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Albany River Rats Notebook

March 19, 2007 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Albany River Rats News Release


The Albany River Rats, 4-1-0-0 in their last five games and 8-4-1-0 in their last 13, begin a three-game road trip Wednesday at Worcester. Games Friday at Hamilton and Saturday in Syracuse completes the trip. News, notes and storylines heading into this week's action:

*The River Rats are 32-29-3-2 (.523) for 69 points thru 66 games and lead Bridgeport by one point for the fourth and final playoff spot in the East Division. The River Rats and Sound Tigers each have 14 games remaining in the 2006-07 regular season, including two head-to-head meetings: April 1 at Bridgeport and April 7 at Times Union Center.

*The River Rats have scored three-or-more goals in six of their last seven games (25 goals), including 12 power play goals over that stretch. Albany has scored 51 goals in its last 15 games (3.40) and 155 in its last 47 (3.30). The River Rats scored just 46 goals thru their first 26 games (2.42).

*Albany owns a 29.7 percent success rate on the power play over its last 10 games (16-for-54) and 25.0 percent over its last 19 (30-for-120). The River Rats have climbed to 12th in the AHL on the power play at 17.5 percent (64-for-365) after being ranked 27th in mid-December.

*The line of center Keith Aucoin, left wing Matt Murley and right wing Ryan Bayda - dubbed the "Production Line" by Chris Fitz Gerald of the Troy Record - has combined for 10 goals, 18 assists, 28 points, three game-winning goals (two by Murley, one by Bayda) and 68 shots in the last five games.

*Center Keith Aucoin has a current season-high, eight-game point streak (five goals, 10 assists), including multiple-point efforts in each of his last five games. The River Rats' captain has earned points in 14 of his last 15 games (10 goals, 16 assists) and 21 of his last 23 (12 goals, 26 assists). He has accrued 52 points (14 goals, 38 assists) over his last 32 games to lead the AHL in scoring since December 31. Aucoin needs five assists to break John Madden's single-season club record of 60 in 1998-99. He is on pace for 102 points, which would break Madden's record of 98 in 1998-99.

*Right wing Ryan Bayda has a current five-game point streak (four goals, five assists), including goals in four of the five games. He has registered 17 goals in his last 27 games.

*Left wing Matt Murley has recorded four consecutive multiple-point games, earning eight points (three goals, five assists). The Troy, NY native and RPI product has collected 14 points (six goals, eight assists) in his last 11 games and has 26 points (nine goals, 17 assists) in his last 20.

*Defenseman Tyson Strachan made his debut in an Albany uniform March 18 vs. WB-Scranton. A fifth-round pick by Carolina in 2003, Strachan signed an amateur tryout contract contract March 16 after completing his senior season at Ohio State University.

*Defenseman Johnny Boychuk and right wing Pat Dwyer have played in all 66 games this season. The River Rats have not had a player appear in all 80 regular season games since Scott Cameron in 2002-03.

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