Amerks close out 2005 with two games this week
December 26, 2005 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Rochester Americans News Release
(Rochester, NY)... The Rochester Americans (17-13-1-1, 36 points) will play two more games this week before saying good-bye to 2005. It was an impressive year that will go down as one of the best in Amerks' history.
This past year, Rochester reached the playoffs for the 16th straight time and also finished with a league-high 112 points (51-19-4-6) to clinch its first Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy (league's points champion). The point total broke the team's single-season record of 111 points set by the 1998-99 Amerks. Thomas Vanek scored 42 goals to tie the team rookie record set by Donald Audette in 1989-90. The All-Rookie Team member also tied Paul Gardner's team record with 25 power-play goals. Randy Cunneyworth was named the AHL's Coach of the Year, as he became only the third coach in team history to reach 200 wins. In addition, classy center Chris Taylor won the Fred T. Hunt Award for sportsmanship and dedication.
Goalie Ryan Miller was named a First Team All-Star and captured the Aldege "Baz" Bastien Award as the league's top goalie. He led the AHL with 41 wins to become the first AHL goalie to win 40 games since Amerk Gerry Cheevers won a league-record 48 in 1964-65. Miller also broke the team's single-season shutout record with eight and combined with Tom Askey to set the new mark for team shutouts with nine.
On October 7th, the Amerks reached another milestone as they ushered in their 50th Anniversary season. Rochester also unveiled its All-Time Team, which included such greats as Gerry Cheevers, Don Cherry, Dick Gamble, Jody Gage, Norm "Red" Armstrong and Al Arbour.
The franchise will add year to its storied history, following two games this week. On Thursday, December 29th, Rochester travels to Copps Coliseum to play the Hamilton Bulldogs at 7:30 p.m. The game will be broadcast on WHTK 1280-AM and webcast on whtk.com. The game is the fourth of 10 meetings between the two North Division rivals. Rochester leads the season series with a 3-0-0-0 record.
Hamilton (12-20-0-2, 26 points) enters the game in seventh place in the North Division. The Bulldogs suffered a 3-2 loss on Friday to the Amerks at Copps Coliseum. Jean-Marc Pelletier earned the win in goal with 31 saves. Rochester got goals from Chris Thorburn, Scott Sheppard and Jeff Jillson. Jillson's goal at 13:16 of the third period proved to be the game-winner as Rochester outscored the 'Dogs 2-0 in the final period. Hamilton was led by single goals from Michael Lambert and Marc-Antoine Pouliot.
The following night, Rochester hosts the Binghamton Senators at 7:35 p.m. at The Blue Cross Arena. The game will be broadcast on WBER 90.5-FM and webcast on wber.monroe.edu. The game will also be televised tape delayed on Time Warner Cable Channel 98 on Saturday at 12:30 p.m.
The game is the fifth of eight meetings between the two clubs. The season series is tied 2-2-0-0 after the Senators' 5-3 win over Rochester on December 18th at The Blue Cross Arena. The Sens (10-16-2-2, 24 points) are currently in sixth place in the East Division.
The first 5,000 fans will receive a card of Amerk Hall of Fame defenseman Dave Fenyves, courtesy of Chase-Pitkin. Fenyves was a member of the Rochester Americans for six seasons (1980-81 to 1986-87). His 358 regular season games are 16th in team history and his 104 points are 18th among Amerks defensemen. He was inducted into the Amerks Hall of Fame in 2004.
Rochester Americans General Manager Jody Gage announced three player moves today. The Amerks sent center Dustin Johner and defenseman Martin Tuma back the Florida Everblades (ECHL). Rochester also returned left wing Sam Paolini to the Elmira Jackals (UHL). Johner played in nine games with the Amerks and recorded eight penalty minutes. Paolini appeared in two games with Rochester after joining the team on December 22nd. Tuma earned an assist in his Amerks debut in the win over Hamilton on December 23rd.
Amerks Notes:
- Nathan Paetsch leads the Amerks with 28 points (3+25) in 32 games. He also leads all AHL defensemen in scoring and is tied for second in the league in assists.
- Jiri Novotny is on a five-game point streak (2+5) and Chris Thorburn is on a three-game point streak (3+1).
- Left wing Daniel Paille made his NHL debut on December 22nd in a 4-1 loss at Florida. On December 23rd he earned his first NHL point/assist in a 4-1 win at Tampa Bay.
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