WHALE DROWN IN COLD PORTLAND WATERS

     VERSUS     

BY: Bob Crawford, Voice of the Connecticut Whale

The Connecticut Whale’s losing streak stretched to seven games Wednesday night, as they lost a 4-2 decision to the Portland Pirates at the Cumberland County Civic Center.

Connecticut (19-15-2-4, 44 pts.) did maintain first place in the Northeast Division despite the loss, remaining two points ahead of the Albany Devils, who lost 5-4 at home to the Norfolk Admirals.

Four different Pirates scored in the victory for Portland, Andy Miele had two assists, and Justin Pogge Pogge (7-5-3) made 22 saves.  Erik Christensen and Scott Tanski scored the Whale goals, and Kris Newbury assisted on both.

FROM THE CREASE with BRUCE BERLET

By Bruce Berlet

HARTFORD, CT. – The XL Center ice was being scraped away and melted down as most Connecticut Whale players cleaned out their lockers, packed for outposts worldwide, picked up their summer training manuals and had exit meetings with coach Ken Gernander and assistant J.J. Daigneault earlier than desired on Monday.

FROM THE CREASE with BRUCE BERLET

By Bruce Berlet

HARTFORD, CT – There’s bad luck, and there’s REALLY bad luck.

Then there’s the bizarre one-in-a-million bad luck that Connecticut Whale wing Mats Zuccarello suffered Thursday night in Game 5 of the Atlantic Division semifinals against the Portland Pirates at Cumberland County Civic Center in Portland.

As “The Norwegian Hobbit” chased a puck along the boards late in the first period, two fingers on his left hand got caught in the photographer’s camera hole in the plexi-glass, resulting in a broken hand that will sideline him four-to-six weeks, ending his first season in North America unless the Whale or parent New York Rangers make long, long runs in the playoffs.

GAME FIVE – DUPONT GIVETH AND DUPONT TAKETH AWAY

VERSUS

The Connecticut Whale fought back valiantly from a three-goal deficit, not once but TWICE, and finally tied it early in the third on a Brodie Dupont goal. But as has been the case with this team all season long with the entire team, Dupont’s undisciplined penalty just five seconds after his goal set up the Portland Pirates for what would be the game winner, and a 5-4 win at the Cumberland County Civic Center in Game Five of their best-of-seven AHL Atlantic Division semi-final series. Portland now holds a 3-2 series lead over their Connecticut neighbors.

“It keeps coming back to the little things,” Whale head coach Ken Gernander said to reporters after the game. “The majority of our guys battled hard. But it’s the penalties and little mistakes that take us out of it.”

FROM THE CREASE with BRUCE BERLET

By Bruce Berlet

The headlines Tuesday night at the XL Center were the Connecticut Whale’s continued penalty killing excellence backstopped by goalie Dov Grumet-Morris, the return of their two most skilled players, wings Mats Zuccarello and Chad Kolarik, and the loss of right wing Dale Weise to injury.

FROM THE CREASE with BRUCE BERLET

By Bruce Berlet

John Mitchell isn’t going to win many fastest skater races. He’s not going to win many fastest shot competitions. He isn’t likely to win many trick-shot contests, though his insurance goal Sunday night defied that premise.

But the Connecticut Whale’s veteran center can play five-on-five. He can play well down low on the power play. He can kill penalties. He can win face-offs in key situations.

In simplest terms, John Mitchell is a pro’s pro.

1ST RD: GAME TWO – LIKE PARENT – LIKE AFFILIATE

VERSUS   

The Connecticut Whale lost Game Two of their first round playoff series at the Cumberland County Civic Center to the Portland Pirates 3-2 in overtime before 5,029 Saturday night.

FROM THE CREASE with BRUCE BERLET

By Bruce Berlet

PORTLAND, Maine – A week ago Saturday night at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minn., Carl Hagelin experienced the biggest bummer of his hockey life.

Saturday night at Cumberland County Civic Center, Hagelin began “the next chapter of my life” while trying to put the aftereffects of the University of Michigan’s 3-2 overtime loss to Minnesota-Duluth in the NCAA championship game in his rear-view mirror.

WHALE WEEKLY: April 11-17, 2011

The Whale (40-32-2-6, 88 points) wrapped up a playoff spot this past week with a win over the Bridgeport Sound Tigers on Friday, which will enable them to enter postseason play for the 13^th time in the 14-year history of the franchise. Connecticut also clinched their second straight GEICO Connecticut Cup in Friday’s action.  The GEICO Connecticut Cup is awarded to the winner of the season series between Connecticut and Bridgeport. The Whale fell to the Sound Tigers in Saturday’s rematch at the XL Center, 4-3, and were defeated again on Sunday by the Norfolk Admirals, 6-3, in their regular season finale.

FROM THE CREASE with BRUCE BERLET

By Bruce Berlet

Dov Grumet-Morris earned the Connecticut Whale’s MVP and Fan Favorite awards in more ways than most.

Grumet-Morris got it done on the ice, proving to be a godsend to the Whale as a late-season AHL signee after spending most of the campaign playing on professional tryout contracts.