Five Falcons Earn Tryouts in the AHL

September 29, 2004 - ECHL (ECHL)
Fresno Falcons News Release


Fresno, Calif. - Five Fresno Falcons players began tryouts on Monday with the American Hockey League's Cleveland Barons and Bridgeport Sound Tigers, the top player development affiliates of the San Jose Sharks and New York Islanders, respectively.

Thierry Douville, Jim Lorentz, Chris Paradise and Dustin VanBallegooie reported to Cleveland Barons training camp at Barons Arena on Monday. Only Paradise has prior AHL experience during his career, playing 46 games with the Providence Bruins in 2002-03. The 6'5", 230 lb. Douville was drafted by the Philadelphia Flyers in 2001, and Lorentz had an impressive showing at both the Buffalo Sabres and Rochester Americans' training camps last season as a rookie. VanBallegooie earned his shot at the AHL following an impressive season with the Toronto St. Michael's Majors last year, for which he was named his team's nominee for the Ontario Hockey League's Defenseman of the Year.

The foursome joins former Falcons goaltender Nolan Schaefer in Cleveland, who began last season playing in both the Sharks and Barons' training camps before his assignment to Fresno. It did not take long for Schaefer to make an impression with the Sharks organization, as he received a permanent call-up to the Barons after just 12 appearances with the Falcons. Schaefer begins this season's campaign slated as Cleveland's number one goaltender.

Falcons defenseman Charles Simard kicks-off his return to North America with a chance to make the New York Islanders' top farm club after spending his first two professional seasons in the Swiss National League. He, too, took the ice on Monday at the Rinks at Shelton in Bridgeport, Conn., along with 35 other Islanders prospects.

The Falcons will battle the Bakersfield Condors in pre-season games at Save Mart Center on Oct. 15 and then again on Oct. 16 at Centennial Garden before opening the 2004-05 ECHL regular season on Oct. 22 against the Las Vegas Wranglers at Save Mart Center. Full season ticket packages and Flex Packs are on sale beginning as low as $42. For complete ticket information, please visit the Falcons website at www.fresnofalcons.com/tickets.html or call the Falcons front office at (559) 485-PUCK (7825).



ECHL Stories from September 29, 2004


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