Evgeny Grachev scored his second goal of the game at the 15-minute mark of the third period to break a 2-2 tie and give the Wolf Pack a 3-2 victory over the Bridgeport Sound Tigers on Sunday night.  The victory marked the first time all season that the Wolf Pack was able to post a victory after entering the third period trailing on the scoreboard, and moved the club into fourth place in the Atlantic Division with an 18-13-1-4 record for 41 points.

With the World Junior Championship Quarterfinals overlapping the Wolf Pack game tonight, I was only able to watch the Pack game with one eye.  What I can say from what I did see of the game is that this was easily Grachev’s best game in about two months.  His first goal was a nice redirection on the power play, while the second, game-winning goal came off a great individual effort after he controlled the puck along the boards behind the net, circled out to the right faceoff dot and beat goaltender Scott Munroe through the five hole with a no-look wrist shot.  More importantly, he was far more engaged in all areas of the ice than he has been in recent memory.  Hopefully the new year has signaled a new beginning for the young rookie and this kind of performance will become the rule, rather than the exception.

Dale Weise tied the game for the Pack at 10:55 of the third after he found the puck during a goal mouth scramble and slid it over the goal line with Munro down and out.  Weise also added an assist on Grachev’s first goal.  All-in-all it was a great game for the Pack’s second line of Grachev, Brodie Dupont and Weise, which scored all three of the Packs goals and combined for five points in the game.

Chad Johnson was returned to Hartford Friday afternoon and found himself back in the Hartford net on Saturday for the first time since December 13th.  Johnson was solid, stopping 23 of 25 shots and earning his eleventh win of the season.

I didn’t see enough to try to write a full recap, so here’s Brian Ring’s story via the Wolf Pack:

Hartford Wolf Pack 3, Bridgeport Sound Tigers 2

By Brian Ring

Hartford, CT, January 2, 2010 – The Hartford Wolf Pack used a pair of third-period goals to come from behind and defeat the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, 3-2, Saturday night in front of 4,718 at the XL Center.

Hartford’s Evgeny Grachev scored twice, including the game-winner, and Dale Weise scored and added an assist to lead the Wolf Pack, who won for the first time this season after trailing after two periods of play.

“I just shot it,” said Grachev of his second goal.  “Usually when you look for something you never score.”

Goaltender Chad Johnson posted 23 saves in his first appearance for the Wolf Pack since making his NHL debut for the New York Rangers Wednesday versus Philadelphia.

The Wolf Pack took the first lead of the game less than five minutes into the first period, as Grachev beat Sound Tigers goaltender Scott Munroe (24 saves) during their first power-play of the game at 4:57.

Weise passed to Nigel Williams at the right point, and Williams then fired a perfect pass that was deflected past Munroe by Grachev, for his first goal of the night and the 1-0 advantage.

The Wolf Pack had chances to extend the lead later in the frame, but Ilkka Heikkinen and Bobby Sanguinetti both found posts during a four-on-three power-play opportunity, and Brodie Dupont tipped a shot just wide of the net.

The Sound Tigers quickly tied the score in the second period, as Jesse Joensuu wheeled behind the Wolf Pack net and centered a pass on the backhand for Trevor Smith, who earned his eleventh goal by beating Johnson.

Mark Flood then gave Bridgeport the lead, as the Sound Tigers capitalized on a five-on-three man advantage.  With P.A. Parenteau and Corey Potter in the penalty box, Mark Katic connected with Flood for the second Sound Tigers goal at the seven-minute mark.

Munroe played a solid second period, making nine saves on the Wolf Pack to maintain Bridgeport’s lead, including stops on quality chances by Derek Couture and Andres Ambühl.

Hartford managed to tie the score at two apiece, however, midway through the third, as Weise scored from his knees on a backhanded, no-look shot in front of Munroe.  A chance from the point by Michael Sauer could not be cleared by Katic, leading to Weise’s goal at 10:55.

“They tried to clear it, but the puck was just sitting there,” said Weise.  “I tried to get as much on it as I could and the net was empty.”

Grachev came up with the game winning goal at the 15-minute mark, digging for the puck and then skating through the circle to Munroe’s left before putting a shot between his legs for the 4-3 lead.  Heikkinen and Sanguinetti both assisted on the goal, which gave the Wolf Pack their third straight victory.

“We just went back to working hard, putting in pucks,” said Weise.  “We got some good bounces.”

The win raised the Wolf Pack’s record to 18-13-1-4 for 41 points, and lifted them into a tie for fourth place in the AHL’s Atlantic Division with Bridgeport.

Hartford will complete a three-game homestand Sunday afternoon (3:00), as they host the Syracuse Crunch at XL Center.

Bridgeport Sound Tigers 2 At Hartford Wolf Pack 3
Jan 2, 2010 – XL Center Veterans Memorial Coliseum

Bridgeport 0 2 0 – 2
Hartford 1 0 2 – 3

1st Period-1, Hartford, Grachev 8 (Williams, Weise), 4:57 (pp). Penalties-Morency Bri (slashing), 0:00; Weise Hfd (cross-checking), 0:00; Moore Bri (hooking), 3:30; Morency Bri (fighting), 6:09; Nightingale Hfd (fighting), 6:09; Grachev Hfd (tripping), 7:11; Morency Bri (fighting), 15:23; Nightingale Hfd (fighting), 15:23; Haley Bri (slashing), 15:28; Parenteau Hfd (tripping), 15:28; Joensuu Bri (cross-checking), 16:15; Bentivoglio Bri (roughing), 18:38; Moore Bri (roughing), 18:38; Westgarth Bri (misconduct – unsportsmanlike conduct), 18:38; Parenteau Hfd (roughing), 18:38; Potter Hfd (roughing), 18:38.

2nd Period-2, Bridgeport, Smith 11 (Joensuu, Mauldin), 1:33. 3, Bridgeport, Flood 3 (Katic, Moore), 7:00 (pp). Penalties-Parenteau Hfd (hooking), 6:04; Potter Hfd (double minor – high-sticking), 6:48.

3rd Period-4, Hartford, Weise 10 (Dupont, Sauer), 10:55. 5, Hartford, Grachev 9 (Heikkinen, Sanguinetti), 15:00. Penalties-No Penalties

Shots on Goal-Bridgeport 10-13-2-25. Hartford 10-9-8-27.
Power Play Opportunities-Bridgeport 1 of 4; Hartford 1 of 2.
Goalies-Bridgeport, Munroe 10-8-1 (27 shots-24 saves). Hartford, Johnson 11-7-2 (25 shots-23 saves).
A-4,718
Referees-Shaun Davis (31).
Linesmen-Brent Colby (7), Paul Simeon (66).

Steven Valiquette made 24 saves and Dale Weise scored at 1:15 of overtime to lead the Hartford Wolf pack to a 2-1 victory over the Bridgeport Sound Tigers on Saturday, breaking the Pack’s 7-game winless streak and moving the team into a tie for sixth place in the Atlantic Division.

I, meanwhile, was watching paint dry the Rangers lose to the Sabres at MSG, so I leave you with Brian Ring’s write-up, courtesy of the Wolf Pack.

***

Hartford Wolf Pack 2, Bridgeport Sound Tigers 1 (OT)

By Brian Ring

Hartford, CT, December 12, 2009 – Dale Weise scored the overtime game-winner and Brodie Dupont had two assists, as the Wolf Pack beat the Bridgeport Sound Tigers in a GEICO Connecticut Cup game Saturday night, 2-1, in front of 5,752 fans at the XL Center.

A tied-up Dupont passed to a wide open Weise, who one-timed the shot past Sound Tigers goaltender Scott Munroe for the winner at 1:15 of the extra session.

The goal, Weise’s ninth, snapped a six-game winless streak (0-4-1-1) for the Wolf Pack.

“We played hard, we played smart,” said Hartford Head Coach Ken Gernander.  “It was a pretty good effort.”

The Wolf Pack had jumped out to a first period lead at 13:33, as Evgeny Grachev recorded a power-play goal with Bridgeport’s Tyler Haskins in the box on a holding the stick call.

Defenseman Matt Gilroy had passed across to Dupont, who quickly fed Grachev on the side of the net.  Grachev was able to find an opening to the left of Munroe for his seventh goal of the year.

Gilroy’s assist was his second in as many games since being assigned to Hartford from the New York Rangers.

Wolf Pack goaltender Steve Valiquette (25 saves), playing in Hartford for the first time since the 2006-07 season, made eight saves in the first, including a stop on a quality chance by Bridgeport’s Matt Martin at 1:57.

The second period proved to be a scoreless affair, as Valiquette made 11 saves on Bridgeport to preserve the Wolf Pack’s 1-0 lead.  Munroe made nine saves in the frame for the Sound Tigers, and stopped a great chance on a Hartford power-play opportunity by Weise midway through.

The Sound Tigers, however, capitalized on a Corey Potter turnover 9:03 into the third period, tying the score at 1-1 on Matt Martin’s sixth goal of the season.

Potter lost the puck to Martin in front of the Hartford goal crease, and Martin lifted the puck over Valiquette’s catching glove for the equalizer.

The remainder of the third was scoreless, with Munroe turning away several chances that would have given the Wolf Pack the lead, including an opportunity when Gilroy sent a pass from behind the net across the crease.

Entering overtime tied at one, Hartford did not wait long to score the game-winner, as defenseman Bobby Sanguinetti gathered the puck and sent a pass to Dupont in the slot, setting up Weise’s goal.

“I more or less just threw it into an area,” said Dupont.  “We (he and Weise) have a pretty good chemistry, so whenever he yells, generally he’s open.”

The win bumped Hartford (14-12-1-2, 31 points) into a tie for sixth place in the Atlantic Division with the Providence Bruins.

The Wolf Pack will complete this week’s section of their five-game home stand with a 4:00 tilt Sunday against the Albany River Rats, before hosting the Toronto Marlies (Dec. 18, 7:00) and the Hamilton Bulldogs (Dec. 19, 7:00) next weekend.

Bridgeport Sound Tigers 1 At Hartford Wolf Pack 2 (OT)
Dec 12, 2009 – XL Center Veterans Memorial Coliseum

Bridgeport 0 0 1 0 – 1
Hartford 1 0 0 1 – 2

1st Period-1, Hartford, Grachev 7 (Dupont, Gilroy), 13:33 (pp). Penalties-Byers Hfd (high-sticking), 3:31; Rechlicz Bri (misconduct – unsportsmanlike conduct), 10:16; Haskins Bri (holding the stick), 11:42; DiBenedetto Bri (roughing), 17:33; Gleed Bri (fighting), 17:33; Carroll Hfd (fighting), 17:33; Garlock Hfd (roughing, unsportsmanlike conduct), 17:33.

2nd Period- No Scoring.Penalties-Klementyev Bri (high-sticking), 2:05; Rechlicz Bri (fighting), 7:34; Hoffman Hfd (fighting), 7:34; Smith Bri (interference), 9:12; Weise Hfd (unsportsmanlike conduct, misconduct – abuse of officials), 10:35; DiBenedetto Bri (roughing), 17:44; Carroll Hfd (roughing), 17:44.

3rd Period-2, Bridgeport, Martin 6   9:03. Penalties-No Penalties

OT Period-3, Hartford, Weise 9 (Dupont, Sanguinetti), 1:15. Penalties-No Penalties

Shots on Goal-Bridgeport 8-11-6-1-26. Hartford 7-9-11-2-29.
Power Play Opportunities-Bridgeport 0 of 3; Hartford 1 of 3.
Goalies-Bridgeport, Munroe 8-7-1 (29 shots-27 saves). Hartford, Valiquette 1-2-0 (26 shots-25 saves).
A-5,752
Referees-Terry Koharski (10).
Linesmen-Derek Wahl (46), Paul Simeon (66).

Photo: FHR

According to the Russian Hockey Federation web site, the New York Rangers have refused to release 2008 third round draft pick Evgeny Grachev for this winter’s World Junior Championship tournament.  The tournament opens in Saskatoon and Regina, Saskatchewan on December 26th.

The Russians are appealing the decision through the IIHF and have included the 19-year old forward on their preliminary roster for the tournament, which was released today. The full roster is translated below.

If the Rangers’ uphold their original decision, they’ll be making a mistake. Ostensibly, the team is keeping Grachev out of the tournament with the expectation that he’ll play in New York during the time he’d be representing his country in Saskatchewan. But Grachev has yet to find his groove in the AHL — nevermind the NHL — and his play in Hartford has actually dropped off of late. He has just two points in his last nine games and his minus-2 is worst among the team’s forwards.

Two years ago, then 19-year old rookie Artem Anisimov’s play suffered a similar sag in late November and early December. Anisimov was allowed to represent his country at the World Junior Championship that year, and came home with a silver medal and a renewed sense of confidence that was immediately evident in his play, if not instantly obvious on the scoresheet.

Since the lockout the Rangers organization has shown tremendous patience with its prospects, allowing them to grow and mature without undue pressure and expectations. With few exceptions, players have been required to dominate at their prior level of play before moving up to the next one. That model seems to have been abandoned this year. Grachev’s play in Hartford has been far from dominant, and there are players there who are performing better right now and are more deserving of the opportunity in New York — should it even arise.

Grachev is a tremendously talented player with an extremely bright future. Holding him out of a highly competitive international tournament in order to rush him to the NHL before he’s ready could have serious negative consequences. If you doubt that, look no further than Nikita Filatov and Victor Tikhonov for examples of what can happen when a promising young Russian is rushed to the NHL before his game has fully developed.

Preliminary Russian Roster for the 2010 World Junior Championship

Goaltenders
Igor Bobkov — 1991 –   Metallurg Magnitogorsk
Alexander Zalivin — 1990 — Dynamo Moscow
Ramis Sadikov — 1991 — Erie Otters OHL
Alexei Trifonov — 1990 — Lada

Defenseman
Anton Klementiev — 1990 — New York Islanders
Dmitry Orlov — 1991 — Metallurg Novokuznets
Maxim Chudinov — 1990 — Severstal
Dmitry Kostromitin — 1990 — Rouyn-Noranda Huskies
Nikita Zaitsev — 1991 — Sibir
Nikita Pivtsakin — 1991 — Avangard
Konstantin Plaksin — 1990 — Traktor
Alexander Tarasov — 1990 — HK MVD
Ildar Isangulov — 1992 — Salvat Yulaev
Kirill Yurev — 1991 — Lada
Vyacheslav Voynov — 1990 — Manchester Monarchs
Dmitry Kulikov — 1990 — Florida Panthers

Forwards
Nikita Filatov — 1990 — CSKA
Alexander Burmistrov — 1991 — Barrie Colts OHL
Vladimir Tarasenko — 1991 — Sibir
Pavel Dedunov — 1990 — Amur
Ivan Telegin — 1992 — Saginaw Spirit OHL
Maxim Kitsin — 1991 — Metallurg Novokuznets
Maxim Trunev — 1990 — Severstal
Sergei Plotnikov — 1990 — Amur
Evgeny Kyznetsov — 1992 — Traktor
Evgeny Timkin — 1990 — Avangard
Vyacheslav Kulemin — 1990 — CSKA
Egor Dugin — 1990 — Traktor
Kirill Petrov — 1990 — AK Bars
Magomed Gimbatov — 1990 — SKA
Petr Khokhryakov — 1990 — Neftekhimik
Dmitry Kygrishev — 1990 — Quebec Remparts
Evgeny Grachev — 1990 — Hartford Wolf Pack