Tonight, Albany, 7:05: The Wolf Pack (48-23-3-3) enter the last weekend of the regular season on a two-game losing streak and looking to rebound from one of their worst showings of the season, a 5-1 loss to Manchester that dropped them six points behind the Monarchs for the Atlantic Division and Eastern Conference leads. They lost their only previous meeting with the River Rats 5-1 in Albany Jan. 14. The River Rats (29-35-7-6) are last in the East Division and will miss the playoffs for the fifth year in a row but are on an 8-0-1 roll, led by LW Dean McAmmond (19 goals, 42 assists), rookie C Zach Parise (17, 36), former Pack LW Pascal Rheaume (24, 24) and RW Brian Gionta, who has four goals and six assists in 12 games.
Saturday, at Springfield, 7:05 p.m., Sunday, Springfield, 4:05 p.m.: The Pack are 6-1-0-1 against Springfield with three straight shutouts since a 4-3 loss Jan. 8. In that stretch they've outscored Springfield 10-0 as Jason LaBarbera and former Falcon Steve Valiquette combined for 61 saves. The Falcons (23-46-5-3) have been shut out an AHL-record 17 times and will miss the playoffs for the fourth time in five years but are 4-2-3 in their last nine. One of their few bright spots has been C Ryan Craig (27, 14). Sunday is Fan Appreciation Day, with the Pack handing out their annual awards and holding their "Shirts Off Our Backs" promotion in which they give their game jerseys to fans selected in a lottery. Before the game, captain Ken Gernander will present Mayor Eddie A. Perez the first GEICO Connecticut Cup after the Pack beat Bridgeport in the season series between the state rivals.
Playoff possibilities: If the Pack, as expected, finish as the No. 2 seed in the division, they'll play their first two playoff games at home against No. 3 Lowell Thursday and April 23. If they finish first, they'll play No. 4 Providence or Worcester April 22 and 23.
