Bala Returns to Ottawa
Published on April 11, 2002 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Grand Rapids Griffins News Release
Grand Rapids, MI - The Grand Rapids Griffins of the American Hockey League on Thursday announced that the Ottawa Senators have recalled left wing Chris Bala on an emergency basis and reassigned defenseman Joel Kwiatkowski. In addition, the Griffins today signed center Dustin Whitecotton to a professional tryout.
Bala, Ottawa's third choice, 58th overall, in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft, made his NHL debut in the Senators' 4-1 win over the New York Islanders on March 27. The 23-year-old rookie appeared in a total of four games for the Senators, earning his first NHL point, an assist, against the Carolina Hurricanes on April 2.
The Harvard University graduate completed the regular season tied for first among active Griffins with 21 goals and tied for second with 37 points. He will be available for Ottawa's game tonight against the Boston Bruins at the Corel Centre.
Kwiatkowski, 25, joined the Senators for the third time this year on Monday and was a healthy scratch in their 4-3 loss against Montreal on Tuesday night. He has appeared in 11 games for Ottawa this season, collecting 12 penalty minutes and a plus-five rating while averaging 13:40 of ice time. This season the Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, native appeared in 65 games with the Griffins, recording eight goals, 21 assists and 94 penalty minutes.
Whitecotton, 22, joins the Griffins for the second time this season. In his first stint with Grand Rapids, he notched one goal and eight penalty minutes in eight games.
The native of Cherryville, British Columbia, played in 65 games with the United Hockey League's Missouri River Otters, tying for fifth in the league with 95 points.
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