Plenty of Holiday Cheer For the Whale

By Bruce Berlet

The Connecticut Whale family is happy on many fronts this holiday season, starting with good health for most and a spot atop the Northeast Division as the first full season for the renamed franchise nears the two-fifths pole.

The strong guidance of coach Ken Gernander and assistants J.J. Daigneault and Pat Boller has enabled the Whale to survive major injuries to standouts such as veteran defenseman Wade Redden and skilled wings Mats Zuccarello and Chad Kolarik, and the recalls of centers Kris Newbury and John Mitchell, speedy rookie wing Carl Hagelin, rugged right wing Andre Deveaux and defensemen Tim Erixon and Stu Bickel.

So as the team began its four-day Christmas break Thursday before returning for a game Monday night at Bridgeport, here’s what many in the Whale family are most hoping to find in or around their stocking and tree come Sunday morning:

Howard Baldwin, Whalers Sports and Entertainment chairman and CEO: Good health. No bad moods! Sellouts.

Howard Baldwin Jr., WSE president and COO: All I want is my great staff to have the safest holiday and get much needed rest!

Karen Baldwin, wife of Howard: My wish for this year is the same as ever – for health and happiness for family and friend and peace in the world at large … and some nice big crowds for the Whale games!

Frank Berrian, community relations director: I want the Whale to keep winning and the fans to come on out!

Liz Bontempo, new media and promotions manager: Every girl loves jewelry. I would like a Calder Cup ring.

Ken Gernander, coach: World peace

J.J. Daigneault, assistant coach: A new transmission for my 1969 Mercedes

Pat Boller, assistant coach: An iPad

Damien Hess, trainer: No injuries, which means everyone is healthy

Mark Cesari, strength and conditioning coach: NHL2012 Xbox

Russ Holdredge, equipment manager: I’ve got everything I need

Players

Jonathan Audy-Marchessault: Go home to Quebec City and see my family and friends and go shopping separately with my mom and dad for Christmas and birthday presents (he turns 21 on Tuesday)

Lee Baldwin: A surfboard

Francois Bouchard: See my family in Montreal; it’s always nice to see family and friends at Christmas

Ryan Bourque: I haven’t been home for Christmas since 2008 because I’ve been playing for the Quebec Remparts so it’ll be nice to be with the family and hopefully it’s a white Christmas

Andre Deveaux: Get a backdoor pass from Newbury

Tommy Grant: Standup Skidoo

Chad Johnson: I’m happy, so I don’t really need anything

Chad Kolarik: To be healthy again

Chris McKelvie: Remain in first place and have guys who are hurt get healthy

Kris Newbury: Snow, so the kids can get out of the house and play in it

Jared Nightingale: Not to practice on Thursday (the Whale did)

Jordan Owens: A chance to go home and see family and friends in Niagara Falls

Blake Parlett: See my family and friends in Muskoka, Ontario

Jeff Prough: Golf clubs

Cam Talbot: I want Lee Baldwin to have a new set of hands

Scott Tanski: See my family and friends in Burlington, Ontario, and have some turkey. I like dark meat. (he’s traveling home with Owens, who lives about 40 miles away)

Kelsey Tessier: To visit my girlfriend’s family in Montreal and for everyone’s health to be good and my eye to get better (after being hit in practice on Tuesday)

Andreas Thuresson: Peace on earth

Pavel Valentenko: Me, my family, friends and fans to be happy and healthy

Aaron Voros: Get healthy

Mats Zuccarello: Get healthy

And me? I’ll take a little Gernander and Thuresson (world peace), a little Howard and Karen Baldwin (more fans supporting the Whale because the coaches and players deserve it), a little of several guys (health and being with family and friends) and a little of myself (a sellout for the revived Connecticut Sports Writers’ Alliance Bo Kolinsky Scholarship Golf Tournament; contact me if interested in playing June 28 at Lyman Orchards Golf Club in Middlefield).

Merry Christmas! Happy Chanukah! Merry Kwanza! Happy Whatever Else! And enough wins for the Whale to raise a second Calder Cup banner in June!

WHALE-FALCONS FANS SERIES TICKETS AVAILABLE

Tickets for the next two games in the seven-game series between the Whale and Falcons fans are on sale.

Game 4 is on Jan. 7 in Hartford at 4 p.m., and Game 5 is Jan. 8 in Springfield at 12:30 p.m. Tickets for the final two games on Feb. 10 in Springfield at 5 p.m. and March 17 in Hartford at 4 p.m. will be available in the near future. Tickets must be purchased at least 10 days in advance of a game and include admission to the AHL game. A portion of ticket sales benefits Defending the Blue Line, an organization that helps children of military families play hockey. The first three games raised about $600.

Tickets are available for games in Springfield by contacting Damon Markiewicz at dmarkiewicz@falconsahl.com. Advance tickets in Hartford are available by contacting Dussault at whalefalconsfangame@gmail.com. Information on all the games and the series is available at www.facebook.com/WhaleFalconsFanGame.

The Falcons fans have won 10-6, 14-4 and 8-4 in the first such series originated by Seth Dussault of Easthampton, Mass. Matt Marychuk of Glastonbury created a Facebook page to see if there were any interested players, and he and Dussault managed the social media page as interest grew. They used the page to sign up fans to play and communicate between the players and managed to fill rosters for each fan team. The idea caught the attention of the Falcons and then Whale front office, leading to players of all ages and skill levels participating in the series.