Amerks resume five-game homestand this weekend
Published on December 11, 2006 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Rochester Americans News Release
(Rochester, NY)... The Rochester Americans' five-game homestand continues, as the Amerks prepare for two games this weekend at The Blue Cross Arena at the Rochester War Memorial. Rochester welcomes the Hamilton Bulldogs and the Binghamton Senators as it plays games three and four of its five-game home stretch. At both games, the Amerks will continue their Toys for Tots campaign. Fans that bring a new, unwrapped toy to the game will receive one free $16.00 ticket.
The Amerks begin their two-game set on Friday, December 15th with their second game in seven days against the Bulldogs. The 7:35 p.m. contest will be broadcast live on Hot Talk 1280-AM WHTK, whtk.com and B2 Networks. The game will also be the first sports event broadcast live on the new Time Warner Sports Network. TWSN - Cable Channel 26 - will feature live games from local teams like the Amerks, Knighthawks, Rhinos, Rattlers and RazorSharks basketball team. The Amerks are 1-1-0 and 51-39-8 all-time against Hamilton, and will face off against the Bulldogs seven more times this season.
On Saturday, December 16th, the Amerks will continue their homestand with a 7:35 p.m. game against the Binghamton Senators at The Blue Cross Arena. In the last meeting between the Amerks and B-Sens on November 10th, Daniel Paille scored the game-winner as the Amerks went on to pick up a 4-2 victory. Rochester is 3-0-0 this season and is14-15-4 all-time against its rivals from the Southern Tier. The game will be broadcast live on Hot Talk 1280-AM WHTK, whtk.com and B2 Networks. The contest will also be televised tape delayed on TWSN.
Last week, the Amerks closed out their longest road trip of the season with two dramatic wins over the Manitoba Moose on December 5th and December 6th at the MTS Centre in Winnipeg. In game one of the two-game series, Mark Mancari netted two third-period goals to turn a 2-1 deficit into a 3-2 Amerk win. His game-winner came with 1:56 remaining in the final period to steal the victory from the Moose. Clarke MacArthur scored a first period power-play goal, while Brandon Smith, Patrick Kaleta, and Dylan Hunter contributed one assist each. Michael Ryan added two helpers on the night, his 50th and 51st in an Amerks uniform. Craig Anderson stopped 12 of 14.
The Amerks returned to the MTS Centre the next night for the final game of their six-game trip. Much like the night before, the Amerks erased a 2-1 third-period deficit with two markers in the final five minutes of regulation to complete the series sweep over the Moose. Rochester went 0-for-7 on the power play, but they did just fine playing at even strength. Stefan Meyer scored his second goal of the year, while Drew Stafford and Janis Sprukts netted the late third-period goals to complete the rally and earn Rochester its 10th one-goal win of the season. Anderson made 15 saves in his eighth win of the season.
On Friday, December 8th, the Amerks kicked off a five-game homestand with a 5-3 loss to the Syracuse Crunch. The Amerks attempted to climb back from a 4-0 deficit, but could only manage to cut the Crunch lead to one goal. Crunch forward Joe Motzko scored an empty netter with one minute remaining in regulation to seal the Amerks' fate. Martin Lojek, Brandon Smith, and Sprukts netted the trio of Amerk goals, while Anderson made 24 saves in the losing effort.
The Amerks righted their ship the following night, picking up a 6-3 win over the Hamilton Bulldogs at The Blue Cross Arena. Drew Stafford picked up his seventh and eighth goals of the season, and Adam Dennis made 20 saves in net as the Amerks avenged the 6-0 thrashing they received from the Bulldogs on November 25th. Smith, David Booth, Mancari and Lojek supplied the rest of the scoring for Rochester, while the Amerks' power-play continued to struggle, going 0-for-6 on the night.
Amerks Quick Numbers
- The Amerks' 5-3 loss on Friday, December 8th to Syracuse was their first loss in regulation at home this season.
- The Amerks' .780 win percentage is tied for the best in the league with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.
- The Amerks are 21-for-156 (13.5%) on the power play this season, 25th in the AHL... They are 0 for their last 11 opportunities with the man advantage.
- The Amerks have proven to be a third-period team, having outscored their opponents 33-18 in the final period.
- Brandon Smith's plus-16 plus-minus rating is good enough for third in the AHL... With 19 points (5g, 14a), Smith is currently second among league defensemen in points.
- Drew Stafford (plus-12) and Dylan Hunter (plus-10) currently sit third and fourth respectively among rookie leaders in plus-minus ratings.
Upcoming Player Appearances
Reading Program
The Rochester Americans and the Monroe County Libraries are again partnering to provide the "Reading Power Play," which teams Amerk players with local public librarians in support of reading. At the appearances, the Amerk player that attends will read to children and hold an autograph session with The Moose.
The Amerks have three "Reading Power-Play" appearances this week. On Monday, December 11th, Jeremy Swanson will be at the Sully Library at 4:00 p.m. On Tuesday, December 12th, Adam Dennis will visit the Riga Library at 3:30 p.m. and Patrick Kaleta will be at the Penfield Library at 7:00 p.m. The Amerks will also visit the Monroe Library on Wednesday, December 13th at 3:30 p.m.
Firehouse Appearance
The Rochester Americans Booster Club and Amerk Adam Dennis, Mike Card and Dylan Hunter will visit the Allen Street fire station on Wednesday, December 13th at 6:00 p.m.
The Booster Club will prepare and serve dinner at the station at 272 Allen Street, which is located at the corner of Broad Street (near Frontier Field). Dennis, Card and Hunter will attend the event, have dinner with the brave men and women, and sign autographs. The firehouse visits are a monthly program started by the Amerks Booster Club during the 2003-04 American Hockey League season.
American Hockey League Stories from December 11, 2006
- Portland Pirates Weekly Report - Portland Pirates
- Amerks resume five-game homestand this weekend - Rochester Americans
- Wood Returns from ECHL Alaska - Peoria Rivermen
- Admirals Make Roster Moves - Milwaukee Admirals
- Phantoms Weekly - Adirondack Phantoms
- Tuesday game only home appearance this week - Iowa Chops
- Canadiens recall Maxim Lapierre - Hamilton Bulldogs
- Monarchs Weekly Report - Manchester Monarchs
- Griffins Sail into Crucial Trio with Admirals - Grand Rapids Griffins
- Moose get back to .500 - Manitoba Moose
- Albany River Rats Notebook - Albany River Rats
- 'Dogs continue road trip in Rochester and Syracuse - Hamilton Bulldogs
- Devils Two Points Out Of First - Albany Devils
- Knights' McElhinney named CCM Vector/AHL Player of the Week - AHL
- Aeros Weekly Report - Houston Aeros
- Fan balloting begins today for 2007 Rbk Hockey AHL All-Star Classic - Hamilton Bulldogs
- P-Bruins Trim Roster by Three - Providence Bruins
- Moose Teddy Bear Toss nets 804 Stuffed Toys for Christmas Cheer Board - Manitoba Moose
- Thomas Pock Assigned to Hartford - Connecticut Whale
- Knights run win streak to four games - Abbotsford Heat
- Wolves Weekly Notes - Chicago Wolves
- Conklin and Novak Recalled By Columbus - Syracuse Crunch
- Sharks just four points out of top spot in Atlantic Division - Worcester Sharks
- Binghamton Senators weekly - Binghamton Senators
- Sound Tigers return home Saturday and Sunday - Bridgeport Islanders
- Norfolk in tight battle for East Division supremacy - Norfolk Admirals
- Rampage Begin 12-Days of Giving - San Antonio Rampage
- Rivermen weekly - Peoria Rivermen
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