Category Archives: hartford wolf pack

Bridgeport Sound Tigers 5, Hartford Wolf Pack 1

Bridgeport, CT, January 19, 2014 – John Persson scored a goal and added two assists, and Pierre-Marc Bouchard and Chris Langkow had a goal and an assist apiece, to lead the Bridgeport Sound Tigers to a 5-1 win over the Hartford Wolf Pack Sunday at the Webster Bank Arena.

Hartford Wolf PackDanny Syvret scored the lone Wolf Pack goal.  Mike Halmo and Mike Cornell also scored for Bridgeport, and Parker Milner made 31 saves. 

The loss dropped the Wolf Pack (12-21-0-5, 29 points) to six points behind the fourth-place Sound Tigers in the Northeast Division.

The Wolf Pack drew five power plays in the first period and outshot the Sound Tigers 16-5, but it was Bridgeport that struck first, converting on the only Sound Tiger power play of the period at 3:46.

Rookie scoring leader Ryan Strome made the play on the first goal of the game, carrying the puck down right wing and putting on a burst of speed to get by Wolf Pack defenseman Aaron Johnson.  Strome fed a pass to an unchecked Halmo between the hash marks, and Halmo fired a shot past the catching glove of Hartford goaltender David LeNeveu (31 saves).

That lead lasted until there were 50.5 seconds left in the period, when the Wolf Pack finally converted on their fifth power play, which came courtesy of an interference call on Dallas Jackson at 19:09.

J.T. Miller worked the puck off the right-wing boards to Syvret at the middle of the blue line, and Syvret quickly released a slap shot that went through a Ryan Bourque screen and past Milner low.

The power plays swung the other way in the second period, with four straight man advantages going to Bridgeport, and the Sound Tigers cashed in on the last of those, after Arron Asham was called for hooking at 9:09.

The Wolf Pack failed to get the puck out of their zone near the blue line, and Persson was able to carry the puck across the slot from right to left.  Persson moved down left wing and fired a perfect shot over LeNeveu’s stick-side arm and into the top shelf.

Bridgeport would then make it a 3-1 lead with only 1.8 seconds remaining in the second, after a tremendous pressuring sequence.  LeNeveu made several sharp saves in quick succession, but after he kicked out a Riley Wetmore shot with his left toe, the rebound went right to Cornell at the right-wing faceoff dot, and Cornell was able to one-time the puck into the net.

The Sound Tigers tacked on two more late in the third period, first at 15:41, when Bouchard scored on a breakaway.  A Langkow pass sent Bouchard in alone, and Bouchard’s backhander went off of LeNeveu’s catching glove and up under the crossbar.

Then, Langkow made it a four-goal margin with his first goal of the season with 17.7 seconds left.  Persson cleared the puck to center with Langkow behind the Wolf Pack defense, and LeNeveu raced out in an attempt to beat Langkow to the puck along the right-wing boards.  Langkow won the race, however, and was able to stickhandle around LeNeveu and deposit the puck into the vacated net.

The Wolf Pack’s next action is at home this Friday, January 24, a 7:00 PM contest against the Springfield Falcons at the XL Center.  All Wolf Pack Friday-night home games feature $1 hot dogs and $2 beers through the start of the second period, presented by Marc’s Appliance Warehouse, located at 75 Prospect Ave., Hartford, CT.

Tickets for all Wolf Pack 2013-14 home games are on sale now at the Public Power Ticket Office at the XL Center, on-line at www.hartfordwolfpack.com and by phone at (877) 522-8499.  Wolf Pack tickets start as low as $12 for youth 12 years old or younger.  To speak with a representative about season or group tickets, call (855) 762-6451.

Hartford Wolf Pack 1 at Bridgeport Sound Tigers 5
Sunday, January 19, 2014 – Webster Bank Arena

Hartford 1 0 0 – 1
Bridgeport 1 2 2 – 5

1st Period-1, Bridgeport, Halmo 14 (Strome, Bouchard), 3:46 (PP). 2, Hartford, Syvret 3 (Miller), 19:09 (PP). Penalties-Bouchard Bri (hooking), 0:31; Kantor Hfd (boarding), 3:16; Stamler Hfd (fighting), 3:48; Vaughan Bri (fighting), 3:48; Milner Bri (delay of game), 4:50; Beach Hfd (fighting), 8:33; Halmo Bri (fighting), 8:33; Asham Hfd (fighting), 8:36; Gallant Bri (fighting), 8:36; Keenan Bri (roughing), 10:11; Cornell Bri (tripping), 11:44; Jackson Bri (interference), 18:26.

2nd Period-3, Bridgeport, Persson 6 (Keenan, Quine), 10:45 (PP). 4, Bridgeport, Cornell 3 (Persson, Wetmore), 19:58. Penalties-Miller Hfd (slashing), 1:55; Hughes Hfd (interference), 3:46; McIlrath Hfd (cross-checking), 6:20; Miller Hfd (fighting), 6:20; Cornell Bri (fighting), 6:20; Asham Hfd (hooking), 9:09; Bruton Bri (high-sticking), 11:03.

3rd Period-5, Bridgeport, Bouchard 5 (Langkow), 15:41. 6, Bridgeport, Langkow 1 (Persson), 19:42. Penalties-Kristo Hfd (slashing), 10:40; Yogan Hfd (unsportsmanlike conduct), 16:18; Wetmore Bri (high-sticking), 16:18.

Shots on Goal-Hartford 16-9-7-32. Bridgeport 5-16-15-36.
Power Play Opportunities-Hartford 1 / 6; Bridgeport 2 / 6.
Goalies-Hartford, LeNeveu 1-2-0 (36 shots-31 saves). Bridgeport, Milner 3-2-0 (32 shots-31 saves).
A-4,458
Referees-Chris Brown (86), Keith Kaval (40).
Linesmen-Jim Briggs (83), Derek Wahl (46).

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Hartford Wolf Pack 4, Adirondack Phantoms 2

Glens Falls, NY, January 17, 2014 – Andrew Yogan’s early third-period goal was the winner for the Hartford Wolf Pack Friday night at the Glens Falls Civic Center, in a 4-2 victory over the Adirondack Phantoms.

Hartford Wolf PackAfter the Wolf Pack had trailed 1-0 and 2-1, Yogan put the Wolf Pack ahead 1:24 into the third.  Yogan was allowed to step out from behind the net to the left of Adirondack goaltender Cal Heeter, and Yogan snapped a shot between Heeter and the goal post.

Ryan Bourque and Darroll Powe also scored for Hartford, and Jesper Fast had an empty-netter.  Aaron Johnson had three assists and J.T. Miller had a pair of helpouts.  David LeNeveu made 26 saves to get the win in his first Wolf Pack game of the year.

The victory snapped an 0-5-0-1 streak for the Wolf Pack, who improved to 12-20-0-5 for 29 points on the season.

“I thought it was a much better effort,” Wolf Pack head coach Ken Gernander said.  “We took some penalties that certainly we can’t afford to take, and we’ll have to address that, but by and large it was a pretty good effort and I liked a lot of things in the game.”

Jason Akeson had a goal and an assist for Adirondack, and ex-Wolf Pack Kris Newbury also scored for the Phantoms.

Power plays ruled the day in the first period, as the two clubs combined for three man-advantage goals, two by Adirondack.

The Phantoms grabbed the game’s first lead at 5:55 of the first frame, on an Akeson slap shot from the middle of the blue line.  Brandon Manning fed a pass to Akeson, whose shot got by the stick side of LeNeveu, who signed an AHL contract with the Wolf Pack Tuesday.

The Wolf Pack tied it at 9:20, with Zack FitzGerald in the box for interference.  Ryan Bourque scored his eighth of the year, and extended a point-scoring streak to a pro career-high five games, when he deflected the puck in from close range to the left of Adirondack goaltender Cal Heeter (33 saves), after Johnson snapped it at the net from the left circle.

Newbury put Adirondack back in front with 2:23 remaining in the period, after Micheal Haley picked up four minutes in penalties at 14:46.

Manning set Newbury up at the top of the right circle, and Newbury released his shot quickly and got it behind LeNeveu.

The Wolf Pack got the only goal of the second period, and it was the third in the last five games for Powe, at 6:02.  Johnson worked the puck off the left-wing boards to Powe at the top of the circle, and Powe unloaded a perfect shot that went off the post on Heeter’s stick side and into the net.

That came after Fast was awarded a penalty shot at 4:53, after he got behind the Phantom defense and was knocked off stride by Oliver Lauridsen.  Heeter, though, made a pad save on Fast’s penalty-shot attempt.

Yogan’s goal was part of a strong third-period effort by the Wolf Pack, who outshot Adirondack 15-8 in the third.  Fast put the final touch on the victory with 3.5 seconds left, taking a pass from Oscar Lindberg and sliding the puck into the empty net from just above the left-wing faceoff dot, after the Phantoms had pulled Heeter. 

The Wolf Pack’s next action is this Sunday, January 19, a 3:00 PM game in Bridgeport against the Sound Tigers.  All the action of that battle can be heard live on Fox Sports Radio 1410, and on-line at www.foxsportsradio1410.com and iHeartRadio.  Video streaming is available at www.ahllive.com.

The Wolf Pack’s next home game is Friday, January 24, a 7:00 PM contest against the Springfield Falcons.  All Wolf Pack Friday-night home games feature $1 hot dogs and $2 beers through the start of the second period, presented by Marc’s Appliance Warehouse, located at 75 Prospect Ave., Hartford, CT.

Tickets for all Wolf Pack 2013-14 home games are on sale now at the Public Power Ticket Office at the XL Center, on-line at www.hartfordwolfpack.com and by phone at (877) 522-8499.  Wolf Pack tickets start as low as $12 for youth 12 years old or younger.  To speak with a representative about season or group tickets, call (855) 762-6451.

Hartford Wolf Pack 4 at Adirondack Phantoms 2
Friday, January 17, 2014 – Glens Falls Civic Center

Hartford 1 1 2 – 4
Adirondack 2 0 0 – 2

1st Period-1, Adirondack, Akeson 13 (Gervais, Cousins), 5:55 (PP). 2, Hartford, Bourque 8 (Johnson, Miller), 9:20 (PP). 3, Adirondack, Newbury 12 (Manning, Akeson), 17:37 (PP). Penalties-FitzGerald Adk (roughing), 2:38; Haley Hfd (slashing), 4:55; FitzGerald Adk (interference), 8:36; Haley Hfd (roughing, slashing), 14:46; Bickel Hfd (holding), 19:46.

2nd Period-4, Hartford, Powe 6 (Johnson, Hensick), 6:02. Penalties-Kantor Hfd (fighting), 3:42; Mathers Adk (fighting), 3:42; Beach Hfd (roughing), 10:23; Kantor Hfd (misconduct, game misconduct – abuse of officials), 10:23; Straka Adk (roughing, fighting, match), 10:23; Johnson Hfd (tripping), 11:09; Kristo Hfd (slashing), 17:41; Manning Adk (diving/embellishment), 17:41.

3rd Period-5, Hartford, Yogan 3 (Johnson, Miller), 1:24. 6, Hartford, Fast 3 (Lindberg), 19:56. Penalties-No Penalties

Shots on Goal-Hartford 9-13-15-37. Adirondack 10-10-8-28.
Power Play Opportunities-Hartford 1 / 4; Adirondack 2 / 5.
Goalies-Hartford, LeNeveu 1-1-0 (28 shots-26 saves). Adirondack, Heeter 13-12-0 (37 shots-33 saves).
A-3,464
Referees-David Banfield (77).
Linesmen-Mike Emanatian (69), Steeve Lemay (64).

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

LeNeveu Thrilled to be Returning to Wolf Pack Net

By Bob Crawford

What was newly-signed Hartford Wolf Pack goaltender David LeNeveu’s reaction when he heard that the Pack were interested in him?

David LeNeveu“I said, ‘Let’s sign the papers right now!,’” the veteran netminder said with a chuckle.

Like his new Wolf Pack stablemate, Dov Grumet-Morris, LeNeveu is going “back to the future” with the Pack.  Grumet-Morris had spent time in the Wolf Pack/Connecticut Whale net in 2010-11, and LeNeveu played 13 late-season games with the Pack in 2007-08, after the parent New York Rangers acquired him in a trade-deadline deal with the Phoenix Coyotes.

“I loved my time when I was here,” LeNeveu said Wednesday, a day after inking an AHL contract with the Wolf Pack.  “We tried to come back (after 2007-08), and unfortunately it didn’t work out before.  I’d been saying I’d want to come back every year since, so finally it came through for me, and I’m real excited to be back.

“Actually, it (this chance with the Wolf Pack) came right out of the blue.  Obviously I’ve seen the struggles that they’ve had this year, and they brought Dov in and I thought they were pretty set with what they were doing, but I was thankful for the opportunity to try and make the most of it here and get this thing going.”

LeNeveu had excellent success in his short earlier stint with the Wolf Pack, going 8-3-2 with a 1.83 goals-against average, a 92.4 % save percentage and one shutout in his 13 appearances.  That was for a Pack team that finished with 50 wins and a franchise-record 110 points under first-year head coach Ken Gernander, but were upset in the first round of the postseason by the Portland Pirates.

“I was just coming in here trying to do everything I could to win,” LeNeveu remembered of that stretch run in Hartford.  “Obviously, we were gearing up for playoffs, and we were trying to make a playoff run, but unfortunately we fell short that year, and that’s the real goal.  Coming in here, it’s the same idea again, we’ve got to win.  We’ve got to get a bunch of wins going here, and that’s all the focus is right now.”

This has been a bit of a strange year so far for LeNeveu, who is in his 11th year of pro hockey out of Cornell University.  After playing last season in Austria, the 30-year-old Fernie, B.C. native found himself squeezed out of a tight North American goaltending jobs market, and was without a team until signing with the South Carolina Stingrays of the ECHL November 27. 

“We decided last year that my goal was to get back to the NHL, and the only way to do that is to come back over to North America,” LeNeveu said.  “And unfortunately, there just didn’t seem to be a job that showed up.  We thought we could get one early and it didn’t happen, guys took spots and I was kind of left on the outside looking in.  And that unfortunately happens, especially as you get older, and sitting out is no fun.  I kept busy, though, we had a bunch of stuff going on, but at the end of the day I was going a little bit crazy, and I said, ‘I gotta play.  Just get me anywhere, I gotta play.’  And we were given an opportunity down in South Carolina, which is a great organization. 

“The coaching staff down there is unbelievable, they move guys in and out all the time, their goal is to move guys on and upward.  That happened for me as well, so I was thankful for the opportunity there, and I was able to come out with this job.”

LeNeveu did a terrific job of maximizing his chance with the Stingrays, winning his first two ECHL starts by shutout and compiling a record of 4-4-0, with a 1.64 GAA, a 94.0% save percentage and three shutouts in eight games.  Clearly, he did not allow any rust to form on his game during his down time.

“I was raring to go,” LeNeveu said.  “It worked out well when I was at home (in Nanaimo, B.C.), too, because my goalie coach that I’ve work with over the summers, he lives 20 minutes north of me on (Vancouver) Island.  So I was seeing him every week, I was working out with my old junior club, the Nanaimo Clippers, they were nice enough to let me come skate with them and work with their goalies.  So it’s not like I was just sitting at home, I was on the ice every single day, I was working out every single day.  I was just chomping at the bit to get going, and once the opportunity came, I was just stepping right in.”

So LeNeveu has gone from being full-time at home with his wife April and three daughters, to being all the way across the continent, first in Charleston, South Carolina and now in Hartford.  With LeNeveu’s oldest daughter, Ashlynn, being six years old and already in school, and her four-year-old sister Hannah going to preschool, the family is going to stay in Western Canada.

“I’m going to go visit over the All-Star break, and then hopefully they’re going to come over here over spring break,” LeNeveu said.  “Then we’re just going to play it by ear, because there’s no point in pulling our kids out of school mid-year.  It would be too late, it would be tough on the family life.  And my wife’s got a good routine going at home too. 

“We’ve got Face Time, we’ve got Skype, we’re talking every day.  It’s not the ideal situation, but it happens from time to time in a hockey life and we’ll make it work.

“That’s the life of a hockey player usually.  There’s a very select few that get to stay in one organization for most of their career or their whole career, and everybody else has to kind of go where the contracts are.  And that’s just life.  If you want to play hockey, you’ve got to go where your offer is.”

This latest offer gives LeNeveu not only the opportunity to return to familiar ground, but also to share a net with Grumet-Morris, who is a fellow Ivy League product (Grumet-Morris played at Harvard at the same time LeNeveu starred at Cornell) and has also had a much-traveled career throughout the pro ranks.

“It’s funny, me and him were talking this morning, everywhere I go or everywhere he goes, one of us follows,” LeNeveu said of his former ECAC foe.  “He went to Austria, and I followed and I was in Austria.  I was in San Antonio and then up in Phoenix, and he was in San Antonio.  Everywhere he is, I am, and vice versa.  We know each other very well and we have a great relationship, so I’m looking forward to working with him.”

It’s been over a decade now since the two years (2001-02 and 2002-03) in which LeNeveu and Grumet-Morris went head-to-head as backstops of a pair of bitter ECAC rivals, but LeNeveu remembers it fondly.

“Obviously it’s a huge rivalry,” he said, “and at that time we probably hated each other, because nobody wanted to lose those games, that’s for sure, but we had a blast.  We both had successful college careers, and I’m just happy to be riding this wave along with him.”

Though he already has ten professional seasons under his belt, LeNeveu is still relatively young, especially by the standards of the goaltending position, which has seen a number of individuals in recent history not make a breakthrough to the top level until past their 30th birthdays.  LeNeveu believes that the beginning of this year goes into the “whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger” category, and feels that he still may be reaching his peak as a player.

“If I didn’t think I could play, this would have been a year that could have sent guys home, saying, ‘You know what, that’s it, I’m retiring,’” LeNeveu said.  “But I have the belief that I’m playing my best hockey right now.  These last couple of years I think I’ve been at the top of my career.  That belief has kept me going.  I believe it, and I know the coaching staff here supports me in it, and you’ve just got to keep going.  You’ve got to keep believing in yourself, get in the right place at the right time, put some wins together and get a little lucky, get the timing right, and you’re off and running.”

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

photo credit: Rich Zacher

Wolf Pack Announce Roster Moves

HARTFORD, January 14, 2014:  Hartford Wolf Pack general manager Jim Schoenfeld today announced five Wolf Pack player transactions.

Hartford Wolf PackForward Kyle Jean has been reassigned by the parent New York Rangers from the Wolf Pack to its ECHL affiliate, the Greenville Road Warriors, and goaltender Scott Stajcer has been reassigned to the Florida Everblades of the ECHL.  Also, forwards Akim Aliu and Brodie Dupont, and defenseman Sam Klassen, have been released from their respective Professional Tryout (PTO) agreements.

Jean has played in 27 games for the Wolf Pack in this, his second pro season, scoring two goals and adding two assists for four points and serving 19 minutes in penalties.  Stajcer, also a second-year pro, had re-joined the Wolf Pack from Greenville on Saturday, after going 4-4-0 in eight ECHL contests with the Road Warriors, with a 2.89 GAA and a 91.0 % save percentage.  In eight games with the Wolf Pack Stajcer is 2-2-0 with a 2.51 GAA and an 89.3% save percentage.

Aliu has skated in nine games with the Wolf Pack since signing his PTO December 16.  The fifth-year pro had one goal and seven penalty minutes in that action.  Dupont has been with the Wolf Pack since the beginning of the season, having been inked to a PTO October 3.  In 26 games in his second career stint with the Wolf Pack, Dupont scored one goal and had five assists for six points, along with 25 PIM.  Klassen has played in nine games with the Pack this year on two separate PTOs, scoring one goal and adding one assist for two points, while serving one minor penalty.  The fourth-year man, who also has 1-3-4 and 14 PIM in 20 games with Greenville, had signed his latest PTO with the Wolf Pack December 26.

The Wolf Pack’s next action is this Friday night, January 17, as they travel to Glens Falls, NY to meet the Adirondack Phantoms.  Faceoff is 7:00 PM, and all the action can be heard live on Fox Sports Radio 1410, and on-line at www.foxsportsradio1410.com and iHeartRadio.  Video streaming is available at www.ahllive.com.

The Wolf Pack’s next home game is Friday, January 24, a 7:00 PM contest against the Springfield Falcons.  All Wolf Pack Friday-night home games feature $1 hot dogs and $2 beers through the start of the second period, presented by Marc’s Appliance Warehouse, located at 75 Prospect Ave., Hartford, CT.

Tickets for all Wolf Pack 2013-14 home games are on sale now at the Public Power Ticket Office at the XL Center, on-line at www.hartfordwolfpack.com and by phone at (877) 522-8499.  Wolf Pack tickets start as low as $12 for youth 12 years old or younger.  To speak with a representative about season or group tickets, call (855) 762-6451.

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

Wolf Pack Sign Goaltender David LeNeveu

HARTFORD, January 14, 2014:  Hartford Wolf Pack general manager Jim Schoenfeld announced today that the Wolf Pack has signed goaltender David LeNeveu to an American Hockey League contract.

Hartford Wolf PackThis will be the second tour of duty with the Wolf Pack for LeNeveu, an 11th-year veteran out of Cornell University.  LeNeveu saw 13 games of action with the Pack in 2007-08, going 8-3-2 with a 1.83 goals-against average, a 92.4% save percentage and one shutout.

LeNeveu, 30, has played in one AHL game this season for the Providence Bruins, a 1-0 loss at Syracuse Saturday in which LeNeveu earned Third-Star honors with 20 saves.  The 6-1, 187-pound Fernie, B.C. native has also appeared in eight ECHL games with the South Carolina Stingrays, action in which he was 4-4-0 with a 1.64 GAA and a 94.0% save percentage.  Three of LeNeveu’s four Stingray wins were by shutout, good for a tie for second among ECHL goaltenders in that category.

LeNeveu spent last season playing in Austria for Linz EHC, with whom he posted a 2.60 GAA and a 91.7% save percentage in 27 outings.

Originally selected in the second round (46th overall) of the 2002 NHL Draft by the Phoenix Coyotes, LeNeveu has played in 22 career NHL games with the Coyotes and Columbus Blue Jackets, going 5-9-2 with a 3.43 GAA and an 88.7% save percentage.  In 308 career AHL contests with the Wolf Pack, Bruins, Springfield Falcons, Utah Grizzlies, San Antonio Rampage, Iowa Chops and Oklahoma City Barons, LeNeveu has a total slate of 121-150-26, with a 2.77 GAA, a 90.9% save percentage and nine shutouts.   In addition to last year’s experience with Linz EHC, LeNeveu spent the 2009-10 season with Salzburg EC, winning an Austrian championship.

The Wolf Pack’s next action is this Friday night, January 17, as they travel to Glens Falls, NY to meet the Adirondack Phantoms.  Faceoff is 7:00 PM, and all the action can be heard live on Fox Sports Radio 1410, and on-line at www.foxsportsradio1410.com and iHeartRadio.  Video streaming is available at www.ahllive.com.

The Wolf Pack’s next home game is Friday, January 24, a 7:00 PM contest against the Springfield Falcons.  All Wolf Pack Friday-night home games feature $1 hot dogs and $2 beers through the start of the second period, presented by Marc’s Appliance Warehouse, located at 75 Prospect Ave., Hartford, CT.

Tickets for all Wolf Pack 2013-14 home games are on sale now at the Public Power Ticket Office at the XL Center, on-line at www.hartfordwolfpack.com and by phone at (877) 522-8499.  Wolf Pack tickets start as low as $12 for youth 12 years old or younger.  To speak with a representative about season or group tickets, call (855) 762-6451.

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

Wolf Pack’s Hensick Pumped to be Back in AHL

By Bob Crawford

By the time T.J. Hensick played his first game in a Hartford Wolf Pack uniform Saturday night in Wilkes-Barre, he had been through a whirlwind of change in the previous 72 hours.

Hartford Wolf PackThe seventh-year pro center had been over in Sweden, experiencing European hockey for the first time with the Modo club of Ornskoldsvik, before being offered an opportunity to return to North America, on an American Hockey League deal with the Abbotsford Heat, the westernmost member of the AHL.

In order to play in the AHL after starting the season in Europe, though, a player has to clear AHL waivers, and the Wolf Pack took advantage of the chance to bolster their offense with Hensick’s skills, putting in a waiver claim and thereby changing the former Colorado Avalanche and St. Louis Blue’s destination to the far eastern edge of hockey’s top development loop.

“It was a long three days,” Hensick said Sunday in Bridgeport, before he suited up for his second game with the Wolf Pack, “but I’m excited to be back in the American Hockey League and be in Hartford.  It’s a good feeling when you get claimed off waivers, it means the team obviously wanted you.  It just feels good to be back in North America and in the American Hockey League.”

Playing with the Wolf Pack is likely to be a different experience, though, than Hensick’s earlier AHL stops.  Having logged a total of 321 previous AHL games with the Lake Erie Monsters and the Peoria Rivermen, Hensick is certainly familiar with the league, but he has never played in the Eastern Conference, meaning that he is going to be seeing a lot that is new to him.

“I’m excited to see the new buildings, play teams that I’ve never played in my seven-year pro career, and see the mix,” he said.  “You always hear from the West side that this is a little more physical in the East, or a little more scoring, or the West always wants to be better than the East.  It will be fun, it’ll be exciting to see new buildings.  The buildings here I think are a little bit newer maybe than the West, but I’m looking forward to it, in every game, every building, every chance to play.”

One thing that Hensick knows will be a definite positive for him is the travel in the Northeast Division, which is much less burdensome than what he underwent in Cleveland and Peoria.

“I was shocked when they said it was only a 40-minute drive down the highway to Bridgeport,” he laughed.  “It’s great, it feels good.  You feel energized, you don’t have to worry about waking up early, catching a flight.  You don’t have to worry about getting your bags to wherever you’re going.  Last year I remember in Peoria I played in Milwaukee on Friday, bused to Chicago to play a game Saturday night in Oklahoma City and then bused from Oklahoma City down to Austin to play Texas.  So the travel will definitely be easier, and I’m looking forward to that, for sure.”

The Wolf Pack are certainly looking forward to having Hensick juice up their attack, and his 100 career AHL goals and 337 points in his first six years indicate that he should be a real shot in the arm for Ken Gernander’s crew.

“I like to think of myself as a skilled guy that can make plays, make room for other guys on my line with the hockey sense I have,” Hensick said when asked how he sees himself as a player.  “I like to be a guy on the power play that’s a go-to guy that can help the team score there and be a difference.  That’s usually been my game in the past.”

Hensick showed exactly those attributes in his first two games with the Wolf Pack this past weekend.  The University of Michigan Wolverine product chipped in a goal and an assist in his debut in Wilkes-Barre, then had a helper in the Pack’s 6-3 loss at Bridgeport Sunday.  His first Wolf Pack linemates were Jesper Fast and Ryan Bourque, and Hensick has enjoyed that combination.

“Any time you get new linemates, a new situation and a new environment, you definitely have to build some chemistry with your linemates,” he said.  “But I think with my skills, and playing with the wingers I played with, I think we’ll be able to create a lot.  It’s going to be a chemistry thing, you’ve got to get used to where guys are going to be on the ice at all times and be able to trust the situation.”

As for Hensick’s Swedish sojourn, it turned out to be short, but sweet.  After six years back and forth between the NHL and AHL, the timing seemed right to give the European route a whirl.

“It was something in the back of my mind,” he said.  “The setting that came up last summer (with Modo), it just felt like the right time to go try it out and see how it went.  I enjoyed every minute of my time in Sweden.  It’s a great league, just from a personal standpoint, I thought it was better for my career to come back here and be in the American Hockey League and hopefully continue on, next year hopefully find a two-way (NHL) contract back home.  But I’ve got nothing to say but good things about the Swedish League.  It’s a really good league.  Obviously the biggest difference is the ice, the ice is way bigger (in Europe).  I felt (Saturday) when I came out for warmups, I thought I was running into guys.  That’s the biggest adjustment, but I enjoyed my time, my wife enjoyed her time over there.  Just for me, I thought it was best to come back.”

Having been in the Western Conference for his entire AHL career, and coming in from Europe, Hensick had no preconceived notions about the Wolf Pack and its personnel, and his overall first impression is quite positive.

“It seems like a good group of guys,” he said.  “Obviously it’s a little nerve-wracking walking into a locker room, especially being claimed off waivers, being a veteran guy.  You don’t know where the mindset is, the mood.  You don’t want to be the guy that disrupts anything, but it seems like it’s a great mix, and I’m looking forward to getting to know everyone a little bit better as the season goes on.”

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

Bridgeport Sound Tigers 6, Hartford Wolf Pack 3

Bridgeport, CT, January 12, 2014 – Anders Lee scored twice, and Andrew Clark and Aaron Ness had a goal and an assist apiece, to lead the Bridgeport Sound Tigers to a 6-3 win over the Hartford Wolf Pack Sunday at Webster Bank Arena.

Hartford Wolf PackThe loss dropped the Wolf Pack (11-20-0-5, 27 pts.) to six points behind the fourth-place Sound Tigers in the Northeast Division.

Darroll Powe, Aaron Johnson and J.T. Miller scored for the Wolf Pack, and Danny Kristo had two assists.

The Wolf Pack got off to a slow start in the game, with the Sound Tigers getting nine of the first ten shots of the game, and building a 2-0 lead on a pair of goals by Lee.

Lee gave Bridgeport the game’s first lead at 8:56, reaching around to the left of Wolf Pack starting goaltender Jason Missiaen to poke the puck over the goal line, after Missiaen had stopped a shot from off right wing by Clark.

Lee struck again only 1:32 later, at 10:28, on a Sound Tiger power play.  Dallas Jackson played the puck toward the front of the net from the right-wing circle, Lee deflected it toward the net and it went off of Hartford defenseman Tommy Hughes’ skate, through Missiaen’s legs and just over the goal line.

Powe got the Wolf Pack on the scoreboard only 2:07 after that, cutting the lead to 2-1.  Oscar Lindberg sent Powe up right wing with a pass and Powe put on a burst of speed to get around Mike Halmo, who was back covering for the defense.  After getting past Halmo, Powe put a quick shot into the top of the net past the catching glove of Bridgeport goaltender Parker Milner (25 saves).

The Wolf Pack then tied the game on a five-on-three power play at 9:25 of the second period.  Johnson, the Pack captain, scored his fourth of the year on a shot from high in the slot, set up by a T.J. Hensick pass from the left-wing faceoff dot.

After that, however, the Sound Tigers scored the next four goals of the game, including two in the final 3:22 of the second.

Ness gave Bridgeport back the lead for good at 16:38, slapping a shot underneath Missiaen from the left circle, after Chris Langkow had carried the puck around the net from right to left.

Clark then made it a 4-2 Bridgeport lead with 47.5 seconds left in the period.  Scooter Vaughn and Peter Boyd combined to win a puck battle along the left-wing boards, and Clark’s quick shot from just inside the faceoff dot beat Missiaen.

Scott Stajcer replaced Missiaen (four goals-against on 18 shots) to start the third period, but it took Bridgeport only 2:57 of the third to add to their lead.

Bridgeport captain Chris Bruton scored his second of the season at 2:57, banging home a rebound from right in front of the net after Stajcer stopped an Alan Quine wraparound try.

The Sound Tigers’ sixth goal was a power-play tally at 8:06, with Ryan Bourque in the penalty box for interference.  Joe Diamond camped out in front of Stajcer and deflected Quine’s shot from the top of the right circle into the net.

Miller stopped the run of four straight Bridgeport goals with his eighth goal in ten AHL games on the year at 14:51.  The Wolf Pack established a strong forecheck and Bourque dug the puck out of the right-wing corner to Kristo along the boards, and Miller headed to the front of the net to tip in Kristo’s sharp-angle try, cutting the final margin to 6-3.

The Wolf Pack’s next action is this Friday night, January 17, as they travel to Glens Falls, NY to meet the Adirondack Phantoms.  Faceoff is 3:00 PM, and all the action can be heard live on Fox Sports Radio 1410, and on-line at www.foxsportsradio1410.com and iHeartRadio.  Video streaming is available at www.ahllive.com.

The Wolf Pack’s next home game is Friday, January 24, a 7:00 PM contest against the Springfield Falcons.  All Wolf Pack Friday-night home games feature $1 hot dogs and $2 beers through the start of the second period, presented by Marc’s Appliance Warehouse, located at 75 Prospect Ave., Hartford, CT.

Tickets for all Wolf Pack 2013-14 home games are on sale now at the Public Power Ticket Office at the XL Center, on-line at www.hartfordwolfpack.com and by phone at (877) 522-8499.  Wolf Pack tickets start as low as $12 for youth 12 years old or younger.  To speak with a representative about season or group tickets, call (855) 762-6451.

Hartford Wolf Pack 3 at Bridgeport Sound Tigers 6
Sunday, January 12, 2014 – Webster Bank Arena

Hartford 1 1 1 – 3
Bridgeport 2 2 2 – 6

1st Period-1, Bridgeport, Lee 14 (Clark, Mayfield), 8:56. 2, Bridgeport, Lee 15 (Jackson, Ness), 10:28 (PP). 3, Hartford, Powe 5 (Lindberg), 12:35. Penalties-Halmo Bri (slashing), 0:40; Powe Hfd (interference, roughing), 4:22; Stamler Hfd (fighting), 4:22; Cantin Bri (fighting), 4:22; Diamond Bri (roughing), 4:22; Bickel Hfd (instigating, fighting, misconduct – instigating), 10:03; Bruton Bri (fighting), 10:03; Haley Hfd (fighting), 14:50; Keenan Bri (instigating, fighting, misconduct – instigating), 14:50; Hrivik Hfd (high-sticking), 16:37; Boyd Bri (hooking), 19:23.

2nd Period-4, Hartford, Johnson 4 (Hensick, Kristo), 9:25 (PP). 5, Bridgeport, Ness 3 (Langkow, Bouchard), 16:38. 6, Bridgeport, Clark 2 (Vaughan, Boyd), 19:12. Penalties-Lee Bri (slashing), 7:36; Mayfield Bri (hooking), 9:04; Vaive Hfd (tripping), 12:46; Powe Hfd (fighting), 18:50; Lee Bri (fighting), 18:50; Allen Hfd (fighting), 19:52; Diamond Bri (fighting), 19:52.

3rd Period-7, Bridgeport, Bruton 2 (Quine, Lowry), 2:57. 8, Bridgeport, Diamond 6 (Quine, Cornell), 8:06 (PP). 9, Hartford, Miller 8 (Bourque, Kristo), 14:51. Penalties-Bourque Hfd (goaltender interference), 7:54; Keenan Bri (interference), 9:49.

Shots on Goal-Hartford 6-13-9-28. Bridgeport 11-7-7-25.
Power Play Opportunities-Hartford 1 / 6; Bridgeport 2 / 5.
Goalies-Hartford, Missiaen 2-11-1 (18 shots-14 saves); Stajcer 2-2-0 (7 shots-5 saves). Bridgeport, Milner 2-2-0 (28 shots-25 saves).
A-6,006
Referees-Jon McIsaac (45).
Linesmen-Mike Baker (11), Kevin Redding (16).

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

Wolf Pack Sign Forward Justin Vaive to PTO

HARTFORD, January 12, 2014:  Hartford Wolf Pack general manager Jim Schoenfeld announced today that the Wolf Pack has signed forward Justin Vaive to a Professional Tryout (PTO) agreement.

Hartford Wolf PackVaive, a 6-4, 210-pound third-year pro and son of former long-time NHLer Rick Vaive, has ten goals and eight assists for 18 points in 13 games this season for the Wolf Pack’s ECHL affiliate, the Greenville Road Warriors.  Those numbers are good for second on the Road Warrior club in goals and fifth in points.

Vaive split his first two pro seasons between the AHL’s San Antonio Rampage and the Cincinnati Cyclones of the ECHL.  In 56 total games with the Rampage, the 24-year-old Vaive had two goals and two assists for four points, along with 48 penalty minutes.  In 46 outings with the Cyclones, he posted eight goals and 14 assists for 22 points, plus 75 PIM.

Prior to turning pro, Vaive played four seasons at Miami University (Ohio), amassing career totals of 23 goals and 23 assists for 46 points, while serving 208 minutes in penalties.  The Buffalo, NY native was a fourth-round (92nd overall) selection by the Anaheim Ducks in the 2007 NHL draft, from the U.S. National Development Program’s Under-18 squad.

The Wolf Pack wrap up a three-game road weekend today in Bridgeport.  Faceoff is 3:00 PM, and all the action can be heard live on Fox Sports Radio 1410, and on-line at www.foxsportsradio1410.com and iHeartRadio.  Video streaming is available at www.ahllive.com.

The Wolf Pack’s next home game is Friday, January 24, a 7:00 PM contest against the Springfield Falcons.  All Wolf Pack Friday-night home games feature $1 hot dogs and $2 beers through the start of the second period, presented by Marc’s Appliance Warehouse, located at 75 Prospect Ave., Hartford, CT.

Tickets for all Wolf Pack 2013-14 home games are on sale now at the Public Power Ticket Office at the XL Center, on-line at www.hartfordwolfpack.com and by phone at (877) 522-8499.  Wolf Pack tickets start as low as $12 for youth 12 years old or younger.  To speak with a representative about season or group tickets, call (855) 762-6451.

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

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins 5, Hartford Wolf Pack 3

Wilkes-Barre, PA, January 11, 2014 – Anton Zlobin had two goals, including the third-period game-winner, Saturday night at Mohegan Sun Arena, as the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins defeated the Hartford Wolf Pack, 5-3.

Hartford Wolf PackThe Wolf Pack took a 3-2 lead into the third period, but were outshot 17-2 in the third.  Tom Kuhnhackl also scored for the Penguins in the third, and Brian Dumoulin had an empty-netter.  Dominik Uher scored a shorthanded goal for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in the first period, and Scott Harrington had three assists.

T.J. Hensick had a goal and an assist in his first game for the Wolf Pack, after being claimed off of waivers from the Abbotsford Heat Friday night, and the Wolf Pack also got goals from Danny Kristo and Ryan Bourque.  Danny Syvret had a pair of assists.

“I thought we fought hard,” Kristo said.  “I thought we outplayed them for two periods, and then a little penalty trouble in the third and they scored one.  Then a tie game, it just comes down to a bounce, and we got the short end of it tonight.”

The Wolf Pack outshot the Penguins 9-2 in the first period, but came out of it tied at one.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton scored shorthanded at 5:32, on what was their only shot of the period for nearly the first 15 minutes.

After Mike Carman won a draw in the defensive zone, Uher moved into the Wolf Pack end and fired a shot, from deep in the slot, that Wolf Pack goaltender Jason Missiaen (20 saves) got a big piece of but could not stop.

The next time the Wolf Pack went to the power play, Hensick tied the game.  Hensick took a feed from Syvret and moved up the slot, and sent a shot from about 25 feet out off of Penguin goaltender Jeff Deslauriers (16 saves) and in.

The Wolf Pack took their first lead of the game at 7:10 of the second, when Kristo, the team’s leading scorer, broke a four-game points drought with his 13th of the year.

Syvret threaded a perfect pass out of the defensive zone, through a Penguins player in center ice, to Kristo, who broke down right wing and put a low shot through Deslauriers.

Zlobin answered that goal for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton at 10:08, after a long Phil Samuelsson pass sent him into the Wolf Pack zone with a step on the defense.  Zlobin tried to stickhandle and could never quite control the puck, but managed to reach out and poke a close range backhander past Missiaen.

Just 2:33 later, at 12:41, Bourque put the Wolf Pack back ahead, extending his goal-scoring streak to a career-high three games.  Hensick intercepted Harrington’s pass in the neutral zone, moved into the Penguin zone and handed off to Bourque on the right-wing side.  Deslauriers made the initial save on Bourque’s hard shot, but the puck deflected off of a defender and found its way into the net.

The Wolf Pack went into the third period having outshot Wilkes-Barre/Scranton 17-8, but the tables turned dramatically in the final session.

Kuhnhackl tied it at three on a power play at 8:09, with Tommy Hughes in the penalty box for tripping.  Zack Torquato sent Kuhnhackl down right wing with a pass, and Kuhnhackl was able to snap a shot high into the net past Missiaen’s catching glove.

The game-winner, Zlobin’s second goal of the game, came at 12:10.  Bourque blocked a shot by Brendan Mikkelson, but the puck came right back to Mikkelson at the right point.  Missiaen stopped Mikkelson’s initial shot but could not cover the rebound, and Zlobin got two tries at it, the second of which he pushed just inside the goal post to Missiaen’s right.

Dumoulin then iced the game at 19:09, with Missiaen on the bench for an extra attacker.  Dumoulin cleared the puck from the right-wing boards inside his own blue line, and the disc bounced and rolled perfectly into the open net.

The Wolf Pack wrap up a three-game road weekend Sunday in Bridgeport.  Faceoff is 3:00 PM, and all the action can be heard live on Fox Sports Radio 1410, and on-line at www.foxsportsradio1410.com and iHeartRadio.  Video streaming is available at www.ahllive.com.

The Wolf Pack’s next home game is Friday, January 24, a 7:00 PM contest against the Springfield Falcons.  All Wolf Pack Friday-night home games feature $1 hot dogs and $2 beers through the start of the second period, presented by Marc’s Appliance Warehouse, located at 75 Prospect Ave., Hartford, CT.

Tickets for all Wolf Pack 2013-14 home games are on sale now at the Public Power Ticket Office at the XL Center, on-line at www.hartfordwolfpack.com and by phone at (877) 522-8499.  Wolf Pack tickets start as low as $12 for youth 12 years old or younger.  To speak with a representative about season or group tickets, call (855) 762-6451.

Hartford Wolf Pack 3 at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins 5
Saturday, January 11, 2014 – Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza

Hartford 1 2 0 – 3
W-B/Scranton 1 1 3 – 5

1st Period-1, W-B/Scranton, Uher 4 (Carman, Dumoulin), 5:32 (SH). 2, Hartford, Hensick 1 (Syvret, Allen), 11:31 (PP). Penalties-served by Torquato Wbs (bench minor – too many men), 5:14; Haley Hfd (fighting), 7:45; McNeill Wbs (fighting), 7:45; Hrivik Hfd (holding), 8:47; Harrington Wbs (boarding), 10:55.

2nd Period-3, Hartford, Kristo 13 (Syvret, Hrivik), 7:10. 4, W-B/Scranton, Zlobin 3 (Samuelsson, Harrington), 10:08. 5, Hartford, Bourque 7 (Hensick), 12:41. Penalties-Zolnierczyk Wbs (tripping), 0:25; Yogan Hfd (interference), 3:56; Johnson Hfd (boarding), 7:44; Kuhnhackl Wbs (hooking), 14:47.

3rd Period-6, W-B/Scranton, Kuhnhackl 8 (Torquato, Harrington), 8:09 (PP). 7, W-B/Scranton, Zlobin 4 (Mikkelson, Harrington), 12:10. 8, W-B/Scranton, Dumoulin 3 (Samuelsson), 19:09 (EN). Penalties-Hughes Hfd (tripping), 6:42; Bickel Hfd (high-sticking), 9:06; Johnson Hfd (hooking), 19:59.

Shots on Goal-Hartford 9-8-2-19. W-B/Scranton 2-6-17-25.
Power Play Opportunities-Hartford 1 / 4; W-B/Scranton 1 / 6.
Goalies-Hartford, Missiaen 2-10-1 (24 shots-20 saves). W-B/Scranton, Deslauriers 16-9-2 (19 shots-16 saves).
A-8,188
Referees-Jarrod Ragusin (54).
Linesmen-Scott Adams (20), Jud Ritter (34).

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

Goaltender Scott Stajcer Rejoins Wolf Pack

HARTFORD, January 11, 2014:  Hartford Wolf Pack general manager Jim Schoenfeld announced today that the parent New York Rangers have reassigned goaltender Scott Stajcer to the Wolf Pack from its ECHL affiliate, the Greenville Road Warriors.

Hartford Wolf PackPrior to being assigned to Greenville November 25, Stajcer saw action in seven games with the Wolf Pack, going 2-2-0 with a 2.27 GAA and a 90.4% save percentage.  In eight ECHL contests with the Road Warriors, the second-year pro is 4-4-0 with a 2.89 GAA and a 91.0 save percentage mark.

Stajcer was a fifth-round Ranger selection (140th overall) in the 2009 NHL Draft.

The Wolf Pack continue a three-game road weekend tonight at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.  Faceoff is 7:05 PM, and all the action can be heard live on Fox Sports Radio 1410, and on-line at www.foxsportsradio1410.com and iHeartRadio.  Video streaming is available at www.ahllive.com.

The Wolf Pack’s next home game is Friday, January 24, a 7:00 PM contest against the Springfield Falcons.  All Wolf Pack Friday-night home games feature $1 hot dogs and $2 beers through the start of the second period, presented by Marc’s Appliance Warehouse, located at 75 Prospect Ave., Hartford, CT.

Tickets for all Wolf Pack 2013-14 home games are on sale now at the Public Power Ticket Office at the XL Center, on-line at www.hartfordwolfpack.com and by phone at (877) 522-8499.  Wolf Pack tickets start as low as $12 for youth 12 years old or younger.  To speak with a representative about season or group tickets, call (855) 762-6451.

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