Avery Scores, Is Second Star, Leads Wolf Pack To 4th Win In A Row

Sean Avery was called the best hockey player on the ice, was named the second star of the game, and got his first goal with the Hartford Wolf Pack, leading them to a 5-1 win over the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Penguins and on a four game winning streak.

The Hartford Wolf Pack won their season-best fourth game in a row, 5-1 over the 'Baby' Penguins, and Sean Avery's first goal with the team tied the game. Avery's line was on the ice for three of Hartford's goals and Avery was named second star of the game. Hartford won by four goals despite being out-shot 40-25.

Avery was the best player on the ice, Paul Sokoloski reported for the Times Leader. He said Avery used his superior skills to score Hartford’s first goal against the Penguins and was skating with such speed that even Scranton/Wilkes-Barre players had to stop and admire.

He spent most of his shifts skating away from confrontation, Sokoroski claimed. Avery briefly lost his temper just once, when he was tripped by Jean-Phillipe Cote late in the game and responded with a shove.

Also, at the end of Wednesdayh’s pregame warmups, Avery and Sugden exchanged words with Penguins left wing Paul Bissonnette. On his first shift of the night, Avery smacked Wilkes-Barre/Scranton goalie John Curry with his stick.

Later on, he bodied up to Curry with an annoying screen at the net. Avery was jawing with the Penguins’ Luca Caputi after some post-play contact in the third period.

Matt Zaba made 39 saves for the Wolf Pack, who are a season-high eight games above .500 (31-23-2-3). The Penguins had nine power plays. Avery stayed out of the penalty box and Hartford turned the power-play disadvantages into opportunities by scoring two shorthanded goals in the third period to beat the Penguins.

Sean Avery scored his first goal with the Hartford Wolf Pack tonight against Marc-Andre Fleury of the 'Baby' Penguins of Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in Pennsylvania. It is Avery's sixth game in the AHL after being suspended for six games by the NHL.

Avery missed close to three months of hockey after he was suspended on December 2nd. He joined the Wolf Pack on February 10th and got in his first game on the 18th. The Wolf Pack went on a three game winning streak with Avery in the line-up, with victories against the Portland Pirates, the Lowell Devils, and the Manchester Monarchs.

Avery's goal tied his team's game against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in the first period in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, at the Wachovia Arena at Casey Plaza.

The Penguins got on the scoreboard first, halfway through the first period, when Alex Goligoski put the pack past. Sean Avery tied it up ten minutes later, scoring his first goal as a member of the Hartford Wolf Pack. The period ended with a 1-1 tie with the Penguins out-shooting Hartford 16 to 6.

Avery dug out the puck along the boards and ripped a tough-angle slapshot over John Curry, according to the Timesleader.com. Avery fought off a Penguin checker on left wing and drove a rolling puck past the goalie, according to Oursports.com.

Avery, trying to make his way back to the National Hockey League by playing for Hartford, made a strong case that he’s ready for the majors, the Wilkes Beacon reported. For his goal, he collected a pass from teammate Bobby Sanguinetti, maneuvered around All Star defenseman Ben Lovejoy, and fired a slap shot over the glove of John Curry, according to the Wilkes Beacon.

It was Avery’s first goal since November 30, when he scored in an NHL game against the Edmonton Oilers.

On his first shift he whacked at John Curry behind the play, and later he swung his stick into the back of Deryk Engelland’s legs and exchanged words with Connor James, the Times Leader reported.

Avery, a left winger in the NHL, played centre for the Wolf Pack. During the game, the Globe and Mail announced that it would not be long before Avery was playing in the NHL.

The New York Rangers hired their new coach, John Tortorella, on a condition of employment, according to the Globe and Mail: It was almost certain he would be coaching Avery before the season is done.

Hartford went ahead 2-1 on a goal by Jordan Owens in the first two minutes of the second period. The Wolf Pack went up by two in the third period when Greg Moore got a short-handed goal at 1:24.

The Wolf Pack got another short-handed goal at 10:53 by Patrick Rissmiller. The Pack equaled a franchise record with two shorthanded goals in the game.

It was 5 to 1 after Greg Moore got his second goal of the game a few minutes later while the Wolf Pack had a powerplay.

The Wolf Pack won their last game against the Penguins, too.

The Baby Penguins now have a record of 36-17-1, for 75 points. Hartford is now 31-23-2-3, for 67 points. They are battling Hershey for first place in their division.

The Wolf Pack's third win in a row tied their longest winning streak of the season. With their last win, they took sole possession of second in the Atlantic Division, two points ahead of Portland.

The Baby Penguins saw a nine-game winning streak end with a 4-1 loss Saturday in Hamilton.

Hartford has recalled goaltender Maxime Daigneault from its ECHL affiliate, the Charlotte Checkers. Daigneault has appeared in 57 career AHL games, with the Wolf Pack, Portland, Hershey and Milwaukee. The fifth-year pro’s overall AHL record is 30-15-3, with a 2.65 GAA, a 90.9% save percentage and five shutouts.

The Pittsburgh Penguins, with Sidney Crosby out of the line-up, recalled Finnish forward Janne Pesonon from the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, their affiliate team in the AHL.

Pesonon had zero points in seven games with Pittsburgh this season, but he is second in scoring for the Baby Penguins with 49 points.

Mark Bell, the 28-year-old forward, who had been playing for the AHL Marlies, was claimed off re-entry waivers from the Toronto Maple Leafs by the New York Rangers today.

There still might be cap space for Sean Avery, if the Rangers can claim him on recall waivers if and when the Stars decide to do so, according to Steve Zipay on Newsday.com.

The Wolf Pack return home to the XL Center this Friday night, February 27, for a game against the Manchester Monarchs (7:00). Adult tickets for Wolf Pack home games can be purchased for as low as $10 each for the rest of the regular season.