Howlings

THE PACK AND AHL PLAY OFF CONTEST

CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO READ IT MORE CLEARLY...

How about we have our own little contest within the Wolf Pack's own contest?

After you enter the contest, which you can do by hitting this link come back here and enter what name you're going under and we can all keep track. Howlings will post how well each person is doing within the Howlings family.

To purchase your ticket plan, contact either David Rodriguez or Lindsey Bjerke. If you're interested in bringing a group, contact Keith Levin or call and speak to any of the great sales reps at 860-246-7825.

YOU WANT ANSWERS! I WANT THE TRUTH...

Okay, so that had nothing to do with what is being posted, but it did get your attention didn't it?

The news out of "Insurance City" is that the Wolf Pack have made two transactions today.

Defensemen BOBBY SANGUINETTI is in town and has been reassigned by the NY Rangers from the Brampton Battalion of the OHL.

The native of Trenton, NJ will be with the Pack and man the back lines Friday night when the team travels to Providence for a HUGE game against the Bruins.

Here's the official announcement:

New York Rangers President and General Manager Glen Sather announced today that defenseman Bobby Sanguinetti was assigned to the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League (AHL).

Sanguinetti, 20, skated in 61 games with the Brampton Battalion of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) this season, registering 29 goals and 41 assists for 70 points, along with 38 penalty minutes. The three-time OHL All-Star finished the season third on the team in goals (29) and points (70), and ranked fourth in assists (41). He also led Brampton and tied for 11th in the league with 17 power play goals. Among all OHL defensemen, he ranked first in goals (29) and second in points (70). In the postseason with Brampton, Sanguinetti led the team in assists (three) and finished second in scoring with four points in five games. In addition, he notched a game-high, two goals en route to Player of the Game honors at the 2008 OHL All-Star Classic in Sault Ste. Marie, and was honored as the OHL Defenseman of the Month for February. Sanguinetti also participated at the 2008 IIHF World U-20 Championships in the Czech Republic, registering one goal and two assists for three points in six games for Team USA.

The 6-3, 190-pound defenseman has skated in 263 career OHL games with Owen Sound and Brampton, collecting 70 goals and 142 assists for 212 points, along with 142 penalty minutes. Last season, Sanguinetti led all OHL defensemen in power play goals (18) and ranked second in goals (23). He also led Owen Sound in postseason scoring with six points and tied for first on the team in goals (three) and assists (three). After finishing his 2006-07 junior season with the Attack, Sanguinetti signed an Amateur Tryout Agreement (ATO) with Hartford (AHL) on April 3, 2007 and collected three assists in five regular season games with the Wolf Pack. He also recorded an assist and posted a plus-one rating in his first professional playoff game on April 18, 2007 vs. Providence before signing a professional contract on April 20, 2007.

The native of Trenton, New Jersey was the Rangers’ first round choice, 21st overall, in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft. Sanguinetti's career stats.

HOWLINGS will have full coverage of all of Sanguinetti's upcoming games with the Pack the rest of the way.

Center MARK LEE is headed out of town and back to Charlotte of the ECHL.

Lee played a steady, sound game while on this ten game run. He was scratched in the last three, but in the previous seven put in a goal and added three assists. Lee's career stats.

Here's the official announcement:

Hartford Wolf Pack general manager Jim Schoenfeld announced today that the Wolf Pack have returned center Mark Lee on loan to their ECHL affiliate, the Charlotte Checkers.

Lee has registered one goal and five assists for six points in 17 games with the Wolf Pack this season. In ECHL action with Charlotte, the fourth-year pro has totaled 15-18-33 in 30 games.

The Wolf Pack are next in action this Friday night, April 4th, as they travel to Providence to take on the league-leading Bruins in a 7:05 game. The Pack’s next home-ice action at the XL Center is this Sunday, April 6th vs. the Lowell Devils, with face-off at 4:00.

(Bobby Sanguinetti photo courtesy of rangers.nhl.com, Mark Lee photo courtesy of hartfordwolfpack.com)

WOLF PACK WEEKLY

The Wolf Pack are a team peaking at the right time...Here's what lies ahead in the Wolf Pack Weekly...

WOLF PACK WEEKLY: March 31-April 6, 2008

The Wolf Pack swept a four-game week this past week, allowing them to break the 100-point mark for the fourth time in the last five seasons, and the fifth time in the team’s 11-year history. The Pack established what was at that point a team season high in goals Wednesday, in an 8-2 victory at Lowell. Friday saw the Wolf Pack knock off Worcester, 3-2, at the XL Center, giving the Pack a sweep of the season series with the Sharks (8-0-0-0), the first time in franchise history that the club has been perfect in a season series as long as eight games. Saturday was a record-setting night, as the Wolf Pack drubbed Springfield at home by a score of 10-1, the most lopsided victory ever by the Pack. The ten goals also tied the franchise record most goals in a single game. Then, in a GEICO Connecticut Cup Game on Sunday in Bridgeport, the Wolf Pack edged the Sound Tigers, 4-3 in a shootout, snapping a string of six straight losing shootouts for the Pack. The Wolf Pack have now won five straight games, and are unbeaten in regulation in seven in a row (7-0-0-1) and 10 of their last 11 (9-1-0-1). Greg Moore (3-4-7) and P.A. Parenteau (2-5-7) led the Wolf Pack scoring parade during the 4-0-0-0 week.

This week:
The Wolf Pack hit the road for a pair of key Atlantic-Division contests, then play their last Sunday home game of the year. The Pack get their last crack at first-place Providence Friday in Providence (7:05), then visit the team with whom they are battling for second place in the Atlantic, the Portland Pirates, on Saturday (7:05). Sunday’s home game faces off at 4:00, and pits the Wolf Pack against the Lowell Devils.

Tuesday, April 1st – “Wolf Pack Confidential”, on ESPN Radio 1410
This week’s edition of the Wolf Pack’s weekly Tuesday-night talk show features Wolf Pack veteran Thomas Pöck and rookie Jordan Owens as scheduled guests. Wolf Pack Confidential airs live from the M&M Restaurant at the Hilton Hartford, located at 315 Trumbull St. in downtown Hartford, from 7:00-8:00 PM. Fans are welcome to be on hand at M&M for an exclusive opportunity to ask questions and speak one-on-one with the guests. Wolf Pack Confidential can be heard live on the radio home of the Wolf Pack, ESPN Radio 1410.

Friday, April 4th at Providence (Dunkin’ Donuts Center Providence), 7:05 p.m.
• This is the last of eight regular-season battles between the Wolf Pack and the Bruins. The Pack are 2-3-1-1 thus far in the season series, but have gained at least a standings point in all three of their previous visits to Providence (1-0-1-1).
• The Bruins are 50-16-3-4 for 107 points, and lead the Wolf Pack by six points for the top spot in the Atlantic Division. The P-Bruins have lost in regulation only once in their last 12 games (8-1-0-3).
• Pascal Pelletier (35-35-70 in 67 GP) is tied for the AHL lead in goals and tied for seventh in the league in points, and Jeff Hoggan leads all AHL players in plus/minus, at a +37.
• Broadcast - live with Bob Crawford at www.hartfordwolfpack.com, or watch on B2 Networks! Go to www.hartfordwolfpack.com for details.

Saturday, April 5th at Portland (Cumberland County Civic Center), 7:05 p.m.
• Head Coach Kevin Dineen’s Pirates broke a four-game losing streak with a 2-0 home shutout of Albany on Sunday, running Portland’s record to 43-26-2-4 for 92 points. The third-place Pirates trail the second-place Wolf Pack by nine points, and one more win by the Wolf Pack, or regulation loss by the Pirates, clinches at least a second-place finish for the Pack.
• The Wolf Pack are 3-2-1-1 in the season series vs. the Pirates, but have lost two of their three previous trips to Portland, including a 3-0 shutout defeat in their last visit, March 2nd.
• Andrew Ebbett leads the Pirates in point-scoring, with 17-50-67 in 69 games, tied for ninth in the AHL and three points up on teammate Geoff Platt. Platt’s 32 goals tie him with the Wolf Pack’s P.A. Parenteau for fourth in the league in goals, and Platt sits tied for 11th in the AHL in points, with 64 in 70 games.
• Broadcast - live with Bob Crawford at www.hartfordwolfpack.com, or watch on B2 Networks! Go to www.hartfordwolfpack.com for details.

Sunday, April 6th vs. Lowell at the XL Center, 4:00 p.m.
• This game will feature a pre-game sled hockey game between the CT Sled Hockey Team and a team comprised of local celebrities, including former Hartford Whalers Russ Anderson, Yvon Corriveau, Bob Crawford, Chris Govedaris, Chris Kotsopoulos, Gerry McDonald and Garry Swain, as well as former Wolf Pack Todd Hall.
• Doors will open at 1:30 PM for the sled hockey game, which faces off at 2:00, and a ticket to the Wolf Pack game is also good for admission to the sled hockey game. Fans can purchase red-level seats, normally $23 each, for $17 apiece for this game, by going on-line to www.hartfordwolfpack.com, clicking on “Buy Tickets Now” and entering the special offer code “SLED”. $3 from each ticket purchased through this special offer code will go to support the CT Sled Hockey Team. That offer applies only to tickets purchased on-line in advance.
• The Wolf Pack encourages fans to bring their skates, as everyone holding a ticket to the game will be invited to come down on to the ice for a post-game skating session.
• The “Family Value” packages available for Friday-night games will also be available for this game. Family Value Night packages include tickets, hot dogs or pizza slices, sodas and a Wolf Pack souvenir, and start as low as $39 per family. To purchase a Family Value Night package, call the Wolf Pack ticket office at (860) 548-2000, or go on-line to www.hartfordwolfpack.com, click on “Buy Tickets Now” and use the special offer code “TFAM”.
• Postgame activities also include the Wolf Pack’s annual team awards ceremony.
• After their 8-2 win over the Devils in Lowell on Wednesday, the Pack are 5-1-0-1 in the season series against the New Jersey farmhands.
• The Devils trail the field in the Atlantic Division, with a record of 24-38-7-4 for 59 points, but have won two in a row coming into this week and are 3-2-0-0 in their last five.
• Radio – live with Bob Crawford on ESPN Radio 1410, and on the web at: www.hartfordwolfpack.com, or watch on B2 Networks! Go to www.harfordwolfpack.com for details.

Recent Transactions:
Bruce Graham - Reassigned by the New York Rangers from the Wolf Pack to Charlotte (ECHL).March 26th.
Mike Taylor – Signed by the Wolf Pack to an Amateur Tryout (ATO) agreement March 27th.

Pack Tracks:
The Wolf Pack’s final home game of the regular season, Saturday, April 12th, a GEICO Connecticut Cup battle with Bridgeport (7:00 faceoff), is the Wolf Pack’s annual “Fan Appreciation Night”, sponsored by NAVYForMoms.com. 29 lucky fans will go home with an authentic game jersey, courtesy of the Pack players giving the “Shirts off Our Backs”.

Wolf Pack winger Mitch Fritz, who last week was named the Wolf Pack’s American Specialty/AHL Man of the Year, will be making a pair of appearances this week. On Tuesday, April 1st, Fritz will be on hand at Wolcott Elementary School, 71 Wolcott Rd., West Hartford (860-561-2300), from 2:00-3:00 PM. Then this Thursday, April 3rd, Fritz will visit patients at Connecticut Children’s Medical Center, 282 Washington St., Hartford (860-545-9000) from 1:30-2:30 PM.

Sonar, the Wolf Pack’s lovable mascot, will visit the McDonald’s Active Achievers program at Highland Park Elementary School, 397 Porter St. in Manchester, CT (860-647-3430), this Tuesday, April 1st from 9:00-11:00 AM.

96.5 TIC’s Acoustic Café Volume 7, the proceeds from which benefit the Hartford Wolf Pack Community Foundation, is on sale now at the Wolf Pack store at Hartford 21, Strawberries and FYE stores and on-line at www.965tic.com. Acoustic Café Volume 7 features exclusive performances by Daughtry, KT Tunstall, Lifehouse, Avril Lavigne, Mat Kearney, Bowling for Soup, The Fray, Collective Soul and Mandy Moore. The CD costs only $9.65, and each CD also includes a voucher redeemable for a free ticket to a Wednesday or Sunday Wolf Pack home game.

WHEN THE "G-OWENS" GET TOUGH...

After a 10-1 blow-out victory against a division opponent, there was bound to be a little let down. For the Hartford Wolf Pack it lasted sixty seconds as they gave up two quick goals to the Bridgeport Sound Tigers in the first minute and then came from behind again in the shootout for a 4-3 victory before the largest crowd of the season in the Arena At Harbor Yard, 8,191 Sunday afternoon.

An in-state and franchise rival and some good-old-fashioned playoff desperation had the Sound Tigers motivated. While the Wolf Pack have already had their playoff ticket punched and an iron grip on second place, the Sound Tigers, (37-31-1-3) on the other hand, entered Sunday's game fighting trailing fourth place Hershey for the final playoff spot by five points. The Tigers needed to jump on the Pack (46-19-2-7) early and put this one away. They almost succeeded.

Wolf Pack netminder, Miika Wiikman, playing in his first game after sitting the previous three, was outstanding, especially on a Jeff Tambellini breakaway attempt with just 9.2 seconds remaining in overtime. Wiikman's save sent the game to a shootout.

Ben Walter, who had put the Tigers on the scoreboard just 21 seconds into the game, beat Wiikman (33 saves) in his shootout attempt high over the stick side. After being unable to solve Tiger goaltender Joey MacDonald with their first four shooters, put the game on the line in the hands of Jordan Owens. Making his first AHL shootout attempt, Owens came in fast, made a tremendous fake that MacDonald bit on lifted the puck over the fallen netminder, giving the Pack new life. After Wiikman made a pad save on Steve Regier, Lauri Korpikoski gave the Pack the lead on a strong fake that beat MacDonald. Wiikman then stopped Walter with a stick save giving the Pack only their third win in ten shootout contests.

The Tigers jumped all over Wiikman to start the game. After the Walter goal at :21 seconds, they capitalized again just 39 seconds later. A turnover in the offensive zone put the puck in Regier's hands. Regier then made a great outlet pass that sent Trevor Smith on a 2-on-1 breakaway with recent call-up Peter MacArthur against defensemen Brad Brown. Smith fired a shot that beat Wiikman high.

The Pack got back into it exactly nine minutes later when Jaime Fraser turned the puck over on a clearing attempt that P.A. Parenteau knocked down. Parenteau's shot rebounded in the slot. Greg Moore then bounced one off MacDonald that fell to Korpikoski in the slot and he knocked it in.

In the second period the Pack tied the score at :33 seconds when an Andrew Hutchinson shot rebounded to Parenteau low on the right side. Parenteau found MacDonald in the slot and Moore fired high to the glove side for the score tying marker.

Referee Jamie Koharski then decided to get more involved in the game after calling only three penalties in the first called nine in the second. Midway through the period the Pack had an abbreviated 5-on-3 for :35 seconds that came up empty. The Pack's second rated power play finally tallied on their second two man advantage when Parenteau took a pass from Thomas Pock circled on the low left side and beat MacDonald high to the stick side for the 3-2 lead.

Mitch Fritz, in his third game back from a serious shoulder injury, took a holding call at 2:02 sending the 19th ranked Tiger power play onto the ice. :41 seconds into the kill, a great pass from Tambellini across the ice found the pinching Fraser who beat Wiikman for the game knotting goal.

Bruce Berlet has reaction from inside the locker room in his remarkable way in the Hartford Courant. Michael Fornabaio has the Sound Tiger perspective in the Connecticut Post.

For game stats there is always the Game Summary and the Official Scorer's Sheet.

*****NOTES*****
* The two teams continue to battle for the GEICO Cup which has been won both times by the Wolf Pack. The Sound Tigers are 5-2-0-1 against the Pack while the Pack have a 3-3-0-2 record. The Pack will need to win the two remaining games to win it a third straight in state title.

* The Wolf Pack are 38-0-1-3 when leading after two periods.

* The Pack improved their record in one-goal games to 19-11-2-7 and 28-15-1-4 when outshooting their opponents.

* The Pack have won five-in-a-row for the third time this season and go for their only six game winning streak against first place Providence Friday. The Pack trail the Bruins by six points with six games remaining.

* The Pack's magic number to clinch second place is two and they hold a game in hand on the third place Portland Pirates.

* P.A. Parenteau is now third in the AHL in scoring with 32 goals and 46 assists for 78 points just 5 points behind Martin St. Pierre (20 goals, 63 assists for 83 points) of the Rockford IceHogs. He'll never catch former NY Ranger Jason Krog has 35 gaols and 65 assists for 100 points.

* Miika Wiikman (20-7-3 2.32 GAA .918%) is 9th in the AHL amongst goaltenders while David LeNeveu (5-3-1 1.77GAA and .922% since joining the Pack at the trade deadline) is 12th. In case you're curious Al Montoya is 4-4-0 2.38GAA .919% since heading to San Antonio.

*****LINES*****
Korpikoski - Moore - Parenteau
Byers - Anisimov - Gratton
Fritz - Ouellette - Jessiman
Owens - M. Taylor

Hutchinson - Potter
Taylor - Pock
Brown - Sauer

Wiikman

*****SCRATCHES*****
Mark Lee - Healthy
Ivan Baranka - Undisclosed - Day-to-Day
Alex Bourret - Concussion - Indefinite
Francis Lessard - Knee - Season
Dave Liffiton - Concussion - Season

*****THREE STARS*****
1. HFD - 46 Jordan Owens
2. HFD - 17 Pierre-Alexandre Parenteau
3. BRI - 7 Jeff Tambellini

*****OFFICIALS*****
Jamie Koharski (84), Referee
Kevin Redding (16), Linesman
Derek Wahl (46), Linesman

(Jordan Owens photo courtesy of Rich Zacher via hartfordwolfpack.com)

A NIGHT TO REMEMBER

Devan Dubnyk and Glenn Fisher would have been perfect candidates to film a Southwest Airlines commercial. The one with the tag line, "Wanna get away?" After a pre-game scrum and giving up a goal on a weak play in the first :54 seconds, the Hartford Wolf Pack absolutely annihilated the Springfield Falcons scoring ten unanswered goals en route to a 10-1 victory in front of a boisterous crowd of 7,156 at the XL Center on Saturday night.

The Pack (45-19-2-7) played as close to perfect a game as a hockey team can play. Everyone on the roster, except for defensemen Brad Brown and Jake Taylor, got on the score sheet. Ivan Baranka also didn't register a point but he left the game early in the second period after he was hurt on a very hard check into the boards.

For the red-hot Wolf Pack winners of four straight and 8-1-0-1 in their last ten, this was a breakout night on a number of fronts.

Andrew Hutchinson, who's already established that he is the Pack's MVP, is making a strong case for league MVP, as he surpassed Thomas Pock's 2005-2006 single season scoring record for defensemen with his 62nd point of the season potting a goal and assisting on two others. Hutchinson's goal gave him 17 on the season which had earlier bested Pock's team record of 15 from the same season.

Harvard graduate Mike Taylor, playing in only his second game after signing an Amateur Try-Out contract Thursday, was named the "First Star of the Game" with his first professional points and first multi-point game. Taylor scored twice and got his first AHL point on a beautiful give-and-go play setting up Mike Ouellette's goal in the second period.

Here's a video of Taylor's goal.

In addition to Hutchinson's record breaking night, the Pack also established a new team record. The nine goal margin of victory broke the previous record of eight which was set on March 30, 2003 against Sunday's opponent, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers.

The Pack also tied a number of team records as well. The ten goal output matched a Dec 18 2002 against the (now ECHL) Utah Grizzles. The team's second period total of five goals has been done 12 times previously, the last time coming earlier this season in a 7-5 win against at Providence against the Bruins. With two shorthanded tallies on the game, a season high, they tied the team record which has been done 11 times before. Ironically, the last time they had two "shorties" was also against these Falcons on March 11, 2007 in a 5-0 shellacking when Jarkko Immonen and Ryan Callahan tallied.

The scoring started at :54 seconds when Jake Taylor mishandled a puck at the point and fell down. Stephen Werner picked up the loose puck and beat Michael Sauer back and beat David LeNeveu (24 saves). It would turn out to be the only highlight for the Falcons on the evening.

With T.J. Kemp in the penalty box on a tripping penalty, the Pack got on the board with a beautifully executed tic-tac-toe passing play. P.A. Parenteau on the left wing sent a pass across ice to the right side and hit Lauri Korpikoski right on the tape. Korpikoski slid the puck across the crease to Greg Moore who tapped it into the net for his 25th of the season at 7:05.

Just as a power play expired on Theo Peckham's holding penalty, Hutchinson fed Parenteau on the right wing this time and again with is incredible hands put a puck across ice hitting Corey Potter breaking in on net from the left point. Potter beat Dubnyk (22 saves on 29 shots) low to the stick side giving the Pack the lead for good.

The second period the Pack came out fired up. The team killed off a couple of penalties and then a series of back and forth calls made by referee Terry Koharski found the Pack on the man-advantage when Liam Reddux took a ridiculous cross-checking penalty putting the Pack's second rated power play unit back on the ice. 1:26 in they capitalized again as Dane Byers, who had enormous chances stopped by Dubnyk to that point, finally beat the Calgary Alberta native when Hutchinson's shot from the point off a Thomas Pock feed, rebounded in front. Byers kept swatting away at it until it popped in over Dubnyk's leg.

Dubnyk got pulled 32 seconds later after surrendering the fourth goal to Hugh Jessiman. Moments earlier Jessiman had come down right wing totally untouched and was stopped by Dubnyk. This time Jessiman came down left wing untouched and past Kemp, who moved like he was in line at the DMV, and scored.

Springfield Head Coach Kelly Buchberger brought in Glenn Fisher (5 saves). It didn't help. Just over two minutes later Taylor assisted Ouellette who scored on a low shot from the slot. An assist on the goal also went to former Falcon, Mitch Fritz who played in only his second game after being injured in the second game of the year with a shoulder injury and missing the next 69 games.

At 16:31 Hugh Jessiman was sent to the box for roughing when he again stood up for Artem Anisimov after Anisimov was knocked to the ice in front of the net. On the ensuing penalty kill, Greg Moore stole the puck and made a mad shorthanded rush up left wing again beating Kemp and swung to the right side. Moore saw Mike Taylor breaking in alone at the left doorstep and fed the Harvard grad who easily tapped in his first AHL goal shorthanded at 17:08.

1:40 later, Hutchinson established the new scoring record when he slipped a hard shot under Fisher's arm for the team's seventh goal.

Buchberger mercifully ended Fisher's night as the third period started after the rookie surrendered three goals on eight shots, but it wasn't enough to stop the bleeding.

Opening the third period the Pack went right back on the attack. Just 55 seconds in Parenteau again makes a tremendous pass to Moore this time all alone in the slot. Dubnyk made a magnificent glove save robbing Moore of a certain goal.

Three minutes later Ouellette returned the favor to Mike Taylor with a terrific pass from behind the net that found Taylor alone. Taylor fired the shot high past Dubnyk. On every shift following all of the Pack players on the ice tried to find Taylor to give the young man a shot at a hat trick but it never materialized.

The Pack got their ninth goal after Anisimov's shot was deflected in the air and grabbed by Jessiman and while falling down slid the puck in front of the net. Josh Gratton won the footrace to the loose puck and fired a backhander that beat Dubnyk who was screened on the play.

It looked like that might be the final, but with 21.5 left on the clock Anisimov put forecheck pressure on Kemp who coughed up the puck and fell down. Anisimov came in on Dubnyk alone and put on a number of fakes and dekes and just waited for Dubnyk to react. When he did reach for it, Anisimov lifted it over his shoulder for the final tally on a spectacular play.

Bruce Berlet has reaction from inside the locker room in his Hartford Courant column while Fran Sybek tries to sort it all out at Masslive.com.

For the stats on this one their is the http://stats.theahl.com/stats/game-summary.php?game_id=1004549 and the lengthy Official Scorer's Sheet.

*****NOTES*****
* The scrum started before the game when Mitch Fritz and other Wolf Pack players were taking exception to comments made by Theo Peckham.

* Rangers goaltender coach Ben Allaire was in attendance and said he was, "very pleased" with the performances of his two young netminders, LeNeveu and Wiikman.

* The Pack out shot the Falcons 37-25 on the game.

* The Pack's magic number to clinch the second was reduced to four when Portland lost to Providence 7-1. The game was delayed by an hour after the Pirate bus caught fire en route to the game.

* Should the Pack win this afternoon in Bridgeport, and the Pirates should lose at home to Albany the Pack would clinch second place in the division. However, the Pack still have a chance at catching Providence who plays at home against Worcester, as they only trail the first place Bruins by six points with seven more to play (including this afternoon). The two teams face off one more time in Providence on April 4th.

* The crowd chanted "WE WANT FRITZ" on three different occasions throughout the remainder of the game after the score became 5-1 in the second period.

* HOWLINGS obtained this super top-secret video (sorry no sound was available) taken of Devan Dubnyk and his Falcons teammates from inside the Springfield locker room at the end of the second period.

*****LINES*****
Korpikoski - Moore - Parenteau
Byers - Ouellette - Gratton
Fritz - Anisimov - Jessiman
M. Taylor - Pock

Baranka - Brown
Taylor - Sauer
Hutchinson - Potter

LeNeveu

*****SCRATCHES*****
Alex Bourret - Indefinite - Concussion
Brodie Dupont - Day-to-Day - Facial Injuries
Dave Liffiton - Concussion - Season
Francis Lessard - Knee - Season
Jordan Owens - Healthy Scratch
Mark Lee - Healthy Scratch

*****THREE STARS*****
1. HFD - 45 Mike Taylor
2. HFD - 5 Andrew Hutchinson
3. HFD - 27 Hugh Jessiman

*****OFFICIALS*****
Terry Koharski (10), Referee
Jim Briggs (83), Linesman
Marty Demers (79), Linesman

(Mike Taylor photo courtesy of thecrimson.com, All Wolf Pack photos courtesy of Rich Zacher via Hartfordwolfpack.com)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO HUGH

On the ABC television show Lost one character constantly sees the same numbers coming back to haunt him again and again. On the show it's the numbers "4, 8, 15, 16, 23 and 42." For the Worcester Sharks, the numbers that haunted them last night were "3, 15, 27, 28, 62 and 71" as they were instrumental in closing out the Hartford Wolf Pack's season sweep 3-2 at the XL Center Friday night.

There are of course other numbers to consider as well. For example 338:51 and 480 representing the number of minutes that the Pack (45-19-2-7) have held the lead this season over Worcester (27-32-5-6). The rest of those minutes were played deadlocked as the Sharks did not have a lead for a single second all season long.

Friday night was all about number 27. The 27 in question, Hugh Jessiman celebrated his 24th birthday with a "Gordie Howe Hat Trick" (a goal, an assist and a fight) that earned him the First Star of the Game" honors.

Jessiman highlighted a lackluster first period by knocking heads with Worcester tough guy, Brennan Evans. Jessiman took strong exception to Evans hard running check of Pack center Artem Anisimov into the half boards and challenged the Camrose Alberta native to a battle of heavyweights. The 6'6" 231 pound Jessiman stood toe-to-toe with Worcester's 6'3" 220 pound enforcer and won the fight landing the much harder blows. The fight got the 5,082 in attendance loud and excited and it inspired the Pack for the rest of the period.

Shark netminder Thomas Greiss (25 saves) put his team in the hole early. Greiss took a foolish penalty playing the puck outside the legal trapezoid area at 1:26 which brought Hartford's second ranked power play unit onto the ice to face Worcester's 27th ranked penalty killing unit. The power play looked completely out of sink with both teams chasing after the puck, but Greg Moore took a feed from Thomas Pock and saw Jessiman all alone on the far side of the high slot. A quick pass and a laser beam of a shot by Jessiman hitting the upper left corner over Greiss' stick side blocker and the Pack were once again back on top 1-0.

Greiss, who fought the puck most of the night, fumbled a puck that hit him square in the chest off a Corey Potter shot from the right point that was deflected on it's way in by Jessiman. Dane Byers astutely found the puck in front and slammed it past Greiss. With the assist on the Byers goal, Jessiman completed his "Gordie Howe Hat Trick" just 6:37 into the second period.

Pack goaltender David LeNeveu was having a solid night of his own making big stops on veteran forward Graham Mink to start the second period and on Oren Eizenman in the first. Eizenman, playing in his fifth game for Worcester and sixth overall in the AHL, was stopped after he came in alone on LeNeveu on a defensive zone giveaway by Potter. Evans, who scores about as frequently as sightings of Haley's Comet, got credit for a goal when his very wide shot hit the end boards and ricocheted back towards the net. The puck hit LeNeveu in the back of the right leg and his own momentum carried the puck into the net. The goal was Evan's first of this season and first since the last six games of the 2006-07 season.

The Pack would get what would be the game winner with just 22.3 seconds remaining in the second period Moore, who got his second assist of the game, won a draw to Ivan Baranka. The Slovakian D-Man skated to the high slot and fired a shot on goal through traffic. The puck bounced around to Lauri Korpikoski who put the puck on goal from his knees beating Greiss low to the stick side for his 20th goal of the season.

As had occurred in the first minute of the previous two periods a big save came in the first minute of the third. Potter's bid for a tally was stopped by Greiss off a great feed from Parenteau.

That was about all the action that came until 14:50 when after taking a foolish slashing penalty, Parenteau barked at referee Kyle Rehman more than he was willing to tolerate and slapped the talented forward with an extra unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. Lukas Kasper evened things up at 16:28 when he was called for a hooking penalty. The Sharks pulled Greiss with 2:48 remaining in the contest to give themselves a short 5-on-4 advantage and when Kasper emerged from the sin-bin it created a 6-on-4 advantage for 22 seconds. There was a wild scramble and when Jessiman failed to clear the puck when he had the chance and then got back late to his position and couldn't pick up Center, Tom Cavanagh in the slot. Dan Spang saw Kasper and hit him with a pass that he quickly sent on to Cavanagh who fired high to LeNeveu's stick side and scored with 41 seconds left.

A wild 41 ticks as both teams scrambled for the puck; a broken time clock finally repaired and it was off to center ice for a well earned stick salute to the fans.

Bruce Berlet's story centers around Hugh Jessiman in his posting in the Hartford Courant while Bill Ballou in the Telegram & Gazette describes the Worcester struggles and what lies ahead for the Sharks.

For game stats visit the Game Summary or the Official Scorer's Sheet if you prefer.

There's a fun little quiz about the Calder Cup on the AHL website at TheAHL.com.

*****NOTES*****
* In case you didn't get the reference of the "3, 15, 27, 28, 62 and 71" it refers to Corey Potter, Greg Moore, Lauri Korpikoski, David LeNeveu and Thomas Pock

* P.A. Parenteau had his hot points streak end with has 6 goals and 4 assists over the last 6 games and 6-6-12 over his past 8.

* With two assists on the night, Greg Moore now has seven points over his last five games (3-4-7)

* It was a busy week for birthdays in Hartford. On Monday the 24th Andrew Hutchinson turned 28, while Greg Moore is two days older than Hugh Jessiman and also turned 24 but on Wednesday.

* Speaking of birthdays, the month that has the most birthdays in it for this team is May. No less than six players will grow a year older that month. Jordan Owens will turn 22, Ivan Baranka turns 23 on the 19th, David LeNeveu turns 25 on the 23rd while P.A. Parenteau turns 25 and Artem Anisimov turns 20 on the 24th.

* The Pack out shot the Sharks 28-22 for the game and raised their record when out shooting their opponents to 26-15-1-4 and 18-11-2-7 in one-goal contests and here's the most amazing stat, when leading after two periods, the Pack are 36-0-1-3... not to diminish that stat any, but the team has an astonishingly high 44-0-0-0 record when leading after three periods.

*****LINES*****
Korpikoski - Moore - Parenteau
Byers - Ouellette - Gratton
Pock - Anisimov - M. Taylor

Potter - Hutchinson
Taylor - Sauer
Baranka - Brown

LeNeveu

*****SCRATCHES*****
David Liffiton - Concussion - Season
Francis Lessard - Knee - Season
Alex Bourret - Concussion - Indefinite
Brodie Dupont - Facial Injuries - Indefinite
Jordan Owens - Healthy
Mark Lee - Healthy

*****THREE STARS*****
1. HFD - 27 Hugh Jessiman
2. HFD - 15 Greg Moore
3. HFD - 32 David LeNeveu

*****OFFICIALS*****
Kyle Rehman (37), Referee
Tom George (61), Linesman
Marty Demers (79), Linesman

("Lost" photo courtesy of ABCTV.com. Hugh Jessiman photo courtesy of Chris Rutsch via hartfordwolfpack.com, birthday cake photo courtesy of onfrozenblog.com)

"12" IS THE MAGIC NUMBER

12 points does it. Any combination of points by the Hartford Wolf Pack (43-19-2-7) and point losses by the Portland Pirates (42-24-2-4) will clinch second place and seal home ice advantage against the third place team for the NY Rangers top farm club.

Theoretically that could happen this weekend as both teams will be in action for three games in three nights. Should the Pack win out the weekend against Worcester, (27-31-5-6 6th place in Atlantic) Springfield (31-30-5-5 5th place in Atlantic) and Bridgeport (36-30-1-2 6th place in East) and the Pirates be swept by the trio of Lowell, (22-38-7-4 7th place in Atlantic) Providence (48-16-3-3 1st in the AHL) and Albany (40-26-2-4 3rd place in East) that would do it.

FOR THE WOLF PACK...
The team is starting to peak at just the right time. Mitch Fritz will be in the lineup after missing all but the first two games with a shoulder injury. They will also have newcomer, Harvard Crimson center Mike Taylor in the lineup . Taylor was just signed to an ATO on Thursday.

P.A. Parenteau has had a magnificent season with 31 goals and 42 assists for 73 points and a plus-11 in 68 games. In his last five games he's put up ten points with 6 goals and 4 helpers. It's currently the top streak in the AHL.

Andrew Hutchinson is the Captain and clearly the team's MVP. The Pack are just 6-6 with him out of the line-up as opposed to 37-13-2-7 with him in it. In the 59 games Hutchinson has played in he's posted 16 goals (13 on the power play) and 43 assists for 59 points just 64 minutes in the sin-bin and an impressive plus-24.

Mike Ouellette is coming off a hat trick performance against Lowell and has shown steady and consistent improvement in all areas of his game this season. He's been especially proficient defensively and has been the team's go-to guy for face-offs, particularly on defensive zone draws.

Other players are stepping up as well. Josh Gratton has been good, but will likely sit with Fritz's return to the line-up. Greg Moore has been finding the back of the net again and Lauri Korpikoski has been solid and contributing.

On the back end, Thomas Pock has been incredibly durable all season long and effective no matter where the team has played him on the ice. For most of the last two weeks, Pock has been playing on the left wing as a forward. Corey Potter has had a stellar sophomore season and is one of the league's leaders in the plus/minus category currently second to Providence's Jeff Hoggan (plus-38) at plus-29, while Ivan Baranka, when healthy, has been very good.

In the net David LeNeveu has been very good this season posting a 12-10-4 with a 2.45GAA and a .913%. However, since coming over in the trade from San Antonio for Al Montoya, has sizzled with a 3-3-1 record a 1.85GAA and a.918%. He's running mate, Miika Wiikman (19-7-3 2.30GAA .918% with two shutouts) has also had an excellent season. Both will see time in net this weekend.

On the specialty teams, the Pack have passed the lethal Chicago Wolves into second place with a 21.2% conversion rate behind Manchester's pace of 23.5%. The Penalty kill has been decent but not great. Currently ranked 19th allowing 59 markers on 340 attempts for an 82.6% success rate. This will need to improve as the play-offs approach.

FRIDAY VERSUS WORCESTER in Hartford

The Wolf Pack are hot currently riding a 6-1-0-1 streak. The Pack have virtually owned their Massachusetts neighbors as they have never trailed the Sharks for even a single minute in any of their seven meetings this season. The Sharks are ten points behind fourth place Manchester for the last playoff position in the Atlantic Division but do hold two games in hand on their neighbors to the North. However, making up ten points with only eleven games left will be a daunting task to say the least.

The Sharks do have talent. Up front the Sharks have AHL All-Star Mike Iggulden (24, 35 for 59pts in 67 games) and Graham Mink (21, 26 for 47pts in 61 games). Tom Cavanaugh (15, 30, for 45pts in 69 games) and Lukas Kasper (15, 18, for 33pts in 63 games) round out the top four scoring threats for the Sharks.

On the defensive side there is Tom Walsh (5, 18, for 33pts in 68 games) and Derek Joslin (9, 19, for 28pts in 69 games) and the always fighting it seems Brad Staubitz (176PIM).

In the net is likely to be Thomas Greiss (16-19-0-2 3.16GAA .892%) who is 0-3-0-0 against the Pack this season. If not, then they will face Dimitri Patzold (7-7-3 2.68GAA .905%) who the Pack beat 5-2 in Hartford back on Jan. 16.

SATURDAY VERSUS SPRINGFIELD in Hartford

This one could be a battle. Even though the Pack have pretty much had their way with Springfield all season long winning seven of eight, the Falcons could have payback on their minds after losing 4-1 a week ago where the Pack put three in the net over the last 1:54 of the game after playing a virtual dead heat for 58 minutes. The Falcons are fighting not only for their playoff position, having fallen three behind rival Manchester having dropped three straight matches, but they're fighting for their very existence. GM and part-owner Bruce Langdon has stated publicly that if they don't sell more season tickets, and soon, the team will be forced out of business.

This team has talent. Don't let their fifth place standing fool you. Up front they have All-Star Left-Wing Rob Schremp, (19, 47 66pts in 69 games). Rumors circulated at the trade deadline that the parent Edmonton Oilers were talking to the NY Rangers about moving Schremp in a deal that would have included enigmatic forward Hugh Jessiman. Talk had it that GM Kevin Lowe wanted a high round draft pick in addition to just Jessiman, and the Rangers closed the door on that move and it never materialized.

T.J. Kemp (6, 36, for 62pts in 64 games) is the top defensive threat for the I91 rivals. Former Bridgeport Sound Tiger Allan Rourke (3, 11, for 14pts in 40 games) is the other.

The Falcons also have a couple of real tough guys in Tim Sestito (154 PIM) and rookie Theo Peckhan (150 PIM)

The Pack will not face season long starter Jeff Deslauriers (24-22-0-5, 2.91GAA .911%) in goal as he was recalled by Edmonton on Tuesday. They will face Devan Dubnyk (7-13-0-0, 2.91GAA .911%), who was simply amazing in a 41 save effort in Saturday's loss to the Pack.

SUNDAY VERSUS BRIDGEPORT in Bridgeport

The Pack have struggled this season against their fellow Connecticut residents this season. The Tigers goaltender Joey MacDonald, has been almost impossible for the Pack to solve this season as he has posted a 5-1 record this season against them. While the Pack had won nine straight against the Tigers in as many tries last season, this year the team is an uninspiring 2-3-0-2.

Perhaps the Pack have figured out a way to beat the Tigers as they won the last time the two teams faced on February 23 with 2 goals by Lauri Korpikoski and a great effort by P.A. Parenteau who had a goal and an assist and backed by excellent goaltending from Miika Wiikman in a 5-2 win in Hartford.

Because the parent Islanders have been so decimated by injuries this season, the Tigers are short five regulars including their two best players, All-Star Jeff Tambellini and rookie Kyle Okposo. The Tigers are fighting for their playoff lives trailing fourth place Hershey by five points with two games in hand. The Tigers play Hershey Friday night and then the following Saturday. Friday night's contest will really determine if they stand a real chance of getting into the play-offs so they could either be super motivated or playing out the string by the time the two teams meet Sunday afternoon in Bridgeport.

AS far as who's left, the Tigers still have Ben Walter (17, 32 49pts in 57games) and Steve Regier (19, 22 41pts in 55 games). Colton Fretter has been coming on of late with eight goals in the 10 games he's played in since coming over from Chicago in a trade deadline deal.

The Tigers are not afraid of throwing down the gloves with the oft-suspended Kip Brennan's 247PIM, Drew Fata's 186PIM, Matthew Spiller's 171PIM or Pascal Morency's 112 minutes spent in the penalty box.

In the nets, they have the aforementioned MacDonald (13-16-1-2, 2.78GAA .913%) and Mike Morrison (22-13-0-1, 2.68 GAA, 913%) who shut out the Pack 2-0 in his only time facing them on December 29.

Game time for the Firday and Saturday night affairs are at 7:05 and Sunday's contest with Bridgeport starts at 4:05. All games can be heard with Bob Crawford's pregame kicking off a half hour prior on ESPN 1410AM or you can watch the games live for only $6 each by tuning in to B2Livetv.com.

In the news, Bruce Berlet takes his look at the upcoming weekend in the Hartford Courant and profiles Chris Bourque, son of the great Ray Bourque in this player profile.

Meanwhile over at the AHL website, the Pack are included in the Eastern Conference Notebook Mitch Fritz is mentioned in a piece as the winner of the Pack's "Man of the Year" award.

'NUFF'S ENOUGH!

Dale Purinton was a fan favorite in Hartford and in the duty he saw in New York with the Rangers because of his aggressive style and for his fighting. But it has come to the point now where it's time for Dale to stop playing and just hang up the skates and call it a career. Dale has now been issued at least his fourth suspension of just this season. Nobody should ever get as many suspensions in a season and still be allowed to take the ice. Remember, he had a 25 game suspension earlier this season and just last week was suspended on two separate occasions for another three games. He's out of control and should call just go another direction. Given how much of a team guy that he is, "Diesel" as his friends call him, would make an excellent head coach someday.

Here is what the AHL just sent out.

________________________________________
AHL ANNOUNCES SUSPENSION
________________________________________

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. … The American Hockey League today announced that Lake Erie Monsters defenseman Dale Purinton has been suspended for three (3) games as a result of his actions during an AHL game at Grand Rapids on Mar. 26.

Purinton received an automatic three-game suspension under AHL Rule 23.3 for accumulating his fifth game misconduct in the general category this season.

Purinton will miss Lake Erie’s games Friday (Mar. 28) vs. Toronto, Saturday (Mar. 29) at Syracuse and Sunday (Mar. 30) at Toronto.

(Dale Purinton photo courtesy of hartfordwolfpack.com)

IT'S THE SEASON...

Now is the time of year where players in the various junior leagues and colleges begin to get a look see from AHL and ECHL teams. The Wolf Pack have begun their evaluation process today signing Harvard University Center Mike Taylor to an Amateur Try-out Contract. The Minnesota native was solid offensively posting 12 goals and 23 helpers for 35 points in 34 games good enough for the team lead in points and assists.

Here's a piece on Taylor on the ECAC website. Laurie C. was kind enough to send along some interesting background pieces on Taylor at Boston.com, gocrimson.com and this piece and this one from thecrimson.com.

Early scouting report on Taylor is that he can really skate and may play as soon as Friday night. Should Taylor play, it'll be interesting to see who's given a press box seat. Of those who might possibly be given that seat, they'd be Josh Gratton, Mark Lee, Jordan Owens or Hugh Jessiman. Lee has been playing VERY well and Owens and Jessiman both scored against Lowell so Howlings would make the favorite to sit at Gratton or possibly they could move Pock back on defense and sit one of the Defensemen at which point that would favor either Sauer or Brown.

For more information, here's the official announcement.

WOLF PACK SIGN CENTER MIKE TAYLOR TO ATO
* * * *
Minnesota Native Played Four Seasons at Harvard University

HARTFORD, March 27, 2008: Hartford Wolf Pack general manager Jim Schoenfeld announced today that the Wolf Pack have signed center Mike Taylor to an Amateur Tryout (ATO) agreement.

Taylor, 22, has just completed a four-year career at Harvard University, during which he totaled 29 goals and 41 assists for 70 points, along with 54 penalty minutes, in 125 games. A 5-11, 180-pound native of Maple Grove, MN, Taylor led the Crimson in points and assists this season, with totals of 12-23-35 (8 PIM) in 34 games. Those numbers were good for a tie for fifth in the ECACHL in points and a tie for sixth in the league in assists.

Here are his official stats from hockeydb.com

Also, Mitch Fritz has been honored by the franchise as the American Specialty/AHL Man of the Year in recognition for all the charitable work he's done all season long.

Here's the announcement:

FRITZ NAMED HARTFORD WOLF PACK’S 2007-08 AMERICAN SPECIALTY/AHL MAN OF THE YEAR

HARTFORD, March 27, 2008: The Hartford Wolf Pack are proud to announce that left wing Mitch Fritz has been named the team’s winner of the American Specialty/AHL Man of the Year award for his outstanding contributions to the Hartford community during the 2007-08 season.

Fritz has been injured for nearly the entire season, but he has used the time created by his own misfortune to help others on a consistent basis. In addition to seeking opportunities constantly for school visits, and participating along with his teammates in all of the Wolf Pack’s team fund-raising events, which have generated thousands of dollars for local causes such as Special Olympics Connecticut and Gaylord Hospital, Fritz has been a regular visitor, without any prompting or solicitation from the Wolf Pack staff, to Connecticut Children’s Medical Center. During these visits to buoy the spirits of the young patients, Fritz often prevails upon groups of his younger teammates to accompany him, to impress upon them the positive impact that these visits have on the children at the hospital.

Fritz also was the driving force behind the “Hartford Wolf Pack Community Partners”, which is a program to encourage Wolf Pack fans to take an active role in helping the Hartford community. Fans who register their e-mail address receive monthly e-mail alerts from Fritz in regard to community needs that the program participants can help fulfill. Among the examples of assistance offered through this effort are: the collection of razors and shaving cream for the South Park Inn, a Hartford transitional living facility, donation of art supplies to a summer camp, collecting winter accessories for a coat drive and conducting a book drive for the Community Renewal Team’s Head Start classrooms.

In addition, Fritz expressed an interest in working with the March of Dimes, a cause near-and-dear to his heart due to the fact that the now 6-8, 258-pound physical specimen started life as a four-pound premature baby. That led to his captaining a Wolf Pack team for the upcoming March of Dimes “March for Babies”, for which he will also be shooting a public service announcement.

In recognition of his efforts, Fritz will be presented with an etched crystal trophy during an on-ice presentation prior to an upcoming Wolf Pack home game.

Fritz is now one of 29 finalists for the AHL’s 2007-08 Yanick Dupre Memorial Award, honoring the overall American Specialty/AHL Man of the Year. The league award is named after the former Hershey Bears forward and AHL All-Star who died in 1997 following a 16-month battle with leukemia. The winner of the Yanick Dupre Memorial Award will be announced by the AHL in the coming weeks.

(Mike Taylor Picture courtesy of viewimages.com; Mitch Fritz picture courtesy of Heather Rutsch via hartfordwolfpack.com)

DEVIL DOGS

The Hartford Wolf Pack showed all the signs of a team with momentum and talent that could be starting to peak at just the right time of the year. The boys from Hartford survived a brief scare in the first period but pulled themselves together in the second, led by Mike Ouellette's first career AHL hat trick en route to annihilating the last place Lowell Devils at the Paul E. Tsongas Arena 8-2 Wednesday night.

Ouellette was simply outstanding from start to finish. Since being recalled from Charlotte in early November, the former Dartmouth line-mate of current Wolf Pack forward Hugh Jessiman, has been earning his keep as the team's best representative in the face-off circle, especially in defensive zone draws and has been tremendous on the defensive end and killing penalties. He picked up his first two-goal game of the season on March 14th against San Antonio and has been getting more and more scoring opportunities and coming ever-so-close to finishing until tonight.

At just 41 seconds into the first period Devils Center, Erik Rasmussen turned over the puck at his own blueline. The turnover created a 2-on-1 odd-man rush in the offensive zone with P.A. Parenteau coming hard down right wing and Greg Moore bringing up the left side. Parenteau faked a shot that Lowell (22-38-7-4) goaltender Frank Doyle (21 saves) went for and then slid a beautiful pass through the crease right to Moore who sent a bullet into the back of the net from the left doorstop for the quick lead.

Ouellette followed up just 59 seconds later when another turnover, this time in the neutral zone, allowed Thomas Pock to chip the puck ahead of the defense and onto the stick of Mike Ouellette along the right wing. Ouellette made a phenomenal fake that took Doyle out of the play and Ouellette easily tucked in the puck in the vacated net giving the Pack a 2-0 lead just 1:40 into the game.

With as young a team as the Pack are, getting up that fast can cause mental breakdowns as was the case in this match. The Devils took control and possessed the next ten minutes. They struck first at 6:18 off a bad turnover by Jordan Owens to Ryan J. Murphy. Murphy fed Oliver Magnan who sent a pass on to Rasmussen who's shot beat David LeNeveu (18 saves).

The Wolf Pack (43-19-2-7) then took consecutive penalties first to Andrew Hutchinson and then 20 seconds later to his partner Corey Potter creating a 1:40 5-on-3. The 18th ranked penalty kill came up huge against the eighth ranked Lowell power play and shut them right down.

The Pack were unable to keep them off the score sheet for long. At 18:02, with Hutchinson again in the box, this time on a tripping call, Rasmussen and Rosario Ruggeri set up Olli Malmivaara who's shot from the point was screened and never seen by LeNeveu tying the score as the period ended.

Starting the second period the lackadaisical effort by the Hartford visitors ended and they came out ready to compete. At 4:43 the Pack broke the deadlock when Hutchinson's shot from the low left face-off circle beat Doyle high on the short side off of a reverse feed from Thomas Pock and Lauri Korpikoski. The goal was Hutchinson's 16th which established a franchise record for most goals by a defensemen. Hutchinson's beat the record that was set by Pock in the '05-'06 season. Pock's team record for points (61) is next on the list for the teams' clear MVP. Hutchinson needs two points to tie that record with nine games remaining.

The Pack struck again just 1:02 later. A bad clearing attempt wound up on Josh Gratton's stick. Gratton got the puck to Jessiman who shot form a low and bad angle into a virtually empty net as Doyle didn't see it coming.

Ouellette got his second of the night when a shot from the left point by Brad Brown, who got his first point as a member of the Wolf Pack, bounced off Magnan and right into the slot. Ouellette was standing right there and fired the shot into the empty net for a 5-2 lead.

At 17:20 Jake Taylor worked tremendously hard in the defensive end and made a great outlet pass to Parenteau who rushed it up right wing. Taylor skated real hard up the left side to catch up to Parenteau creating a 2-on-1. Parenteau fired a shot which hit Doyle and ricocheted into the air. Parenteau showed how great the hands he has are by keeping his stick down and popping it into the net from the left doorstep for the 6-2 lead.

The other players on the Pack wanted to see Ouellette get the "trick" and were looking to feed him on every shift. At 5:54 it happened. From below the goal line on the left side, Dane Byers fed Ouellette down low. Ouellette then sent a hard shot that hit Doyle squarely in the chest and bounced back right to him which he returned right to the back of the net. Ouellette did have a previous hat trick in his career in Charlotte but the third goal came on an empty net.

At 13:31 a scramble along the boards led to a scrum between Artem Anisimov and Lowell's Brad Mills. Mills, a fighter, just pummeled him with hard shots. Jessiman jumped in to break it up. Meanwhile Gratton grabbed Magnan, not fighter at all, and the two had a brief exchange but it was clear that Gratton didn't want to hurt him and called for the referees to stop it so he wouldn't have to hurt him. Gratton was given an instigating, fighting and game misconduct while Jessiman took a roughing call while Magnan took a fighting major and Mills got a boarding and roughing call.

The hardest shot of the night clearly went to Jordan Owens. With just 6.3 seconds left in the game, Anisimov and Ivan Baranka set him up in the right face-off circle and just launched a laser of a shot under the crossbar that Doyle had no chance on.

The AHL League News has a feature on Ouellette and the Pack's game and gave him "First Star of the Night," League wide. Bruce Berlet's story in the Hartford Courant is mostly a feature on Ouellette as it should be. Things are so bad for the Lowell Devils that not only did the team apparently given up, but apparently the Lowell Sun newspaper has as well with no local story on the game.

For the game stats check out the Game Summary or the Official Scorer's Sheet.

*****NOTES*****
* 1,099 was the announced crowd at the Tsongas arena. That number was completely on target if you include counting the limbs of all in attendance.

* Mitch Fritz has begun to skate in practice and could be ready soon.

* Parenteau has the hottest streak in the AHL. In the last five games, from March 16 to present, Parenteau has logged 6 goals and 4 assists for 10 points over the span.

* The Pack's eight goals is the most for the good guys since the team scored nine in a 9-3 thrashing of Al Monotya's new team, San Antonio back on Nov. 11, 2006.

* The Pack are 14-7-0-3 when tied after one period and 35-0-1-3 when leading after two.

* The Wolf Pack outshot Lowell 29-20 for the game.

* This margin of victory ties the largest margin of the season when they beat Worcester 7-1 on Dec. 8.

* The Pack are 4-0-0-1 in the last 5 and 6-1-0-1 in their last 8 in regulation games.

* The Pack are 5-1-0-1 versus Lowell with just one game remaining against them on April 6th

* The Wolf Pack may catch a break with the upcoming series against Portland. Rookie sensation Bobby Ryan, (21, 28) looks to be sticking with the Anaheim Ducks for the play-offs and most likely will not be in the lineup when the two teams meet.

*****LINES*****
Korpikoski - Moore - Parenteau
Gratton - Anisimov - Lee
Byers - Ouellette - Pock
Jessiman - Owens

Hutchinson - Potter
Taylor - Sauer
Brown - Baranka

LeNeveu

*****SCRATCHES*****
Dupont - Facial Injuries - Day-to-Day
Fritz - Shoulder - Day-to-Day
Bourret - Concussion - Indefinite
Liffiton - Concussion - Season
Lessard - Knee - Season

*****THREE STARS*****
1. HFD - 44 Mike Ouellette
2. HFD - 17 Pierre-Alexandre Parenteau
3. HFD - 71 Thomas Pock

*****OFFICIALS*****
Jamie Koharski (84), Referee
Tim Low (68), Linesman
Scott Whittemore (96), Linesman

(Mike Ouellette photo courtesy of Rich Zacher via HartfordWolfPack.com)