Albany River Rats Notebook

Published on February 26, 2007 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Albany River Rats News Release


The Albany River Rats have won two straight and four of their last five games to move to within five points of the Bridgeport Sound Tigers for the fourth and final playoff spot in the East Division. The River Rats have three games in hand and three head-to-head meetings remaining with the Sound Tigers (March 14 at Albany; April 1 at Bridgeport; April 7 at Albany). News, notes and storylines heading into this week's action:

* The River Rats have 26 wins, surpassing their win total from last season (25). Albany did not win its 25th game last season until the 80th and final game of the regular season. At 26-25-2-2, the River Rats are over .500 after 55 games for the first time since 1998-99.

* Saturday's crowd of 7,806 against Portland (4-3 SOW) was the largest to see a River Rats game since April 5, 2003, when Albany played Binghamton at the Times Union Center.

* The River Rats begin a stretch Wednesday when they host the 2006 Calder Cup champion Hershey Bears at the Times Union Center that sees them play 18 games in 33 days and 25 games in 48 days to complete the 2006-07 regular season.

* The River Rats have won three straight and are 6-2-0-0 in their last eight games at the Times Union Center after going 1-3-0-1 in their previous five. At 14-10-2-1, the River Rats are four games above .500 at home for the first time this season.

* Albany has given up just one opposition power play goal in its last 12 games (February 10 at Hershey), successfully killing 37 of 38 shorthanded situations over that span.

* Center Keith Aucoin has a current four-game point streak (4-5-8); points in 11 of his last 12 games (5-15-20) and 18 of his last 21 (7-27-34). He has accrued the fourth-most points (147) and assists (101) in the AHL since the start of the 2005-06 season. The native of Waltham, Mass., leads the River Rats in points (62), goals (17), assists (45), home points (31), away points (31), even-strength points (38), power play points (22) and multiple-point games (21).

* Clear Day for the 2006-07 season is set for Thursday, March 1. Each member club is required to submit its Clear Day List to the AHL office by 3 p.m. ET on that day. Only the 22 players listed on a team's Clear Day roster are eligible to compete in the remainder of the AHL regular season and in the 2007 Calder Cup playoffs, unless emergency situations arise as a result of recalls to the NHL, injury or suspension. Teams may also add signed junior players or players on amateur tryout contracts after Clear Day, but only once their respective junior or college seasons are complete.

COMMUNITY APPEARANCES (VIDEO/PHOTO OPPORTUNITIES):

February 21: Cody McCormick and Dave Gove, Reading with Rowdy, School 12 (475 1st Street, Troy), 1-2 p.m.

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American Hockey League Stories from February 26, 2007


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