday, it should be a grand day to play six – games, that is – starting at 7:30 a.m. with the Avon Youth Peewees against the Springfield Pics 99 EHF.

Farmington High faces the Newington/Berlin co-op team at 10 a.m., and then Army plays American International College at 1 p.m. Those games precede the Harvest-Properties.com Whale Bowl – a group of celebrities mixing in with Hartford Whalers and Boston Bruins legends teams at 4 p.m., followed by the Whale and P-Bruins at 7 p.m. A cthockeyleague.com game scheduled to start at 10:15 p.m. caps the day’s activities. With 28,500 tickets having been sold by early Friday afternoon, the crowd will shatter the AHL record of 21,508 that watched the host Syracuse Crunch beat the Binghamton Senators 2-1 at the New York State Fairgrounds on Feb. 20, 2010.

The practice Tuesday really got a buzz running through the Whale players and staff.

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“Since we skated the other day, talk about the game picked up a little more,” Whale right wing Dale Weise said. “We kind of got a feel for what it was like and the lay of the land, so it’s pretty exciting. Everyone knows it’s going to be the biggest crowd any of us has ever played in front of.

“We (had) a game Friday night (in Glens Falls, N.Y.), but we’re not afraid to say we’re pumped up (for Saturday). Nobody here has played outdoors in years and definitely not at the pro level.”

The Whale prepped for the game against the resurgent Adirondack Phantoms, then bused home and waited to be one of the featured attractions in the historic 12-day Harvest-Properties.com Whalers Hockey Fest 2011. The largest event in Connecticut hockey history was the brainchild of Whalers Sports and Entertainment chairman and CEO Howard Baldwin, who has begun to revive hockey interest in the area with the long-range goal of bringing the NHL back to Hartford.

Baldwin’s wishes got a shot in the arm in August, when WSE hosted the Whalers Reunion and Fan Fest that included a golf tournament, a dinner to benefit the Arthritis Foundation and a Fan Fest at Rentschler Field. Baldwin hoped 1,500 to 2,000 would show for the Fan Fest, but the number was about 5,000, many of whom waited as long as three hours to get autographs from 22 former Whalers.

Since the Hartford Wolf Pack was renamed and rebranded as the Connecticut Whale on Nov. 27, attendance at the XL Center has nearly doubled, and Baldwin hopes the Hockey Fest continues to build interest and enthusiasm.

Whale coach Ken Gernander said he noticed an increased vigor in everyone after the practice at Rentschler.

“I think the guys enjoyed it and worked hard,” he said. “We had a good practice; nothing by any means that was a ‘muffin’ or ‘friends and giggles.’ It was a good day, but I think the guys enjoyed being outside and a change of scenery, and I’m sure they’re looking forward to the game.”

The P-Bruins had scheduled a practice at Rentschler Field on Monday night, but coach Rob Murray canceled it because the team played three games in three days last weekend and then had to travel to Portland on Tuesday, when they lost their seventh consecutive game 7-0, their largest margin of defeat this season. Instead of The Rent, they practiced on the Bank of America outdoor skating rink in downtown Providence, a few strides from the Dunkin’ Donuts Center.

“This is going to be cool, it’s going to be fun, there’s supposed to be a big crowd,” Bruins right wing Kirk MacDonald told the Attleboro (Mass.) Sun Chronicle. “Growing up in Victoria (British Columbia), we didn’t have any outdoor rinks. This is going to be a lot different than from a normal game. To get to experience something that not too many other people get a chance to do is going to be cool. Of course, it’ll be more fun if we win.”

The Whale is 4-2-0-0 against the Bruins (23-28-3-1), who hosted Portland on Friday night. They were outscored 34-10 in the seven consecutive losses but should be helped by the return of forwards Zach Hamill and Jordan Caron from the parent Boston Bruins. But center Joe Colborne, the Bruins’ first-round pick in 2008 and the P-Bruins’ third-leading scorer (12 goals, 14 assists), was part of a trade Friday in which the parent club acquired defenseman Tomas Kaberle from the Toronto Maple Leafs. The P-Bruins’ leading scorers are All-Star center Jamie Arniel (15, 17), Hamill (3, 25), MacDonald (11, 15) and center Maxime Sauve (13, 6), who had two goals in each of the Bruins’ two wins over the Whale. Rugged left wing Lane MacDermid, son of former Whalers right wing Paul MacDermid, has four goals, seven assists and 117 penalty minutes. Michael Hutchinson (7-7-0, 3.11, .898, no shutouts) rejoined the Bruins on Thursday, switching places with fellow rookie Matt Dalton (7-9-0, 3.20, .894, two shutouts), who was returned to Reading of the ECHL after allowing seven goals Tuesday. Hutchinson was the P-Bruins’ Player of the Month in November thanks largely to a seven-game unbeaten streak from Oct. 31 to Nov. 24 before losing five of six starts and being sent to Reading. He was 9-5-3 with a 2.85 GAA and .917 save percentage with his first pro shutout with Reading. Hutchinson and Dalton originally swapped places on Dec. 29. Veteran Nolan Schaefer is 9-15-1, 3.14, .897, no shutouts.

Goalie Cam Talbot (high ankle sprain), center Todd White (concussion), wings Chad Kolarik (hamstring) and Chris McKelvie (foot surgery) and defenseman Tomas Kundratek (flu) missed the Phantoms game, but Kundratek could return against the Bruins. Center Kris Newbury, the Whalers’ second-leading scorer (8, 33) to All-Star right wing Jeremy Williams (24, 19), was called up by the Rangers on Wednesday as a possible replacement for Wojtek Wolski (rib cage) but was a healthy scratch for a 4-3 shootout victory over the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday night. Newbury rejoined the Whale on Friday.

Despite the AHL attendance record assured of being broken, officials of Whalers Sports and Entertainment, which runs the Whale’s business operations and is handling the event, hopes to sell out the 38,000 seats to keep intact all the outdoor NHL and college games having sellouts. The only day that tickets are not general admission is Saturday.

There were two high school games Friday night, and Enfield native Craig Janney, who is playing for the Boston Bruins legends, dropped the ceremonial first puck before the game between Enfield High, his alma mater, and Northwest Catholic-West Hartford. A reception for the legends and celebrities in the Whale Bowl opener was held at The Rent as the Enfield-Northwest Catholic game wound down and the Wethersfield High-East Catholic-Manchester game was played.

Tickets ($20 to $85) for Saturday can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com, online and printed immediately at Ticketmaster.com, or by calling the Whale at 860-728-3366.

Hall of Fame defensemen Brian Leetch, a Cheshire native, and Brad Park headline the Bruins legends team. Other commitments are Janney, former captain Rick Middleton, Reggie Lemelin, Don Marcotte, Rick Smith, Bob Sweeney, Lyndon Byers, Cleon Daskalakis, Jay Miller, Bob Miller (no relation), Bruce Shoebottom, Tom Songin and Ken “The Rat” Linseman, a member of the Whalers for a few moments as he passed through in a multi-player trade with Philadelphia and Edmonton that included Mark Howe leaving Hartford for the Flyers. Derek Sanderson, Ken Hodge and Gary Doak will coach the Bruins team.

Commitments for the Whalers team are WHA Hall of Famer and all-time leading scorer Andre Lacroix, Blaine Stoughton, Pat Verbeek, John Anderson, Garry Swain, Bob Crawford, Chris Kotsopoulos, Jim Dorey, Jordy Douglas, Ray Neufeld, Nelson Emerson, Mark Janssens, Bill Bennett, Jeff Brubaker, Fred O’Donnell, Terry Yake, Scott Daniels, Ed Hospodar, Yvon Corriveau, the brother tandems of Dave and Wayne Babych and Doug and Gordie Roberts, and former Wolf Pack player Todd Hall of Hamden. John McKenzie, whose retired No. 19 hangs in the XL Center rafters, former captain Russ Anderson, Norm Barnes and Paul MacDermid will coach the Whalers team.

Celebrities Cameron Bancroft, Michael Buie and Neal McDonough will play with the Bruins team, while the Whalers side will include Bobby Farrelly, David Henrie and the Hanson brothers – Steve, Jeff and Dave –  who were the comedic linchpins of the iconic movie “Slap Shot.”

Paul Stewart, a Boston native and the only American to referee more than 1,000 NHL games in a 13-year career, will officiate the game. He also officiated at the Canada Cup in 1987 and 1991 after an eight-year playing career with teams in the NAHL, AHL, NEHL, CHL, WHA and NHL.

“The Zambonis,” the most popular sports-rock band in North America from Bridgeport, will perform at the Rentschler Field entrance before the legends and AHL games. The 100 percent hockey-rock band performed two big shows at the recent NHL All-Star Game, the latest triumph in a career that dates to being formed by “defenseman/guitarist/singer” Dave Schneider in 1991.

The official charity of the Hockey Fest is “Sam’s Race for a Place,” a fund-raising effort spearheaded by West Hartford resident Samantha Udolf that benefits the Ronald McDonald House. Since Udolf, a successful competitive skier, founded Sam’s Race for a Place in June of 2008, it has generated donations of more than $43,500.

The Ronald McDonald House is a non-profit charity operating since 1991 that helps hundreds of families and children enjoy the comforts of home while they await treatment at area medical facilities. Udolf became familiar with Ronald McDonald House and its good works while volunteering there, and she conceived Sam’s Race for a Place after learning it is independently-funded and depends on grass-roots campaigns for nearly all of its support.

For more information about Sam’s Race for a Place, visit www.samsraceforaplace.com, where donations can be made. Besides the games, the Hockey Fest will include “Whale Town” featuring exhibitors, games and the Whalers Mobile Hall of Fame.

The schedule of games can be found at www.ctwhale.com. There will be a public skate on Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., with eight one-hour sessions for the public and one from 7 to 9 p.m. for Whale season ticket holders and Hockey Fest ticket holders. Tickets ($10) are available at the Rentschler Field and Bushnell box offices. Participants must bring their own skates, and sessions will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Season ticket holders and Hockey Fest ticket holders are encouraged to RSVP by calling Whalers Sports and Entertainment at 860-728-3366.

WHALE CONTINUES TO BE ROAD WARRIORS NEXT WEEK

The Whale is back on the road at Portland on Monday at 1 p.m. and then will play their first two games in Charlotte, N.C., against the Checkers, their former ECHL affiliate, on Thursday and Saturday. They finally return to the XL Center on March 2 to face the Springfield Falcons. Their ensuing home game is March 11 against the defending Calder Cup champion Hershey Bears, ending a brutal stretch of 10 road games in 12.

Entering Friday night’s game against Providence, the Pirates (33-15-4-1) had won four in a row and 15 of 19, including a 3-2 victory over the Whale at the XL Center on Feb. 6 that tied the season series at 3 in the teams’ fifth one-goal game. The Pirates are led by 2010 All-Star right wing Mark Mancari, who leads the AHL in goals (30) and is third in points (58). He’s followed by defenseman Marc-Andre Gragnani (9, 28), left wing Derek Whitmore (20, 13), 2011 All-Star center Luke Adam (15, 17) and left wing Colin Stuart (10, 22). Center Paul Byron (14, 17) is on recall to the parent Buffalo Sabres. David Leggio (15-4-0, 2.49, .919) has been tough on the Whale, including his first of two shutouts, 3-0 in Portland on Jan. 14. Jhonas Enroth is 18-14-1, 2.83, .910, no shutouts.

The Checkers (30-19-2-4), the new AHL affiliate of the Carolina Hurricanes, were on a five-game points streak (4-0-1-0) before a 3-0 loss to the Albany Devils on Tuesday night. Entering a game at Binghamton on Friday night, their leading scorer, All-Star right wing Jerome Samson (26, 28), was on recall to the Hurricanes. The top remaining scorers are left wings Jacob Micflikier (21, 22), Oskar Osala (13, 28) and Chris Terry (20, 20) and center Zach Boychuk (15, 25), who was reassigned to the Checkers on Sunday. The Checkers have gone all season with only two goalies, Mike Murphy (15-9-2, 2.95, .907, no shutouts) and Justin Pogge (15-12-2, 3.04, .908, no shutouts). … The Whale’s intrastate rival, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, finally earned a point Wednesday night in a 4-3 shootout loss at Springfield, ending a nine-game losing streak in regulation. But they still have only one win in 2011 (1-14-2-2), and it won’t get any easier this weekend as they visit Hershey on Saturday night and host the Atlantic Division-leading Manchester Monarchs on Sunday afternoon.

THREE WHALE PLAYERS AMONG PROSPECTS TRADING CARDS

Two Whale players, goalie Chad Johnson and forward Evgeny Grachev, and defenseman Ryan McDonagh, now on recall to the Rangers, are in the 150-card Heroes and Prospects trading card set by In the Game. The three have all played with the Rangers, though Johnson’s five-game stint was last season. They are pictured on those cards in Wolf Pack uniforms.

In the Game has been making its Heroes and Prospects hockey set for several years, and it’s become a must-have for many hockey fans. This year’s 150-card set includes seven Hockey Hero cards, three international prospects, 90 Canadian major junior hockey league players and 50 AHL players. Many of the players have already been drafted, while others are expected to be early picks in upcoming NHL drafts.

There are a lot of memorabilia, autograph, jersey, game-used emblem and AHL 75^th Anniversary cards, including the one of AHL Hall of Famer John Paddock, who coached the Wolf Pack to their only Calder Cup title in his first of three seasons, 1999-2000.

Other notable player cards are Logan Couture and Alex Stalock (San Jose-Worcester), P.K. Subban (Montreal Canadiens-Hamilton Bulldogs), Tyler Ennis (Buffalo Sabres-Portland Pirates), John Carlson (Washington Capitals-Hershey Bears), John Moore (Columbus Blue Jackets-Springfield Falcons), Blake Geoffrion (Nashville Predators-Milwaukee Admirals), Jared Staal (Carolina Hurricanes-Charlotte Checkers) and Linus Omark (Edmonton Oilers-Oklahoma City Barons), as well as Calder Cup champion cards Alexandre Giroux, Chris Bourque, Keith Aucoin, Andrew Gordon and Mathieu Perreault; non-memorabilia insert cards such as Taylor Hall, Cam Fowler and Eric Wellwood; and 75^th Anniversary cards Billy Smith, Brett Hull, Bruce Boudreau, Doug Harvey, Eddie Shore, Emile Francis, Gerry Cheevers, John Slaney, Carey Price, Jason Spezza, Larry Robinson, Les Cunningham, Martin Brodeur, Milt Schmidt, Patrick Roy, Pelle Lindbergh, Terry Sawchuk, Mitch Lamoureux, Willie Marshall and Zdeno Chara.

The card sets cost $94.99 and are available at www.theahl.com. All-Star Game jerseys and merchandise are also available.

ZUCCARELLO, CHRISTENSEN A DYNAMIC DUO

Erik Christensen and former Whale wing Mats Zuccarello have become a dynamic opening combo in shootouts for the Rangers. In fact, they’ve been an almost perfect 9-for-10, usually from the leadoff spots. They were again Thursday night against the Los Angeles Kings’ Jonathan Bernier, enabling the Rangers to get a much-needed 4-3 victory and helping give goalie Henrik Lundqvist his 200^th career win.

Zuccarello, the “Norwegian Hobbit” with the terrific hands, usually skates in at 33 rpm and then makes a quick shifty move at the end, leaving him an almost open net to deposit the puck.

“Sometimes you don’t play that much, but you still have to be focused and be positive if you get the chance to take it,” Zuccarello, who played a team-low 8:24, told reporters after the game. “You keep wanting to be the guy, so you’re nervous, but what’s the worst thing that can happen – you miss a penalty shot?”

Zuccarello has always been successful with the same move. He failed against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Feb. 1, switching because he thought he had become too predictable.

“Eventually, it will be (too predictable) and I will have to change, but for now I’m staying,” Zuccarello said. “Maybe you shouldn’t put that in the newspapers. Maybe there shouldn’t be any video.”

Christensen improved to 4-for-4 this season and 22-for-39 in his career with a nifty forehand-backhand move. He started on the fourth line and was bumped to the first line in place of Vinny Prospal, getting 4:52 of his 10:11 in the third period.

“I have a lot of experience in (shootouts), starting with the minors,” said Christensen, who has used a variety of moves. “I always know what I’m going to do when I pick up the puck. There’s less chance of screwing up that way.

“I’ve had times where I played five minutes in a game and scored, so that’s not an issue for me. It’s not like your skill goes away.”

No, fortunately for the Rangers, the skills of Christensen and Zuccarello have come to the forefront at the most critical time.

And as usually is the case, Zuccarello wasn’t the only former Wolf Pack/Whale player to make a major contribution for the Rangers. Right wing Ryan Callahan, seemingly destined to succeed Trumbull native Chris Drury as team captain, had a goal and an assist, giving him five goals and two assists in seven games since missing six weeks with a broken hand.

Former Wolf Pack center Artem Anisimov scored the Rangers’ third goal with 3:08 left in regulation when he deflected Dubinsky’s shot past Bernier, but he was deprived of the game-winner when Dustin Brown, always a thorn in the Wolf Pack’s side while playing for the Manchester Monarchs and the game’s No. 3 star, scored his second goal of the game on a bank shot off Lundqvist’s head only 47 seconds later. Former Wolf Pack Dan Girardi and All-Star Marc Staal continue to be the Rangers’ No. 1 defensive duo, and the rookie pairing of Ryan McDonagh and former Wolf Pack defenseman Michael Sauer was plus-3. Sauer also had an assist on Marian Gaborik’s goal when he poked the puck along the boards to send the speedy wing racing down the right side for a knuckle ball from the circle that beat Bernier to the far side.

The Kings, meanwhile, extended their points streak to 11 games (8-0-3) a night after winning a shootout at Columbus behind Milford native Jonathan Quick, who stopped all three shots in a 4-3 victory to improve to 7-0 in the skills competition. Thursday night was the Kings’ eighth game on a 10-game road trip and continued a dramatic improvement from a 2-10-0 stretch last season from Dec. 29 to Jan. 20 as they try to secure a playoff spot in a wacky Western Conference race.

“You knew they weren’t going to give up or let up,” said Callahan, the game’s No. 1 star. “It’s a good team over there. They’ve got a lot of speed, they work hard and it’s really tough to get through the neutral zone on them. But we kept at it, kept with the game plan and it paid off in the end. It’s really big. We showed some character through it.”

New York, February 18, 2011 – New York Rangers President and General Manager Glen Sather announced today that forward Kris Newbury has been assigned to the Connecticut Whale of the American Hockey League (AHL).

Newbury, 28, did not dress in a 4-3 shootout win vs. Los Angeles last night after being recalled from Connecticut on Wednesday.  He has registered one assist and 35 penalty minutes in eight games with the Rangers this season.  He made his Blueshirts debut at Montreal on January 15, and recorded his first point as a Ranger with the primary assist on the game-tying goal in a 3-2 shootout win at Atlanta on January 22.  Newbury returns to Connecticut, where he has recorded eight goals and 33 assists for 41 points, along with 98 penalty minutes in 49 games this season.  He leads the team and is tied for seventh in the AHL in assists, ranks second on the Whale in points and fourth in penalty minutes. Newbury registered three points in two games this past weekend, including a two-point performance in a 4-1 win at Providence on Sunday (one goal, one assist).  He has now registered a team-high, 11 multi-point performances this season, including two separate streaks of three games with multiple points – November 13 vs. Springfield to November 19 at Springfield (six assists), and December 3 at Providence to December 11 vs. Manchester (one goal, six assists).  The 5-11, 213-pounder established a career-high with an eight-game assist streak from November 28 vs. Adirondack to December 17 vs. Worcester, recording three goals and 12 assists over the span.

The Brampton, Ontario native was originally San Jose’s fifth round pick, 139th overall, in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft.  He was acquired by the Rangers from Detroit in exchange for forward Jordan Owens on March 3, 2010.

Photo credit: Getty Images

By Bruce Berlet

CROMWELL, Conn. – The Connecticut Whale bus wouldn’t get into gear after a practice in suburban Syracuse during the team’s only venture into Canada this season to Toronto and Hamilton last week.

But Johnny Davis, a bus driver for 25 years and the team’s chauffeur since the birth of the Hartford Wolf Pack in 1997, solved the problem in 90 minutes after calling his boss at Dattco.

“I got instructions on the phone,” Davis recalled Thursday as he waited for the Whale to finish practice so he could usher them off to Glens Falls, N.Y., for a game Friday night against the resurgent Adirondack Phantoms. “I fixed the gear box, the pressure gauge controller for the cruise control, and off we went.”

Ken Gernander, who also has been with the franchise since Day 1 as a player/captain, assistant coach and head coach, said it was the first time the bus broke down since his first season as the main man behind the bench (2007-08).

“We were going to Hamilton or Toronto that time, too, and the bus broke down just outside of Springfield,” Gernander said. “But Johnny fixed it this time. They walked him through it, just like (the action-adventure series) MacGyver.”

Fortunately for the Whale, they don’t have any more trips north of the border this season. And hopefully this bus snafu is the Whale’s last major obstacle to a playoff berth, though it’s doubtful there will be any clear sailing with so many teams bunched for the final spots.

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Atlantic Division pacesetters Manchester (72 points) and Portland (71 with three games in hand) appear to be locks for the postseason, while the Whale (59), Worcester (58) and Springfield (54) are vying for the third and possibly only other automatic berth. The Whale is one point ahead of Worcester, which has three games in hand, and five in front of the Falcons, who also have played 55 games.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (80) and Hershey (72) appear shoo-ins in the East Division, with Charlotte (66), Norfolk (65) and Binghamton (62) in line for the other playoff berths. If the postseason began Friday, fifth-place Binghamton in the East Division would hold the eighth and final Eastern Conference playoff spot ahead of fourth-place Worcester in the Atlantic Division.

The Whale (26-22-2-5) was helped earlier this week when Worcester, Charlotte and Norfolk lost. Prior to that, Worcester, Charlotte, Norfolk and Binghamton were on a combined 16-0-2-1 run. Meanwhile, Manchester and Portland have won a combined six consecutive games and are 15-3-0-3 in their last 21 starts, capped by the Pirates’ 7-0 rout of Providence on Wednesday night, the Bruins’ seventh consecutive loss, worst of the season and only three days after the previous worst, 8-2 to Springfield.

The Whale has rebounded from a 9-2 loss in Toronto on Feb. 9 that tied the franchise records for most goals allowed and worst margin of defeat with road victories over Hamilton (3-2) and Providence (4-1). That gives the Whale four wins in six starts, but they’ve lost ground in the playoff race. Now after four days off, the Whale left on their second trip to Glen Falls, N.Y., and an attempt to complete a four-game sweep of the Phantoms before a ride home for the Harvest-Properties.com Whale Bowl against the Bruins on Saturday at 7 p.m. in the second outdoor game in AHL history at Rentschler Field in East Hartford.

The Phantoms (18-30-3-3) have lost 3-0, 4-3 and 6-4 to the Whale but have improved dramatically since a horrific 4-26-1-1 start before their first back-to-back wins Dec. 17-18. They’re 14-7-1-3 since then, including 12-7-1-3 since Joe Paterson took over as coach on Dec. 20, replacing former Wolf Pack coach John Paddock, the interim coach after replacing Greg Gilbert on Nov. 8. The Phantoms, who have occupied the East Division cellar all season, are now tied with Syracuse for seventh place and only one point back of sixth-place Albany.

The Phantoms are led by veteran left wing Denis Hamel (17 goals and 15 assists in 40 games after not signing until Nov. 1), All-Star defenseman Erik Gustafsson (5, 27), who ended an 18-game goal-scoring drought in a 1-0 victory over Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Saturday night, defenseman Danny Syvret (6, 18), right wing Ben Holmstrom (9, 13) and left wings Michael Ryan (15, 6) and Eric Wellwood (11, 10). Former Wolf Pack captain Greg Moore has six goals and 10 assists after not scoring until the 33^rd game on Dec. 28. But much of the Phantoms’ improvement can be traced to Hamel and the arrival of goalie Michael Leighton (4-6-1-1, 2.37 goals-against average, .918 save percentage), who led the Philadelphia Flyers to the Stanley Cup finals against the champion Chicago Blackhawks in June but was back in the minors after he cleared waivers on Jan. 3 as the parent club went with Brian Boucher.

The Whale is 4-2-0-0 against the Bruins (23-28-3-1), whose seven-game losing streak has dropped them into sixth place. They’ve been outscored 33-10 in that stretch, but they’ve been bolstered by the return of forwards Zach Hamill and Jordan Caron from the parent Boston Bruins. The P-Bruins’ leading scorers are All-Star center Jamie Arniel (15, 17), Hamill (3, 25), center Joe Colborne (12, 14), right wing Kirk MacDonald (11, 15) and center Maxime Sauve (13, 6), who had two goals in each of the Bruins’ two wins over the Whale. Rugged left wing Lane MacDermid, son of former Hartford Whalers right wing Paul MacDermid, has four goals, seven assists and 117 penalty minutes. Michael Hutchinson (7-7-0, 3.11, .898, no shutouts in 18 games) rejoined the Bruins on Thursday, switching places with fellow rookie Matt Dalton (7-9-0, 3.20, .894, two shutouts), who was returned to Reading of the ECHL after allowing seven goals Tuesday night. Hutchinson was the P-Bruins’ Player of the Month in November, enjoying a seven-game unbeaten streak from Oct. 31 to Nov. 24 before losing five of six starts and being sent to Reading. He was 9-5-3 for Reading, with a 2.85 GAA and .917 save percentage with his first pro shutout. Hutchinson and Dalton originally swapped places on Dec. 29. Veteran Nolan Schaefer is 9-15-1, 3.14, .897, no shutouts.

The Whale is at Portland on Monday at 1 p.m. and then will play their first two games in Charlotte, N.C., against the Checkers, their former ECHL affiliate, on Feb. 24 and 26. They finally return to the XL Center on March 2 to face Springfield. Their ensuing home game is March 11 against defending Calder Cup champion Hershey, ending a brutal stretch of 10 road games in 12.

The Pirates (33-15-4-1) have won four in a row and 15 of 19, including a 3-2 victory over the Whale at the XL Center on Feb. 6 that enabled them to tie the season series at 3 in the teams’ fifth one-goal game. The Pirates are led by right wing Mark Mancari, who leads the AHL in goals (30) and is third in points (58). He’s followed by defenseman Marc-Andre Gragnani (9, 28), left wing Derek Whitmore (20, 13), All-Star center Luke Adam (15, 17) and left wing Colin Stuart (10, 22). Center Paul Byron (14, 17) is on recall to the parent Buffalo Sabres. David Leggio (15-4-0, 2.49, .919) has been a nemesis against the Whale, including his first of two shutouts, 3-0 in Portland on Jan. 14. Jhonas Enroth is 18-14-1, 2.83, .910, no shutouts.

The Checkers (30-19-2-4), the new AHL affiliate of the Carolina Hurricanes, were on a five-game points streak (4-0-1-0) before a 3-0 loss to the Albany Devils on Tuesday night. Their leading scorer, All-Star right wing Jerome Samson (26, 28), is on recall to the Hurricanes. The top remaining scorers are left wings Jacob Micflikier (21, 22), Oskar Osala (13, 28) and Chris Terry (20, 20) and center Zach Boychuk (15, 25), who was reassigned to the Checkers on Sunday. The Checkers have gone all season with only two goalies, Mike Murphy (15-9-2, 2.95, .907, no shutouts) and Justin Pogge (15-12-2, 3.04, .908, no shutouts).

Goalie Cam Talbot (high ankle sprain), center Todd White (concussion) and forward Chris McKelvie (foot surgery) are out indefinitely for the Whale, though Talbot has resumed full workouts and could return soon. The Whale called up defensemen Lee Baldwin and Blake Parlett from Greenville of the ECHL on Wednesday and Thursday. Center Kris Newbury, the Whalers’ second-leading scorer (8, 33) to All-Star right wing Jeremy Williams (24, 19), is on recall to the Rangers but was scratched Thursday night in a 4-3 shootout victory over the Los Angeles Kings when wing Wojtek Wolski was able to play after sustaining a rib cage muscle pull in a 5-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday that ended the Rangers’ season-high, six-game losing streak (0-5-0-1). Erik Christensen and former Whale wing Mats Zuccarello scored in the shootout to improve to 9-for-10 combined, and Henrik Lundqvist had 25 saves in regulation and overtime and stopped two of three shootout attempts. With the Rangers not sustaining any injuries, Newbury could rejoin the Whale in Glens Falls.

The Rangers didn’t have to face Milford native Jonathan Quick (26-14-2, 2.10, .923, six shutouts), who stopped all three shots in a shootout Wednesday night as the Kings beat the Columbus Blue Jackets, 4-3. Quick won his seventh game in eight starts and improved to 7-0 in shootouts as the Kings extended their points streak to 8-0-2, longest since 1980. The shootout loss in the eighth game of a 10-game trip extended that streak to 11 games and gave the Kings points in nine straight road games (6-0-3), their best run since 1984.

“We could have stumbled here on the road trip, but we also could have had a homestand last month that went differently,” said Quick, who had 21 saves against the Blue Jackets. “It’s starting to even out, but we’re still fighting for that playoff spot. It’s a real tight conference right now and we have to battle every night.”

HARVEST-PROPERTIES.COM WHALE BOWL TO BREAK AHL ATTENDANCE RECORD

More than 26,000 tickets have been sold for Harvest-Properties.com Whale Bowl, assuring the Whale and Bruins will shatter the AHL attendance record of 21,508 that watched the host Syracuse Crunch beat Binghamton 2-1 at the New York State Fairgrounds on Feb. 20, 2010. But officials of Whalers Sports and Entertainment, which runs the Whale’s business operations and is handling the event, hope to sell out the 38,000 seats to keep intact all the outdoor NHL and college games having sellouts. Saturday is the only day that tickets are not general admission.

There are two high school games Friday, and Enfield native Craig Janney, who will play for the Boston Bruins legends against the Hartford Whalers legends Saturday at 4 p.m., will drop the ceremonial first puck at 5 p.m. before the game between Enfield High, his alma mater, and Northwest Catholic-West Hartford. The legends and celebrities in the Harvest-Properties.com Whale Bowl opener will attend a reception at 6:30 p.m., and Wethersfield High plays East Catholic-Manchester at 7:15 p.m.

About a dozen celebrities will mix in with the Whalers and Bruins legends, who play after Army meets American International College at 1 p.m. Tickets ($20 to $85) can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com and the Bushnell box office in Hartford on Friday from noon to 5 p.m. or by calling the Whale at 860-728-3366. They also can be purchased online and printed immediately at Ticketmaster.com.

Hall of Fame defensemen Brian Leetch, a Cheshire native, and Brad Park headline the Bruins legends team. Other commitments are Enfield native Craig Janney, former captain Rick Middleton, Reggie Lemelin, Ken Hodge, Don Marcotte, Rick Smith, Bob Sweeney, Lyndon Byers, Cleon Daskalakis, Jay Miller, Bob Miller (no relation) and Ken “The Rat” Linseman, a member of the Whalers for a few moments as he passed through in a multi-player trade with Philadelphia and Edmonton that included Mark Howe leaving Hartford for the Flyers. Derek Sanderson and Gary Doak will coach the Bruins team.

Commitments for the Whalers team are WHA Hall of Famer Andre Lacroix, John McKenzie, whose No. 19 is retired in the XL Center rafters, Blaine Stoughton, Pat Verbeek, John Anderson, Garry Swain, Bob Crawford, Chris Kotsopoulos, Jim Dorey, Jordy Douglas, Ray Neufeld, Gordie Roberts, Darren Turcotte, Nelson Emerson, Mark Janssens, Bill Bennett, Jeff Brubaker, Fred O’Donnell, Terry Yake, Scott Daniels, Ed Hospodar, Yvon Corriveau and the Babych brothers, Dave and Wayne. Norm Barnes and former captain Russ Anderson will be among the coaches.

Among the celebrities scheduled to play with one of the legends teams are filmmaker Bobby Farrelly, writer/director of such hit films as “Dumb and Dumber”, “There’s Something About Mary”, “Kingpin”, “Me, Myself and Irene”, “Outside Providence”, “The Heartbreak Kid”, “Stuck on You”, and “Shallow Hal”; and actor David Henrie, from “Wizards of Waverly Place” and “That’s So Raven”.

Paul Stewart, a Boston native and only American to referee more than 1,000 NHL games in a 13-year career, will officiate the game. He also officiated during the Canada Cup in 1987 and 1991 after an eight-year playing career with teams in the NAHL, AHL, NEHL, CHL, WHA and NHL.

“The Zambonis,” the most popular sports-rock band in North America from Bridgeport, will perform at the Rentschler Field entrance before the legends and AHL games. The 100 percent hockey-rock band just performed two big shows at the recent NHL All-Star Game, the latest triumph in a career that dates to being formed by “defenseman/guitarist/singer” Dave Schneider in 1991.

The official charity of the Hockey Fest is “Sam’s Race for a Place,” a fund-raising effort spearheaded by West Hartford resident Samantha Udolf that benefits the Ronald McDonald House. Since Udolf, a successful competitive skier, founded Sam’s Race for a Place in June of 2008, it has generated donations of more than $43,500.

The Ronald McDonald House is a non-profit charity operating since 1991 that helps hundreds of families and children enjoy the comforts of home while they await treatment at area medical facilities. Udolf became familiar with Ronald McDonald House and its good works while volunteering there, and she conceived Sam’s Race for a Place after learning it is independently-funded and depends on grass-roots campaigns for nearly all of its support.

For more information about Sam’s Race for a Place, visit www.samsraceforaplace.com. Donations also can be made through that web address. Besides the games, the Hockey Fest will include “Whale Town” featuring exhibitors, games and the Whalers Mobile Hall of Fame.

A schedule of games can be found at www.ctwhale.com. There will be a public skate on Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., with eight one-hour sessions for the public and one from 7 to 9 p.m. for Whale season ticket holders and Hockey Fest ticket holders. Tickets ($10) are available at the Rentschler Field and Bushnell box offices. Participants must bring their own skates, and sessions will be filled on a first-come, first-serve basis. Season ticket holders and Hockey Fest ticket holders are encouraged to RSVP by calling Whalers Sports and Entertainment at 860-728-3366.

KUDOS TO THE CURADIS

Former Junior Wolf Pack standout Luke Curadi of Cheshire is following in his parents’ footsteps of helping and serving others.

The 6-foot-6, 250-pound Curadi, a defenseman on the United States Hockey League’s Dubuque Fighting Saints, had his flaming red hair shaved off last Friday night at center ice after a 3-2 loss to the Waterloo Black Hawks.

Curadi, who was born at West Point and is going to RPI in September, raised nearly $10,000 for cancer research for the firefighter and police officer group “Cuffs and Hoses” with the help of the Fighting Saints and the special assistance of Curadi. The money, to be credited to Cuffs and Hoses Relay for Life efforts, was raised through a ticket fundraiser with the team, raffle sales at the game, T-shirt sales, a fundraising competition between the firefighters and police officers, and firefighters “passing the boot” at the game.

Curadi agreed to shave his head after the game if fans contributed more than $2,000. When the boots were emptied and the money counted, Curadi was sent to the barber’s chair with $63.15 to spare.

After having a few days to take in his new hairdo, Curadi said he wasn’t quite used to it.

“It’s a bit of an adjustment,” Curadi said. “I need to use a lot less shampoo in the shower. And I have to wear my winter hat at night because I like the room that I sleep in to be pretty cold, but my head’s just not used to it yet.”

Curadi will wear a slightly smaller helmet this Friday night, when the Fighting Saints play the Des Moines Buccaneers.

Curadi’s father is a helicopter pilot in the Marines who has returned from Iraq. He was also cut from the “Miracle on Ice” 1980 U.S. Olympic team coached by Herb Brooks, a roommate of former Whalers right wing Tim Sheehy on the 1971 team. Curadi’s mother is a former First Lieutenant in the U.S. Army.

RANGERS TOP PROSPECT STRIKES AGAIN

The Rangers’ No. 1 prospect, sophomore left wing Chris Kreider of the top-ranked Boston College Eagles, has added another notch to his ever-growing victory belt.

Kreider, the Rangers’ first-round pick (19^th overall) in 2009, was named MVP of the Beanpot Tournament after scoring twice in a 7-6 overtime victory over Northeastern in the title game Monday night. He previously won a gold medal with Team USA in the 2010 World Junior Championship and an NCAA title as a freshman as the Eagles scored a 5-0 victory over the Wisconsin Badgers, whose standouts included Rangers center Derek Stepan and defenseman Ryan McDonagh.

Stepan, who is third on the Rangers in scoring (32 points), and McDonagh, a major contributor since his call-up from the Whale on Jan. 3, left school after their sophomore and junior seasons, and Rangers coach John Tortorella hopes Kreider isn’t far behind.

“I wish he turned pro last year. I hope he turns pro next year. … I hope he’s with us,” Tortorella told reporters in New York. “He’s a sophomore now, and we’re anxious to get him involved in pro hockey because we think he’s got some good stuff to offer and want to get him tracked up here with us as soon as possible.”

The 6-foot-2, 214-pound Kreider has the size to compete against pros and might get some playing time with the Whale before making the jump to the NHL. Rangers All-Star defenseman Marc Staal and others joined the Wolf Pack after completing his junior careers, but Kreider would have to sign a contract and forego his last two years of college.

“It’s definitely something that gives me confidence that (Tortorella) said that, but honestly I feel like that’s so far away,” Kreider, who has nine goals and 11 assists in 26 games this season, told the New York Daily News. “We’re just concentrating on winning another championship. You have to put (turning pro) in the back of your mind, and when the season’s over, it’s something I’ll sit down with my family and my coaches and come to a decision.”

Tortorella won’t be applying any pressure, but his wishes are obvious.

“McDonagh and Step decided to come out, and that’s their call,” he said. “And it’s Kreider’s call also, as far as staying in. I don’t get into personal matters. … I think education’s important, and I think this is a family decision. But from a coach, we want to sink our teeth into him as quickly as possible to get him into a situation where he becomes a Ranger as quickly as possible.”

PARENTEAU RE-SIGNS WITH ISLANDERS

The New York Islanders signed former Wolf Pack right wing P.A. Parenteau to a one-year, $1.25 million contract extension on Thursday.

Parenteau, 27, is tied for second on the Islanders in points with 14 goals and 21 assists in 56 games. He signed a free-agent contract on July 2 after playing 22 of his 27 NHL games with the Rangers last season, when he had three goals and five assists. He also had 20 goals and 25 assists in 35 games with the Wolf Pack. The previous season, Parenteau finished ninth in the AHL in scoring with 29 goals and 49 assists in 74 games. In 2007-08, he was a second-team AHL All-Star after finishing fourth in scoring with career highs in goals (34) and points (81) in 75 games.

“I’m really excited to stay on Long Island,” said Parenteau, a native of Hull, Quebec. “The Islanders organization has given me the chance to prove that I belong in the NHL, and I look forward to being a part of the success that is building in our dressing room for the near future.”

Parenteau was a ninth-round pick of the Anaheim Mighty Ducks in 2001 and spent most of his first eight pro seasons with the AHL’s Cincinnati Mighty Ducks, Portland Pirates, Norfolk Admirals and Wolf Pack. He has 166 goals and 237 assists in 450 AHL games.

GET WELL SOON, QUEENEY

The entire Whale family – and all of Hartford hockey for that matter – would like to wish a speedy recovery for former Whalers defenseman Joel Quenneville, coach of the reigning Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks who was hospitalized Wednesday with an gastrointestinal bleeding. He was stabilized, and it was determined on Thursday that the cause of the bleeding was a small ulcer caused by aspirin. In a statement released by the Blackhawks, Quenneville was said to be resting comfortably and expected to make a full recovery and be released in the next few days. That’s great news for sure for the 52-year-old Quenneville, who began feeling discomfort at his home late Tuesday night. Quenneville is 125-66-25 in three seasons with the Blackhawks, ranks 10^th in NHL history with 563 regular-season wins and is one of only two men to coach at least 1,000 games and play 800 in the league. Assistant Mike Haviland was acting coach Wednesday night when the Blackhawks, struggling to make the playoffs, beat the Minnesota Wild, 3-1. Here’s hoping for the speediest recovery possible. There aren’t many better or classier guys than Joel Quenneville.

New York, February 16, 2011 – New York Rangers President and General Manager Glen Sather announced today that forward Kris Newbury has been recalled from the Connecticut Whale of the American Hockey League (AHL).

Newbury, 28, registered three points in two games this past weekend, including a two-point performance in a 4-1 win at Providence on Sunday (one goal, one assist).  He has recorded eight goals and 33 assists for 41 points, along with 98 penalty minutes in 49 games with Connecticut this season. Newbury leads the team and ranks seventh in the AHL in assists, ranks second on the Whale in points and fourth in penalty minutes. He has registered a team-high, 11 multi-point performances this season, including two separate streaks of three games with multiple points – November 13 vs. Springfield to November 19 at Springfield (six assists), and December 3 at Providence to December 11 vs. Manchester (one goal, six assists).  The 5-11, 213-pounder established a career-high with an eight-game assist streak from November 28 vs. Adirondack to December 17 vs. Worcester, recording three goals and 12 assists over the span.  Newbury returns to the Rangers where he has registered one assist and 35 penalty minutes in eight games this season.  He made his Rangers debut at Montreal on January 15, and recorded his first point as a Ranger with the primary assist on the game-tying goal in a 3-2 shootout win at Atlanta on January 22.

The Brampton, Ontario native was originally San Jose’s fifth round pick, 139th overall, in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft.  He was acquired by the Rangers from Detroit in exchange for forward Jordan Owens on March 3, 2010.

Photo credit: Getty Images

Hartford, CT …  Whalers Sports and Entertainment announced today that the historic Harvest-Properties.com Whalers Hockey Fest 2011 will triumphantly conclude with a public skate held at Rentschler Field in East Hartford, Conn. on Tuesday, February 22.

The public skate will signal the end of nearly two weeks of outdoor hockey action at Rentschler Field in the largest hockey event in Connecticut history.

“We cannot think of a more fitting way to conclude this incredible event than to turn the ice over to the general public,” said Whalers senior vice president of business operations Mark Willand.  “Thus far, we have hosted hundreds of hockey players from pee-wees to pros, and now it’s time for the fans to skate.  To skate on an NHL-size rink in a beautiful football stadium is truly a unique life experience and we are thrilled that everyone can participate.”

There will be eight separate sessions in which those wishing to skate may participate, each lasting exactly one hour. There will be sessions starting at 10:00 AM, 11:15 AM, 12:30 PM, 1:45 PM, 3:00 PM, 4:15 PM and 5:30 PM. There will also be a separate session, in which only Connecticut Whale season ticket holders and Hockey Fest ticket holders may participate in, from 7:00 until 9:00 PM.

Tickets for the public skate will be available for $10 at the Rentschler Field box office and at the Bushnell box office. Those wishing to participate in any session will have to provide their own skates, as no equipment will be available for rental at the sessions. Sessions have limited availability and will be filled on a first come, first served basis. Season ticket holders and Hockey Fest ticket holders are encouraged to RSVP by calling the Whalers Sports and Entertainment offices at 860-728-3366.

The Outdoor Harvest-Properties.com Whalers Hockey Fest 2011 is now underway at Rentschler Field, and the featured event is the Harvest-Properties.com Whale Bowl this Saturday February 19, which consists of the outdoor AHL game between the Connecticut Whale and the Providence Bruins at 7:00 PM, preceded by a Hartford Whalers legends vs. Boston Bruins legends classic at 4:00 PM.  In addition to that, the historic outdoor event features: five premier college games, at least 15 elite high school, junior and prep school games and a “Whale Town”, featuring exhibitors, games and the Whalers Mobile Hall of Fame.

Tickets for the February 19 Harvest-Properties.com Whale Bowl, which include admission to both the AHL game and the legends game, are on sale now at Ticketmaster.com., as well as at the Bushnell box office from Monday through Friday, 12 noon-5:00 PM.  Ticket prices range from $20 to $85 and can also be purchased by calling the Connecticut Whale at 860-728-3366.  Tickets purchased online can be printed immediately (via Ticketmaster).

Hartford, CT …  Whalers Sports and Entertainment announced today that “The Zambonis”, the most popular sports-rock band in North America, will perform at the historic Harvest-Properties.com Whale Bowl this Saturday, February 19 at Rentschler Field in East Hartford.

The Harvest-Properties.com Whale Bowl is the featured event of the two-week outdoor Harvest-Properties.com Whalers Hockey Fest 2011 spectacular at Rentschler Field that includes numerous collegiate, high school, prep school and youth hockey games.  The Harvest-Properties.com Whale Bowl consists of a Whalers legends vs. Boston Bruins game at 4:00 PM on February 19, followed by the outdoor AHL game between the Connecticut Whale and the Providence Bruins at 7:00 PM.

The Zambonis, a 100% hockey-rock band whose members hail from Bridgeport, CT, will be playing their distinctive brand of hockey-themed rock at the Rentschler Field entrance, both before the legends game and prior to the AHL game.

The Zambonis are just back from having performed two big shows at the recent NHL All-Star Game, the latest triumph in a career that dates back to being formed by “defenseman/guitarist/Singer” Dave Schneider in 1991.  Since releasing their breakthrough CD “100% Hockey…and Other Stuff” in 1996, the Zambonis have earned fame throughout the hockey world, and solid recognition outside of it.

The Zambonis have crafted two particularly Whaler-themed songs during their rise to prominence.  One is a tribute to the Hartford Whalers entitled “Bob Marley and the Hartford Whalers”, a clip of which can be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uRCmHmxtVKg&feature=related.  The other is a new version of the classic Whalers theme song “Brass Bonanza”, of which a clip is available at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4-TktQ9zao.

Further information about the Zambonis can be found at www.thezambonis.com.

Tickets for the February 19 Harvest-Properties.com Whale Bowl, which include admission to both the AHL game and the legends game, are on sale now at Ticketmaster.com, as well as at the Bushnell box office from Monday through Friday, 12 noon-5:00 PM.  Ticket prices range from $20 to $85 and can also be purchased by calling the Connecticut Whale at 860-728-3366.  Tickets purchased online can be printed immediately (via Ticketmaster).

By Bruce Berlet

EAST HARTFORD, Conn. – All that was missing were the strains of “The Stripper” reverberating through empty Rentschler Field.

Connecticut Whale rookie defenseman Tomas Kundratek lost the team’s practice-ending shootout Tuesday, and on this day, that meant having to impersonate Michael Ontkean, aka Ned Braden, in the signature scene from the slapstick comedy “Slap Shot.”

With teammates chanting his name and urging him on, Kundratek reluctantly disrobed to his pants and skates, circled half the outdoor rink and capped his run with a head-first slide across about 30 feet of ice, earning more roars and plaudits from all in attendance. Not to mention a snow job to the face.

Kundratek then immediately adjourned to the Whale’s spacious locker room normally reserved for the University of Connecticut football team, where the players later passed and kicked footballs when not tackling each other or otherwise enjoying the extra room.

All part of one of the real fun days of the season, save for the few seconds of discomfort for Kundratek, who ironically had watched “Slap Shot” on the Whale’s trip to Toronto and Hamilton last week. But Kundratek took the momentary freeze-out in stride, and teammates continued to congratulate him and offer high-fives as he returned to the rink for post-practice skating drills with fellow defensemen Jyri Niemi, Stu Bickel and Pavel Valentenko under the tutelage and watchful eye of New York Rangers skating specialist Barb Underwood.

“It was fun,” Kundratek said with a wide smile as he warmed up in the locker room before donning a new set of undergarments and heading back on the rink. “I used to skate on ponds all the time growing up (in the Czech Republic). I played outdoors in one game, but the rest of the time it was just for fun.”

The Whale practiced at Rentschler Field in preparation for their game Saturday night at 7 against the Providence Bruins, the nightcap of the Harvest-Properties.com Whale Bowl, the featured attraction of the historic 12-day Harvest-Properties.com Whalers Hockey Fest 2011. The Whale-Bruins game will follow an Army-American International College game at 1 p.m., and about a dozen celebrities mixing in with the Hartford Whalers legends and the Boston Bruins legends for a 4 p.m. game.

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Kundratek and his teammates said the ice was in excellent condition, and right wing Dale Weise gave construction manager Jim Hartnett and his crew special accolades.

“I was impressed,” Weise said. “There were some (shavings) in the one end, but other than that, it wasn’t too bad.”

The hardness of the ice and winds gusting to 15 mph out of the north caused some ice chips to be blown and to gather in the south end of the rink. Some ice chip piles also slowed the puck at time, but the overall surroundings earned high marks and elicited memories of learning to skate on outdoor rinks worldwide.

Weise, Devin DiDiomete and Russian Evgeny Grachev were the only players not to wear toques (ski caps) to combat the wind chill, which dipped into the teens. But that seemed balmy to Weise compared to what he often encountered growing up in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

“I’ve skated in way colder than this, maybe minus-35 or minus-40 without the wind chill,” Weise said. “We had some players-only practices in juniors just to go out and have some fun.”

Goalie Chad Johnson said he didn’t anticipate any problems even at night. He grew up playing outdoors in Calgary, Alberta, and had a few outdoor practices five years ago while at the University of Alaska-Fairbanks. The lights were a lot closer and the rink in the center of the field, so the light angles will be a little different at the 38,000-seat Rentschler Field.

“There will probably be a little more of a shadow on one side, but I don’t foresee any problems,” Johnson said. “The ice was really good, and it’ll be interesting to see how many people we get.”

Veteran defenseman Wade Redden also skated outdoors with his brother Bart and sister Niki on a rink that their father made in Lloydminster, Saskatchewan. Redden played with Bart at times, and Niki was a figure skater.

“We never had any games, but most little towns out there (in Western Canada) have rinks, and sometimes it’s colder in them than it is outside,” Redden said. “But my brother, sister and I would go out and skate, even on the odd times before it snowed that the ponds would freeze over so you could skate forever it seemed. You wouldn’t have to clear any snow, so that was a rare time.

“We learned to skate by taking lessons, and every night we’d want to get out on the ice. We skated all the time.”

Redden also played with such players as Scotty Hartnell who were in an outdoor NHL game.

“The ice was fast because it was so cold and the ice was so hard,” Redden said. “It didn’t take long for the water to freeze when the Zamboni was out there.”

Coach Ken Gernander wanted the players to enjoy themselves but also get acclimated to the surroundings and realize an important two points will be on the line as the Whale battles to get into the playoffs in the final 25 games.

“It’s obviously going to be a little bit different circumstances on Saturday,” said Gernander, who grew up on outdoor rinks in Coleraine, Minn. “The weather is going to be warmer, and we’ll be playing under the lights as opposed to the sunlight. But the guys got to see the lay of the land, and we had a good one-hour conditioning practice. So it was a little bit of change of scenery, and they got acclimated to where they’re going to be playing.

“Hopefully they had some fun, but there’s going to be a little bit different feeling or atmosphere on Saturday given the circumstances, so you have to realize at the end of the day, work comes first.”

Is that difficult to convey since the Whale Bowl is a bit of a spectacle?

“The Super Bowl is a spectacle, and they’re able to maintain their focus,” Gernander said. “It’s a concern and something to address, but I don’t think it’s going to be an issue. We’ve got a good group of guys, and I think everyone fully understands how important the two points are going to be.”

The Whale (26-22-2-5) has rebounded from a 9-2 loss in Toronto last Wednesday to beat Hamilton 3-2 and Providence 4-1. That gives them four wins in six starts, but they’ve lost ground in the Eastern Conference playoff race. The teams they are chasing for the Atlantic Division lead, Manchester and Portland, have won a combined five consecutive games and are 14-3-0-3 in their last 20 starts. And the Atlantic or East Division teams the Whale is trying to catch or hold off – Worcester, Charlotte, Norfolk and Binghamton – are on a combined 16-0-2-1 run.

Gernander said the latest turnaround is the result of getting players back from the Rangers and the uncertain nature of the AHL because of call-ups and injuries. Talbot has missed 11 games and is out indefinitely along with center Todd White (concussion) and forward Chris McKelvie (foot surgery).

“Even in the NHL, teams go through phases or streaks or cycles,” Gernander said. “You have to make hay when everyone is hitting on all cylinders, and when things aren’t going well, you have to nip it in the bud as soon as you can so you don’t lose any ground. We, of course, addressed some things after the Toronto game, but it wasn’t like a change of philosophy or system play or anything. It was just addressing some issues that transpired.”

THE THRILL OF A LIFETIME FOR WILLIAMS’ FUTURE BROTHER-IN-LAW

Whale All-Star right wing Jeremy Williams said Brett Leggat, the brother of his fiancée Ashley, got a memory for life in Hamilton on Friday.

With Johnson unable to play because of a sudden stomach virus, Leggat was summoned to be the backup to Dov Grumet-Morris for the game against the Bulldogs. The 30-year-old Leggat had played Senior A League hockey in Branford, Ontario and had always dreamed about playing in a professional game.

“Brett messages me all the time joking around when we’ll in Hamilton and saying, ‘Get somebody hurt so I can come out and play as a back up,’ ” Williams recalled with a smile. “He messaged me (Friday) morning saying, ‘Don’t be afraid to shoot high and hard so I can sign an (amateur) tryout contract and back up for you guys tonight and sit on the bench.’

“After practice I messaged him, ‘It’s funny our goalie is out and we have to find one.’ I told (assistant coach) Pat (Boller) that my fiancee’s brother is a pretty good goalie and played roller hockey for the Canadian national team. Pat said they were already trying to get someone, but around 12:30, he asked me if I thought I could get Brett ready to play. When I called Brett, he thought I was kidding around, but then I told him he had to call the assistant coach and I gave him the number.”

Leggat made the call, learned of his good fortune, arrived at the Copps Coliseum around 4:15 p.m., a little less than three hours before the opening face-off, and signed a one-game agreement.

“It was pretty neat to go through it with him,” Williams said. “He was pretty nervous, and then I told him, ‘Don’t worry about getting nervous until you see the goalie getting pulled.’ He really appreciated it and loved it. He’s 30 years old, but at the same time, for him to be able to play pro hockey, he really enjoyed the experience, even if he didn’t play.

“It’s a pretty cool thing to be able to do. A lot of us take it granted that, ‘Oh, we just play in the AHL.’ ”

About 20 friends and family watched Leggat take the pregame and between-periods skates and open and close the bench door. Leggat’s brother, Bram, had just bought a new camera, so he was constantly clicking off pictures.

Leggat’s 15 minutes of fame ended with the Whale giving him his jersey as a remembrance, not to mention his name on a winning box score. Weise and Brodie Dupont scored on the Whale’s first two shots, and after the Bulldogs tied it early in the third period, DiDiomete got his first pro winner with 1:13 left when Tim Kennedy’s shot deflected off his skate and past veteran goalie Curtis Sanford.

The Whale left Hamilton the next morning, practiced in suburban Syracuse and then continued on to Hartford, where they were met by Pier-Olivier Pelletier, who had signed a second professional tryout contract to back up on Grumet-Morris on Sunday in Providence. But with Johnson back from his illness, Pelletier was returned to Laredo of the Central Hockey League.

HARVEST-PROPERTIES.COM WHALE BOWL TO BREAK AHL ATTENDANCE RECORD

More than 28,500 tickets have been sold for Harvest-Properties.com Whale Bowl, assuring it will shatter the AHL attendance record of 21,508 that watched the host Syracuse Crunch beat the Binghamton Senators 2-1 at the New York State Fairgrounds on Feb. 20, 2010. But officials of Whalers Sports and Entertainment, which runs the Whale’s business operations and is handling the 12-day event, hope to sell out the 38,000 seats to keep intact all the outdoor NHL and college games having sellouts.

High school, prep school and cthockeyleague.com games fill the schedule before Whale Bowl on Saturday, the only day that tickets are not general admission. Tickets ($20 to $85) for Saturday can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com and the Bushnell box office in Hartford on Monday through Friday from noon to 5 p.m. or by calling the Whale at 860-728-3366. They also can be purchased online and printed immediately at Ticketmaster.com.

Hall of Fame defensemen Brian Leetch, a Cheshire native, and Brad Park headline the Bruins legends team. Other commitments are Enfield native Craig Janney, former captain Rick Middleton, Reggie Lemelin, Ken Hodge, Don Marcotte, Rick Smith, Bob Sweeney, Lyndon Byers, Cleon Daskalakis, Jay Miller, Bob Miller (no relation) and Ken “The Rat” Linseman, a member of the Whalers for a few moments as he passed through in a multi-player trade with Philadelphia and Edmonton that included Mark Howe leaving Hartford for the Flyers. Derek Sanderson and Gary Doak will coach the Bruins team.

Commitments for the Whalers team are WHA Hall of Famer Andre Lacroix, John McKenzie, whose No. 19 is retired in the XL Center rafters, Blaine Stoughton, Pat Verbeek, John Anderson, Garry Swain, Bob Crawford, Chris Kotsopoulos, Jim Dorey, Jordy Douglas, Ray Neufeld, Gordie Roberts, Darren Turcotte, Nelson Emerson, Mark Janssens, Bill Bennett, Jeff Brubaker, Fred O’Donnell, Terry Yake, Scott Daniels, Ed Hospodar, Yvon Corriveau and the Babych brothers, Dave and Wayne. Norm Barnes and former captain Russ Anderson will be among the coaches.

Among the celebrities scheduled to play with one of the legends teams are filmmaker Bobby Farrelly, writer/director of such hit films as “Dumb and Dumber”, “There’s Something About Mary”, “Kingpin”, “Me, Myself and Irene”, “Outside Providence”, “The Heartbreak Kid”, “Stuck on You”, and “Shallow Hal”; and actor David Henrie, from “Wizards of Waverly Place” and “That’s So Raven”.

Former NHL referee Paul Stewart will officiate the game. Stewart, a Boston native, refereed more than 1,000 NHL games in a 13-year career. On March 15, 2003, he refereed his 1,000^th game, becoming the only American-born official to accomplish the feat. He also officiated during the Canada Cup in 1987 and 1991 after an eight-year playing career with teams in the NAHL, AHL, NEHL, CHL, WHA and NHL.

The official charity of the Hockey Fest is “Sam’s Race for a Place,” a fund-raising effort spearheaded by West Hartford resident Samantha Udolf that benefits the Ronald McDonald House. Since Udolf, a successful competitive skier, founded Sam’s Race for a Place in June of 2008, it has generated donations of more than $43,500.

The Ronald McDonald House is a non-profit charity operating since 1991 that helps hundreds of families and children enjoy the comforts of home while they await treatment at area medical facilities. Udolf became familiar with Ronald McDonald House and its good works while volunteering there, and she conceived Sam’s Race for a Place after learning it is independently-funded and depends on grass-roots campaigns for nearly all of its support.

For more information about Sam’s Race for a Place, visit www.samsraceforaplace.com. Donations also can be made through that web address. Besides the games, the Hockey Fest will include “Whale Town” featuring exhibitors, games and the Whalers Mobile Hall of Fame.

A complete schedule of games can be found at www.ctwhale.com. There will be a free public skate on Tuesday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. to thank the sponsors and fans who supported the event.

THREE WHALE PLAYERS AMONG PROSPECTS TRADING CARDS

Two Whale players, Johnson and Grachev, and former Whale defenseman Ryan McDonagh, now on recall to the Rangers, are in the 150-card Heroes and Prospects trading card set by In the Game. The three have all played with the Rangers, though Johnson’s five-game stint was last season. They are pictured on those cards in the uniform of the Hartford Wolf Pack, who were rebranded as the Connecticut Whale on Nov. 27.

In the Game has been making its Heroes and Prospects hockey set for several years, and it’s become a must-have for many hockey fans. This year’s 150-card set includes seven Hockey Hero cards, three international prospects, 90 Canadian major junior hockey league players and 50 AHL players. Many of the players have already been drafted, while others are expected to be early picks in upcoming NHL drafts.

There are a lot of memorabilia, autograph, jersey, game-used emblem and AHL 75^th Anniversary cards, including the one of AHL Hall of Famer John Paddock, who coached the Wolf Pack to their only Calder Cup title in his first of three seasons, 1999-2000.

Other notable player cards are Logan Couture and Alex Stalock (San Jose-Worcester), P.K. Subban (Montreal Canadiens-Hamilton Bulldogs), Tyler Ennis (Buffalo Sabres-Portland Pirates), John Carlson (Washington Capitals-Hershey Bears), John Moore (Columbus Blue Jackets-Springfield Falcons), Blake Geoffrion (Nashville Predators-Milwaukee Admirals), Jared Staal (Carolina Hurricanes-Charlotte Checkers) and Linus Omark (Edmonton Oilers-Oklahoma City Barons), as well as Calder Cup champion cards Alexandre Giroux, Chris Bourque, Keith Aucoin, Andrew Gordon and Mathieu Perreault; non-memorabilia insert cards such as Taylor Hall, Cam Fowler and Eric Wellwood; and 75^th Anniversary cards Billy Smith, Brett Hull, Bruce Boudreau, Doug Harvey, Eddie Shore, Emile Francis, Gerry Cheevers, John Slaney, Carey Price, Jason Spezza, Larry Robinson, Les Cunningham, Martin Brodeur, Milt Schmidt, Patrick Roy, Pelle Lindbergh, Terry Sawchuk, Mitch Lamoureux, Willie Marshall and Zdeno Chara.

The card sets cost $94.99 and are available at www.theahl.com. All-Star Game jerseys and merchandise are also available.

Here’s some video from the Connecticut Whale’s practice this morning outside at Rentschler Field in anticipation of their game on Saturday night there against the Providence Bruins.