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Knights Clinch Calder Cup Playoff Spot

April 2, 2007 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Abbotsford Heat News Release


The Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights will make their first appearance in the American Hockey League's Calder Cup Playoffs when the post-season begins during the week of April 16th. The Knights clinched the playoff spot when the Peoria Rivermen lost 1-0 in San Antonio on Sunday.

"Our players and coaches have done a tremendous job through the first 72 games of the regular season," said Ren Smith, Ak-Sar-Ben Knights' President. "They've now got eight more games to prepare for the playoffs. The playoff berth is a testament to the hard work they've put in all season. It's also a great reward for our fans who have supported us during our first two seasons in Omaha."

The Ak-Sar-Ben Knights are in second place in the West Division with a record of 43-24-4-1, good for 91 points. They are just two points behind the Chicago Wolves and two points ahead of Milwaukee. The Knights have three games in hand on both teams. The team has already established new franchise records for wins, points and home (19) and road (24) wins.

Individually, Andrei Taratukhin has set a new team record for points in a season (59) while Carsen Germyn has a new team record for goals (27) and game-winning goals (8). Dustin Boyd has set a new team standard for goals by a rookie (26). David Van der Gulik leads all AHL rookies with a +23 plus/minus ratio, a measure of number of Knights' goals when he is on the ice versus opponent goals. Curtis McElhinney (4th) and Brent Krahn (7th) both rank in the top ten in the AHL in goals-against average. McElhinney has already established a new team record for wins (29).

Playoff ticket packages are on sale now through the Ak-Sar-Ben Knights' office. Fans can call (402) 344-4625 to reserve their seats. The team will be announcing additional playoff details next week. Playoff positions and opponents have yet to be determined.

The Ak-Sar-Ben Knights kick off a four-game week tomorrow when they visit the Iowa Stars at 7:05 p.m. All the action can be heard live on 1420 KOTK and on the internet at omahaaksarbenknights.com. The game also can be seen on-line through the B2 Networks link on the Knights' web site. The Knights finish the week with three straight home games. They'll host Manitoba on Wednesday, San Antonio on Friday and Houston on Saturday. All three games begin at 7:00 p.m.

Tickets for all Ak-Sar-Ben Knights' remaining regular season games are on sale at the Omaha Civic Auditorium box office Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Tickets also are available through all Ticketmaster outlets and by phone at (402) 422-1212. Kids 12 and under get in free with a paid adult on tickets purchased after 5:00 p.m. Other restrictions apply.



American Hockey League Stories from April 2, 2007


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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