BRUCE BERLET REPORTS – RYAN GORDON, A PART OF HARTFORD HOCKEY FOREVER

BY: Bruce Berlet

Phyllis and Barry Gordon thoroughly enjoyed the fourth edition of the Hartford Wolf Pack/Connecticut Whale game to benefit the Ryan Gordon/Connecticut Whale Community Scholars Fund, constantly smiling and sharing tales with friends and supporters.

Donations were accepted at the door of the Koeppel Community Sports Center on the campus of Trinity College in Hartford in lieu of an admission charge, and the Wallingford couple again rooted hard for a Whale victory. It ended with a 3-1 loss to the more experienced Albany Devils, but it was fitting that former Hartford Wolf Pack left wing Chad Wiseman scored the first goal, converting his own rebound on a power play, and assisted on the last tally by Darcy Zajac.

Regardless of the outcome, Phyllis and Barry had a special underlying thought Tuesday night.

“If only Ryan could have been here,” Phyllis said. “He would just love that the Whale was back.”

FROM THE CREASE with BRUCE BERLET

By: Bruce Berlet

NHL general managers and coaches usually worry about their players getting injured in such special events as the Olympics and World Hockey Championships, especially when they’re goalies.

Intelligent officials won’t keep players from competing for their country, though they often wish they would when those dreaded injuries occur.