HARTFORD — Jaroslav Schmeral made a block and played solid defense to give him a chance to break through. He then scored his first professional goal, beating Spencer Knight, one of the top goaltenders in the American Hockey League, and the Wolfpack faithful cheered loudly.
“It's a bigger arena, more people as well. I like the energy it gives,” said Schmera, who reported to Hartford after signing with the Rangers two weeks ago.
With the playoffs approaching, the Rangers' Wolfpack laced up their postseason skates and sharpened their game, clinching a spot on Friday and delivering another strong performance on Sunday, defeating Charlotte 5-2. Hartford has reached the playoffs in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2012, and enthusiasm for the franchise continues to grow. There were 8,090 people at XL Center on Friday for the 4-2 win over Springfield, and 5,543 on Sunday.
“I really enjoy the fan base here,” coach Steve Smith said. He came to Hartford to play for the Whalers during his NHL career. “It's a pretty knowledgeable fan base. They understand the game well, cheer at the right times, and raise their eyebrows when we're having a tough night, which is understandable. We've had a tough month here, but it was exciting to see them be there for us and still give the team energy.”
Coach Chris Knoblauch left in November to take over the Edmonton Oilers, where he engineered a dramatic and immediate turnaround. He left a wealth of talent in the Rangers' organization, augmented by 20-year-old Chimerer, who signed after two seasons of college hockey at Providence College, and entrusted that talent to Smith, an experienced hockey veteran.
The eternal hope of bringing back the Whalers, or more precisely, plucking the Coyotes from Arizona to replace the franchise that had left Hartford since April 13, 1997, began when plots for a relocation were set in motion. And it was shattered this week. The team heads to Salt Lake City. Hartford remains a hockey disaster, but the growing interest in the Wolf Pack and the high intensity of college games in Connecticut will make this dilapidated building even more renovated and replaced. , showing that this is still hockey territory. Arena moves like never before.
While the dreamer's dream continues, I consider myself a realist with the qualities of a dreamer, but now is a good time to enjoy what we have, and what we have The thing is, the Rangers' top affiliate is playing some pretty remarkable hockey at XL Center.
“The current state of the Wolf Pack experience is unlike anything we've seen in at least a decade,” said Cromwell native Bill Klein, head honcho of the booster club. “There's a lot of energy inside and outside the house.”
Re-established at the beginning of the 2022-23 season with 28 members, the Wolf Pack Booster Club has grown to 228 members in two seasons, doubling since the end of last season when the Pack lost to Hershey in the third round. . About the Calder Cup Playoffs.
Spectators hope to secure at least one playoff game in Hartford, but that cause actually hurt Sunday when the Wolf Pack defeated Charlotte after losing to the Checkers in the first seven games of the season. . Hartford is almost guaranteed to be the fifth seed out of the six playoff teams in the Atlantic Region. If the Checkers finish fourth, they would face the Wolfpack in the first round and would play all three games in Charlotte, as the league prefers to limit travel. To qualify for the game in Hartford, likely Game 1 on April 24, the Wolfpack would need either Wilkes-Barre/Scranton or Providence as a first-round opponent.
But for coaches and players, those concerns were secondary. The Wolfpack struggled late in the season, playing 21 straight games with different lineups and losing six in a row. Now, they're showing off back-to-back performances with hard skating and excellent puck management. Chimerar was one of five rookies to score for Hartford on Sunday, and his scores came on breakaways initiated by the defense, including Adam Edstrom's shorthanded score in the second period. It was one of the points.
“We've been working hard the last few weeks. We've got to be ready for the playoffs,” Smith said. “We're starting to play playoff hockey. Part of that is young guys are starting to buy into a completely different concept. The playoffs are a very tight-checking game, and it's a very simple game. We can't make any mistakes on any given night and we hope to get through it. We have to be strong defensively and take good care of the puck to see our young players score. It was exciting, but it was even more exciting to buy into what I think is a strong, defensive style of hockey and see it pay off offensively.”
Knight, a Darien and Avon Old Firm product and 2019 Panthers first-round pick, took time off to seek treatment for his obsessive-compulsive disorder before joining the league's Player Assistant Program. He was one of the top young goalies in the NHL (OCD). He was on his way back from a great season in Charlotte, averaging 2.34 goals-against average before Hartford beat him by five points on Sunday. He will be one of the many obstacles the Wolfpack will have to deal with in the playoffs.
“The players here are really experienced and you have to think twice before you play,” Schmerall said. “Because if you don't, you will be punished.”
The franchise averaged just over 4,600 fans last season, the highest total in years. His average pack count this year is just under 5,500. For the third time Friday night, a crowd of more than 8,000 looked to end the losing streak and push the Wolfpack back into the playoffs. That mission was accomplished when fan-favorite veteran goaltender Louis Domingue blocked a potential tying shot at the last minute, firing the puck through traffic in front of the net. The crowd roared as the puck slipped into the net, the first goal by a goalie in Domingue's long career.
“The atmosphere here was indescribable and very emotional,” Klein said sadly. “There was so much energy, it felt like we had all won the mega-ball. That goalie goal just caused an explosion of happiness.”
explosion. Euphoria. Hey, it's the Booster Club, they're going to be crazy. And when you get hooked, all you can show is hockey. play off Hockey is still alive and screaming on Trumbull Street.
