Tag Archives: Connecticut Whale

BERLET SPOTLIGHT: VALENTENKO GOES HOME

Posted on May 18, 2012 | Leave a comment

Sorry to hear Connecticut Whale defenseman Pavel Valentenko has signed a two-year contract to play with Avangard Omsk in the Kontinental Hockey League in his native Russia, but it’s certainly understandable.

Though Valentenko had his best statistical season in five in the AHL despite missing 16 games because of injury, he never got called up by the parent New York Rangers. Valentenko had the hardest shot on the Whale but was rarely used on the power play largely because he was so valuable on the penalty kill thanks to his shot-blocking ability. He tied his career high with five goals, had career highs in assists (16) and points (21) and shared the team plus-minus lead (plus-12) with wing Carl Hagelin, who was called up in late November. Valentenko also had three assists and was plus-2 in nine playoff games.  Continue reading →

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Posted in AHL, Connecticut Whale, CTWhale, Hartford Wolf Pack, Hockey, New York Rangers, NHL, Sports

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VALENTENKO HEADING HOME

Posted on May 17, 2012 | Leave a comment

According to the Avangard Omsk (KHL) website now former Connecticut Whale defenseman Pavel Valentenko has signed a two-year deal to play for the team.

Jaromir Jagr left the New York Rangers to play for four seasons at Avangard Omsk. This franchise is the same where on October 13, 2008,  then first round pick Alexei Cherepanov died after collapsing on the bench during a game against Vityaz Chekhov.

Valentenko said his goodbye with the following tweet from his twitter account:

“It was two great seasons for me here, in Hartford! I was proud to be one of the part of Wolfpack/Whale team! Thanks everyone for support!”

Valentenko’s wife recently had their first child, a beautiful baby girl, and that likely played a major factor in his decision to return home. The logjam of defensemen the franchise has now was also likely a determining factor as well.

Valentenko was acquired on June 30, 2009 as part of the trade that sent Christopher Higgins, Doug Janik, and star defenseman Ryan McDonagh to the New York Rangers for Scott Gomez, Tom Pyatt, and Michael Busto.

(Photo courtesy of newyorkrangers.com)

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Posted in AHL, Connecticut Whale, CTWhale, Hartford Wolf Pack, Hockey, New York Rangers, NHL, World Junior Championships

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WHERE’S EVERYONE GOING?

Posted on May 17, 2012 | Leave a comment

We were just looking at the list of free agents for next season that the Rangers/Whale will be dealing with.

Here’s a quick guess as to who they will resign and why. It’s not based upon ANY inside information or any such thing as that, just our guesses.

After looking at it, let’s here what you think.

The following guys are already signed and will be back with either the Rangers, the Whale or Greenville: Continue reading →

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Posted in AHL, Connecticut Whale, CTWhale, ECHL, Greenville Road Warriors, Hartford Wolf Pack, Hockey, New York Rangers, NHL, Sports

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REWARD FOR A JOB WELL DONE

Posted on May 15, 2012 | Leave a comment

This story only says six players, but in actuality it’s  nine members of the 2011-2012 Connecticut Whale roster will essentially get some viewing time in New York as well as some great seats for the Rangers’ playoff run to the Stanley Cup when they were recalled by the parent club today. Each has earned that spot.

Jonathan Audy-Marchessault, Marek Hrivik and Chad Kolarik will also be joining the six mentioned in this story in New York.

Here’s the official release: Continue reading →

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Posted in AHL, Connecticut Whale, CTWhale, Hockey, New York Rangers, NHL, Sports

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WHALE WEEKLY: May 15-20, 2012

Posted on May 15, 2012 | Leave a comment

BY: Bob Crawford, Voice of the CTWhale

The Whale were defeated by the Norfolk Admirals, four games to two, in their best-of-seven Eastern Conference Semifinals series to end their successful 2011-12 season. Connecticut fell short in a must-win Game Six on Friday in Norfolk, losing 2-1 to the Admirals in overtime. Marek Hrivik and Casey Wellman shared both the Whale team points lead in the series, Wellman with 3-2-5 and Hrivik with 1-4-5, and overall in the playoffs, as Hrivik notched 5-4-9 and Wellman 4-5-9 in nine games. Cam Talbot was a playoff hero for the Whale in goal, picking up two shutouts in the postseason and earning all five of Connecticut’s playoff wins, compiling a 2.10 goals against average and a .939 save percentage in nine games. The Whale escaped the first round of the Calder Cup playoffs for the first time since the 2005-06 season, thanks in part to twelve goals and eleven assists from rookies this season. 
Continue reading →

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Posted in AHL, Connecticut Whale, CTWhale, Hockey, New York Rangers, NHL, Sports

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BERLET SPOTLIGHT: BREAKING UP IS HARD TO DO

Posted on May 14, 2012 | Leave a comment

BY: Bruce Berlet, Exclusive to Howlings

No ice in the XL Center, no merchandise for Connecticut Whale players to sign, no Jim Schoenfeld on the premises.

It seemed an appropriate scene Monday as the Whale players had their exit meetings with coach Ken Gernander and assistant J.J. Daigneault while Schoenfeld, the Rangers assistant general manager and assistant coach and Whale GM, was in New York as the parent club prepared for Game 1 of their Eastern Conference final against the New Jersey Devils.

“The Rangers are kind of preoccupied right now with a couple of other things,” Gernander said with a smile. Continue reading →

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Posted in AHL, Connecticut Whale, CTWhale, Hockey, New York Rangers, NHL, Sports

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GAME SIX: WHALE ELIMINATED

Posted on May 11, 2012 | Leave a comment

     VERSUS     

EASTERN CONFERENCE SEMI-FINAL SERIES: GAME SIX

BY: Bruce Berlet

Despite a dramatic improvement over the previous game, the Connecticut Whale’s season ended Friday night at the Scope in Norfolk, Va.

Richard Panik returned after being hit in the face by a teammate’s shot in the third period to score his second goal of the playoffs on a breakaway at 13:01 of overtime, giving the regular season champion Norfolk Admirals a come-from-behind 2-1 victory over the Whale in Game 6 of their Eastern Conference semifinal.  Continue reading →

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Posted in AHL, College Hockey, Connecticut Whale, CTWhale, Hartford Wolf Pack, Hockey, New York Rangers, NHL, Sports

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HAWK’S EYE: DYLAN MCILRATH

Posted on May 10, 2012 | 1 Comment

BY: Bob Crawford, Voice of the CTWhale

Six-foot-five, 215-pound defenseman Dylan McIlrath, the tenth overall pick in the 2010 NHL Draft by the New York Rangers, wasn’t sure what kind of opportunity he would get when he joined the Connecticut Whale April 30 from his Junior Hockey team, the Moose Jaw Warriors of the Western Hockey League.  The Whale were coming off of a three-game sweep of the Northeast Division-champion Bridgeport Sound Tigers in the opening round, a series in which the Whale had allowed a total of three goals in the three games.

“I didn’t know what to expect coming in,” McIlrath said after a recent Whale practice.  “This team was doing well, firing on all cylinders, sweeping Bridgeport.  They had a good thing going, then I was fortunate to hop in the lineup and I feel really comfortable hopping in.  I think this time around I’m just trying to go in with an open mind and just go play hockey and not think too much.” Continue reading →

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Posted in AHL, Connecticut Whale, CTWhale, Hockey, New York Rangers, NHL, Sports

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GAME FIVE: ADMIRALS SHOW…WHALE NOT SO MUCH

Posted on May 10, 2012 | Leave a comment

     VERSUS     

EASTERN CONFERENCE SEMI-FINAL SERIES: GAME FIVE

BY: BRUCE BERLET (Special to Howlings)

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. – The “real” Norfolk Admirals showed up at Webster Bank Arena on Wednesday night, put the Connecticut Whale on the brink of elimination in their Eastern Conference semifinal and then celebrated with a rousing rendition of “We Are Young” by Janelle Monae in the post-game locker room.

The Admirals demonstrated why they won a North American professional hockey record 28 consecutive games to close the regular season to finish 55-18-1-3 for 113 points, 14 more than runner-up Oklahoma City, champions of the Western Conference. Four of the Admirals’ wins came against the Whale, who showed plenty of spunk in winning the series opener 3-2 in overtime in Virginia and then getting even with a convincing 4-1 victory on Sunday night at the XL Center in Hartford, ending the Admirals’ 16-game winning streak on the road since Feb. 5.  Continue reading →

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Posted in AHL, Connecticut Whale, CTWhale, Hartford Whalers, Hartford Wolf Pack, Hockey, New York Rangers, NHL, Sports

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WHALE WEEKLY: May 8-13, 2011

Posted on May 9, 2012 | 1 Comment

BY: Bob Crawford, Voice of the CTWhale

The Whale have split the first four games of their Eastern Conference Semifinal Calder Cup playoff series with the Norfolk Admirals, evening the series at two games a piece with a 4-1 win Monday night in Hartford. Each team has one once at home and on the road, and the series now shifts to the Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport Wednesday night for a pivotal Game Five. Casey Wellman (3-1-4), Kris Newbury (1-3-4) and Marek Hrivik (1-3-4) have led the way in scoring for the Whale with four points each in four games, while goaltender Cam Talbot has posted four strong efforts in goal with a 2.73 goals against average and a .904 save percentage. Hrivik carries a six-game playoff scoring streak into Wednesday’s action, gathering five goals and three assists over that span. 

This week:

The Whale take on the Admirals again in Game Five Wednesday at the Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport (7:00), in what will be a crucial game for both teams. Regardless of the outcome of that game, the series is guaranteed to switch back to Norfolk for Game Six on Friday at the Norfolk Scope (7:30). If necessary, a winner-take-all Game Seven is slated for Sunday, May 13 at the Norfolk Scope (5:00). Continue reading →

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Posted in AHL, Connecticut Whalers, CTWhale, Hartford Wolf Pack, Hockey, New York Rangers, NHL, Sports

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