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.

PARLETT REASSISGNED TO WHALE

BY: Ray Schmitt, Voice of the Greenville Road Warriors

The Greenville Road Warriors announced today that defenseman Blake Parlett has been reassigned by the New York Rangers to the Connecticut Whale of the American Hockey League.

Parlett, in his second professional season, was assigned to Greenville by the Rangers from Connecticut on February 25. He went on to play seven games with the Road Warriors and log four points (1G, 3A). He also compiled a +3 rating. With the seven games under his belt, Parlett is eligible to be placed on the Road Warriors’ playoff roster. An ECHL All-Star as a rookie last season, the 6-1, 205-pound defenseman has produced 36 points (8G, 28A) in 53 ECHL games with the Road Warriors.

MONARCHY CRUMBLES IN 3:37

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If there’s one thing about this particular Connecticut Whale team it’s that they can lull you to sleep and then suddenly snap out of it and look like world beaters. Friday night they never woke up dropping a 3-2 decision to the Portland Pirates. That comatose-like effort carried through the first two periods Sunday afternoon, but when they finally did awaken, they scored three unanswered goals in a mere 3:37 at the Verizon Wireless Arena and then held on for a 3-2 behind some spectacular goal tending from Chad Johnson over the Manchester Monarchs.

WHALE FRUSTRATED IN SPRINGFIELD

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There are a multitude of ways to lose in any sporting event, and the Connecticut Whale have certainly explored many of them this season, but Saturday night’s 2-0 loss to the Springfield Falcons at the MassMutual Center in front of 5,003 was in no small part due to some of the most bizarre officiating certainly of the season and possibly longer than that.

SPOTLIGHT: WADE REDDEN

BY: Bruce Berlet

In 13 seasons in the NHL, Wade Redden never missed more than 18 games. In fact, in 10 of those seasons, the defenseman played at least 75 of 82 games.

So the 22 games that Redden has had to sit out since he was injured in the Connecticut Whale’s 2-1 shootout loss to the Providence Bruins on Dec. 17 have been uncharted territory. Not to mention being rather agonizing and a bit boring at times, though it did provide more time at home with wife Danica and 17-month-old daughter Leni.

SPOTLIGHT: CASEY WELLMAN

By Bruce Berlet

Casey Wellman played several sports growing up in Brentwood, Calif., hardly a hotbed for hockey.

But Wellman got hooked on the game played on ice after his father, Brad, met several New Jersey Devils players who asked him to skate with them in Boston.

“Dad didn’t know how to skate, so he was pretty upset about that,” Wellman said with a smile.

ZUCCARELLO: NOW YOU SEE HIM – MAYBE NOW YOU DON’T?

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The Connecticut Whale travelled down to The Scope in Norfolk, Virginia to start a pair of games with the Admirals. Head Coach Ken Gernander started the trip on an up-note as he was able to pencil in All-Star forward Mats Zuccarello for the first time in thirteen games. But, by the time the game was over, it wasn’t a lackluster Whale performance in a 3-1 loss for the Whale that was their biggest concern, it was the condition of Zuccarello’s health.

Zuccarello returned to the Whale lineup after suffering a high-ankle sprain against the Hershey Bears at the XL Center on December 9th. In this contest Friday, during the last minute of regulation, the versatile Whale forward, who has played all three upfront positions this season, found himself in a scrum of players fighting for control of the puck along the left wing half-boards in the offensive zone. While reaching for the puck Zuccarello fell backwards awkwardly. “The Norwegian Hobbit” struggled to get to his feet and back to the Whale bench. Once he got there, he immediately went right to the locker room with trainer Damien Hess. Zuccarello was in pain and noticeably limping.

I’D BE SITTING IN THE BACK OF THE BUS

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Connecticut Whale head coach Ken Gernander does not handle losing well and it is almost a certainty that he was beside himself on Monday afternoon at the Cumberland County Civic Center after his Whale amassed a three goal lead over the Portland Pirates through the first 36:12 only to give it all back over the final 24:48 before eventually succumbing to the home team 5-4 in overtime on Nathan Oystrick’s second goal of the game.

Over the first period and a half, the Whale built a 3-0 lead on two goals by from Kelsey Tessier and the fourth goal in as many games from the AHL’s Reebok Player of the Week, Kris Newbury.

WHALE DROWN CHASING SHARKS

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In the baseball film, “Bull Durham” the Manager of the baseball team that Kevin Costner plays for is upset after a loss and tells his players his view of the game this way:

“This is a simple game. Ya throw the ball; Ya hit the ball; Ya catch the ball.”

Well, hockey is not nearly as simple a game as baseball, but if asked it’s not too far of a stretch of the imagination to say that Connecticut Whale head coach Ken Gernander would probably say that in order to win in hockey there are also three things to win: Skate hard for sixty minutes, score timely goals and stay out of the penalty box.

SPOTLIGHT: HOLIDAY CHEER

BY: Bruce Berlet

The Connecticut Whale family is happy on many fronts this holiday season, starting with good health for most and a spot atop the Northeast Division as the first full season for the renamed franchise nears the two-fifths pole.

The strong guidance of coach Ken Gernander and assistants J.J. Daigneault and Pat Boller has enabled the Whale to survive major injuries to standouts such veteran defenseman Wade Redden and skilled wings Mats Zuccarello and Chad Kolarik and the recalls of centers Kris Newbury and John Mitchell, speedy rookie wing Carl Hagelin, rugged right wing Andre Deveaux and defensemen Tim Erixon and Stu Bickel.