Miller and Vanek named to AHL PlanetUSA All-Star Team
January 27, 2005 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Rochester Americans News Release
(Rochester, NY)... Rochester Americans goaltender Ryan Miller and left wing Thomas Vanek have been named to the PlanetUSA AHL All-Star team today for the 2005 Dodge AHL All-Star Classic, to be played Feb. 13-14 at Verizon Wireless Arena in Manchester, N.H.
The team is comprised of players born in the United States and Europe. The Canadian team was announced on Wednesday. AHL fans determined the starting lineups of both teams via on-line balloting at theahl.com, while a committee of AHL coaches selected the remainder of the rosters. All 28 teams are represented by at least one All-Star.
Miller is making his second straight All-Star appearance. Last season, he was the PlanetUSA starting goalie at the 2004 Pepsi AHL All-Star Game. At the AHL All-Star Skills Competition, he earned the Pepsi Top Goaltender Award for posting a save percentage of .880. He also was named the goaltender for the National Hockey League's Eastern Conference in the 2003 Topps/YoungStars Game.
This season Miller has a 24-11-2 mark, a 2.17 goals-against average and a .931 save percentage in 37 games. He currently leads the AHL with 24 wins and 2184 minutes played. He is also tied for first with 37 games played and five shutouts. His shutout mark is one shy of tying the team's single-season record of six.
Miller was the Buffalo Sabres' fifth-round selection (138th overall) in the 1999 NHL Entry Draft. He played his college hockey at Michigan State and won the Hobey Baker Award in 2001.
Vanek joins the PlanetUSA team as a starter in his rookie season. The native of Graz, Austria, is tied for the AHL rookie lead with 18 goals. In 44 games, he has collected 30 points (18+12), including 10 power-play goals. He was named the CCM Vector/AHL Player of the Week for Nov. 22-28 after recording seven points in four games.
He was the Buffalo Sabres' first-round selection (fifth overall) in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft. He played two seasons at the University of Minnesota, picking up 113 points (57+56) in 83 games. In his freshman season (2002-03), Vanek led the team with 62 points (31+31), and the nation with 31 goals. He earned Frozen Four tournament MVP honors as the Gophers went on to win the NCAA title that season.
Vanek has also made a splash on the international level as well, playing for Team Austria at the 2004 IIHF World Championships in the Czech Republic. He finished 12th among points leaders with seven (2+5) in six games.
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