Amerks Set Sail for Two Games Against Norfolk
Published on December 2, 2002 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Rochester Americans News Release
(Rochester, NY)... The Rochester Americans travel to Virginia this week for two games against the Norfolk Admirals. The games begin a three-game road stretch for the Amerks.
In fact, Rochester plays five of the next six away from The Blue Cross Arena at the Rochester War Memorial. The lone home game is Friday, December 13th against the Central Division rival Syracuse Crunch. Rochester (6-10-6-2, 20 points) enters the week in fourth place in the division, but remains only two points out of second place. The Amerks are currently on a three-game unbeaten streak (2-0-1-0).
The streak will be tested this week at the Norfolk Scope Arena. The Amerks battle the Admirals on Friday, December 6th and Saturday, December 7th. Both games are 7:30 p.m. starts and will be broadcast on WHAM 1180-AM and on the web at www.amerks.com. The teams have met once this season with the Admirals earning a 4-2 win in Rochester on November 11th. The Amerks have a 3-3-5 all-time record against Norfolk.
The Admirals (15-5-1-3, 34 points) have the best record in the South Division and are tied with the Hamilton Bulldogs for the most points in the American Hockey League. Norfolk has a 7-2-0-2 record at home this season and face a Rochester team with a paltry 1-6-2-1 mark on the road. The Admirals have struggled in the past eight games, going 3-4-0-1 after beginning the season 12-1-1-2. The Admirals lost their last game, 2-1, in overtime to Houston on Saturday. Mike Peluso leads the team with 27 points (10+17), which ties him for third place on the AHL's scoring list. Casey Hankinson is second on the Admirals with 22 points (11+11).
Miller completes a November to remember: Amerks goaltender Ryan Miller has been nominated for the AHL's Rookie of the Month following a memorable November. For the Amerks, he registered a 5-3-1 record, a 2.46 goals-against average and a .921 save percentage. On November 8th, he recorded his first professional win and less than two weeks later he was making his NHL debut with the Buffalo Sabres. He played two games with Buffalo and went 1-1-0. He made his NHL debut on 11/19 at New Jersey and earned his first NHL win on 11/22 against the Columbus Blue Jackets. In Rochester, he currently has a 5-9-2 record and a 2.48 goals-against average. He is fifth among goaltenders in the AHL with 969 minutes played and is 14th in goals-against average.
Town Hall Meeting: The Rochester Americans will hold their second "Town Hall Meeting" of the season on Tuesday, December 3rd at 7:00 p.m. in the atrium of The Blue Cross Arena at the Rochester War Memorial. Amerks President & CEO Steve Donner and General Manager Jody Gage will host the forum for sports fans, a question and answer session that will deal with issues relating to the Rochester Americans hockey club.
Inside the Numbers:
- Jaroslav Kristek scored for the third time in three games Sunday night after going scoreless in his first 17 games.
- Francois Methot scored his first game winner of the season 33 seconds into overtime in a 2-1 win over Albany on Saturday.
- Ryan Miller made a career-high 40 saves in the team's first road win of the season on Saturday.
- Defenseman Rory Fitzpatrick remains on recall with the Buffalo Sabres.
- Rookie Sean McMorrow is third in the AHL with 105 penalty minutes.
American Hockey League Stories from December 2, 2002
- Wilson Suspended One Game - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
- Griffins Lose to San Antonio, 5-3 - Grand Rapids Griffins
- Flames Weekly - Saint John Flames
- Checkers Look to Snap Four-Game Skid - Charlotte Checkers
- Holland Back With The Monarchs - Manchester Monarchs
- Phantoms Weekly - Adirondack Phantoms
- Seven Griffins Players Team Up for Charity - Grand Rapids Griffins
- Amerks Set Sail for Two Games Against Norfolk - Rochester Americans
- Exelby to Appear at Max & Erma's - Chicago Wolves
- First Place Sound Tigers Turn Calendar Page With Tough Four Game Week - Bridgeport Islanders
- Admirals Back Home to Face Archrivals - Milwaukee Admirals
- Damphousse Named Fifth Third Bank Mighty Ducks Player of the Month for November - Cincinnati RailRaiders
- Moose Finish Homestand with 2-2-2 Record - Manitoba Moose
- Gratton Named Sher-Wood AHL Player of the Week - Hamilton Bulldogs
- Thankful to be Home - Houston Aeros
- River Rats Start Fresh in December - Albany River Rats
- Griffins Say Goodbye to Memorable November - Grand Rapids Griffins
- Gratton Named Player of the Week - AHL
- Sound Tigers, Bulldogs Rule the East - AHL
- AHL Quick Hits - AHL
- Columbus Assigns Levokari to Syracuse - Syracuse Crunch
- Bulldogs Tops In Eastern Conference - Hamilton Bulldogs
- Spiderman Swings into First Union Spectrum on December 6 - Adirondack Phantoms
- Ottawa Assigns Spezza To Binghamton - Binghamton Senators
- Blue and Gold Stay Atop Western Conference - Norfolk Admirals
- Patience, Persistence Pay off for Pirates - Portland Pirates
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