Goaltender Chad Johnson first entered New York Rangers fans’ consciences during a surprisingly solid inaugural NHL training camp this fall.  The former 2006 fifth round draft pick of the Pittsburgh Penguins — acquired for a fifth round pick in last summer’s draft — surrendered just one goal in 66 minutes of preseason playing time with the Rangers, making 32 saves to lead the team with a .969 save percentage.

He got off to a far less impressive start with the Hartford Wolf Pack, however.  After being pulled in his first professional start, the 23-year old University of Alaska-Fairbanks alum went on to put up a mediocre .871 save percentage and a 3.66 goals against average over his first six games, earning a 2-3-0 record as both he and the team in front of him struggled out of the gate.

That all changed on Halloween, when Johnson donned his Superman cape and stopped 17 shots to earn his first pro shut out.  In seven straight starts since, Clarke Kent’s alter ego has remained in costume, compiling a 6-1-0 record with a stunning 1.13 goals against average and .960 save percentage.

Johnson’s lone loss in that span came in a close 2-1 decision to the division-leading Manchester Monarchs last Wednesday.  But he rebounded better than anyone might have hoped, earning back-to-back shutouts this weekend by stopping 26 shots in a 2-0 rematch with Manchester on Friday, and making 35 saves in a 4-0 victory over Hartford’s playoff foes from last spring, the Worcester Sharks.

In the process he became the first Wolf Pack goaltender to record consecutive shutouts since current Rangers backup Steve Valiquette did it during the 2004-2005 season.

Johnson’s double donuts moved him into a tie for tops in the league in shuouts with three, while his eight wins tie him for second league-wide.  His save percentage (.923) and goals-against average (2.17) are still recovering from his early-season swoon, but have already improved enough to rank him 12th and 13th in the league, respectively.

Alas, there were other skaters on the ice for the Wolf Pack last week.  In the opener of the week’s home-and-home match-up with Manchester, P.A. Parenteau scored his league-leading tenth goal of the season to give the Pack the lead early in the first period.  But a lackluster team effort in the third and a pair of early Monarch goals cost the Wolf Pack the chance to run their winning streak to five.

Revenge proved sweet on Friday, when the Wolf Pack played host.  Following 56:54 of scoreless hockey, ECHL call-up Derek Couture became the unlikely hero when he squeezed fellow fourth-liner Justin Soryal’s rebound past Manchester goalie Jonathan Bernier.  Thirty-six second later, Dane Byers, who’d returned to Hartford earlier in the day following a five game stint in the NHL, proved he hadn’t missed a beat when he converted on a 2-on-1 with Jordan Owens.

Saturday saw the Wolf Pack return to the DCU Center in Worcester for the first time since last spring’s playoff collapse.  Of Johnson’s three shutouts this season, this was probably the most challenging, as he was forced to come up with 35 saves — many of them game-savers.  Illka Heikkinen, Brodie Dupont, Ryan Garlock and Bobby Sanguinetti each scored, proving the team could get the job done without Parenteau, who’d been called upon on Friday to replace Byers in New York.  Corey Locke picked up a pair of helpers to maintain his position at the top of the AHL leaderboard with 24 points in 17 games.  And Byers earned an assist as well, giving him points in both games since his demotion.

Who’s Hot
Chad Johnson. Need we really say more?

Who’s Not
It’s hard to single out players for poor performances when a team is on a 6-1 run, but here are a few who could be contibuting a bit more on the scoresheet:  Rookie Paul Crowder has just one point in his last 11 games.  Swiss import Andres Ambuhl just one in his last 12 and only two all year.  And tough guy Soryal — who proved last year that he can do more than drop the gloves — has just one point on the season, though it was a critical assist on the goal that broke the 0-0 tie late in the third period on Friday.

Key Injuries
Defenseman Michael Sauer missed all three games last week and is currently day-to-day with what is believed to be a right shoulder injury.  Fellow blueliner Brent Henley joined him on the sidelines on Friday and Saturday with an undisclosed malady.

What’s Next
The Wolf Pack take a break from divisional play this week to face three East Division teams, starting Wednesday when they host the Binghamton Senators at 7pm.  The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins are in town the next night for a rare Thursday night match-up, also at 7pm.  And the Wolf Pack finish the week with a trip to Syracuse for a 7:30 start against the Crunch on Saturday.