#BazBastien

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CHAIMOVITCH: IOWA WILD’S KAAPO KAHKONEN VOTED WINNER OF BAZ BASTIEN AWARD AS AHL’S OUTSTANDING GOALTENDER

BY: Jason Chaimovitch, American Hockey League SPRINGFIELD, Mass. … The American Hockey League announced today that Kaapo Kahkonen of the Iowa Wild is the winner of the Aldege “Baz” Bastien Memorial Award as the AHL’s outstanding goaltender for the 2019-20 season. The award is voted on by coaches, players, and members of the media in each of the league’s 31 cities. Named a 2019-20 First Team AHL All-Star last week, Kahkonen made 34 appearances for the Wild this season, helping the club to the best regular-season record in franchise history. Kahkonen led the AHL in victories (25-6-3) and shutouts (seven) and ranked fourth in goals-against average (2.07) and save percentage (.927) while placing among the top 10 in minutes played and shots faced. The CCM/AHL Goaltender of the Month for February, Kahkonen finished the year with a 10-1-1 record (1.16, .961) and five shutouts in his last 12 starts. A 23-year-old native of Helsinki, Finland, Kahkonen also made his National Hockey League debut this season, going 3-1-1 with a 2.96 GAA and a .913 save percentage in five appearances with the Minnesota Wild. Kahkonen, Minnesota’s fourth-round selection in the 2014 NHL Draft, shows a record of 42-20-11 with a 2.45 GAA, a .916 save percentage and 13 shutouts in his two seasons with Iowa, and is the first goaltender since Martin Biron (1997-99) to lead the AHL in shutouts in back-to-back seasons. The Aldege “Baz” Bastien Memorial Award, which was first presented in 1984, honors former Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Baz Bastien, who played four seasons in goal with the AHL’s Pittsburgh Hornets (1945-49) before suffering a career-ending eye injury. Bastien would go on to serve as head coach and general manager of the Hornets, leading them to the 1967 Calder Cup championship. Previous winners of the award include Jon Casey (1985), Sam St. Laurent (1986), Mark Laforest (1987, 1991), Felix Potvin (1992), Corey Hirsch (1993), Manny Legace (1996), Martin Biron (1999), Dwayne Roloson (2001), Jason LaBarbera (2004, 2007), Ryan Miller (2005), Michael Leighton (2008), Cory Schneider (2009), Jonathan Bernier (2010), Jake Allen (2014), Matt Murray (2015), Peter Budaj (2016), Troy Grosenick (2017), Garret Sparks (2018) and Alex Nedeljkovic (2019). In operation since 1936, the American Hockey League continues to serve as the top development league for all 31 National Hockey League teams. Nearly 90 percent of all players competing in the NHL are AHL graduates, and through the years the American Hockey League has been home to more than 100 honored members of the Hockey Hall of Fame. Read the full article

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CRAWFORD: WOLF PACK WEEKLY: September 30-October 6, 2019

BY: Bob Crawford, Hartford Wolf Pack HARTFORD, CT - The Wolf Pack kick off their 23rd season of AHL action this Saturday, October 5, with a home-ice date against the defending Calder Cup champions, the Charlotte Checkers.  The Wolf Pack played three preseason games in preparation for the 2019-20 campaign and came out of that slate with a 1-2-0-0 record.  Nick Jones scored three goals in the two games, and fellow rookie Patrick Newell chipped in three assists. This week: The Wolf Pack have a back-to-back set of home games on the docket for the season’s opening weekend.  The Charlotte Checkers visit the XL Center for the season opener this Saturday, October 5, with faceoff at 7:00 PM.  Then, on Sunday, the Wolf Pack host their in-state rivals the Bridgeport Sound Tigers for a 3:00 game. Saturday, October 5 vs. the Charlotte Checkers (Carolina) at the XL Center, 7:00 PM Free Wolf Pack magnetic schedules will be given away to the first 5,000 fans at this game, presented by Pepsi. The Checkers are the reigning AHL champions, having defeated the Chicago Wolves in a five-game Calder Cup final to capture the franchise’s first AHL title.  That was after Charlotte also posted the league’s best regular-season record, going 51-17-7-1 for 110 points, 15 points better than second-place Bridgeport in the Atlantic Division. Despite the championship victory in 2018-19, Checkers head coach Mike Vellucci and the Carolina organization parted ways.  Charlotte’s new head man is former assistant coach Ryan Warsofsky. The top performer from last year’s Calder Cup team still in the organization is Checker goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic.  He won the 2018-19 Baz Bastien Trophy as the AHL’s top goaltender, leading league netminders in wins, goals-against average, and minutes-played (34-9-5, 2.26, 91.6, 4 SHO in 51 GP). This is the first of eight meetings on the season between the Wolf Pack and the Checkers, and the first of four Charlotte visits to the XL Center.  The Wolf Pack went 1-7-0-0 in 2018-19 against the Checkers, who won each of the last seven encounters between the two clubs after a 5-3 Wolf Pack win in the first meeting December 1. At this and every Wolf Pack Friday or Saturday home game, fans are encouraged to come early for “Hockey Happy Hour” in the XL Center’s Comcast Coliseum Club.  From 5:00 PM until puck drop, a $5 wrist band gives fans access to the “Chill Zone” of the Coliseum Club, which features an appetizer buffet and $2 beers, presented by Minuteman Press. Tickets for this and all 2019-20 Wolf Pack home games are on sale now at the Sunwave Gas & Power Ticket Office at the XL Center, on-line at hartfordwolfpack.com and by phone at (877) 522-8499.  Tickets purchased in advance for kids 12 or younger start at just $10 each, and all tickets will have a $3 day-of-game increase. Broadcast – live with Bob Crawford and Mark Bailey on on-line at hartfordwolfpack.com.  Video streaming at ahllive.com.  Sunday, October 6 vs. the Bridgeport Sound Tigers (Islanders) at the XL Center, 3:00 PM At this and every Wolf Pack Wednesday or Sunday home game of the season, fans can take advantage of the Wolf Pack’s “Click It or Ticket Hat Trick Pack”.  The Hat Trick Pack includes two tickets, two sodas, and one large popcorn, all for just $40. This is the first of ten installments on the year of the AHL’s Battle of Connecticut, and the first of four XL Center trips for the Sound Tigers.  In a ten-game season series last year, the Wolf Pack went 4-3-2-1 against their Nutmeg-State adversaries, including a 2-1-1-1 record in home action vs. Bridgeport. The Sound Tigers finished in second place in the Atlantic Division in 2018-19, with a record of 43-24-6-3 for 95 points.  That put them one point ahead of third-place Hershey and 15 points behind division-winning Charlotte. Defenseman Sebastian Aho finished fifth among AHL blueliners in assists last season, and stood second on the Bridgeport team in assists and tied for second in points, with 9-37-46 in 67 games. Tickets for this and all 2019-20 Wolf Pack home games are on sale now at the Sunwave Gas & Power Ticket Office at the XL Center, on-line at hartfordwolfpack.com and by phone at (877) 522-8499.  Tickets purchased in advance for kids 12 or younger start at just $10 each, and all tickets will have a $3 day-of-game increase. Broadcast – live with Bob Crawford and Mark Bailey on on-line at hartfordwolfpack.com.  Video streaming at ahllive.com. Recent Transactions: Taylor Cammarata – released by the Wolf Pack from training camp tryout September 25. Phil DiGiuseppe – loaned to the Wolf Pack by the New York Rangers September 25. Cody Donaghey – released by the Wolf Pack from training camp tryout September 25. Adam Huska – loaned to the Wolf Pack by the New York Rangers September 25. Jordan Klimek – released by the Wolf Pack from training camp tryout September 25. Jake Kupsky – released by the Wolf Pack from training camp tryout September 25. Johnny Coughlin – released by the Wolf Pack from training camp tryout September 27. Ryan Dmowski – loaned by the Wolf Pack to Maine (ECHL) September 27. Steven Fogarty – loaned to the Wolf Pack by the New York Rangers September 27. Francois Brassard – released by the Wolf Pack from training camp tryout September 28. Connor Brickley – released by the Wolf Pack from training camp tryout September 28. Greg Chase – loaned by the Wolf Pack to Maine (ECHL) September 28. Shawn McBride – loaned by the Wolf Pack to Maine (ECHL) September 28. Mason Geertsen – signed by the Wolf Pack to an AHL contract September 29. Filip Chytil – loaned to the Wolf Pack by the New York Rangers September 30. Jake Elmer – reassigned by the New York Rangers from the Wolf Pack to Maine (ECHL) September 30 Vitali Kravtsov – loaned to the Wolf Pack by the New York Rangers September 30. Dawson Leedahl – reassigned by the New York Rangers from the Wolf Pack to Maine (ECHL) September 30 Vinni Lettieri – loaned to the Wolf Pack by the New York Rangers September 30. Ryan Lindgren – loaned to the Wolf Pack by the New York Rangers September 30. Tom McCollum – loaned by the Wolf Pack to Maine (ECHL) September 30. Ty Ronning – reassigned by the New York Rangers from the Wolf Pack to Maine (ECHL) September 30. Igor Shesterkin – loaned to the Wolf Pack by the New York Rangers September 30. Zach Tolkinen – loaned by the Wolf Pack to Maine (ECHL) September 30. Pack Tracks: Saturday, October 12, when the Wolf Pack host the Springfield Thunderbirds in a 7:30 PM game at the XL Center, is “Carnival Night”.  There will be an array of carnival-themed fun to celebrate the return of Wolf Pack hockey, and the first 2,000 fans will receive a free Wolf Pack travel mug, courtesy of 97.9 ESPN. Once again this season, fans can enjoy $1 hot dogs, and $2 draft beers and fountain sodas, at every Friday Wolf Pack home game, through the start of the second period, presented by Nomads Adventure Quest.  The Wolf Pack’s first Friday-night game of the year is October 18, when they entertain the Springfield Thunderbirds in a 7:15 PM game. Each of the Wolf Pack’s Sunday and Wednesday home games will feature the Wolf Pack’s “Click It or Ticket Hat Trick Pack”.  The Hat Trick Pack includes two tickets, two sodas, and a large popcorn, all for just $40.  After this Sunday, the next Hat Trick Pack game is Sunday, October 13, when the Rochester Americans visit for a 3:00 PM tilt. In partnership with the Hartford Chamber of Commerce, the Wolf Pack this year will be offering “Suit to Sweater Wednesdays”, to wash away the mid-week work blues.  Any fan showing a company ID at the Sunwave Gas & Power Ticket office can purchase Blue-Level tickets to Wolf Pack Wednesday home games for only $15 each (limit two tickets per ID). Wolf Pack home game tickets can be purchased at the Sunwave Gas & Power Ticket Office at the XL Center, on-line at hartfordwolfpack.com and by phone at (877) 522-8499.  Tickets purchased in advance for kids 12 or younger start at just $10 each, and all tickets will have a $3 day-of-game increase. To speak with a Wolf Pack representative about season or group tickets, or any of the Wolf Pack’s many ticketing options, call (860) 722-9425, or click here to request more info.  To visit the Wolf Pack online, go to hartfordwolfpack.com. TRACK THE PACK ONLINE AT HARTFORDWOLFPACK.COM Read the full article