Lessard helps Canada in skills competition

January 31, 2006 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Iowa Chops News Release


WINNIPEG, MANITOBA - The 2006 RBK Hockey AHL All-Star Classic at the MTS Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba kicked-off tonight with the CCM AHL All-Star Skills Competition. Iowa Stars right wing Junior Lessard participated in two of the skill events.

The Quebec native was selected to partake in the RepeatSeat Rapid Fire Contest and for round two of the CCM Vector Breakaway Relay. Lessard scored two goals on five shots in the Rapid Fire Contest helping the Canadian All-Stars record a tie in that contest.

On the CCM Vector Breakaway Relay, Lessard scored on a nifty top self goal on Hartford Wolf Pack goaltender Al Montoya, giving the Canadian All-Stars an 8-3 win over PlanetUSA in this contest.

The overall Skills Competition saw the Canadian AHL All-Stars defeat the PlanetUSA AHL All-Stars by the score of 21-12.

The 2006 Rbk Hockey AHL All-Star Game will air Wednesday night on the Mediacom Connections Channel in Iowa at 9 PM. The Rogers Sportsnet team of Rob Faulds (play-by-play), Sam Cosentino (analyst) and R.J. Broadhead (sideline) will call the action nights.

The AHL All-Star Skills Competition, included players from the Canadian AHL All-Stars competing against players from the PlanetUSA AHL All-Stars, a team comprised of the league's top players born outside of Canada. The teams competed in seven different events: Puck Control Relay, Fastest Skater, Rapid Fire, Hardest Shot, Accuracy Shooting, Pass and Score, and Breakaway Relay.

More on Junior Lessard:

Signed by the Dallas Stars as a Free Agent on April 15th, 2004, Lessard leads the Iowa Stars with 14 goals and is second on the club with 27 points: 29(14/13/27). He was recently named the CCM Vector AHL Player of the Week for the period ending January 8th after recording six points in two games, including a five point performance on January 7th in Chicago: (2/3/5). The 6-0, 200-pound forward made his National Hockey League (NHL) debut on October 22nd against Calgary, scoring his first NHL goal on November 6th in Dallas' 4-0 win over Edmonton.

The 25-year old was the 2004 recipient of the Hobey Baker Memorial Award as the Top U.S. Collegiate Player. The Canadian team is comprised of players born inside of Canada. They will face-off against the PlanetUSA team.

The 2006 Rbk Hockey AHL All-Star Classic will feature the top young talent in the American Hockey League, competing in the 2006 CCM AHL All-Star Skills Competition and the 2006 AHL All-Star Game, in an event to be televised nationally in the United States and Canada. Of the 364 players to take part in the AHL All-Star Classic since 1995, more than 93 percent have competed in the National Hockey League, including Patrice Bergeron, Pavol Demitra, Rick DiPietro, Patrik Elias, Miikka Kiprusoff, Kari Lehtonen, Ryan Miller, Martin St. Louis, Jason Spezza, Eric Staal, and Steve Sullivan.

NEXT GAMES: Iowa travels to Winnipeg, Manitoba for a two-game set with the Manitoba Moose on Friday the 4th and Saturday the 5th. Game time from ‘The Peg' is 7:30 PM for both games. The Stars return home for a 7:05 PM game against the Chicago Wolves on Tuesday, February 7th. It's TWO for ONE TUESDAY! Bring a valid Military, College or High School ID and receive two $21 tickets for the price of one! All ticketing information can be obtained by calling 515-23-STARS or by visiting iowastarshockey.com.



American Hockey League Stories from January 31, 2006


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