NEWBURY TO NEW YORK

In listening to Sunday’s broadcast of the New york Rangers and Philadelphia Flyers, Ruslan Fedotenko left the game in the second period after a hit by Braydon Coburn that apparently had more than just a little affect on him. He has had injury issues this season and given that history, it is safe to guess that it is that injury that has precipitated the recall of Kris Newbury from the Connecticut Whale.

EIZENMAN SENT TO THE ECHL

WHALE LOAN FORWARD OREN EIZENMAN TO ECHL ELMIRA

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Has Six points in 33 Games with Whale

HARTFORD, March 10, 2011:  Connecticut Whale general manager Jim Schoenfeld announced today that the team has returned forward Oren Eizenman on loan to the Elmira Jackals of the ECHL.

WHALE GOES MOBY DICK ON SHARKS

VERSUS

So much for trouble scoring goals.

First, the goal-challenged New York Rangers scored seven goals for the third time this season and defeated the Philadelphia Flyers, a division rival, 7-0 Sunday afternoon. Then their AHL affiliate, the equally goal- challenged Connecticut Whale,  followed suit a couple of hours later, also scoring seven times, but for just the second time this season, and they too defeated a division rival, beating the Worcester Sharks on the road by a 7-2 score in front of 3730 at the DCU Center.

PROVIDENCE BRUIN HEAT FOR OUTDOOR GAME

VERSUS     

When Michael Del Zotto, playing in his first game in Hartford since being sent down to the AHL by the parent New York Rangers, hit the crossbar just 4:22 into the game, that would summarize how the night went for the Connecticut Whale who despite putting two in the net over the final 2:30 of the game, dropped a 3-2 decision to the last place Providence Bruins in front of a raucous 9,118 at the XL Center Saturday night.

ITS NEWBURY TO NEW YORK

With Alex Frolov down, Kris Newbury has been recalled by the Rangers to take his place.

Obviously we were wrong in thinking it would be Evgeny Grachev and we ruled Newbury out because we thought he had to pass through waivers…guess he doesn’t!

FROLOV DOWN…WHO’S UP?

Larry Brooks has stated the following on his Twitter account, “Indication is that (Alex) Frolov is going to be out for a while with knee. Another recall will be necessary.”

WHO KNEW…

VERSUS    

As the Hartford Wolf Pack they struggled to find a way to win even six of their first 22 games and were last in the Atlantic Division. As the Connecticut Whale they’ve won 12 of their first 16 and moved into second place.

How did they manage to do that?

“Maybe the day we changed the name,” Evgeny Grachev said after the second year Russian forward played his best game as a pro in the Whale’s 6-2 shellacking of the visiting Providence Bruins. “We won a few games and you get used to it. You have a different mindset. You get out there and know you’re going to win, so you do your best. We have a great group of guys here who I think can go all the way. We have experienced defensemen and experienced forwards, a lot of guys with NHL experience and two great goaltenders, so I don’t think we should be surprising (anyone) that we’ve been hot. I think we have a good team.”

FROM THE CREASE with Bruce Berlet

By Bruce Berlet

When an athlete says his parents are his idols because of the strong faith they show every day, you know you have a special person.

Connecticut Whale defenseman Jared Nightingale is just such an individual.

While Nightingale is one of the toughest and most standup guys on the Whale, he developed his low-key, thoughtful demeanor thanks to a deep religious belief instilled by his parents, Ron and Debbi.

“I think the greatest example is just watching how your dad and mom carry themselves and how they treat each other,” Nightingale said. “Me and my brothers were very, very blessed and fortunate to have them as role models. Plus, we were raised going to church, and they lived the life as far as their character and the way they lived and raised us. They were hard-working and honest parents.”

FROM THE CREASE with Bruce Berlet

By Bruce Berlet

HARTFORD, Conn. – On the one hand, Oren Eizenman was a typical pro hockey wannabee growing up in Toronto, skating on a rink in his backyard with older brothers Alon and Erez.

On the other hand, Eizenman has about as atypical a background in the game as you can find, having skated on the only full-size rink in Israel located in the shadow of the yellow flag of Hezbollah, the terrorist organization financed by Iran that has informally annexed the southern part of Lebanon and occasionally sends rockets over the town of Metulla, which sits on a mountaintop next to the border.

A NEW ERA BEGINS

VERSUS 

HARTFORD, Conn. – What a difference a day makes? Well that and an XL Center filled with 13,089 fans.

A better than expected, pardon the pun, “packed” house and a very exciting victory over an interstate opponent, started off Howard Baldwin’s dream for a new era in Hartford hockey history off on a good foot.