CANTLON’S CORNER: WOLF PACK TRAVEL TO PA TO BREAK STREAK 

BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings

HARTFORD, CT – Kris Knoblauch, the Hartford Wolf Pack’s (11-4-0-5) first-year head coach, is taking the Wolf Pack’s first losing streak, currently three games, as calmly as he took their nine-game winning streak to open the season, calm, cool and collected.

“Not changing too much. Guys are still happy to come to the rink, and that’s good. We’re balancing things right now. The hard work continues.”

Knoblauch didn’t highlight any one area that needed cleaning up.

“We weren’t as sharp as we had been (defensively), and we had scoring chances and couldn’t finish. Our passing was spotty. We encourage our team to get faster, keep the feet moving, and how well you defend plays a big part in how other parts of your game are doing,“ Knoblauch commented.

On Wednesday, Knoblauch ran a hard hour-long game that simulated one-on-one battle drills perhaps stressing that level of intensity that might have ebbed a bit over the last three games. It didn’t faze veteran Matt Beleskey.

“Of course your gonna have moments like these (losing streaks). It’s all about taking forward steps, not backward ones. We still have good energy in the room, if we keep playing hard, good things will come to us. Coach said it best this morning. ‘Things that don’t take talent helps you win.’ The tape-to-tape pass, winning that one-on-one battle and when you do the little things as a group, good things will happen.”

As a veteran, Beleskey was able to understand what it was and draw parallels with tough practices in the past.

“That was a tough practice hour-long battle drills, but he made it fun. That keeps guys competitive. It can be seen as a punishment, but it wasn’t. You could view it as a punishment, but there isn’t one guy in that room who doesn’t want to win and do better. It is, in its own way, a team-building (moment) and learning to come together as a group.”

When queried about one very nasty bag skate the Wolf Pack suffered under former head coach, Keith McCambridge, last year upon their return from an unsuccessful Canadian road trip on a Monday – the traditional off day in hockey.

“I missed that practice by a week getting reassigned by the Rangers, but no question it left a really bad taste with players for two or three weeks afterward. It took the wind out of our sails. You feel you’re being punished, and you’re trying to win. It wasn’t a good atmosphere. Today doesn’t resemble that at all. It was a tough practice, yes. It was competitive. It was an hour-long battle to get better-together. I think it’s a good way to work toward breaking a losing streak.”

The goaltending duo of Igor Shesterkin and Adam Huska did their usual split of playing time, but Shesterkin played his first back-to-back games in North America, and the formula will remain this week when they visit Lehigh Valley (Allentown, PA ) on Saturday, and Hershey on Sunday.

“Both will play, but we really haven’t decided what our rotation will be for this weekend yet.”

Line changes may see some minor changes with Boo Nieves recalled, and Tim Gettinger returning after two games in New York. The biggest change is the addition of Shawn McBride, who was recalled from Norfolk (ECHL) where he was reassigned from Maine to get playing time for the injured Lewis Zerter-Gossage (upper body, out for the weekend), but are hoping he’ll be back next week.

“I’m very happy we were able to recall a natural center and not convert one of our wingers.” He will likely be anchoring the fourth line.

NOTES

Knoblauch’s bench will be shortened-on the coaching-end this weekend. In an out-of-left-field move, Assistant Coach, David Cunniff, officially resigned this morning and took the Head Coaching/GM job with the Worcester Railers (ECHL), the Islanders Double AA affiliate.

The team relieved their first-ever head coach, Jamie Russell, and assistant coach, Derek Army (Kent Prep), of their duties.

“We knew for about two days. On Monday, they sought permission from the Rangers’ Jeff (Gorton) or Chris (Drury) not sure who, to speak to David about the job. It was really a job he couldn’t pass up. He has been an assistant coach for many years, so he gets his first head coaching job and couldn’t be happier for him, but we’re gonna miss him.”

Beleskey echoed his sentiments

“That’s close to home for him to be a head coach good for him. We’re really gonna miss him because he was one positive guy on the bench. He was always talking and encouraging everybody. We all wish him the best.”

He was an assistant coach for eight years with the Worcester Sharks under Roy Sommer, the all-time winningest AHL head coach. He was an interim head coach in Iowa for a period of time.

His debut at the DCU Center in Worcester Wednesday night wasn’t a good one, a 4-1 loss to the Newfoundland (St. John’s) Growlers.

When asked if he had a replacement in mind for Cunniff, Knoblauch responded, “Too fresh and too early for that. Gord Murphy is more than capable of handling more responsibility. We’ll be able to handle things this weekend.”

There’s a troika of possibilities to take over for Cunniff. It could be Jed Ortmeyer, Tanner Glass, or perhaps assistant GM Pat Boller, who was on ice assistant under Ken Gernander, could dust off the skates and be in the mix.

Defenseman Yegor Rykov was skating with the group in his non-contact jersey, #57. He is very close to returning as he was going to the doctor’s in the afternoon seeking medical clearance.

“If he is cleared as we hope, he won’t this weekend, but hopefully next weekend,” said Knoblauch. Rykov hasn’t played since the Traverse City tournament in September where he suffered a nasty high ankle sprain.

With his left arm in a sling, Gabriel Fontaine was actually feeling pretty good five days after his surgery on his left shoulder.

“It was actually a lot less pain than I expected. It’s not great, getting better every day, but its a tough break for sure.”

Sleeping has got to be a gymnastic feat.

“I’ve been able to stay on my back, but when I try to go my left side, oh you feel it,” Fontaine said with a smile as he rolled his eyes. Tough to have a season cut short at 13 games for one of the nicer players.

The hottest team currently in the AHL is the Milwaukee Admirals. They have won ten in a row. The Admirals second-leading scorer is ex-Pack captain Cole Schneider with 19 points in 21 games.

The Pack is now the sixth-best in the AHL behind Toronto, Milwaukee, Tucson, Rochester, and Providence.

Ex-Pack, John Gilmour, was sent to Rochester. He has played only four games in Buffalo in the first two months of the season and last week just 7:53 in his last game.

Ex-CT Whale, Jayson Megna, was sent to the Colorado Eagles by the parent Colorado Avalanche.

Former CT Whale, Alex Krushelnyski, was loaned to Rockford after starting the year with Indy (ECHL).

Ex-Pack goalie, Brandon Halverson, was returned to Norfolk (ECHL) by Providence.

Former QU Bobcat, Craig Martin, gets a weather upgrade from Adirondack (ECHL) to Jacksonville (ECHL).

-Jaxon Stauber, son of former Wolf Pack and New Haven Nighthawk goalie Robb Stauber after one NCAA game with the University Minnesota-Mankato a victory 4-1 win over University of Alabama-Huntsville (WCHA) returns to Sioux City Stampede (USHL) for the rest of the year.

It preserves his NCAA eligibility and he returns to the defending USHL Clark Cup champions where Stauber had an 11-1 post-season mark win playoff MVP honors.

Former Wolf Pack captain, Mat Bodie, is not having a good time in Sweden. He lost his assistant captain status, his ice time, and was then traded from Vaxjo HC (Sweden-SHL) to IK Oskarshamn (Sweden-SHL)

Former Sound Tiger, Casey Bailey, leaves South Carolina (ECHL) for Vaxjo gaining the team’s import player license as it’s known in Europe.

Ex-Pack, Zdenek Bahensky, has gone from Mulhouse (France-FREL) to Cracow (Poland-PZIHL).