Tag Archives: XL Center

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. 
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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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GAME FOUR: A THING OF BEAUTY

Posted on May 8, 2012 | Leave a comment

     VERSUS     

EASTERN CONFERENCE SEMI-FINAL SERIES: GAME FOUR

BY: BRUCE BERLET (Special to Howlings)

After a tough one-goal loss to the Norfolk Admirals on Sunday night, Connecticut Whale coach Ken Gernander said he had few complaints, just a wish for his team to improve on the minutiae, those little things that can mean the difference in any sport, especially in the playoffs.

One night later, the Whale parlayed more aggressive goaltending by Cam Talbot and stellar penalty killing, especially late in the second period and early in the third, into a 4-1 victory at the XL Center that evened their AHL Eastern Conference semifinal at two games each.

“We had some great shot blocks,” Whale coach Ken Gernander said. “The defensemen had good anticipation, and we had real good all-around penalty killing. Jordan Owens and Ryan Bourque had those shots, and those are the plays that can rally a team when they see guys lay it on the line like that to get their job done.”  Continue reading →

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

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BALDWIN, JR. STEPS DOWN AS WHALE PRES

Posted on May 7, 2012 | Leave a comment

HOWARD BALDWIN, JR. TO STEP DOWN AS WHALERS SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT PRESIDENT

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Mark Willand to Head Company’s Operations

Whalers Sports & Entertainment chairman and CEO Howard Baldwin, Sr. announced today that Howard Baldwin, Jr. is stepping down as WSE president and COO, effective immediately.

Baldwin, Jr., who had been serving in his role as president and COO since December 10, 2010, will remain with WSE in an important advisory capacity, continuing to act as a liaison between the company and its financial partners.

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

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GAME THREE: MINUTIAE

Posted on May 7, 2012 | Leave a comment

     VERSUS     

EASTERN CONFERENCE SEMI-FINAL SERIES: GAME THREE

BY: BRUCE BERLET (Special to Howlings)

When you’re playing a team that has won 33 of 35 games since Super Bowl Sunday, including a North American professional hockey league record 29 in a row, every little action and reaction can be critical.

 The Connecticut Whale learned that lesson Sunday night, failing to convert several good scoring chances early in the second period before allowing three goals in 6:09, enabling the Norfolk Admirals to rally for a 4-3 victory before 3,319 at the XL Center and a 2-1 lead in their best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinal.

“If you look at our overall body of work, I’ve got no complaints,” Whale coach Ken Gernander said. “I thought we did a heck of a job, worked hard, finished our hits, did a lot of good things. Now it comes down to the minutiae, and we’re just going to have to play even closer to the vest because our margin of error isn’t that great given they’re a good team.  Continue reading →

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

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BERLET SPOTLIGHT: DEVEAUX TO PLAY

Posted on May 5, 2012 | Leave a comment

BY: Bruce Berlet (Special to Howlings)

The Connecticut Whale will have right wing Andre Deveaux in Game 3 of their American Hockey League Eastern Conference semifinal against the regular season champion Norfolk Admirals.

An AHL official said Saturday that he didn’t expect Deveaux to be suspended despite receiving two game misconducts, including one for abuse of officials, at 6:08 of the third period of the Admirals’ 4-1 victory in Game 2 on Friday night in Norfolk, Va. Deveaux, who scored the Whale’s lone goal, got into a fight with Brandon Segal and continued the scrap while the Admirals right wing was down after linesman Tommy George tried to separate the combatants. It took several minutes to get Deveaux off the ice, and he was assessed 27 minutes in penalties, including the two game misconducts.  Continue reading →

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

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