COMPLETING THE SET, THE CARD SET THAT IS

FRIDAY IS FINAL WHALE TRADING CARD NIGHT

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Card Giveaway Presented by Webster Bank

The Connecticut Whale’s home game at the XL Center tomorrow night, Friday, March 16, a GEICO Connecticut Cup battle, and first-place showdown, with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, will feature the last of three Whale trading card giveaways, sponsored by Webster Bank.

SPOTLIGHT: BICKEL STU – A RANGER SPECIALTY

BY: Bruce Berlet

When it comes to feel-good stories in the NHL this season, you’d be hard-pressed to find one better than New York Rangers defenseman Stu Bickel, who began the season playing on Asylum Street in Hartford.

Though Bickel will never be confused with elusive Hall of Famers Bobby Orr or Cheshire-bred Brian Leetch, he has proven to be one of the NHL’s all-time steals since being acquired from the Anaheim Ducks on Nov. 23, 2010 for disgruntled Hartford Wolf Pack defenseman Nigel Williams.

TWO POINTS ARE TWO POINTS

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The Connecticut Whale should be happy they came away with the two points they got for the 5-3 win Sunday afternoon in Manchester when they faced the Monarchs at the Verizon Wireless Arena, because they certainly weren’t going to be getting any style points – if there was such a thing.

“It’s going to be a grind, with a short night and travel last night,”  Whale head coach Ken Gernander told Brian Ring afterwards. “But the guys stuck with  it, got a big goal by Casey [Wellman], and we were able to get our two points.”

SHORT ON THE MEASURING STICK

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On Friday night the theme approaching Saturday night’s battle with the AHL leading Norfolk Admirals was that the game would be a measuring stick as to where the team was in facing the best. After a 3-1 loss that was an exceptionally tight game right through to the end when an empty net goal sealed the win for the visitors, the answer was a resounding, not too far off.

“I think in general we stacked up pretty well. It was a close game.” Head Coach Ken Gernander said. “It was a close game. But when things are going to be that tight and decided by small margins you have to be that much more diligent. I think we made a couple of mistakes and obviously it cost us.”

ZUCCARELLO RECALLED BY RANGERS

According to the AHL transaction wire “The Norwegian Hobbit,” Mats Zuccarello, has been recalled by the New York Rangers.

Andrew Gross reports on his Rangers Rants blog that Zuccarello will be with the Rangers for tonight’s tilt with with the New York Islanders to replace an injured Ryan Callahan. Gross also reports that ex-Whale Michael Del Zotto will also miss the game with an injured right hip. It’s ironic that, as Gross points out, Zuccarello makes his NHL return against an Islanders team that was the last one he played against in the NHL in Game Three of this season before being whisked off to Hartford.

Zuccarello has 12 goals, 24 assists in 37 games for the Whale and will be playing in his third game in three days. He would have been doing so anyway as he would have been in the lineup for today’s Whale game as well.

The Whale do not have any extra forwards on the current roster so KenGernander is likely to insert Blake Parlett into the lineup for this afternoon’s tilt with the Manchester Monarchs and run seven defenseman.

Game time is at 3pm. Follow the play-by play with us at @HowlingsToday on Twitter.

Here’s the official release:

CLASH OF THE TITANS

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It doesn’t get more exciting than that!

The Connecticut Whale came from behind three separate times capped by Kris Newbury’s goal off a fluke bounce with 4.9 seconds left in regulation to send the game to overtime and then after a thrilling extended period went three-for-three in the shootout defeating their franchise and intra-state rivals, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers in front of a crowd of 3,245 at the XL Center Friday night.

The win also pulled the Whale within one point the Sound Tigers for first place in the division.

A MESSAGE FROM THE CTWHALE OWNERS

To Our Valued CT Whale Fans,

Thank you so much for your interest in our team and in our efforts to bring back the great Whaler brand to the city of Hartford and the state of Connecticut. It’s hard to believe we are about to conclude our second year of operation with the team. The next couple of months is going to be a very critical time period for our efforts in Hartford. We therefore wanted to reach out to you directly so you hear from us directly as to what will be transpiring.

The first issue that we must deal with for the future is establishing a long-term and permanent home for the Connecticut Whale at the XL Center — under lease terms that enable us to properly operate our business in a professional manner.  In order for us to be able to operate beyond 2013, we must have a lease arrangement with the XL Center that is competitive with other AHL teams. Right now we are operating under lease terms that are far and away the most onerous in the American Hockey League.

In no way is this meant to be a criticism of the current building management team or anyone else for that matter. We recognize full well that things that were done in the ‘90s have put an unfair burden on current operations at the XL Center, which of course includes us. However, these obligations will no longer exist after next season. Therefore it is imperative that as we go into the future these burdens are no longer passed on to the prime tenant (i.e. the Connecticut Whale). It is our responsibility to you and to all our loyal fans and sponsors to do what we have to do in the next 30-60 days to solidify hockey in Hartford for the next 10 years.

The month of March is an exciting month for the Connecticut Whale. During the month of March and the first half of April we have 12 home games, all on attractive weekend dates. This coming Saturday night, March 10th, we have the first Connecticut Hockey Hall-of-Fame night. This will be an annual event. Some of the players being inducted with this first group are former Whaler greats Mike Liut, Pat Verbeek and Blaine Stoughton as well as our great coach and former Wolf Pack player Ken Gernander, three-time US Olympian Julie Chu as well as former New York Ranger, Hall-of-Famer, Brian Leetch.

The month of March is hockey time. This is a time when playoffs are upcoming and the games are increasingly meaningful. We are counting on your attendance to as many of these games as possible.

Finally, rest assured on behalf of our partnership and each dedicated person that works for the Connecticut Whale, executives, coaches, and players alike, it is a privilege to play in this city and to have your support. Thank you very much.

Sincerely,

Howard Baldwin, Chairman/CEO

Howard Baldwin, Jr., President/COO

Whalers Sports & Entertainment/Connecticut Whale

LEETCH, GERNANDER LEAD CT HOCKEY HOF CLASS

WHALE’S CT HOCKEY HALL OF FAME NIGHT IS THIS SATURDAY

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Includes Poster Giveaway, First-intermission Induction Ceremony, Autograph Session, Jersey Auction

The Connecticut Whale’s CT Hockey Hall of Fame Night is coming up this Saturday, March 10 at the XL Center, as the Whale host the Norfolk Admirals in a 7:00 game.

The night marks the enshrinement of a new class of 2012 inductees into the CT Hockey Hall of Fame, which has adopted eight members from the storied Hartford Whalers Hall of Fame.  The new inductees are: Connecticut-bred Hockey Hall of Famer Brian Leetch, ex-Hartford Whalers 56-goal scorer Blaine Stoughton, former Whalers goaltender Mike Liut, former Whalers captain Pat Verbeek, Connecticut Whale/Hartford Wolf Pack franchise icon, long-time captain and current head coach Ken Gernander, three-time Olympic medalist for Team USA and all-time NCAA women’s leading scorer Julie Chu, and one of the founders of the New England Whalers, William E. Barnes.

SPOTLIGHT: “PAPA” REDDEN, THE CAPTAIN

BY: Bruce Berlet

When the Connecticut Whale gathered for a team meal Saturday night in Manchester, N.H., coach Ken Gernander had a surprise, especially for veteran defenseman Wade Redden.

After the Whale had been without a captain for nearly 16 months, Gernander announced he and assistants J.J. Daigneault and Pat Boller had decided the man affectionately known as “Papa” would be wearing the “C” for the first time in his illustrious career. Redden had been an assistant captain several times, including since he arrived in Hartford last season, but never was the official leader of the pack.

CLEAR DAY LIST IS PUBLIC

Here is your CTWhale clear day list.

This is the team that the Whale management gives them the best chance to win the rest of the way and to compete in the Calder Cup playoffs.

No real surprises but one question answered and that is that Sean Avery will NOT be playing for the Whale for the rest of the season. For whatever reason, and neither he nor the team have gone public with the reason why, but Avery has just not availed himself to be a part of this group and therefore won’t be playing with the Whale.

The interesting question that DOES come of this, is surrounding Avery’s future, as in, “Does he even have one in the NHL going forward?” That question will get answered this coming summer when Avery becomes an unrestricted free agent.