Every Wednesday we’ll take a look at the status of the
Rangers’ AHL affiliate. Top prospects Ryan Bourque and Carl Hagelin will
be key players for the Whale this season - we’ll check on how they’re doing and
how the team performs as the season progresses.
- Yesterday the Rangers sent defenseman Tomas Kundratek to the
Washington Capitals for right wing Francois Bouchard. Read more about the trade on
BB+.
- On Friday Connecticut lost its second-straight game, this
time to the St. John’s IceCaps 6-3. Connecticut
has
had a whale of a time protecting leads this year despite its sterling
record and it cost the team against the IceCaps. Connecticut held a one-goal lead but
surrendered three goals in 4:16 and never recovered. After being named the AHL/Reebok Goaltender
of the Month earlier in the week, Chad Johnson really struggled against St.
John’s allowing five goals on 27 shots.
Kris Newbury, John Mitchell and Ryan Bourque scored for the Whale.
- Connecticut bounced back with a 3-2 shootout win over the
Albany Devils on Saturday. Coach Ken
Gernander was unsatisfied with his team’s play on Wednesday and Friday and shuffled
his lineup, scratching forward Chris McKelvie and defenseman Blake Parlett and replacing them with defensemen Jyri Niemi and Jared Nightingale. Jonathan Audy-Marchessault scored just 19 seconds
into the game to give the Whale the lead and Carl Hagelin also scored for Connecticut. The Whale led 2-1 entering the third period
but again allowed a tying goal to send the game overtime. But this time Connecticut prevailed off
shootout goals from Mats Zuccarello and Brendan Bell. Cam Talbot made 18 saves for the Whale.
- Connecticut still sits atop the Northeast Division with
17 points.
- Rookie Jonathan Audy-Marchessault is growing more
and more comfortable with the Whale.
JAM is producing too; he leads the team with five goals and six assists
in 12 games.
- Carl Hagelin boasts a team-leading plus-8 rating. Jared Nightingale leads the defense with a
plus-6.
- The Whale reassigned defenseman Lee Baldwin to the
Greenville Road Warriors.
- Connecticut signed
forward Jordan Owens to an AHL deal.
Owens had been playing on a pro tryout.
- Don’t miss Bruce Berlet’s story on the lifelong
friendship between Dan Girardi and Andre Deveaux.
- In a schedule oddity, Connecticut will play consecutive
road games on Saturday and Sunday against the St. John’s IceCaps, the AHL
affiliate of the Winnipeg Jets. The
start time on Saturday will be 7:30 p.m. and puck drop on Sunday will be 4:00
p.m. The IceCaps boast the best record in
the American Hockey League at 9-2-3.
Past editions of The Whale Week That Was:
The
Whale Week That Was - October 5, 2011 >
The
Whale Week That Was – October 12, 2011 >
The
Whale Week That Was – October 19, 2011 >
The
Whale Week That Was – October 26, 2011 >
The
Whale Week That Was – November 2, 2011 >
The Whale Week That Was – November 9, 2011 >
Click
here for our full 2011-2012 Season Archive >
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