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American Conference Roster Announced For All-Star Game

Published on December 30, 2005 under ECHL (ECHL) News Release


PRINCETON, N.J. - The ECHL on Friday announced the starting lineup and roster of the American Conference for the 2006 ECHL All-Star Game presented by Bud Light on Jan. 25 at Save Mart Center in Fresno, Calif.

There are 11 rookies and 18 of the players on the 21-man roster are first-time selections.

The Fresno Falcons are the host for the 2006 ECHL All-Star Skills Competition on Jan. 24 and the 2006 ECHL All-Star Game presented by Bud Light on Jan. 25. Both events will be at Save Mart Center and begin at 7 p.m. PT.

The starting lineups were determined in voting by American Conference coaches, team captains, media directors, broadcasters and newspaper writers. Coaches also submitted the top prospects from within their conference to determine the final roster with each of the 14 teams in the American Conference having a representative.

The starting lineup and roster for the National Conference will be announced at 12 p.m. ET on Saturday.

American Conference Starters
G - Cody Rudkowsky, Reading (11 gp, 10-2-1, 1 shutout, 2.46 GAA, .918 save pct.)
D - Troy Milam, Gwinnett (26 gp, 2g, 18a, 20 pts)
D - Rory Rawlyk, Charlotte (28 gp, 9g, 15a, 24 pts)
F - Kurtis McLean, Wheeling (28 gp, 21g, 17a, 38 pts)
F - Scott Bertoli, Trenton (28 gp, 9g, 17a, 26 pts)
F - Ernie Hartlieb, Florida (27 gp, 15g, 15a, 30 pts)

Making his first appearance and start is Reading goaltender Cody Rudkowsky, who is 10-2-1 with a shutout, a goals-against average of 2.46 and a save percentage of .918 in 11 games with the Royals. Joining Rudkowsky from the Royals are rookie defenseman T.J. Kemp and rookie right wing Greg Hogeboom. Selected in the fifth round (152nd overall) by Los Angeles in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft and under contract to the Kings, the 23-year-old Hogeboom is tied for third among league rookies with 18 assists and ranks fifth with 27 points in 19 games while also playing six games in the AHL for Manchester. In his first professional season, the 24-year-old Kemp is seventh among ECHL rookies with 24 points (7g-17a) in 25 games.

Making his first start and second All-Star appearance is Gwinnett defenseman Troy Milam, who was selected to the 2004 ECHL All-Star Game as a rookie with the Gladiators. Under contract to Chicago of the American Hockey League, the 25-year-old has 20 points (2g-18a) in 26 games for Gwinnett and is tied for fifth among league defensemen in assists and tied for 11th in scoring. Also named to the roster from the Gladiators are rookie right wing Guillaume Desbiens and center Pascal Pelletier. Selected in the fourth round (116th overall) by Atlanta in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft and under contract to the Thrashers, Desbiens is sixth among league rookies with 26 points (12g-14a) in 25 games. Pelletier ranks fifth in the league with 18 goals and tied for 16th in scoring with 30 points in 21 games and is currently on call up to the AHL where he has seven points (2g-5a) in seven games with Providence.

Making his first ECHL All-Star Game appearance is Charlotte defenseman Rory Rawlyk, who is under contract to the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League. In his third professional season, the 22-year-old has 24 points (9g-15a) in 28 games and is third among league defensemen in goals and tied for fourth in scoring.

Voted for the second time as a starter and making his second All-Star Game appearance is Trenton left wing Scott Bertoli. Bertoli, who was also voted as a starter in 2001, leads Trenton with 17 assists and 26 points in 28 games.

Wheeling rookie center Kurtis McLean, who is under contract to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the AHL, was voted as a starter in his first professional season. The 25-year-old leads ECHL rookies with 21 goals, nine power-play goals, 18 power-play points and 38 points in 28 games. He is tied for the overall league lead in power-play goals while he is second in points and tied for second in goals and power-play points. Joining McLean on the team is fellow rookie Sean Collins, who is also under contract to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Selected by the Colorado Avalanche in the ninth round (289th overall) in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft, the 22-year-old Collins is second among ECHL rookies with 24 assists and 37 points in 28 games while he is tied for second with 16 power-play points and fifth in goals with 13. He is tied for second overall in assists and ranks third in scoring.

Another first time selection is Florida forward Ernie Hartlieb, who leads the Everblades with 15 goals and is second on the team and tied for 16th in the league with 30 points in 27 games. Joining Hartlieb from the Everblades is rookie center Daniel Sisca, who is under contract to Lowell of the AHL, and defenseman Chris Lee. The 22-year-old Sisca leads league rookies with 26 assists and 13 power-play assists while he ranks third in scoring with 35 points in 27 games. The 25-year-old Lee is tied for 11th among league defensemen with 20 points (6g-14a) in 25 games.

Two other first-time selections are goaltenders Mike Brodeur of Greenville and Jonathan Boutin of Johnstown. Selected in the seventh round (211th overall) by Chicago in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft and under contract to the Blackhawks, the 22-year-old Brodeur is currently with Norfolk of the AHL. Brodeur is 14-8-1 with a goals-against average of 2.58, a shutout and a save percentage of .917 in 23 games with Greenville. Selected in the third round (96th overall) by Tampa Bay in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft and under contract to the Lightning, the 20-year-old Boutin is 4-6-2 with two shutouts, a goals-against of 2.47 and a save percentage of .933 in 12 games with Johnstown and 0-1-1 with a goals-against of 1.93 and a save percentage of .945 in two games with Springfield of the AHL.

Representing the Columbia Inferno is center Brandon Nolan, who was selected in the third round (72nd overall) by New Jersey in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft and in the fourth round (111th overall) by Vancouver in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft. In his third professional season and under contract to Vancouver, the 22-year-old has 14 points (5g-9a) in 10 games with Columbia and six points (1g-5a) in 11 games with Manitoba of the AHL.

The Pensacola Ice Pilots have rookie center Luke Fulghum, who is under contract to the Toronto Marlies of the AHL. The 25-year-old is tied for 11th among ECHL rookies with 22 points (8g-14a) in 23 games with Pensacola and has also played seven games in the AHL with Toronto.

Rookie defensemen Gerry Burke and Mark Flood were chosen to represent the Toledo Storm and the Dayton Bombers, respectively. The 23-year-old Burke has 13 points (4g-9a) in 24 games. Selected in the sixth round (188th overall) by the Montreal Canadiens in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft and under contract to the Columbus Blue Jackets of the NHL, the 21-year-old Flood has 12 points (6g-6a) in 20 games with Dayton and one goal in five games with Syracuse.

Making his second consecutive All-Star appearance is Augusta center Nicolas Corbeil, who is tied for seventh in the league with 32 points (13g-19a) in 27 games. Representing South Carolina is rookie center Jeff Legue, who leads the Stingrays with 11 goals and is tied for second on the team with 18 points in 25 games.

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