Hartford, CT … Whalers Sports and Entertainment announced today that “The Hanson Brothers” will bring their distinctive brand of hockey entertainment to the outdoor Harvest-Properties.com Whale Bowl February 19 at Rentschler Field in East Hartford. Their appearance is presented by Harvey and Lewis Opticians of Hartford.
In addition to spreading laughs with their trademark comic zaniness, the Hansons will skate on the Whalers legends team in the Whalers legends vs. Boston Bruins legends game at the Harvest-Properties.com Whale Bowl.
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 legends game will face off at 4:00 PM on February 19 and will be followed by the outdoor AHL game between the Connecticut Whale and the Providence Bruins at 7:00 PM.
“When we created the concept for Whalers Hockey Fest a year ago, I immediately reached out to secure the Hanson brothers,” said WSE vice-president of business operations Mark Willand. “They are a prefect addition to our Legends game and they have a lot of surprises in store for Hartford hockey fans.”
The Hanson Brothers, Steve, Jeff and Dave, achieved legendary status as a result of the iconic 1977 film “Slap Shot”, of which their brawling, bespectacled characters were the comedic linchpins. The real-life hockey players behind the caricatures are brothers Steve and Jeff Carlson, and Dave Hanson.
Both Steve Carlson and Hanson spent time in Hartford with the WHA’s New England Whalers during their playing careers.
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Carlson played a total of 69 games with the Whalers between the 1976-77 and ’77-’78 seasons, scoring 10 goals and adding 16 assists for 26 points and registering 51 penalty minutes. The highlight of Carlson’s 11-year pro career was 52 NHL games with the Los Angeles Kings in 1979-80, and the Virginia, MN native also logged 173 total WHA games with the Whalers, Minnesota Fighting Saints and Edmonton Oilers.
Hanson, meanwhile, played one regular-season game and one playoff game for the 1976-77 Whalers, one of three WHA stops in a ten-year pro tenure. A native of Cumberland, WI, Hanson played 33 total NHL games with the Detroit Red Wings and Minnesota North Stars, and got into 103 WHA contests with the Whalers, Fighting Saints and Birmingham Bulls.
Jeff Carlson, Steve’s older sibling by two years, played nine years of pro hockey, mostly in the North American and International Hockey Leagues. Jeff did join Steve for seven games on the 1975-76 Fighting Saints squad.
Since going on the road and reprising the Hanson Brothers characters in 1994, the two Carlsons and Hanson have entertained millions of fans across North America, and generated over $12 million for various charities.
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).
