River Rats Sign 6'6" Slovakian Defenseman

Published on February 11, 2008 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Albany River Rats News Release


ALBANY, NY - The Albany River Rats announced today that they have signed defenseman Milan Maslonka to a professional tryout agreement, calling him up from the Youngstown Steelhounds of the Central Hockey League.

Maslonka (pronounced mahs-LAWN-kah), 21, comes to Albany looking to make his American Hockey League debut. The 6'6", 245 lbs Zvolen, Slovakia native is in his second year as a professional, starting the 2007-08 season with Youngstown, where he has seven points (3 goals, 4 assists) and a team-leading 210 penalty minutes in 39 games played. Maslonka ranks second in the CHL in penalty minutes (210), he is tied for third in the league in major penalties (18) and he set a Youngstown single-game franchise record by recording 32 PIMs on November 2nd at Wichita. Maslonka made his professional and North American hockey debut on October 26th, 2006 with the Elmira Jackals (then of the United Hockey League), appearing in 11 games before moving to Youngstown. The defenseman did get called up to the AHL by the Hartford Wolf Pack for a short time last year, but did not appear in any AHL games.

He played three years of junior hockey for his hometown club, HKM Zvolen in Slovakia. He started with the Under-18 team and then was promoted to the Under-20 squad near the end of the 2003-04 season. Maslonka combined for 35 points (17 goals, 18 assists) and 413 penalty minutes in 85 career games for the U-20 team.

The River Rats will return to the Times Union Center as they undergo a three-game home stand this week beginning with a Wednesday, February 13th game against the Binghamton Senators at 7:00 pm. Friday Albany hosts the Bridgeport Sound Tigers and Saturday the East Division-leading Philadelphia Phantoms are in town; both games are scheduled for 7:00 pm.

Partial season tickets and flex ticket packages for the 2007-08 River Rats season are on sale now. For more information please contact the Albany River Rats at (518) 487-2244 or online at www.albanyriverrats.com.



American Hockey League Stories from February 11, 2008


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