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AHL San Antonio Rampage

Rampage Notes

December 17, 2002 - American Hockey League (AHL)
San Antonio Rampage News Release


1)  WEEKLY NOTES #1

This Week's Games:
Wednesday, December 18 vs. Norfolk Admirals  @ The SBC Center 7:00 p.m.
Thursday, December 19 at Milwaukee Admirals @ The Bradley Center 7:12 p.m.
Friday, December 20 at Grand Rapids Griffins @ Van Andel Arena 6:30 p.m.
All games this week can be heard live on KTKR "The Ticket 760" with the "Voice of the Rampage" Andrew Monaco calling the action.

Last Week's Results:
Tuesday, December 10 – Bridgeport 1 @ San Antonio 2
Dave Morisset scored his first game-winner of the season and Chris Mason stopped 26 shots to
help the San Antonio Rampage upset the East Division leading Bridgeport Sound Tigers. Morisset scored 2:56 into the second period, assisted by Dave Gove, to give his team a 2-1 lead with his third goal of the season.  Denis Shvidki opened the scoring with a power-play goal midway through the first period for San Antonio.  Mason turned aside all seven shots that he faced in the first period and all nine in the final frame.

Wednesday, December 11 - San Antonio 3 @ Utah 5
Eric Landry had a goal and an assist as the Utah Grizzlies downed the San Antonio Rampage, 5-3. Landry hepled Alexei Komarov net his third tally of the season midway through the second period and scored his team-leading 11th goal with under 15 seconds to go in the contest. Eric Chouinard and Mark Wooten each contributed a goal and an assist and Jason Bacashihua stopped 26 shots for Utah, which has taken five of its last six games on home ice. Chris Mason made a season-high 43 saves in the loss. Eric Schneider recorded his first ever AHL goal and Denis Shvidki scored and had and an assist for San Antonio, which suffered its first regulation loss since November 10.

Friday, December 13 – San Antonio 0 at Utah 2
Jason Bacashihua stopped 30 shots to help the Utah Grizzlies blank the San Antonio Rampage, 2-0. Bacashihua, who improved to 3-0-0 against San Antonio, helped kill all nine Rampage power plays and made 14 saves in the third period to earn his first professional shutout. Eric Landry tallied the game-winner 1:16 into the second period and Steve Gainey added an insurance marker just 4:44 later to close out the scoring for Utah. Greg Hawgood and Jim Montgomery assisted on both goals for the Grizzlies, who have won eight of their last 11 contests. Chris Mason stopped 34 shots, including all 10 in the third period, to suffer the loss for San Antonio, which fell to 2-3-0 against Utah this season.

Saturday, December 14 – Bridgeport 2 at San Antonio 4
Juraj Kolnik scored twice to lead the San Antonio Rampage past the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, 4-2. Kolnik opened the scoring with 4:03 remaining in the first period on his team-leading 11th goal of the year, a power-play score. He gave San Antonio a 2-1 lead with 1:25 left in the second on his second multi-goal game of the season. Mike Green scored 1:44 into the third and Jeff Toms added an empty-net goal for the Rampage, who improved to 8-0-2 over their last 10 home games. Chris Mason made 23 saves and picked up the win. Eric Manlow had a goal and an assist and Trent Hunter also scored for Bridgeport.

Sunday, December 15 – Norfolk 1 at San Antonio 5
Pierre Dagenais recorded two goals and one assist to lead the San Antonio Rampage past the Norfolk Admirals, 5-1. Dagenais opened the scoring with 9:46 remaining in the first period and tallied the game-winner with a two-man advantage over three minutes later. Jim Campbell, who leads the team with 21 points, picked up three assists and Ryan Jardine added a goal for San Antonio. Chris Mason made 27 saves, including 11 in the third period, for the Rampage, who have won seven of their last 10 games. Casey Hankinson, who is tied for the team lead with 12 goals, scored a power-play marker for Norfolk, which is winless in its last five contests (0-4-1-0). Steve Passmore allowed five goals on just 24 shots to remain winless in four starts this season (0-3-1).

Where They Stand: After 27 games the Rampage (11-9-5-2) are tied for third place in the West Division with the Milwaukee Admirals (10-9-6-3) who both have accumulated 29 points, but San Antonio (.537%) owns a slightly better winning percentage than Milwaukee (.518%). Ahead of the Rampage sit the Utah Grizzlies (16-12-0-1) and the first place Houston Aeros (16-9-2-0).  Chicago (12-9-1-2) holds down the last spot in the division.    

Rampage vs. Admirals: In their first meeting of the season, the Rampage defeated the Admirals 5-1 on Sunday, Dec. 15.  The two clubs meet in a rematch on Wednesday evening, before the series shifts to Virginia for a pair of games on Feb. 5 and Feb. 12.

Norfolk Scouting Report:  Norfolk (16-9-2-3) enters the week tied for first place in the South Division with the Hershey Bears.  The Admirals have hit a bit of a skid recently going 0-4-1-0 in their last five contests.   Right wing Mike Peluso ranks tied for seventh in the AHL and paces the Admirals with 29 points (12-17-29), while right wing Casey Hankinson is second on the team with 26 points (12-14-26).  Defenseman Marty Wilford leads the Admiral blue liners with 18 points (5-13-18) and is tied for eighth among AHL defenseman in scoring.  

Norfolk Connections: Rampage right wing Jim Campbell spent part of his 2001-02 season with Norfolk  recording 11 goals and 14 assists in 44 games.  Campbell tallied three goals and an assist in four games during the playoffs for the Admirals.  

Rampage vs. Admirals:  San Antonio and Milwaukee meet for the sixth time this season on Thursday night at the Bradley Center.  The two clubs meet 10 times this season with the season series holding at 2-2-1-0. The Admirals picked up wins over the Rampage on Oct. 12 (6-2) and Oct. 23 (2-4).  On Nov. 12, San Antonio responded by handing the Admirals their first loss in regulation, a 4-1 decision.  The two teams skated to a 1-1 stalemate on Nov. 20 and in their last meeting on Nov. 26 the Rampage downed the Admirals 5-2.

Milwaukee Scouting Report: The Admirals (10-9-6-3) have dropped their last two games and have picked up wins in just two of their last 10 contests.  Milwaukee is paced by Darren Haydar who ranks tied for fifth in the AHL with 30 points (12-28-30), while Cameron Mann is tied for seventh among league scorers with 29 points (11-18-29).  Peter Smrek leads all Milwaukee blue liners with 14 points (2-12-14).  Haydar also places among league rookie scoring leaders with a +14 rating (1st), 12 goals (3rd) and 18 assists (3rd).  As a team, the Admirals rank second in the AHL recording 19 power play tallies in 89 chances (21.3%) on the road this season.  They place eighth overall in the AHL scoring 28 goals in 157 power play chances (17.8%) this year and rank seventh in the league averaging 3.21 goals per game.

Milwaukee Connections:  Rampage netminder Chris Mason spent the past four seasons in Milwaukee, earning 69 victories during his stint with the Admirals.

Rampage vs. Griffins: San Antonio and Grand Rapids meet for the third time this season on Friday night.  In their first meeting on Nov. 22, the Griffins edged the Rampage 3-2 in overtime when David Van Drunen scored with 26 seconds remaining in the extra frame.  San Antonio handed the Griffins a 5-3 loss in their first trip to the Alamo City on Dec. 2.

Griffins Scouting Report:  Grand Rapids  (14-7-4-2) sits in first place in the Central Division, five points ahead of the second place Rochester Americans.  Center Mark Mowers paces the club is tied for seventh among AHL scoring leaders with 29 points  (11-18-29), while teammate Michel Picard ranks among league scoring leaders with 27 points (11-16-27). Griffins goaltender Marc Lamothe ranks third among league leaders with a 2.17 goals against average. As a team, Grand Rapids ranks third in the AHL holding their opponent's to just 2.41 goals per game and fifth in the league allowing 28.04 shots against them per game.

Grand Rapids Connections:  Rampage center David Gove appeared in 17 games with Grand Rapids last season collecting two goals and four assists.  Additionally, Gove played four years of college hockey at Western Michigan University, located about 50 miles south of Grand Rapids.  

Red-Hot Inside the SBC Center:  The Rampage have recorded an AHL best seven consecutive wins at home and own a 9-1-2-0 mark inside the SBC Center, unbeaten in their last 11 contests on home ice.  San Antonio suffered their only home loss to the Houston Aeros on Nov. 3.

Mason's Magic:  Rampage netminder Chris Mason played in all five of San Antonio's games last week posting a 3-2-0 record, earning victories in each of his last two starts.  He ranks 11th among AHL goaltenders with a 2.34 goals against average.  

In a Zone: Rampage right wing Jim Campbell has recorded at least one point in his last eight games, picking up 18 points (3-15-18) over that span.

First Impressions:  In his San Antonio debut defenseman Sean Gagnon netted the fifth goal of the game against the Norfolk Admirals on Sunday night.   Gagnon who recorded three goals in 42 games with the Hartford Wolf Pack last season, picked up his first tally since Feb. 1, 2001.

Kolnik and Rivers Get the Call: On Monday, the Panthers recalled right wing Juraj Kolnik and defenseman Jamie Rivers. Kolnik, scored a team-high 12 goals and added four assists in 27 games with San Antonio this season.  He has played in 36 career NHL contests recording six goals and three assists. Rivers appeared in 12 games with the Rampage this year tallying a goal and three assists. The seven-year NHL veteran played for both the Boston Bruins and Ottawa Senators last season recording six points (4-2-6) in 66 games.  Rivers has played in a total of 339 games in the NHL recording 49 points (13-36-49) and 268 penalty minutes.

No Place Like Home: Mike Green has recorded eight of his nine goals inside the SBC Center, while the recently recalled Juraj Kolnik has notched eight of his 12 tallies on the Rampage's home ice this season.

Tighten up the ‘D":  The Rampage rank 10th in the AHL holding their opponents to 2.74 goals per game and have allowed just 12 goals against them during their current 7-game home winning streak.

Killers at Home:  The Rampage rank fourth overall in the AHL killing off 89.7% (52-58) of their opponent's power play opportunities inside the SBC Center.  In addition, San Antonio places fifth in the league tallying 10 power play goals in 50 opportunities on their home ice this year.  

Recent Transactions: On Monday, the Florida Panthers reassigned goaltender Wade Flaherty to San Antonio.  Flaherty, who has spent two stints with the Panthers this season, was recalled by Florida on Dec. 7, and dressed as the backup goaltender for each of the past two games.  Also, on Monday the Rampage returned forward Eric Schneider to the Laredo Bucks of the Central Hockey League. On Tuesday, they returned goaltender Tyrone Garner to the Jackson Bandits of the East Coast Hockey League.

Team Leaders: Jim Campbell paces the team with 21 points (4-17-21) in 12 games played this season, followed by Serge Payer's 18 points (3-15-18).  Mike Green leads all active Rampage players with nine tallies, while Filip Novak places first among Rampage blue liners with 10 points (3-7-10).  Defenseman Mathieu Biron ranks first on the club with a +9 rating.  Rocky Thompson's 81 penalty minutes leads the team.  

The Panthers Den: The Panthers (9-10-7-4 ) are tied for third place in the Southeast Division with the Washington Capitals, who both have 29 points.  Center Olli Jokinen ranks tied for ninth among NHL scoring leaders with 32 points (17-15-32). The Panthers complete a four-game homestand on Wednesday night with a contest against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
 
Down on the Farm:  The Jackson Bandits sit in fourth place in the Southwest Division with a 15-13-2 mark.  Rampage prospect Sean O'Connor ranks sixth on the club with 11 points (5-6-11) in 27 games played.  The Bandits visit the Arkansas RiverBlades on Friday night.  The Laredo Bucks are in second place in the Southeast Division with a 13-7-4 record.  Rampage prospect Michel Periard ranks third on the club with 26 points (8-18-26) in 22 games played this year.   They host the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbogs on Friday evening.  

On The Web: Check out www.sarampage.com for all the latest news and information on the newest team in the Alamo City.

Ticket Information: Rampage full, half and flex ticket packages can be purchased by contacting a ticket sales representative at 210-227-GOAL (4625).  Individual tickets can be purchased at the SBC Center Box Office, select Ticketmaster Ticket Centers including Foley's and Wherehouse Music stores, sarampage.com, ticketmaster.com and by phone at 210-225-TEAM (8326).

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2)  WEEKLY NOTES #2

Weekly Game Results

Monday, December 2 – Grand Rapids 3 @ San Antonio 5
Dave Gove and Juraj Kolnik each scored early in the third period to help the San Antonio Rampage down the Grand Rapids Griffins, 5-3. Gove, who finished with a goal and an assist, established a 4-3 lead with his second goal in four games 2:47 into the final stanza and Kolnik completed the scoring nearly four minutes later. Mike Green had three points, including two goals, and Jim Campbell recorded three assists for San Antonio, which has registered points in 10 straight games (4-0-4-2). Chris Mason turned away all six shots he faced in the third period and finished with 20 saves for his fourth victory in as many home starts. Stacy Roest scored twice for Grand Rapids, which suffered its first regulation loss in over a month. Marc Lamothe, who replaced Joey MacDonald midway through the second period, surrendered two goals on 17 shots in defeat.

Wednesday, December 4 – Utah 2 @ San Antonio 4
Juraj Kolnik scored twice in the third period to help the San Antonio Rampage extend their double-digit unbeaten streak with a 4-2 win over the Utah Grizzlies. Kolnik broke a 2-2 tie with a goal 82 seconds into
the final period and sealed the win with his ninth marker with 2:22 remaining in the game. Paul Elliott and Serge Payer each collected a pair of assists and Wade Flaherty stopped 31 shots for San Antonio, which has not lost in 11 games (5-0-4-2).

Saturday, December 7 – Wilkes-Barre/Scranton 1 @ San Antonio 3
Mathieu Biron and Mike Green each scored in the second period to lead the San Antonio Rampage past the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, 3-1. Biron broke a scoreless tie with his third of the season 7:17 into the second period and Green established a two-goal lead just over two minutes later. Ryan Jardine contributed a goal and Jim Campbell added two assists to his team-high total of 14 for San Antonio, which is 6-0-4-2 since November 12. Wade Flaherty made 19 saves to pick up consecutive victories following an 0-5-3 start.
Sebastien Caron surrendered three goals on 29 shots to suffer the loss. Milan Kraft extended his point streak to seven games with a goal late in the third period for Wilkes-Barre, which fell to 4-7-1-1 on the road.

Where They Stand: After 22 games the Rampage (8-7-5-2) are in fourth place in the West Division with a .523 winning percentage, just 10 points behind the division leading Houston Aeros.  Ahead of the Rampage sits Utah (13-12-0-1), Milwaukee (10-7-6-3) and first place Houston (16-7-1-0).  Chicago holds down the last spot in the division with a 9-9-1-2 mark.    

Rampage vs. Sound Tigers: San Antonio and Bridgeport meet for the first time this season on Tuesday before a rematch on Saturday.  Both games will take place in the Alamo City at the SBC Center. San Antonio and Bridgeport will meet twice more this season in the last two games of the Rampage's 12-game road trip on Feb. 16 and Feb. 18.  

Sound Tigers Scouting Report:  After finishing last season as the Calder Cup runner-ups, Bridgeport  (15-7-5-1) has picked up from where they left off last year and currently sit in first place in the East Division with 36 points and a .643 winning percentage. The Sound Tigers come into the week winning seven of their last 10 games.  Right wing Trent Hunter leads the Sound Tigers with 25 points (12-13-25), while center Eric Manlow places second on the club with 14 points (7-7-14).  Defenseman Alan Letang paces all Sound Tiger blue liners with 13 points (2-11-13).  Center Jeff Hamilton ranks tied for second among rookies taking 65 shots on the season.  Bridgeport goaltender Rick DiPietro ranks among league leaders with 10 wins (T1st), 1,221 minutes played (1st), 515 saves (2nd) and three shutouts (T2nd).

Bridgeport Connections:  Rampage right winger Juraj Kolnik (who was acquired from Bridgeport in a trade for Sven Butenschon on Oct. 11) appeared in 67 games for the Sound Tigers during the 2001-02 season. Kolnik recorded 18 goals and 30 assists and finished tied for fifth among Bridgeport scoring leaders with 48 points during the regular season.  In the playoffs he added seven goals and 14 assists in 20 games.  David Morisset also spent the 2001-02 season with Bridgeport appearing in 62 games.  The right winger finished with nine goals and 10 assists during the regular season, while picking up an assist in 19 playoff contests.

Rampage vs. Grizzlies: The Rampage make the trip to West Valley City, Utah for the final time during the regular season this week. In their first meeting at The "E" Center back on Oct. 18, the Rampage picked up their first win in franchise history, a 5-4 come from behind win over the Grizzles.  The following night Utah responded by handing San Antonio a 5-3 setback. The Rampage won the only meeting in the Alamo City beating the Grizzlies by a score of 4-2 on Dec. 4.  San Antonio holds an early 2-1 advantage in the season series with five games yet to be played.  After this week's games, the Grizzlies will make their way back to San Antonio on Jan. 10, Mar. 22 and Mar. 24.  

Utah Scouting Report: The Grizzlies (13-12-0-1) sit in third place in the West Division, just two points behind the second place Milwaukee Admirals and enter the week dropping two of their last three contests, including a 4-2 loss to Rampage on Dec. 4.  Center Jon Sim leads the Grizzlies and ranks tied for fifth in the AHL with 27 points (9-18-27) while Jim Montgomery places second on the club with 21 points (7-14-20).  Defenseman Greg Hawgood paces all Utah blue liners with 15 points (5-10-15).  Defenseman John Erskine ranks first in the AHL with 163 penalty minutes.  Utah goalie Corey Hirsch ranks fourth in the league with 487 saves.  As a team, the Grizzlies rank second in the AHL, averaging 30.3 penalty minutes per game.      

Utah Connections:  Ryan Jardine, Serge Payer, Paul Elliott, Kyle Rossiter and Eric Beaudoin all played for the Grizzlies last season.  Jardine finished the 2001-02 campaign tied for seventh on the Grizzlies with 32 points, while Flaherty ranked eighth among AHL goaltenders with a 2.35 GAA.

Rampage vs. Admirals:  San Antonio and Norfolk meet for the first of four regular season meetings beginning on Saturday night.  The Admirals will stick around the Alamo City for a rematch Dec. 18.  The series moves to Norfolk in February when the Rampage travel to Virginia on Feb. 5 and 12 to close out the season set.

Norfolk Scouting Report:  Norfolk (16-7-1-3) sits in first place of the South Division, four points ahead of second place Hershey.  The Admirals come into this week on a bit of a slide, losers of their last two and have posted a 4-5-0-1 record in its last 10 games.  Right wing Mike Peluso ranks tied for third in the AHL and paces the Admirals with 29 points (12-17-29), while right wing Casey Hankinson is second on the team with 24 points (11-13-24).  Defenseman Marty Wilford leads the Admiral blue liners with 18 points (5-13-18) and ranks sixth among AHL defenseman in scoring.  Norfolk goalie Michael Leighton ranks tied for first in the league with 10 wins.  As a team, the Admirals rank seventh in the AHL converting 18.4 percent (33-188) of their power play opportunities.  

Norfolk Connections: Rampage right wing Jim Campbell spent part of his 2001-02 season with Norfolk  recording 11 goals and 14 assists in 44 games.  Campbell tallied three goals and an assist in four games during the playoffs for the Admirals.  

For the Record: The Rampage are undefeated in their last three games and have earned at least one point in each of their last 12 contests, going 6-0-4-2 over that span.  San Antonio suffered their last loss in regulation on Nov. 10, a 5-1 setback against the Houston Aeros.

Home Sweet Home:  The Rampage play four of their next eight games at the SBC Center.  San Antonio opened December with a four-game homestand beating Grand Rapids 5-3 on Dec. 2, Utah 4-2 on Dec. 4 and Wilkes-Barre 3-1on Dec. 7. The Rampage complete their homestand on Dec. 10 when they host the defending Calder-Cup runner-ups  Bridgeport Sound Tigers.  After a brief road trip to Utah for a pair of games, San Antonio will be back at home to face Bridgeport in a rematch on Dec. 14.  The Rampage then welcome Norfolk to town for two in a row on Dec. 15 and Dec. 18, before traveling to Milwaukee and Grand Rapids for their last two games before the Christmas holiday.  

Red-Hot Inside the SBC Center:  After opening up the SBC Center with a 4-2 loss to the division leading Houston Aeros on Nov. 3, the Rampage have made the best of their recent opportunities at home, going 6-0-2 in their past eight contests.  San Antonio started their run back on Nov. 6 with a 2-2 tie vs. Cincinnati before recording their first ever win in the SBC Center on Nov. 7 beating Cincinnati 4-3.  The Rampage continued their winning ways at home defeating Milwaukee 4-1 on Nov. 12, but then tied Hartford 1-1 on Nov. 19.  San Antonio got back in the win column with 5-2 victory over Milwaukee on Nov. 26. Last week, San Antonio posted a 5-3 win over the Grand Rapids Griffins on Dec. 3, followed by a 4-2 victory over Utah on Dec. 5 and 3-1 decision over Wilkes-Barre on Dec. 7.    

Back Up Top: On Monday, the Panthers recalled goaltender Wade Flaherty and right wing Jim Campbell. Flaherty, earns his second call-up of the season to the parent club Panthers.  He was last recalled by Florida on November 7, but did not register any playing time before being reassigned to San Antonio on November 14.  Prior to his recall, Campbell recorded 11 points (2-9-11) in his last five games, most recently picking up a pair of assists in the Rampage's 3-1 win over the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins on Saturday night.  

New Faces in the Locker Room: Tyrone Garner rejoined the Rampage on Monday after being recalled from the Jackson Bandits of the East Coast Hockey League.  Garner has appeared in 15 games with Jackson this season posting a 7-7-1-1 record.  The Stoney Creek, Ontario native played in one game for the Rampage this year suffering a 5-1 setback against the Houston Aeros on November 10. In addition, the Rampage recalled Eric Schneider from the Laredo Bucks of the Central Hockey League.  At the time of his recall, Schneider led the CHL with 38 points (18-20-38).  

Scoring Touch: Center Mike Green has recorded six tallies in his last five games, while right wing Juraj Kolnik has three goals in his last three games and paces the club with nine lamp lighters through 22 games this season.

Pickin' Up Points:  Center Serge Payer has four points in his last five games played (1-4-5), while center David Gove has a three-game point scoring streak in tact, earning five points (1-4-5) over that span.

Tighten up the "D":  Through their current 12 game point scoring streak, the Rampage have yielded just 20 goals, after permitting 43 in their first 10 contests of the 2002-03 campaign.  

Killers at Home:  The Rampage rank fourth overall in the AHL killing off 90.5% (38-42) of their opponent's power play opportunities inside the SBC Center.    

Team Leaders: Jeff Toms and Serge Payer rank tied for first among active Rampage players with 15 points.  Juraj Kolnik paces the club with nine tallies, while Mathieu Biron leads the club with a +9 rating.  Filip Novak ranks first among team blue liners with nine points (3-6-9).  Rocky Thompson's 79 penalty minutes places first on the club.  

The Panthers Den: The Panthers (9-9-6-4) were blanked 4-0 by the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday night and sit in third place in the Southeast Division. The Panthers continue their four-game homestand on Tuesday night when the Philadelphia Flyers visit South Florida for the first time this season. The New York Islanders (Dec. 13) and Toronto Maple Leafs (Dec. 18) will also battle the Panthers during the homestand.
 
Down on the Farm:  The Jackson Bandits sit in fifth place in the Southwest Division with a 12-13-1 mark.  Rampage prospect Sean O'Connor ranks among the top five scoring leaders with 11 points (5-6-11) in 22 games played. The Laredo Bucks are in second place in the Southeast Division with a 12-6-3 record.  Rampage prospect Michel Periard ranks third on the club with 26 points (8-18-26) in 19 games played this year.  

On The Web: Check out www.sarampage.com for all the latest news and information on the newest team in the Alamo City.

Ticket Information: Rampage full, half and flex ticket packages can be purchased by contacting a ticket sales representative at 210-227-GOAL (4625).  Individual tickets can be purchased at the Spurs Box Office located at the South End of the Alamodome, select Ticketmaster Ticket Centers including Foley's and Wherehouse Music stores, sarampage.com, ticketmaster.com and by phone at 210-225-TEAM (8326).

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3) KOLNIK AND RIVERS RECALLED BY PANTHERS
Flaherty Rejoins Rampage

The Rampage announced that the Florida Panthers have recalled right wing Juraj Kolnik and defenseman Jamie Rivers.  In addition, the Panthers have reassigned goaltender Wade Flaherty to San Antonio.  

Kolnik, 22, scored a team-high 12 goals and added four assists in 27 games with San Antonio this season.  He appeared in 67 games for Bridgeport (AHL) last season recording 48 points (18-30-48). He also played in seven games for the NHL's New York Islanders picking up a pair of goals.

The New York Islanders seventh choice, 101st overall, in the 1999 NHL Entry Draft, Kolnik has played in 36 career NHL contests all with the Islanders collecting nine points (3-6-9) and 12 penalty minutes.  He was acquired by the Panthers in exchange for Sven Butenschon on Oct. 12, 2002

Rivers, 27, appeared in 12 games with the Rampage this year tallying a goal and three assists. The seven-year NHL veteran played for both the Boston Bruins and Ottawa Senators last season, recording six points (4-2-6) in 66 games.

The Ottawa, Ontario native has played in 339 games in the NHL recording 49 points (13-36-49) and 268 penalty minutes. He was originally selected by the St. Louis Blues in third round (63rd overall) in the 1993 NHL Entry Draft.

Flaherty, who has spent two stints with the Panthers this season, was recalled by Florida on Dec. 7, and dressed as the backup goaltender for each of the past two games.  Prior to his recall, he had played 10 games for San Antonio, posting a 2-5-3, picking up victories in each of his last two starts.

The Rampage conclude a three-game homestand on Wednesday night when they host the Norfolk Admirals at 7:00 p.m.  The game can be heard live on KTKR "The Ticket" 760 AM with Andrew Monaco calling all the action.

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4) RAMPAGE PLAYERS TO DELIVER EARLY CHRISTMAS GIFTS TO SAN ANTONIO FAMILIES
 
WHAT: San Antonio Rampage left wing Ryan Jardine, center David Gove and center Serge Payer in conjunction with the Elf Louise Christmas Project will spread holiday joy by delivering Christmas presents to families on San Antonio's east side.

WHEN: Tuesday, December 17 from 4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

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5) CAMPBELL RETURNED TO RAMPAGE

The Rampage announced that the Florida Panthers have reassigned right wing Jim Campbell.

Campbell, 29 appeared in the Panthers 3-3 tie against the New York Islanders last night, taking 14 shifts for 8:56 of ice time. Campbell has played in 284 NHL contests recording 136 points (61-75-136).  The eight-year NHL veteran has played for five teams and had back-to-back 20-goal seasons with the St. Louis Blues in 1996-97 and 1997-98.

The Worcester, Massachusetts native leads the Rampage with 18 points (4-14-18).  Prior to his recall, he notched 11 points (2-9-11) in his last five games played, most recently picking up a pair of assists in the Rampage's 3-1 win over the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on Saturday, Dec. 7.

The Rampage open up a three-game homestand with contests against the Bridgeport Sound Tigers this evening at 7:00 p.m. and the Norfolk Admirals on Sunday at 5:00 p.m.  Both games can be heard live on KTKR ‘The Ticket" 760 AM with Andrew Monaco calling all the action.

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6) SAN ANTONIO ON A RAMPAGE

Deep in the heart of Texas, a battle is raging for supremacy in the AHL's Western Conference, and after a slow start, the San Antonio Rampage are making a move up the standings.

The Rampage, top affiliate of the NHL's Florida Panthers, began their inaugural season with one win during a six-game road trip, and then dropped their home opener on Nov. 3 to fall to 1-6-0-0. Since then, John Torchetti's club is 7-1-5-2, earning a point in the standings in each of their last 12 games (6-0-4-2) and climbing back into the thick of the West Division race, trailing front-running Houston by 10 points entering the week.

The Rampage's state-of-the-art digs, the brand new SBC Center, has been an uninviting stop for visiting clubs, as San Antonio starts the week with an eight-game home unbeaten streak (6-0-2-0). The Rampage will have ample opportunity to pad their home-ice advantage over the next few weeks, as they are scheduled to play 17 of 23 games in the Alamo City between Dec. 2 and Jan. 15.

Jim Campbell has provided a spark for the Rampage offense, recording 11 points in five games since returning from injury. Campbell, one of four former AHL All-Stars on the Rampage's roster (joining Pierre Dagenais, Denis Shvidki and Jamie Rivers), leads San Antonio with 14 assists and 18 points despite playing in just 11 games this season. Jeff Toms and Serge Payer are second on the club with 15 points each, Mike Green has six goals and an assist in his last five games, and Juraj Kolnik, a Calder Cup finalist with Bridgeport last season, has scored a team-high nine goals on the year.

San Antonio's defense has stepped up as well, allowing just 20 goals during the 12-game point streak after yielding 43 in their first 10 contests. Goaltender Chris Mason is 5-1-2 with a 1.71 goals against average in his last eight decisions, and Mathieu Biron owns a team-leading plus-9 rating from the blue line. The Rampage's defensive corps also includes touted prospects Filip Novak (acquired from the N.Y. Rangers in the Pavel Bure trade) and Kyle Rossiter, a second-round pick in the 1998 draft.
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7) BREAKING DOWN BRIDGEPORT

'DOG POUNDING ... Sixteen different Bulldogs found the scoresheet as Hamilton scored five times in each period and exploded for a 15-1 victory at Copps Coliseum on Sunday, completing a three-game weekend sweep of a depleted Cleveland Barons team. The 14-goal margin of victory tied an AHL record.

While Benoit Gratton padded his AHL scoring lead with a goal and three assists, most of the damage came from unlikely sources. Chad Hinz, who entered play on Sunday with one goal and three assists in 25 games this season, tied AHL season highs with five assists and six points in the game. Defenseman Marc-Andre Bergeron added a goal and four assists, matching his totals from the first 27 games of the year. Alexei Semenov and Jani Rita scored twice, as did Ben Carpentier, who began the night with two goals in his first 165 career AHL games. Francois Beauchemin recorded three points and a plus-7 rating.

The Bulldogs own the AHL's best record at 19-6-1-2 (41 points), and have outscored the opposition by a 39-11 count over their last eight games (7-0-0-1).

OFF THE ICE ... St. John's forward Morgan Warren has relaunched the Maple Leafs' Munchkins ticket-donation program that was begun by former Leafs goaltender Mike Minard... No fewer than 11 AHL teams are participating in a Teddy Bear Toss this holiday season, with fans tossing stuffed animals onto the ice for collection and donation to local children's charities... Members of the Chicago Wolves are visiting six public libraries this week as part of the team's "Read to Succeed" program... The Cleveland Barons, Big Brothers Big Sisters and Barons equipment manager Steve "Swiss" Wissman have introduced the "Swiss Christmas" program, in which players purchase holiday gifts for less-fortunate children... Several Saint John Flames staffed Salvation Army kettles around the city on Wednesday night... Members of the Grand Rapids Griffins skated around the clock in a 24-hour Great Skate to benefit the Griffins Youth Foundation... In the spirit of holiday giving, Ted Keegan, who is playing the title role in The Phantom of the Opera at Philadelphia's Forrest Theatre, presented his character's trademark half-mask to Philadelphia goaltenders Neil Little and Antero Niittymaki in exchange for their hockey masks.

ETC. ... Trent Whitfield recorded two goals and four assists and Andreas Salomonsson assisted on all five Portland power play goals as the Pirates raked the St. John's Maple Leafs on Saturday, 7-3... Jaroslav Kristek scored three times and Paul Gaustad twice during a five-goal third period as Rochester rallied past Norfolk on Saturday, 5-2... The Amerks' Chris Taylor has 12 assists in his last six games... Springfield rookie Jeff Taffe netted a hat trick in the Falcons' 6-3 win over Syracuse on Friday... Manitoba captain Brian Chapman returned to the Springfield Civic Center on Saturday night for the first time since his three-year stint with the Indians (1990-93), which included a Calder Cup championship in 1991... Providence's Matt Herr was credited with his seventh game-winning goal of the season in Sunday's victory over Hartford... 2000 Calder Cup champion Milan Hnilicka posted wins over Milwaukee on Friday and Saturday as Chicago extended its winning streak to five games... Syracuse's Pauli Levokari recorded his first AHL goal and added an assist in his Crunch debut on Wednesday, two days after being acquired in a deal with the Atlanta Thrashers organization... Randy Petruk made 46 saves as Lowell snapped a nine-game losing streak with a 1-1 tie at Providence on Friday... Bridgeport took an 11-game home unbeaten streak into the weekend, then went scoreless for 115:27 in back-to-back losses... Al MacNeil, who coached Nova Scotia to Calder Cup championships in 1972, 1976 and 1977, was named interim head coach of the Calgary Flames last week.

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8) RAMPAGE MAKE ROSTER MOVES

The Rampage traded defenseman Matt Smith to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in exchange for right wing Brendan Walsh.  In addition, the Rampage have traded right wing Gaetan Royer to the Springfield Falcons.

Walsh, 28, played in six games with the East Coast Hockey League's Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies this season registering a pair of assists and 40 penalty minutes.  He was recalled from Atlantic City on Nov. 12, but has not appeared in a game with the Penguins this year.

The Dorchester, Massachusetts native, played in 29 games with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins last season recording four points (2-2-4) and 184 penalty minutes.  He will join the Rampage for their game in Grand Rapids on Friday night.  

Smith, appeared in two games with San Antonio and failed to register a point before being assigned to the Laredo Bucks of the Central Hockey League on November 2.  In seven games with Laredo he recorded five points (3-2-5) and 54 penalty minutes.

Royer, attended training camp with San Antonio, before being assigned to the ECHL's Jackson Bandits on October 14.  In 11 games with Jackson he picked up nine points (3-6-9) and 58 penalty minutes.

The Rampage complete a three game road trip this weekend with contests in Grand Rapids on Friday night and in Rochester on Saturday evening.  Both games can be heard live on KTKR "The Ticket" 760 AM with Andrew Monaco calling all the action.

BRENDAN WALSH
Right Wing
Height: 5'9"  Weight: 185   Shoots: Right    Born: 4/22/74 in Dorchester, Massachusetts

REGULAR SEASON     PLAYOFFS
SEASON TEAM LEAGUE GP G A PTS PIM GP G A PTS       PIM
1995-96 Boston University NCAA    38     8    16    24    90 -- -- -- -- --
1996-97   Boston University NCAA    27     5     8    13    83 -- -- -- -- --
1998-99   U. of Maine NCAA    30     7    13    20    58 -- -- -- -- --
1999-00   U. of Maine NCAA    39     9    21    30   106 -- -- -- -- --
2000-01   Jackson  ECHL    25     3     6     9   179   --   --   --   --   --
2000-01   Cleveland IHL     10     1     1     2    45    4    0    0    0   11
2001-02   Wheeling  ECHL    29     7    15    22   168   --   --   --   --   --
2001-02   Wilkes-Barre/Scra. AHL     29     2     2     4   184   --   --   --   --   --
2002-03 Atlantic-City  ECHL 6 0 2 2 40 -- -- -- -- --
AHL TOTALS 29 2 2 4 184 -- -- -- -- --
  PRO TOTALS 99 13 26 39  616 4 0 0 0 11

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9) INAUGURAL TEDDY BEAR TOSS A SUCCESS

The Rampage held their inaugural teddy bear toss on Saturday, December 14 when they hosted the Bridgeport Sound Tigers at 7:00 p.m.

Fans attending Saturday's contest were asked to bring a new stuffed animal to the SBC Center and were encouraged to throw the animal on the ice after the Rampage scored their first goal of the evening.  Six Flags Fiesta Texas donated 250 bears and distributed them to fans prior to the start of the game.  All the stuffed animals were collected and donated to Elf Louise for the Christmas holiday.  Also, the first 1,500 fans through the doors of the SBC Center on Saturday night will received a free autographed Rampage mini stick, signed by one of five players.    

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10) FLAHERTY AND CAMPBELL RECALLED BY PANTHERS
Garner and Schneider Summoned to San Antonio

The Rampage announced that the Florida Panthers have recalled goaltender Wade Flaherty and right wing Jim Campbell.  

Campbell, 29, has recorded 18 points (4-14-18) in 11 games with San Antonio this season.  Prior to his recall, he notched 11 points
(2-9-11) in his last five games played, most recently picking up a pair of assists in the Rampage's 3-1 win over the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins on Saturday night.  

The Worcester, Massachusetts native has played in a total of 283 NHL contests with Anaheim (1995-96), St. Louis (1996-00), Montreal (2000-01) and Chicago (2001-02), recording 136 points (61-75-136).  He spent training camp with the Panthers this season before being assigned to San Antonio on September 29.      

Flaherty, 34, earns his second call-up of the season to the parent club Panthers.  He was last recalled by Florida on November 7, but did not register any playing time before being reassigned to San Antonio on November 14.  Flaherty has appeared in 119 NHL contests for San Jose (1991-97), NY Islanders (1997-2001), Tampa Bay  (2000-01) and Florida (2001-02).  

In 10 games with San Antonio this season, Flaherty posted a 2-5-3 record with a 3.05 goals against average and a .897 save percentage.  The Terrace, British Columbia native has earned victories for the Rampage in each of his last two starts.

As a result of these transactions, the Rampage have recalled goaltender Tyrone Garner from the Jackson Bandits of the East Coast Hockey League and Eric Schneider from the Laredo Bucks of the Central Hockey League.

Garner, 24, has appeared in 15 games with Jackson this season posting a 7-7-1-1 record.  The Stoney Creek, Ontario native played in one game for the Rampage this year suffering a 5-1 setback against the Houston Aeros on November 10.

Schneider, 25, leads the CHL with 38 points (18-20-38) through 19 games this season.  He attended training camp with the Rampage before being assigned to Laredo on October 14.  

In addition, the Rampage have signed defenseman Jamie Rivers to an AHL contract.   Rivers, 27, has played in 11 games with San Antonio this season notching a goal and a pair of assists.  The Ottawa, Ontario native has played in 339 NHL games for St. Louis (95-99), NY Islanders (99-00), Ottawa (00-02) and Boston (01-02), recording 49 points (13-36-49) and 268 penalty minutes.

The Rampage complete a four-game homestand with a contest against the Bridgeport Sound Tigers on Tuesday, December 10 at 7:00 p.m.  The game can be heard live on KTKR ‘The Ticket" 760 AM with the "Voice of the Rampage" Andrew Monaco calling all the action.

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11) RAMPAGE ANNOUNCE CHANGE IN TELEVISION SCHEDULE

The Rampage announced that they have made a change in their television schedule.

San Antonio's game against the Bridgeport Sound Tigers originally scheduled to air on WB 35 (Time Warner Ch. 7) on Saturday, December 14 was not broadcasted.  Instead, WB 35 will broadcast another game on a date to be determined later this season.

The remaining games on the Rampage television schedule include January 11 vs. Cleveland, March 8 vs. Grand Rapids and March 22 vs. Utah.  All three games will be broadcasted on WB 35.  The Rampage will also pick up an additional game later in the season that will be aired on a to be determined station.
 
The Rampage continue their four-game homestand with a game against the Wilkes Barre/Scranton Penguins on Saturday, December 7 at 7:00 p.m.

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12) DAGENAIS ADDED TO RAMPAGE ROSTER

The Rampage announced that the Florida Panthers have reassigned right wing Pierre Dagenais.

Dagenais, 24, was recalled by the Panthers on Oct. 29 and has been a healthy scratch in each of the last eight games.  In five games with the Panthers this season he has been held scoreless. The Blainville, Quebec native has played in a total of 56 NHL contests tallying 13 goals and six assists.

Prior to his recall, Dagenais played in five games with San Antonio recording four goals and a pair of assists.  He split last season playing for both the NHL's Panthers and the New Jersey Devils, recording 10 goals and four helpers.  

He will be available for the Rampage tonight when they visit the Cincinnati Mighty Ducks at 6:35 p.m.  The game can be heard live on KTKR "The Ticket" 760 AM with the "Voice of the Rampage" Andrew Monaco calling all the action.  

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13) PANTHERS ASSIGN RITCHIE TO RAMPAGE
San Antonio Assigns Lundbohm to Laredo and Olson to Jackson

The Rampage announced that the Florida Panthers have assigned center Byron Ritchie.  At the same time the Rampage assigned center Andy Lundbohm to the Laredo Bucks of the CHL and left wing Josh Olson to the Jackson Bandits of the ECHL.

Ritchie, 25, appeared in 12 games with the Panthers this season collecting a pair of assists and 15 penalty minutes.  He has played in a total of 76 NHL contests for both Florida and the Carolina Hurricanes registering five goals and 10 assists.  

The Burnaby, British Columbia native played in 31 games with Florida last season recording 11 points (5-6-11) after being acquired in a trade with the Carolina Hurricanes on January 16, 2002.  Ritchie also appeared in 43 games with the Lowell Lock Monsters tallying 55 points (25-30-55), as well as four scoreless games with the Hurricanes.

Lundbohm, 25, appeared in 12 games for the Rampage this season registering one goal, an assist and 17 penalty minutes.  The 6'3", 225-pound center has played in a total of 148 AHL games for San Antonio, Cleveland and Kentucky recording 14 tallies and 21 assists.

Olson, 21, appeared in 15 games for the Rampage this season picking up one assist and six penalty minutes.  The Grand Forks, North Dakota native appeared in one AHL game with Utah recording no points prior to joining San Antonio for their inaugural season.

Ritchie will be available for the Rampage tomorrow night when they travel to Cincinnati for a contest with the Mighty Ducks at 6:35 p.m.

BYRON RITCHIE

Center
Height: 5'10"  Weight: 195  Shoots: Left   Born: 4/24/77 in Burnaby, British Columbia
Drafted: Hartford's sixth choice (165th overall) in the 1995 NHL Entry Draft.

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