River Rats Win First Road Game Of Season In Lowell

Published on November 17, 2008 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Albany River Rats News Release


Week 6 Recap:

Week 6 started off with a sour note for Albany as they dropped a heart-breaking loss to Syracuse 5-3 Wednesday night at home. The Rats went behind 2-0 early in the first period, only to storm back and take a 3-2 lead early in the second period. But Syracuse tied the game and then scored two more in the third to steal the two points away from Albany. The River Rats then hit the road for a two-game weekend trip, their longest excursion of the season so far. Friday in Lewiston, Maine the Portland Pirates exploded for three second period goals in a span of 2:22 to blow the doors off a 2-2 tie and then cruised for a 6-3 win over Albany. The Rats salvaged the week on Saturday night by unloading 42 shots on the Lowell Devils, defending bravely and walking out of Tsongas Arena with a 3-2 shootout win, their first victory on the road this year.

Week 7 Preview:

On Sunday Carolina reassigned right wing Pat Dwyer to Albany following his first sting in the NHL. Dwyer made his NHL debut on November 2nd and played in seven straight games for the Hurricanes; he averaged 9:08 of ice time per game, including 2:54 of shorthanded ice time per game. With Dwyer, one of Albany's assistant captains, the River Rats are close to full strength, with no players currently on NHL call up with Carolina for the first time since late October. Defenseman Bryan Rodney returned to the lineup last Saturday in Lowell, after missing three games with an injury, and set up Joe Jensen's breakaway goal that forced overtime and the eventual shootout win for the Rats.

Albany will complete a three-game road trip on Wednesday morning, with the rare 11:00 am morning game, a school kids special at Wachovia Spectrum against the Philadelphia Phantoms. Friday, November 21st the River Rats return home for a rematch with the Syracuse Crunch, a 7:00 pm face off at the Times Union Center. Friday's game is the front half of a home-and-home series with the Crunch, with the second half coming on Saturday, November 22nd in Syracuse at the War Memorial at Oncenter at 7:30 pm.

Week 7 Schedule:

(All games are broadcast LIVE on 104.5 FM "The Team" ESPN Radio, are streamed free over the Internet at www.albanyriverrats.com and can be watched via internet pay-per-view video on www.ahllive.com)

Wednesday, November 19 - 11:05 am - Wachovia Spectrum - Philadelphia, PA

@ Philadelphia Phantoms (8-8-0-0, 16 pts)

Fifth Place, East Division

The Phantoms shutout the River Rats 3-0 in their first meeting of the season on October 25th at the Times Union Center. Philadelphia started the season 1-5-0-0 and then rattled off six straight wins, but has since won just one of their last four games. The Phantoms have lost two straight games, both to the Hershey Bears in a home-and-home series last weekend: 3-2 at the Spectrum and 7-3 at Hershey. On November 9th Scott Munroe recorded his league-leading second shutout of the season, stopping all 46 shots he faced to blank the Providence Bruins 2-0.

Leading Scorer: Danny Syvret (D) - 15 points (4 goals, 11 assists) in 16 games played.

Leading Goaltender: Scott Munroe (G) - 1.82 GAA, 0.947 save pct., 2 shutouts, 5-2-0 record in 7 GP.

Who's Hot: Claude Giroux (RW) - 6 points (2 goals, 4 assists) in last five games played. Jonathan Matsumoto (C) - 4 goals in last five games played. Boyd Kane (LW) - 4 points (1 goal, 3 assists) in last five games played.

Friday, November 21 - 7:00 pm - Times Union Center - Albany, NY

vs. Syracuse Crunch (12-3-0-1, 25 pts)

First Place, North Division

Saturday, November 22 - 7:30 pm - War Memorial at Oncenter - Syracuse, NY

@ Syracuse Crunch (12-3-0-1, 25 pts)

First Place, North Division

The red hot Crunch are currently on a six-game unbeaten streak (5-0-0-1) and are a perfect 6-0-0-0 at home this season. They have won two games in a row and have not lost a contest in regulation since November 7th at Binghamton.

Leading Scorers: Mike York (LW) - 16 points (3 goals, 13 assists) in 16 games played.

Leading Goaltender: Dan LaCosta (G) - 2.39 GAA, 0.921 save pct., 9-1-1 record in 12 GP.

Who's Hot: Mike York (LW) - 7 points (1 goal, 6 assists) and a +1 rating in last five games played. Derek MacKenzie (C) - 6 points (3 goals, 3 assists) in last five games played. Kris Russell (D) - 5 points (2 goals, 3 assists) and a +3 rating in last five games played.

Week 6 Game Results:

11/12/08 Syracuse 5 @ Albany 3

11/14/08 Albany 3 @ Portland 6 (at Lewiston, ME)

11/15/08 Albany 3 @ Lowell 2 - Shootout (3-2)

River Rats Player of the Week: (Week 6)

Stefan Chaput - C - #15 3 GP, 4 Points (1 goal, 3 assists), +2 rating, 2 PIMs

Rookie forward Stefan Chaput had a break out week as his first pro season continues to unfold. The Montreal, Quebec native put together his first AHL point streak, starting with his second straight multi-point game, tallying a goal and an assist against Syracuse on Wednesday night. Friday night in Lewiston, Chaput returned to Androscoggin Bank Colisee, where he played four years of junior hockey for the Lewiston MAINEiacs of the QMJHL. Chaput had one assist in that game then added another assist Saturday in Lowell to be the first River Rats player this season to record a four-game assist streak.

Rat Bites:

- STREAKING, QUEBEC-STYLE - Quebec natives Stefan Chaput and Jerome Samson have hit their stride over the last two weeks. Both players are currently riding four-game point streaks dating back to the November 8th game against Providence. Each have six points over that span: Samson (3 goals, 3 assists) and Chaput (2 goals, 4 assists).

- LAYING BRICKS - Justin Peters became the first Albany goaltender to start back-to-Back games for the River Rats this season, starting on both November 8th vs. Providence and November 12th vs. Syracuse. Saturday, November 15th at Lowell, Peters was again in the net, leading Albany to a 3-2 shootout victory and his first win of the season.

- HELPING HAND - Rookie Stefan Chaput is currently on a four-game assist streak, the longest consecutive assist run of the season by an Albany player. Chaput has tallied one assist in each of the team's last four games, starting against the Bruins November 8th.

- RALEIGH REINFORCEMENTS - As the Carolina Hurricanes have seen their slew of injured players return to the lineup, the River Rats roster has been bolstered over the last week. Left wing Michael Ryan was sent back to Albany last Monday, center Dwight Helminen was returned to the Rats on Wednesday and Sunday afternoon the Hurricanes reassigned right wing Pat Dwyer to Albany after making his NHL debut.

- A SWEET ROAD WIN - Saturday's 3-2 shootout win in Lowell was Albany's first road victory of the season and marked the first time in four attempts this year that the River Rats have won a game that extended beyond regulation time. Along with being their first win in the last five games, Saturday's game was the first time all season that the Rats have allowed fewer than three goals in a contest.

River Rats Recent Transactions

November 16 - ADD Pat Dwyer (RW) - Returned on loan from Carolina (NHL).

November 12 - ADD Dwight Helminen (C) - Returned on loan from Carolina (NHL).

November 12 - ADD Jonathan Paiement (D) - Recalled from loan with Florida Everblades (ECHL).

November 10 - ADD - Michael Ryan (LW) - Returned on loan from Carolina (NHL).

November 10 - DELETE - Marc Cavosie (C) - Released from 25-game PTO.

Albany River Rats Team Leaders:

Games Played: Eight players tied with (14)

Goals: Jakub Petruzalek & Jerome Samson (4)

Assists: Mark Flood (7)

Points: Mark Flood (9)

Plus/Minus: Nick Dodge (+5)

Penalty Minutes: Tim Conboy (49)

Power Play Goals: Stefan Chaput (2)

Short Handed Goals: Pat Dwyer, Mark Flood & Dwight Helminen (1)

Game-Winning Goals: Pat Dwyer & Michael Ryan (1)

Shots: Jerome Samson (31)

Shooting Percentage: Joe Jensen (22.2%)

Saves: Justin Peters (220)

Wins: Daniel Manzato (2)

GAA: Justin Peters (3.11)

Save Percentage: Justin Peters (0.898)

####

Albany will complete their three-game road trip on Wednesday, November 19th with a rare 11:05 am game against the Philadelphia Phantoms at Wachovia Spectrum. The River Rats next home game comes on Friday, November 21st as they again host the Syracuse Crunch at 7:00 pm at the Times Union Center.

River Rats flex ticket packages and individual game tickets are on sale now at the River Rats office and the Times Union Center Box Office. For more information please contact the Albany River Rats at (518) 487-2244 or online at www.albanyriverrats.com.

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American Hockey League Stories from November 17, 2008


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