Wolf Pack Weekly, October 7-13

The Wolf Pack played a four-game preseason slate this past week, and finished unbeaten in regulation at 3-0-1-0. The preseason opener was a 3-2 victory Wednesday over the Worcester Sharks at Trinity College’s Koeppel Community Sports Center. On Friday night the Pack thumped the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, 7-0, at the Northford Ice Pavilion in Northford, CT, and Saturday evening found the club on the road again, playing a rematch with the Sharks in Framingham, MA. That game’s result was a 3-2 overtime loss. Then on Sunday, the Wolf Pack shut the Sound Tigers out a second time, taking a 3-0 decision behind 21 saves by Matt Zaba.

This week:

The Wolf Pack’s fun-filled season opener is this Saturday night, October 11th, at the XL Center, as they host the Springfield Falcons in a 7:00 game. For the second straight year, Opening Night is “Everyone’s a Kid Night”. That means that all fans, regardless of age, can purchase tickets for the Kids’ price of just $10 per ticket. The first 10,000 fans will receive a free Wolf Pack magnetic schedule, courtesy of “Click It or Ticket”, and there will be a free “Family Fun Fest” from 5:00-7:00 PM outside the XL Center on Trumbull St., presented by the Wolf Pack and the ING Hartford Marathon. The Family Fun Fest will include a live band, an ice-sculpting demonstration, face-painting, inflatables and more.

Then this Sunday, October 12th, the Pack are right back at the XL Center, taking on the Bridgeport Sound Tigers in the season’s first GEICO Connecticut Cup game. That contest faces off at 4:00, and there will be a free post-game skate on the XL Center ice.

Saturday, October 11th vs. Springfield at the XL Center, 7:00 p.m.

· The Wolf Pack’s closest geographical rival, the Falcons are coming off of a season that saw them amass 80 standings points (35-35-5-5), but miss the playoffs in the tough Atlantic Division by a margin of eight points.

· The Pack dominated the season series between the two I-91 rivals last season, winning nine of the 10 total games between the two clubs, including all five meetings at the XL Center.

· Last year’s Springfield head coach, Kelly Buchberger, has moved on to an assistant-coaching position with the parent Edmonton Oilers. The Falcons’ new head man is one of Buchberger’s assistants from last season, Jeff Truitt.

· Springfield’s leading point-getter from last season was Rob Schremp, who posted stats of 23-53-76 in 78 games. That was good for a tie for seventh in the AHL in points.

· Fans of all ages can get tickets for “Everyone’s a Kid Night” for the Kids’ price of $10 each.

· The first 10,000 fans will take home a free Wolf Pack magnetic schedule, courtesy of “Click It or Ticket”.

· A Wolf Pack “Family Fun Fest” precedes the game, from 5:00-7:00 PM outside the XL Center on Trumbull St., presented in partnership with the ING Hartford Marathon. As part of this partnership, the Wolf Pack and the ING Marathon will be accepting donations for the “Reuse-a-Shoe” sneaker recycling program. Fans can donate used sneakers in the XL Center Atrium at both the Family Fun Fest and the game.

· Radio – live with Bob Crawford in HD on WTIC’s 96.5 HD 2 and on-line at www.hartfordwolfpack.com and www.wtic.com.

Sunday, October 12th vs. Bridgeport at the XL Center, 4:00 p.m.

· This is the first game of the GEICO Connecticut Cup series between the two Nutmeg-State adversaries, the Wolf Pack and Sound Tigers. The Pack won the last four games of the series last season, to finish with a 5-3-0-2 record vs. Bridgeport and win the GEICO Connecticut Cup.

· The Sound Tigers finished 2007-08 four games over .500, at 40-36-1-3 for 84 points, but that was only good for a fifth-place finish in the East Division. Head Coach Jack Capuano’s club finished eight points behind fourth-place Hershey.

· Bridgeport top gun Jeff Tambellini finished last season tied for second in the AHL in goals, and tied for seventh in points, despite playing in only 57 of the Sound Tigers’ 80 games.

· This is the first “Guida’s Family Value” game of the season. Family Value packages start at $39 and include three tickets, three hot dogs or pizza slices, three sodas and a Wolf Pack souvenir. To order your Family Value Night pack, visit the XL Center box office, or go on-line to www.ticketmaster.com.

· Bring your skates! There will be a free skate after the game on the XL Center ice.

· Radio – live with Bob Crawford in HD on WTIC’s 96.5 HD 2 and on-line at www.hartfordwolfpack.com and www.wtic.com.

Monday, October 13th – Annual Wolf Pack “Golf Fore Kids” Tournament, Manchester Country Club

The Wolf Pack players and coaches will be taking to the links for the Hartford Wolf Pack Community Foundation’s ninth annual “Golf Fore Kids” tournament, which benefits The Children’s Cancer Fund at Connecticut Children’s Medical Center (CCMC). The tourney takes place at Manchester Country Club in Manchester, CT and starts at 12:30 PM. The round of golf will be followed by a dinner with the team, which will include a silent auction and raffle. Spaces are still available for both foursomes and individual golfers, and the donation to play is $800 for a foursome and $200 for an individual. Non-golfers are invited to attend the dinner for a donation of $50. To register, contact Danielle Nardi at the Wolf Pack office at (860) 246-7825, ext. 350, or e-mail dnardi@xlcenter.com, or contact Robin Vidito at CCMC at (860) 610-5719, or e-mail rvidito@ccmckids.org.

Recent Transactions:

Miika Wiikman - loaned to Wolf Pack by the New York Rangers October 6th.

Pack Tracks:

The Wolf Pack has a new broadcast partnership this season with WTIC NewsTalk 1080 and WTIC-FM. All of the Wolf Pack’s regular-season and playoff games will air on 96.5 WTIC-FM’s HD 2 channel and will be streamed on-line at www.wtic.com . Select games will be carried live on the 50,000-watt AM powerhouse, WTIC NewsTalk 1080. And, as part of the partnership, all Wolf Pack full season ticket accounts will receive a free HD car radio, with installation from JoDi’s Sound Center, courtesy of the two stations and the Wolf Pack. To purchase your season seats, contact the Wolf Pack ticket office at 860-548-2000.

Individual tickets for Wolf Pack games are on sale now at the XL Center Box Office and all Ticketmaster locations including Macy’s at the Buckland Hills Mall and at the Westfarms Mall. Tickets may also be charged by phone at (860) 525-4500, (203) 744-8100, (203) 624-0033 or (413) 733-2500 or online at www.Ticketmaster.com. Season tickets, six, 10 and 20-game packages, coupon books and group tickets are also available. Contact 860-548-2000 for more details.