Lightning Recall Ritola and Jones from Admirals
March 3, 2011 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Norfolk Admirals News Release
TAMPA BAY, Fla. - The Tampa Bay Lightning, NHL parent club of the Norfolk Admirals, have recalled forwards Mattias Ritola (mat-TEE-uhs ree-TOW-lah) and Blair Jones from the Admirals, Lightning Vice President and General Manager Steve Yzerman announced today.
Ritola, 6-foot, 192 pounds, has appeared in a NHL career-high 24 games this season with the Lightning, recording career-bests with two goals, four assists and six points. He was reassigned to Norfolk on February 9. Since then he has registered two goals and 11 points with a plus-4 rating in nine games with the Admirals. Of his nine contests, five of them were multi-point games.
A native of Borlange, Sweden, Ritola has appeared in 31 career NHL games with both the Lightning and the Detroit Red Wings. He is also a veteran of 220 AHL games with the Admirals and Grand Rapids Griffins. He has amassed 43 goals, and 117 points during his AHL career. Last season, he posted his best season when he tied for third on the Griffins with 42 points in 73 games, ranked third on the team with six power-play goals and also recorded an AHL career-high 178 shots. Ritola has played in eight career Calder Cup Playoff games, recording two assists.
Ritola was originally selected by the Red Wings in the fourth round, 103rd overall, at the 2005 NHL Entry Draft. He joined the Lightning after being claimed off waivers from Detroit on October 5, 2010.
Jones, 6-foot-2, 216 pounds, has played in nine games with the Lightning this season, recording a goal and two points with an even rating while averaging 7:53 in ice time per game. He has played in 47 games with Norfolk this season, notching 20 goals and 44 points with a plus-17 rating. Jones leads the Admirals in goals, is second for points and is tied for third in plus/minus. He has also tied his career high for goals in an AHL season. In 310 career AHL games between the Admirals and Springfield Falcons, Jones has recorded 68 goals and 123 assists for 191 points.
A native of Central Butte, Saskatchewan, Jones has played in 47 career NHL games, all with the Lightning. He has registered two goals and five points with 14 penalty minutes during his career. Last season Jones played in 14 games with the Lightning, recording 10 penalty minutes and averaging a career-best 12:50 in average ice time.
Jones was drafted by Tampa Bay in the fourth round, 102nd overall, of the 2005 NHL Entry Draft.
The Admirals will drop the puck on a three-games-in-three-nights road trip on Friday evening against the Albany Devils at 7:00 p.m. Follow all of the action at 102.1-FM and 1490-AM The Game, 1021TheGame.com and ahllive.com.
The Admirals return to Scope on Wednesday night at 7:15 p.m. to battle the Binghamton Senators in another Admirals Value Night, featuring Admirals Family Fun Packs and Student Rush Nights. Family Fun Packs, presented by SunTrust, include four discounted Red Level Tickets for just $48 plus four free hot dogs, four free popcorns and four free sodas. Fans get all of that for just $48 - that's a savings of $37!
Student Rush Nights provide $8 White Level Tickets (normally $12) for students with a valid current high school or college ID. In addition, when you buy a Student Rush Night Ticket, you get a buy-one, get-one free offer for the next Student Rush Night.
Family Fun Packs are available at the Scope Box Office, all Ticketmaster Outlets, charge-by-phone at 1-800-745-3000 or online at Ticketmaster.com. Family Fun Packs must be purchased prior to the day of the game. Student Rush Night Tickets are available ONLY at the Scope Box Office after 2:00 p.m. on the day of the game.
Individual tickets for all regular season games start at just $12. Tickets are available now at the Scope Box Office, all Ticketmaster Outlets, charge-by-phone at 1-800-745-3000 and online at ticketmaster.com.
Season tickets for the 2011-12 season are now available! Low monthly payments available for a limited time only. Stop by the Admirals' Administrative Offices at Scope, call (757) 640-1212 weekdays from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. or visit norfolkadmirals.com anytime for more details or to purchase your tickets!
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