HARTFORD, CT – 50 years ago yesterday, puck dropped for the first time at the Hartford Civic Center. Yesterday, on the 50th anniversary of the game, the Hartford Wolf Pack hosted a celebration at the building, now known as the XL Center. The Wolf Pack welcomed the Lehigh Valley Phantoms for the second half of a weekend home-and-home.
However, the Phantoms would spoil Hartford’s celebration. Parker Gahagen stopped all 26 shots he faced, blanking the Wolf Pack and leading Lehigh Valley to a 3-0 decision.
Saturday Night Scares
Each team fired eight shots in the first period, with Gahagen and Louis Domingue each denying the eight they faced. The Wolf Pack had a premium chance when Jaroslav Chmelař and Nathan Sucese broke out on an odd-man rush, but Gahagen kept the Wolf Pack off the board.
The Phantoms finally broke the ice in the second period. Helge Grans took a roughing minor, sending the Wolf Pack to the power play. However, during the man advantage, Matthew Robertson blew a tire at neutral ice, giving Garrett Wilson a shorthanded breakaway bid. The Phantom captain skated to the slot and blasted a shot by Domingue’s glove to give Lehigh Valley a lead they wouldn’t lose.
Emil Andrae doubled the lead in the final frame. Andrae skated into the Hartford zone on an odd-man rush. Brandon Scanlin slid in an attempt to break up the rush, but Andrae toe-dragged around the Hartford defenseman. Andrae then ripped a shot bar down over Domingue to make it a two-goal game.
Hartford lifted Domingue for the extra skater with over five minutes left in the contest. However, Rhett Gardner nailed the empty net to cap off the scoring and deliver a 3-0 win to the Phantoms.
Celebrating Hartford Hockey
Before the game, the Wolf Pack hosted a ceremony honoring Hartford’s half-century of hockey history. Numerous former Whalers and Wolf Pack players, coaches, and staff made appearances, including Marty Howe, Ken Gernander, and Vincent LoVerde. Former Whalers broadcaster Chuck Kaiton hosted the ceremony, with a speech by former Whalers owner Howard Baldwin.
Most notably, the Wolf Pack unveiled a banner commemorating Hartford’s 50 years of hockey. The banner features the logos of the New England Whalers, Hartford Whalers, the AHL version of the Connecticut Whale, and the Wolf Pack, plus the 50th anniversary logo in the center.
“Throughout the course of your career, you get some of these special type nights,” Wolf Pack head coach Grant Potulny told The Calder Times after Saturday’s contest. “Whether it’s an outdoor game or a game like this, they’re nights you don’t forget. Some of the people that were on the Jumbotron that have played and come through here, the turnout, the jerseys…such a great job by everybody involved.”
Potulny also expressed regret that the Wolf Pack couldn’t pull through with a victory during the special night. “As a player, you’re probably frustrated tonight because you wanna win so bad for the fans and the city,” Potulny told The Calder Times. “The points matter, but on a game like this, those are secondary thoughts. We wanna win for all those other reasons.”
Up Next
The Wolf Pack wrap up their three-in-three on Sunday, hosting the Springfield Thunderbirds for the latest installment of the I-91 Rivalry. Puck drop is set for 5:00 pm.
