AHL Rochester Americans

Game Day: Amerks, Bulldogs Close out Season Series Tonight

Published on March 16, 2011 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Rochester Americans News Release


Tonight, the Rochester Americans look to gain some ground on the Hamilton Bulldogs as the two teams complete their home-and-home series with the second leg in Western New York. Faceoff for the 10th and final meeting between the North Division foes is slated for 7:05 p.m. at The Blue Cross Arena. Fans can tune into all the live action on SportsRadio 1280 WHTK and FM 107.3, Rochester's Sports Talk.

O'Hanley Returns on a PTO: Returning to the Amerks tonight is defenseman Brian O'Hanley, who's back for his second stint in Rochester on a professional tryout. A native of Quincy, Massachusetts, the 26-year-old has scored one goal and added two assists in 18 combined American Hockey League games this season with Rochester and Portland. Originally a ninth-round pick (267thoverall) of the San Jose Sharks in 2003, the 5-foot-11, 191-pound blueliner has also appeared in 44 games with the defending Kelly Cup champion Cincinnati Cyclones, where he ranks second among team defensemen with 26 points (6+20). O'Hanley played under current Amerks Head Coach Chuck Weberhis last two seasons in Cincinnati, helping the club to its second ECHL title in three years in 2010.

Promotions: Fans can purchase the "Wednesday Facebook Fan Pack"exclusively through the Amerks Facebook page. Fans can get a ticket and a T-shirt for just $15! Click on the 'Amerks Nation' tab to purchase the pack. It's also a Business Person Special, featuring the Buy One, Get One ticket offer for best available seating.

Head-to-Head: Rochester has a 4-4-0-1 record against the Bulldogs this season and is 72-60-9 all-time against the Montreal Canadiens' affiliate. In the latest meeting this past Sunday, the Amerks gained an early lead and held on to defeat Hamilton 6-5 at Copps Coliseum. Mike Kostka and Patrick Rissmiller each recorded three points to lead the way offensively.

By The Numbers: Rochester is just 14-17-3-1 against North Division opponents this season, but shows a 16-14-0-2 mark against non-divisional rivals. Home ice has not been very welcoming for the Amerks, who are just 13-18-1-3 within the friendly confines of The Blue Cross Arena. Conversely, Rochester's road dominance is prevalent with a 17-13-2-0 mark.

Milestone Watch: Bill Thomas reached a professional milestone Sunday with his 100th AHL/NHL assist. Additionally, Hugh Jessiman played in his 400thprofessional game. He is also just two points away from eclipsing the 200-point plateau and five assists short of 100. Veteran forward Mark Cullen, who recently reached the 400-point plateau, needs just six more games to reach 500 in his AHL career.

Selleck to Sit For Four: The American Hockey League announced its suspensions on Monday and Amerks forward Eric Selleck was handed a four-game suspension as a result of his actions in a game vs. Toronto on March 11th. The rookie was suspended under the provisions of AHL Rule 28.1 (supplementary discipline). Tonight will be the first of the four games, with Selleck also being forced to sit out Rochester's games Saturday, March 19th at Grand Rapids, Tuesday, March 22nd at Lake Erie and Friday, March 25 th vs. Lake Erie.

Amerks Notes: Rochester (30-31-3-3, 66 points) enters the week after finishing this past weekend's three-in-three with a 1-2-0-0 record. The team's latest victory in Hamilton on Sunday snapped a four game-losing streak. The Amerks continue to occupy the bottom of the standings, currently sitting seven points behind the Abbotsford Heat for sixth place in the North Division heading into the final stretch of the AHL season.

Special Teams Breakdown: Rochester currently has the third best power-play in the league (21.2 percentage), but its penalty kill ranks 26th with a 79.5 success rate. Rochester's power-play unit has proven to be more effective on the road as its 27.8 percentage is presently tops in the AHL. As a team, the Amerks have also allowed a league-worst 14 shorthanded goals against, nine coming at home and five on the road.

Team and League Leaders: After his three-point night Sunday, Kostka leads the Amerks with 48 points (13+35) and is tied for second among AHL defensemen in overall scoring. Ten of his 13 goals this season have been scored on the man-advantage. He also has eight points (3+5) in five games in March and is the only Amerk this season to appear in all 67 games thus far. The third-year blueliner also ranks 16th in the league with 35 assists, while his 20 power-play helpers are 10th most among league leaders.

Despite presently being on NHL recall, third-year forward Michael Ducomaintains the team lead with a career-high 18 goals, including a team-high 11 on the power play, good enough for seventh in the AHL in that category. He is also fourth in the AHL with a 20.5 percent shooting percentage (18 of 88). Selleck ranks third among league rookies and 10th in the league with 191 penalty minutes. He is also tied for second with 27 major infractions.

With rookie goaltender Jacob Markstrom currently sidelined with an injury, Tyler Plante has readily taken over the starting duties for the Amerks. Plante saw his career-long streak of starting 15 consecutive games end this past weekend after suffering a 6-5 loss to Toronto on Friday night. On the season, Plante is 13-12-2 with one shutout through 30 games. The 23 year-old also boasts a 3.14 goals-against average and a .910 save percentage. His 13 victories are already good for a new AHL career-high.

Given the Amerks recent struggles, however, Marc Cheverie has manned the crease for the last two contests and picked up his first AHL win with a 38-save effort Sunday against Hamilton. Since being recalled from Cincinnati (ECHL), the Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia native has appeared in five games for Rochester, compiling a 1-2-0 record to go along with a .890 save percentage and a goals-against average of 3.86.

Who's Hot: Kostka enters the contest currently riding a riding a three-game point streak of three goals and four assists, including two games with three points during that stretch. Rissmiller, coming off his Panther debut last night against Philadelphia, is riding a five-game point streak (2+5) and has collected a point in every game since he arrived from Lake Erie. Veteran forward Chris Taylor has five assists in his last four games, while Cullen shows four points (2+2) in as many outings. Jessiman also shows similar numbers in his last five games, including back-to-back contests with goals.

Hamilton Notes: Hamilton (35-24-1-6), kicking off a season-long six-game road trip tonight, comes into the matchup holding the third spot in the North Division, just one point behind second place Toronto. Despite showing a 5-4-0-1 record over their last 10 games, the Bulldogs have lost three of their last four outings, including Sunday's 6-5 loss to Rochester most recently. The club also owns the eighth best power-play in the league (19.5 percentage), with their road efficiency ranking third in the AHL (22.6 percentage).

Team and League Leaders: The Bulldogs are led by veteran forward Nigel Dawes, who has 54 points (33+21) in 55 games. The 26 year-old leads the AHL with 33 goals, while also sitting in a tie for 12th in overall point production. Recently acquired in a trade with the Atlanta Thrashers, Dawes has tallied 10 points (6+4) in eight games since joining Hamilton. Aaron Palushaj is looked upon to be the team's lead set-up man, as he sits atop the roster with 27 assists. Palushaj and fellow winger Andrew Conboy have notched four points apiece in the last two games. Kyle Klubertanz (9+18) and Brendon Nash (5+22) lead the Bulldogs' defensive corps in terms of offensive production, each contributing 27 points from the backend.

Despite presently being sidelined with an injury, veteran netminder Curtis Sanford has posted All-Star caliber numbers so far this season. The Owen Sound, Ontario native leads the league with a goals-against average of 1.93, while his .930 save percentage places him second amongst AHL goaltenders. Sanford also boasts an impressive 22-13-2 record through 40 games to go along with five shutouts.

With Sanford unable to suit up, Drew MacIntyre has started the last seven games between the pipes for the Bulldogs, earning three wins along the way. Acquired last month in a trade with the Atlanta Thrashers (separate from the deal which brought Dawes to the team), the 27 year-old has appeared in a total of 27 games this year, boasting a save percentage of .907 and a goals-against average of 2.87.

Next Game: The Amerks return to the ice on Saturday, March 19th as they take on the Grand Rapids Griffins at 7:00 p.m. at Van Andel Arena. Fans can tune into all the live action on SportsRadio 1280 WHTK and FM 107.3, Rochester's Sports Talk.

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American Hockey League Stories from March 16, 2011


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