Kontiola Named All-Star; Hogs face Griffins Tonight
January 7, 2009 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Rockford IceHogs News Release
Rockford, Ill.- The American Hockey League announced Wednesday that Rockford IceHogs center Petri Kontiola was named to the 2009 PlanetUSA All-Star team.
The 2009 AHL All-Star Classic presented by Charter Communications will be held Jan. 25-26 at the DCU Center in Worcester, Mass.
This is the first time in Kontiola's six-season professional career that he is named to an all-star team. In his second season in North America, the Seinajoki, Finland native leads the IceHogs in points with 33 and assists with 24. He also leads the AHL IceHogs in career points (101), career assists (82) and career multi-point games (29).
The #196 overall (round 7) pick in the 2004 NHL Draft, made his NHL debut on Nov. 25, 2007 with the Chicago Blackhawks against the Vancouver Canucks. He tallied his first career NHL point on Dec. 19, 2007 against Nashville and appeared in 12 games with the Blackhawks last season. He set career highs in goals, assists and points during his first season in North America in 2007-08.
Kontiola becomes the third AHL IceHogs skater to be named an All-Star. Center Martin St. Pierre and Defenseman Cam Barker were both elected started for the 2008 event.
Next Home Game: Friday, Jan. 9 vs. Chicago Wolves. The rivalry resumes at 7:30 p.m. Another meeting between the IceHogs and Wolves at the MetroCentre. The game is the fourth of five on the season in Rockford eighth of 10 between the rivals. The first 2,000 fans to the game will pick up a set of 2008-09 Rockford IceHogs player cards courtesy of ComEd.
Grand Rapids, Mich.- It has been nearly two months since the Rockford IceHogs have played a team outside of the AHL's West Division. Tonight the club travels to Grand Rapids, Mich. to take on the Griffins at the Van Andel Arena at 6 p.m.
The last game against a non-West Division opponent was Nov. 8 when Rockford was in Norfolk playing a weekend set against the Admirals. Since then, the IceHogs have played 23-straight contests against their own division and compiled a record of 12-8-0-3 in that stretch.
Rockford is riding a three-game winning streak dating back to New Years Eve. Overall, the IceHogs sit tied for fourth place in the West Division with 41 points, just one point behind the second place Iowa Chops and Peoria Rivermen.
Grand Rapids enters tonight's game even hotter than Rockford, winning eight of its last10 games. The Griffins are in first place in the North Division three points better than the Hamilton Bulldogs and Manitoba Moose.
These two teams will meet up four times this season overall including two in Rockford and two in Grand Rapids. Last season Rockford went 3-0-0-1 against the Griffins.
To listen to tonight's game, tune into 1330 AM, WNTA or on-line at www.icehogs.com. The game can be viewed at SportsPage in Rockford or on the Web through the AHL Live on www.icehogs.com for just $6.
Friday, Jan. 9 vs. Chicago Wolves. The rivalry resumes at 7:30 p.m. Another meeting between the IceHogs and Wolves at the MetroCentre. The game is the fourth of five on the season in Rockford eighth of ten between the rivals. The first 2,000 fans to the game will pick up a set of 2008-09 Rockford IceHogs player cards courtesy of ComEd.
American Hockey League Stories from January 7, 2009
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- Moose Shock Wolf Pack in OT, 3-2 - Manitoba Moose
- Rampage Power Past Wolves - Chicago Wolves
- Sound Tigers Beat Aeros in Shootout - Bridgeport Islanders
- Iowa Wins Defensive Battle With Rivermen - Peoria Rivermen
- Griffins Stave Off IceHogs in Shootout, 6-5 - Grand Rapids Griffins
- Rampage Top Chicago 5-3 on Wednesday - San Antonio Rampage
- Admirals Fall to Bears 3-2 - Norfolk Admirals
- Houston's Dramatic Finish Earns a Point in 4-3 Shootout Loss in Bridgeport - Houston Aeros
- Monarchs Bear Down On Bruins - Manchester Monarchs
- Chops Move Into Sole Possession of 2nd Place with Big 3-1 Win - Iowa Chops
- Hogs Battle Back in Grand Rapids, Fall in Shootout - Rockford IceHogs
- Devils Come From Behind to Sink Pirates, 3-2 - Albany Devils
- 2009 Great Skate Winterfest at Rosa Parks Circle This Weekend - Grand Rapids Griffins
- P-Bruins Fall To Monarchs in Overtime 3-2 - Providence Bruins
- Coyotes Recall Murray from San Antonio - San Antonio Rampage
- Devils Rally Past Pirates 3-2 - Portland Pirates
- Sifers Named To PlanetUSA Team - Toronto Marlies
- Milwaukee Admirals Go for 11th Straight Home Win Thursday - Milwaukee Admirals
- Wolves Bring Back Gherson - Chicago Wolves
- Crunch Players to Sign Autographs at Papa John's - Syracuse Crunch
- Ottawa Recalls Defenseman Matt Carkner - Binghamton Senators
- Kontiola Named All-Star; Hogs face Griffins Tonight - Rockford IceHogs
- Jonas Junland Named to All-Star Team - Peoria Rivermen
- Nikita Filatov Named to PlanetUSA Starting Lineup for 2009 AHL All-Star Classic - Syracuse Crunch
- Donate to Goodwill Night, Get Pirates Tickets - Portland Pirates
- Schneider named starting goalie for PlanetUSA in 2009 AHL All-Star Classic - Manitoba Moose
- Devils' Frazee Named to AHL All-Star Team - Albany Devils
- Gerbe, Kennedy Named to PlanetUSA AHL All-Star Roster - Portland Pirates
- Mattias Karlsson selected to PlanetUSA AHL All-Star team - Binghamton Senators
- Wolf Pack's Sanguinetti Headed to AHL All-Star Classic - Connecticut Whale
- Albany's Michael Ryan Named To AHL All-Star Classic - Albany River Rats
- Wolves Motzko Selected to AHL PlanetUSA All-Star Team - Chicago Wolves
- Ryan Potulny To Represent Falcons At 2009 All-Star Game In Worcester - Springfield Falcons
- Worcester Sharks Captain Ryan Vesce named AHL All-Star for PlanetUSA - Worcester Sharks
- Bulldogs Yannick Weber Named Starter for 2009 PlanetUSA AHL All-Star team - Hamilton Bulldogs
- Kindl and Larsson Named to PlanetUSA AHL All-Star Team - Grand Rapids Griffins
- Taffe, Lovejoy Named to PlanetUSA AHL All-Star Team - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
- 2009 PlanetUSA AHL All-Star Team announced - AHL
- Moose announce "Mike Keane Bobblehead" Night - Manitoba Moose
- Aeros reach halfway point, face Bridgeport tonight at 6 p.m. CST - Houston Aeros
- AHL Quick Hits - AHL
- Columbus Recalls Center Nikita Filatov - Syracuse Crunch
- Griffins Entertain IceHogs Tonight - Grand Rapids Griffins
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