AHL American Hockey League

All-Star Game is AHL's 'Maine' Event

January 27, 2003 - American Hockey League (AHL) News Release


SPRINGFIELD, MA ... As this year's crop of American Hockey League All-Stars descends on Portland later this week, they are following a tradition of excellence that was first celebrated in the AHL more than six decades ago.

This year's All-Star Game at the Cumberland County Civic Center falls 61 years to the day after the first AHL All-Star event was held at the Arena in Cleveland on February 3, 1942. That showcase was held as a fundraiser for Canadian and American efforts in World War II.

Some of the best players in AHL history suited up for the game, including Les Cunningham, the leading scorer of his era and the man whose name now graces the AHL's annual MVP trophy. With future Hall of Famers Bill Cook and Fred "Bun" Cook serving as the teams' head coaches, the East All-Stars posted a 5-4 victory over the West All-Stars.
 
The AHL All-Star Game was revived in 1954, pitting the defending Calder Cup champions against a team of the league's brightest all-stars. This format was used six times through the 1959-60 season, and the participants included top names such as Don Cherry, Emile Francis, Fred Glover, Brian Kilrea, Steve Kraftcheck, Willie Marshall, Frank Mathers, Marcel Paille, Fred Shero and Gump Worsley. The most memorable performance in the event's history may have occurred in Providence on Oct. 23, 1956, when Hall of Fame goaltender Johnny Bower of the hometown Reds made 47 saves and shut out a potent team of AHL All-Stars, 4-0.
 
In his first season at the helm, AHL President Dave Andrews resurrected the league's All-Star Game once more in 1995. All-Stars from the league's six Canadian-based teams faced off against those from the league's U.S.-based teams. In 1996, the first AHL All-Star Skills Competition was held, and in 1997, the format was changed to pit Canadian-born players against a team of All-Stars born outside of the Dominion.
 
With patriotic pride at stake, the AHL All-Star Game has annually been a well-contested affair. On two occasions, overtime failed to determine a winner, and Chris Ferraro, one of the PlanetUSA co-captains for this year's event, etched himself a place in All-Star history by scoring the game-winning shootout goal in both 1997 and 1999. Last year, more than 20 league records were set or tied as the Canadian All-Stars posted a 13-11 victory over the PlanetUSA team in St. John's, Nfld.
 
The 2003 Dodge AHL All-Star Classic gets underway on Sunday with the 2003 Pepsi AHL All-Star Skills Competition at 8:00 p.m. ET, and concludes with the annual All-Star Game at 7:00 p.m. ET on Monday, February 3. The 2003 Dodge AHL All-Star Classic will be televised to 60 million households on 15 regional television partners in the United States and on Rogers Sportsnet nationally in Canada. Of the 262 players to participate in the All-Star Game since 1995, more than 92 percent have competed in the NHL.

AHL All-Star Classic TV Listings
All-Star Skills Competition – Feb. 2, 8:00 pm ET
NHL Center Ice (U.S. subscribers) -- Live
New England Sports Network -- Live
MSG Network -- Live
Fox Sports Net Pittsburgh -- Live
WXSP-TV (Grand Rapids) -- Live
Rogers Sportsnet (national) -- Feb. 3 – 4pm ET
Fox Sports Net Ohio -- Feb. 3 – Noon ET
Fox Sports Net Chicago -- Feb. 3 – Noon CT
Fox Sports Net Rocky Mtn. -- Feb. 3 – Noon MT
Fox Sports Net Arizona -- Feb. 4 – Noon MT
CN8 (Comcast Network) -- Feb. 8 – 1pm ET
Sunshine Network -- Feb. 11 – 1pm ET
 
All-Star Game – Feb. 3, 7:00 pm ET
NHL Center Ice (U.S. subscribers) -- Live
New England Sports Network (check local listings) -- Live
Rogers Sportsnet (national) -- Live
Fox Sports Net New York -- Live
Fox Sports Net Pittsburgh -- Live
Fox Sports Net Chicago -- Live
Fox Sports Net Rocky Mountain -- Live
Fox Sports Net Arizona -- Live
Fox Sports Net Bay Area -- Live
Comcast Sportsnet Philadelphia -- Live
WXSP-TV (Grand Rapids) -- Live
Fox Sports Net Ohio -- Feb. 4 – Noon ET
Comcast Sportsnet Mid-Atlantic -- Feb. 8 – 1pm ET
Sunshine Network -- Feb. 11 – 11:30pm ET 
 
ALL-STAR OFFICIALS NAMED ... The American Hockey League has named the on-ice officials for next Monday's 2003 AHL All-Star Game. Referee Dave Hansen will be joined by linesmen Brad Weeden and Matt Dunne for the game.
 
Hansen joined the AHL in 2000; Weeden has worked more then 600 AHL games in 22 seasons, including the Calder Cup Final in 1996; and Dunne is in his 19th year of service to the league, with a resume that includes the 1997 Calder Cup Final.
 
PETERSEN, PENS HOLD AUCTION FOR CHARITY ... Toby Petersen and the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins have teamed to raise money for Juvenile Diabetes Foundation International by auctioning off some of the former AHL All-Star's game-used equipment and an autographed photograph.
 
The auction, which is being held at www.wbspenguins.com through January 31, will also include two tickets to an upcoming Penguins game and other items signed and donated by members of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton organization.
 
At age 5, Petersen was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes, a disease which strikes children and makes them insulin-dependent for life.
 
OFF THE ICE ... More than 1,800 Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts and their chaperones participated in Scout Sleepover Night at the Hartford Civic Center after Saturday's Hartford-Chicago game... To mark the first anniversary of the Salt Lake City Olympics, the Utah Grizzlies are offering Olympic volunteers $5 off tickets to the team's games on Feb. 7 and 8... Philadelphia has unveiled its Goals for Success program, endorsing and rewarding academic achievement for students in grades 1-8 throughout the Delaware Valley.
 
ETC. ... After going winless in his first nine AHL decisions of the season (0-5-4), Rochester's Mika Noronen posted back-to-back shutouts in Cincinnati on Friday and Saturday... Portland's twin brothers and linemates Peter Ferraro and Chris Ferraro have combined for 54 points (18g, 36a) and a plus-28 rating in 16 games since Christmas... The Pirates have tied an AHL record with eight home shutouts this season... Hamilton's Michael Ryder has a point in 10 straight games (9g, 7a)... Former NCAA Division III Player of the Year Keith Aucoin has climbed into a tie for seventh in the AHL's scoring race with 46 points for Providence this season... With last week's arrivals of Jordan Leopold and Mike Mottau, the Saint John Flames' defense corps now boasts two of the last three Hobey Baker Award winners... In Chicago's 6-1 win at Worcester on Friday, Ben Simon scored a shorthanded empty-net goal while the Wolves were skating at a 6-on-3 disadvantage... Cleveland's Vesa Toskala, who has started 19 of Cleveland's last 21 games, is leading the AHL in shots faced (1,123) for the second straight year... Binghamton's Brad Smyth is one point shy of becoming the 65th player in AHL history to record 500 career points... Hartford captain Ken Gernander's first game back from injury will make him the 25th player ever to skate in 800 AHL contests... Utah's Greg Hawgood played in his 1,000th North American professional game on Sunday, and scored the game-winning goal and added two assists in a 3-1 victory over Philadelphia... Donald Audette, winner of the Dudley "Red" Garrett Award as the AHL's top rookie in 1989-90, has been assigned to Hamilton by the Montreal Canadiens... Patrick Boileau, a veteran of 482 AHL games, scored his first NHL goal for Detroit in a 5-2 win at Vancouver on Friday... Saturday's game between the Phantoms and Grand Rapids at the First Union Center drew 14,762 fans, the largest AHL crowd this season... A franchise-record crowd of 7,109 fans packed the Tsongas Arena for Lowell's game against Providence on Friday night.

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