River Rats Set to Begin Tenth Calendar Year

December 30, 2002 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Albany River Rats News Release


The Albany River Rats skate in their first game of 2003 against the Hamilton Bulldogs on Friday night in a 7:00pm face-off from Pepsi Arena. The Bulldogs (27-6-3-2, 1ST Canadian), who host Binghamton on Thursday, have won four straight and are unbeaten in their last 13 (11-0-2) games overall after a 6-3 home win against the St. John's Maple Leafs last night. Captain Benoit Gratton (19-35-54, 8 GW) and RW Jason Ward (19-32-51) continue to pace the American Hockey League, ranking one-and-two in points. G Mathieu Garon tops the circuit with a 1.99 goals against average while teammate Ty Conklin is tied for the league lead with 13 victories. The River Rats show an 18-17-3-3 record in the all-time regular season series against Hamilton, which leads this year's season series 3-0. The teams meet two more times this season on Jan. 22ND at 7:00pm and on Feb. 5TH at 7:00pm at Copps Coliseum.

The River Rats take on the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins at the First Union Center on Saturday night at 7:05pm. The Penguins (15-14-2-3, 3RD South) have won two straight after a 4-1 road decision over the Norfolk Admirals on Saturday. The AHL affiliate of the Pittsburgh Penguins hosts the Hershey Bears on New Year's Eve and visits Philadelphia on Saturday. D Ross Lupaschuk tops all league defenders with six power play goals and is tied for eighth with 21 points overall. Former R.P.I. Engineer Matt Murley is second on the club with five power play markers and is fifth on the club with 20 (6-14) points this season. The River Rats hold an 8-9-3 record in the all-time regular season series with the Penguins, including a 2-6-2 road record. Wilkes-Barre makes its only visit to Albany on Feb. 15TH in the first portion of a day-night, hockey-lacrosse doubleheader in a 2:00pm face-off at Pepsi Arena.

Albany moves on to the Hartford Civic Center to skate in the third of four road contests against the Wolf*Pack at 4:05pm on Sunday afternoon. The Wolf*Pack (15-11-6-2, 3RD East) are winless in their last two (0-1-1) on the heels of a 2-0 shutout loss to the Lowell Lock Monsters at home on Saturday. Hartford visits Providence on Tuesday, hosts Lowell on Friday night and travels to Bridgeport on Saturday. RW John Tripp, who has five goals in two games against the River Rats this season, is tied for second in the AHL with 19 goals. The Wolf*Pack ranks fourth on the power play (19.5%) and stands second amongst league members with nine shorthanded goals this year. Hartford has won both games so far this season, outscoring Albany 7-4. The East Division rivals square off another five times during the 2002-03 campaign. (Jan. 29TH @ ALB, Feb. 22ND @ ALB, Mar. 8TH @ HAR & Mar. 19TH @ ALB)

River Rats this week: * Practice times are subject to change, please call the River Rats office to confirm dates and times.

Tuesday – Practice at Pepsi Arena, 10:00am

Wednesday – Practice at Pepsi Arena, 3:00pm

Thursday – Practice at. Pepsi Arena, 10:00am

Friday – Game Day Skate at Pepsi Arena, 10:00am; Hamilton Bulldogs @ RIVER RATS, 7:00pm

Saturday – RIVER RATS @ Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, 7:05pm

Sunday – RIVER RATS @ Hartford Wolf*Pack, 4:05pm

Monday – OFF DAY

Rat Bites:

* C Craig Darby has scored at least a point (3-4-7) in each of his last six games and leads the River Rats with 28 (8-20) points during the 2002-03 campaign.

*The Albany River Rats set a season-high with a crowd of 7,014 at their first-ever home game against the Binghamton Senators on Saturday night.

* LW Joe Hulbig recorded an assist in his first game back on Saturday night after missing 11 straight contests.

Over the Air:

Fri., January 3RD vs. Hamilton Bulldogs, 7:00pm (6:45pm Capitaland Motors GMC Pre-Game, Fox Sports Radio AM 980)*

Sat., January 4TH @ Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, 7:05pm (6:50pm Capitaland Motors GMC Pre-Game, 102.3 KISS FM)

Sun., January 5TH @ Hartford Wolf*Pack, 4:05pm (3:50pm Capitaland Motors GMC Pre-Game, 98.3 WTRY FM)

* Web broadcast available at www.albanyriverrats.com

River Rats Rewind:

December 26TH ALB 2 @ HAR 3 – LW Greg Crozier got Albany on the board with a power play goal in the second period and LW Dave Roche pulled Albany back within one (3-2) at the 15:51 mark of the third period as the club allowed its first road hat trick against since Hershey's Serge Aubin turned the trick on February 27, 2000.

December 27TH - ALB 1 @ WOR 4 – LW Greg Crozier scored for the second straight contest and C Craig Darby added an assist as the River Rats dropped their final meeting against the IceCats this season. Worcester struck three times in the third period to even the series at one victory apiece.

December 28TH – BNG 2 @ ALB 2/OT– LW Dave Roche scored for the fourth time in the last five games and C Craig Darby extended his scoring streak to six games with a goal in the first ever meeting between the two clubs at Pepsi Arena. Binghamton C Jason Spezza tallied twice as a season-high crowd of 7,014 fans that attended "Guaranteed Fun Night".

Upcoming Promotions:

Wed., January 8TH vs. Manchester Monarchs @ 7:00pm – "Trustco Take It To The Bank" Skills Challenge!

Do not miss your chance to win the jackpot, which now stands at $3,000! Fans are selected through a random drawing for the chance to come onto the River Rats ice and participate in a skills challenge. If successful, the winner will be awarded the cash prize and if not, another $1,000 will be added to the bank with a total of $10,000 available courtesy of Trustco Bank and the River Rats.

Sat., January 18TH vs. Providence Bruins @ 7:00pm – Mary Kay Cosmetics presents Ladies Night!

Mary Kay Cosmetics presents the announcement of Top Moment #8!

Ten (10) winners will receive unisex gift baskets courtesy of Mary Kay Cosmetics & one grand prize winner gets a SUPER basket!

Come down to Pepsi Arena for the Mary Kay Demonstrations with that lovely lady in your household!

Find out more about "Ladies Night" with the River Rats in the days to come!

Fri., January 24TH vs. St. John's Maple Leafs @ 7:00pm – Hannaford Supermarket/ NY Lotto Mega Millions Nights!

Hannaford Supermarkets sponsors the announcement of Top Moment #7!

Ten (10) lucky fans will receive a free week's worth of groceries!

CSEA – New York's Largest Union - will sponsor the giveaway of a commemorative mug to the first 2,500 fans!

NEW YORK LOTTO MEGA MILLIONS NIGHT:

The first 500 fans 18 & older will get a FREE play coupon for the mega millions game with more lottery prizes available all night!

Fans will have the chance to meet & greet Yolanda Vega, who will be available for pictures & autographs!



American Hockey League Stories from December 30, 2002


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central