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Published on November 19, 2003 under American Hockey League (AHL) News Release


Benoit Gratton recorded two goals and two assists to lead Hamilton to a 5-2 win over St. John's at Mile One Stadium on Tuesday night. Gratton, who leads the AHL with 21 points on the season, has recorded five goals and nine assists during the Bulldogs' current six-game unbeaten streak. Pierre Dagenais also scored twice, giving him eight goals in the last seven games. The teams meet again Wednesday night (7:35 NT, 6:05 ET), with the Bulldogs sitting four points ahead of the second-place Maple Leafs in the North Division standings.

Tue 11/18
Hamilton 5, ST. JOHN'S 2

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LOOKING AHEAD:

Houston visits Grand Rapids on Wednesday night (7:00 ET, 6:00 CT) in the teams' third meeting of the season. The Aeros have struggled to get off the ground in their title defense, with a 4-7-1-1 mark overall and a 1-4-0-1 record in their last six, during which they have been outscored 28-13. Houston does have the AHL's best penalty killing record at 89.7 percent, and their defense got a boost from the return of Travis Roche from Minnesota over the weekend. Although they are last in the league averaging 23.4 shots per game, less is more for the Griffins: Grand Rapids is winless this season (0-2-3) when outshooting the opposition.

Albany looks to continue its modest two-game unbeaten streak when Hershey visits the Pepsi Arena on Wednesday (7:00 ET) in an East Division battle. After Saturday's 4-3 win in Binghamton, the River Rats are also searching for their first back-to-back W's of the season, while the Bears are out to regain sole possession of first place. Steve Brule, who won a Calder Cup with Albany in 1995 and a Stanley Cup in New Jersey in 2000, is tied for second on the Bears with five goals in 2003-04; the Rats' Craig Darby has 31 points in his last 25 regular-season games against Hershey.

Tied for first in the West Division through Tuesday's action, Chicago and San Antonio go head-to-head on Thursday night (7:00 CT) at the SBC Center. The Rampage are 29-11-7-2 on home ice since the start of last season, including seven wins in nine home dates this year. Eric Healey and Steve Maltais, who led the AHL in goals and points, respectively, in 2002-03, have been the Wolves' offensive leaders this season, while Eric Beaudoin and Juraj Kolnik have carried the load for the Rampage, including a combined 19 points in the last five games.

(all times Eastern)
Wed 11/19
Chicago at Cincinnati, 11:05 a.m... Hamilton at St. John's, 6:05... Hershey at Albany, 7:00... Houston at Grand Rapids, 7:00

Thu 11/20
Houston at Milwaukee, 8:00... Chicago at San Antonio, 8:00... Worcester at Utah, 9:05

Fri 11/21
Grand Rapids at St. John's, 6:05... Milwaukee at Hamilton, 7:00... Cleveland at Toronto, 7:00... Manchester at Binghamton, 7:05... Lowell at Philadelphia, 7:05... Hartford at Providence, 7:05... Hershey at Wilkes-Barre, 7:05... Portland at Norfolk, 7:30... Rochester at Syracuse, 7:30... Albany at Springfield, 7:35... Cincinnati at Manitoba, 8:30

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ALUMNI WATCH:

On Tuesday, Kevin Weekes made 41 saves as Carolina tied Philadelphia, 2-2... Michael Ryder had a goal and two assists for Montreal in a 5-4 overtime loss to Vancouver... Jamie McLennan stopped 15 shots to help Calgary to a 3-2 overtime win over Toronto... Raffi Torres and Jarret Stoll scored in Edmonton's 5-2 win over Chicago... 1986 Calder Cup champion Adam Oates has signed with the Oilers for the remainder of the 2003-04 season.

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AHL-TV:
Wednesday, Chicago at Cincinnati -- Comcast Cable (Chicago) -- 10:05 am CT
Wednesday, Hamilton at St. John's -- Rogers Cable 9 (St. John's) -- 7:35 NT
Thursday, Chicago at San Antonio -- Comcast Cable (Chicago) -- 7:00 CT
Friday, Grand Rapids at St. John's -- Rogers Cable 9 (St. John's) -- 7:35 NT
Friday, Milwaukee at Hamilton -- Cable 14 (Hamilton) -- 7:00 ET
Friday, Hershey at Wilkes-Barre -- Adelphia 63 (Wilkes-Barre) -- 7:05 ET

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American Hockey League Stories from November 19, 2003


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