AHL attendance cracks 2 million

by AHL Press Release
Published on December 17, 2001 under American Hockey League (AHL)

AHL Press Release

SPRINGFIELD, MA ... The AHL went over the two-million mark in league-wide attendance on Saturday night, when nearly 65,000 fans attended 10 games from Quebec City to Houston.

Through 394 games, the league has drawn 2,083,614 fans, or 5,288 per contest. That average is up 4.8 percent from the same point last year (5,044 per game through 392 openings), when the league bettered its own total attendance record for the 13th consecutive season. The highest average attendance in AHL history was recorded in 1999-2000, when the league's members averaged 5,673 fans per contest.

The St. John's Maple Leafs are playing to 85 percent capacity at brand new Mile One Stadium, an increase of nearly 50% in average attendance from last season at the smaller Memorial Stadium. The defending Calder Cup champion Saint John Flames are up more than 1,500 fans a game from last year's pace, and the Lowell Lock Monsters have increased their attendance at the Tsongas Arena nearly 40 percent over their 15-game total from last year.

Of the 18 current markets which operated in the AHL in 2000-01, 12 are entertaining more fans this season than at the same point last year (see chart). And six of the nine cities that joined the AHL this season are drawing crowds over the league average, led by the expansion Manchester Monarchs, which has averaged 7,476 fans per game at the brand new Verizon Wireless Arena.

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Team       Dates 01-02 00-01 Inc.
St. John's   14  4,931 3,292 +49.8%
Saint John   15  5,044 3,611 +39.7%
Lowell       15  3,860 2,769 +39.4%
Cincinnati   14  4,859 4,200 +15.7%
Hamilton     16  4,186 3,746 +11.7%
Providence   12  8,557 7,788 +9.9%
Albany       13  3,741 3,475 +7.7%
Springfield  16  4,230 3,961 +6.8%
Syracuse     12  5,172 4,865 +6.3%
Quebec       18  4,062 3,925 +3.5%
Wilkes-Barre 15  8,316 8,049 +3.3%
Portland     11  4,603 4,517 +1.9%
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DIVISION RACES STILL TIGHT ... As teams hit the 30-game mark, the 2001-02 American Hockey League season is continuing to shape up as the most exciting in recent memory.

Twenty teams will qualify for the 2002 postseason beginning in April, comprising 10 clubs from each conference. Currently on the outside of the playoff picture looking in are three of the last four Calder Cup finalists -- Saint John, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and Rochester -- while 2000 champion Hartford sits 10th in the Eastern Conference.

The Worcester IceCats, last year's winners of the Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy as the AHL's regular season points champions, have regained a share of first place in the North Division. The IceCats, who boast three of the AHL's top 12 scorers in Eric Boguniecki (18+22=40 pts.), Justin Papineau (19+14=33) and Jame Pollock (9+24=33), joined Lowell with 34 points after posting a 6-5 victory over Quebec on Sunday evening.

Closing in on the front-runners in the North are Manchester (four points back) and Portland (seven back with five games in hand). The Monarchs are 9-3-2-2 since their season-opening 13-game road trip, while the Pirates have gone 5-2-4 in their last 11 outings.

Providence has reduced Bridgeport's lead in the East Division to one point, with goaltenders Andrew Raycroft and 2001 AHL All-Rookie selection Jeff Maund spurring the Bruins' 5-1-1 run in their last seven games. Springfield has closed to within one point of third-place Hartford, with 2001 First Team AHL All-Star Jean-Guy Trudel again leading the Falcons in scoring with 29 points.

Grand Rapids and Utah begin the week tied for first in the West Division, four points ahead of Houston and five points clear of a surging Chicago club that has won four in a row. In the Central Division, Cleveland has opened up a five-point lead over Cincinnati, despite the Mighty Ducks' 13-4-3-2 mark in their last 22 contests. And in the South, Philadelphia owns a nine-point cushion over Norfolk, thanks to a 9-1-8-2 record over their last 20 games.

FINNS, CANADIANS TAB AHL GRADS ... Seventeen AHL alumni were among the players selected as Finland and Canada revealed their 23-man rosters last week for the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City.

Finland announced its roster on Thursday, featuring 11 players with AHL experience. Raimo Helminen, who played for two AHL teams in the late 1980s, will become the first person ever to participate in six Olympic hockey tournaments. Other AHL grads to represent Finland will be goaltender Jussi Markkanen, who has split this season between Hamilton and Edmonton; Pasi Nurminen, who has recorded two shutouts with the Chicago Wolves this year; and a trio of former Springfield Falcon forwards in Juha Ylonen, Olli Jokinen and Sami Kapanen.

Additionally, six members of the Canadian Olympic squad that was announced on Saturday are AHL alumni: Martin Brodeur, Adam Foote, Eric Brewer, Owen Nolan, Michael Peca and Ryan Smyth. Canada's head coach, Pat Quinn, began his pro coaching career in the AHL in 1978-79.

ETC. ... Philadelphia's Neil Little, who owns a league-best 1.35 GAA, has allowed two goals or fewer in 12 of his 13 starts this season... Mike Minard made 49 saves for St. John's and Johan Holmqvist recorded 40 stops for Hartford as the Maple Leafs and Wolf Pack combined for 97 shots on goal in Sunday's 4-4 tie... The Leafs' line of Donald MacLean, Bobby House and Bob Wren combined for 10 points and a plus-12 in Saturday's 5-3 win over Wilkes-Barre/Scranton... Hartford defenseman Terry Virtue, scoreless in the season's first 25 games, has three goals and an assist in three games while donning the captain's "C" in place of an injured Ken Gernander... "The Nest" has been rockin' for the Falcons' Dieter Kochan, who is 8-2-0 with a 2.31 GAA at the Springfield Civic Center this season... Utah's Jon Sim, who had one goal in his previous 12 games, notched his third hat trick of the season in the Grizzlies' 4-2 win over Grand Rapids on Friday... Norm Maracle, who made 45 saves in Chicago's 5-1 win over Manitoba on Wednesday, is 8-1-0 when facing at least 32 shots in a game this year... Quebec scored the first three goals of the game, fell behind 4-3 and rallied for a 5-4 lead before settling for a 5-5 tie with Manchester on Saturday... Hershey erased a 3-0 deficit and defeated Albany in overtime on Sunday, 4-3... Syracuse's Jody Shelley became the 20th AHL graduate to score his first NHL goal this season when he beat fellow alumnus Felix Potvin in Columbus's 3-2 loss at Los Angeles on Saturday... Jason Chimera, who is second only to Hamilton teammate Brian Swanson in the AHL scoring race with 40 points this season, was recalled by Edmonton today, while Mike Van Ryn, who tallied the game-winning goal and three assists in Worcester's 6-5 win at Quebec on Sunday, has been recalled by St. Louis.

American Hockey League Stories from December 17, 2001

• AHL attendance cracks 2 million - OSC Original by AHL Press Release

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