EASTERN CONFERENCE SEMI-FINALS
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SPECIAL CODE: PLAYOFFS
Howlings Reader’s Special:
Regular ticket price of $25 lower bowl seats for adults REDUCED!
CPTV SPORTS TO AIR GAME FOUR OF WHALE VS. ADMIRALS SERIES LIVE
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Monday’s Game will be First Franchise Postseason Telecast since 2004
Whalers Sports & Entertainment announced today that Game Four of the Eastern Conference Semifinal Calder Cup Playoff series between the Connecticut Whale and the Norfolk Admirals will be aired live state-wide on CPTV Sports this Monday, May 7. Continue reading
Posted in AHL, Connecticut Whale, CTWhale, Hartford Wolf Pack, Hockey, New York Rangers, NHL, Sports
Tagged Connecticut Lottery, Connecticut Whale, Hartford, Howard Baldwin, Norfolk Admirals, WCCC-FM, Whale, XL Center
VERSUS 
GAME ONE
A thrilling first round series concluded for the Connecticut Whale knocking off their intra-state and franchise rival Bridgeport Sound Tigers in dramatic fashion with a 4-3 in overtime completing the three game sweep on April 22nd at the XL Center. For the New York Rangers’ top farm club that meant travelling to Virginia to battle the AHL’s top seeded team, the red hot Norfolk Admirals. Despite a franchise record ten-day break between games, the Whale responded by posting their fourth straight win, second straight in overtime on Andreas Thuresson fluke goal at 2:53 of overtime at The Scope in front of 3,223 Wednesday night.
“Owie (Jordan Owens) was driving good to the net,” Thuresson told the Whale’s Bob Crawford about the game-winner. “I just shot it through (Owens’) legs and through the defenseman’s legs, hopefully for a rebound for him or for Bourqueie (Ryan Bourque) driving the net, and it ended up going in. That’s what happens in playoffs.” Continue reading
BY: BRUCE BERLET (Special to Howlings)
After losing all four games to the Norfolk Admirals and viewing lots of film of the American Hockey League’s best team, the Connecticut Whale players and coaches feel they have a pretty good feel for what it will take to beat the record-setters from Virginia.
But to try to get as much insight as possible, Whale coach Ken Gernander and assistant J.J. Daigneault, who handles the defense, got a special scouting report from veteran defenseman Mike Vernace, who spent last season and the first third of this one with the Admirals. Vernace is still good friends with several Admirals players, especially tough center Mike Angelidis, who will be in each other’s wedding parties the next two summers, and Mark Barberio, a first-team All-American Hockey League selection who won the Eddie Shore Award as the league’s best defenseman.
WHALE ANNOUNCE ROSTER CHANGES
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Defenseman Dylan McIlrath Reassigned from WHL Moose Jaw, McColgan, Noreau Released
BY: Bob Crawford, Voice of the CTWhale
Connecticut Whale general manager Jim Schoenfeld announced today that the parent New York Rangers have reassigned defenseman Dylan McIlrath to the Whale from the Moose Jaw Warriors of the Western Hockey League, and that forward Shane McColgan and defenseman Samuel Noreau have been released from their Amateur Tryout (ATO) agreements. Continue reading
BY: Bob Crawford, Voice of the CTWhale
The Whale (36-26-7-7, 86 points) prepare to face the regular season-champion Norfolk Admirals in their second-round playoff series, beginning Wednesday in Norfolk. Connecticut advanced to the second round of the Calder Cup playoffs for the first time in six years last Sunday night in Hartford, as they defeated the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, 4-3 in overtime, to sweep their first-round series. Cam Talbot won all three games in the series, shutting out the Sound Tigers in games one and two to become the first franchise goaltender to post back-to-back postseason shutouts, and the first AHL goaltender to start a postseason with consecutive shutouts since Michael Leighton for the Norfolk Admirals in 2004. Marek Hrivik led the Whale offense with a pair of goals in both Game Two and Game Three, while Casey Wellman netted the overtime series-clincher and added three assists in the series.
This week:
The Whale will open up their second-round playoff series against the first-seeded Norfolk Admirals on the road, beginning Wednesday, May 2 at the Norfolk Scope (7:15). Game Two will also be in Norfolk Friday, May 4, a 7:30 PM start. The series will shift to the XL Center for Game Three Sunday (7:00). Game Four will be played Monday, May 7 (7:00) in Hartford, with the series heading to Bridgeport’s Webster Bank Arena, if needed, for Game Five Wednesday, May 9 (7:00). Game Six will be back at the Norfolk Scope, Friday, May 11 (7:30), and a decisive Game Seven would be played at Scope on Sunday, May 13 (5:00). Continue reading
Posted in AHL, College Hockey, Connecticut Whale, CTWhale, Hartford Whalers, Hartford Wolf Pack, Hockey, New York Rangers, NHL, Sports, Traverse City Tournament, World Junior Championships
Tagged Bob Crawford, Bridgeport Sound Tigers, Calder Cup, Cameron Talbot, Casey Wellman, Connecticut Whale, Norfolk Admirals, Norfolk Scope, WCCC-FM, Webster Bank Arena, Whale, XL Center
BY: BRUCE BERLET (Special to Howlings)
If the Connecticut Whale’s first-round American Hockey League playoff series against the regular-season Norfolk Admirals reaches Game 5, it will played at the Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport on May 9.
The sixth-seeded Whale, who completed a sweep of the third-seeded and Northeast Division champion Bridgeport Sound Tigers on Sunday, might have to play a home game on the road because of scheduling conflicts at the XL Center in Hartford, which is booked Wednesday, Thursday, next Saturday and May 9-13. Continue reading
Posted in AHL, College Hockey, Connecticut Whale, CTWhale, Greenville Road Warriors, Hartford Whalers, Hartford Wolf Pack, Hockey, New York Rangers, NHL, Sports
Tagged AHL, American Hockey League, Bridgeport Sound Tigers, Connecticut Whale, Friday, Manchester Monarchs, Norfolk Admirals, Webster Bank Arena, Whale, XL Center
BY: BRUCE BERLET (Special to Howlings)
The Connecticut Whale has advanced to the second round of the playoffs for the first time in six years but will have to play at least one home game away from the XL Center in Hartford because of scheduling conflicts.
The sixth-seeded Whale completed a three-game sweep of the third-seeded Bridgeport Sound Tigers on Sunday but likely will play in their home, the Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport, because the XL Center is booked Wednesday and Thursday, as well as May 5, 10, 11, 12 and 13. Plus, May 9 is unavailable because that’s setup day for Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey circus. 
Continue reading
Posted in AHL, Connecticut Whale, CTWhale, ECHL, Greenville Road Warriors, Hartford Wolf Pack, Hockey, New York Rangers, NHL, Sports
Tagged American Hockey League, Bridgeport Sound Tigers, Bruce Berlet, Cameron Talbot, Casey Wellman, Connecticut Whale, Friday, Ken Gernander, New York Ranger, Saturday, Wade Redden, Webster Bank Arena, Whale, XL Center
BY: BRUCE BERLET (Special to Howlings)
Who would have ever thought there would be bed sheets proclaiming “Hip, Hip Hrivik” in large green letters being displayed in the XL Center in Hartford?
Heck, a month ago, Connecticut Whale rookie left wing Marek Hrivik of Slovakia didn’t even know where Connecticut was located until he found it on a map.
But playoffs often make for intriguing, career-changing stories.
The most obvious lately for Whale fans – and hockey aficionados everywhere – is goalie Cam Talbot, a surprise starter to outsiders for the first-round playoff match-up with the Northeast Division champion Bridgeport Sound Tigers. But anyone who had been paying attention knew Talbot was sharper down the stretch than Chad Johnson, who was 4-2-1 against the Sound Tigers compared to 0-2-1 for his backup most of the season. Continue reading
Posted in AHL, College Hockey, Connecticut Whale, CTWhale, ECHL, Greenville Road Warriors, Hartford Wolf Pack, Hockey, New York Rangers, NHL, Sports
Tagged Brent Thompson, Connecticut Whale, Hrivik, Jonathan Audy-Marchessault, Ken Gernander, Moncton, Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, Ryan Bourque, Slovakia, Whale, XL Center
BY: Bob Crawford, Voice of the CTWhale
The Whale advanced to the second round of the Calder Cup Playoffs for the first time in six years Sunday night in Hartford, as they defeated the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, 4-3 in overtime, to sweep their first-round series. Cam Talbot won all three games in the series, shutting out the Sound Tigers in games one and two to become the first franchise goaltender to post back-to-back postseason shutouts, and the first AHL goaltender to start a postseason with consecutive shutouts since Michael Leighton for the Norfolk Admirals in 2004. Marek Hrivik led the Whale offense with a pair of goals in both Game Two and Game Three, while Casey Wellman netted the overtime series clincher and added three assists in the series. Continue reading
Recognized as the Top AHL blog by SportsMemorabilia.com readers! Mitch Beck was a standup comedian and radio personality for over 25 years. His passion for hockey started with Team USA in 1980 when they defeated the Soviets at Lake Placid. He is now self-employed and has been reporting on the New York Rangers, and exclusively on the Hartford Wolf Pack / Connecticut Whale since 2005.
