AHL Peoria Rivermen

Rivermen receive former NHL All-Star goaltender

December 14, 2005 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Peoria Rivermen News Release


Peoria, IL (December 14, 2005) - St. Louis Blues Senior Vice-president and General Manager Larry Pleau today announced that the club has assigned goaltender Patrick Lalime (lah-LEEM) to the Blues' primary affiliate team in the American Hockey League (AHL), the Peoria Rivermen. Pleau also stated that the Blues have traded center Blake Evans to the Edmonton Oilers for future considerations.

Lalime, 31, has appeared in 18 games with the Blues this season, his first with the team. Although he did not play professional hockey during the 2004-05 season, the 6-2, 191-pound netminder spent the previous five campaigns with the Ottawa Senators. In 340 career games played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with St. Louis, Ottawa, and Pittsburgh, Lalime has compiled a record of 170-123-32, a 2.47 goals-against average, and 33 shutouts. The native of St. Bonaventure, Quebec, led the Ottawa Senators to the 2003 NHL Eastern Conference Finals and appeared in the 2002-03 NHL All-Star Game. Lalime also established an NHL record for the longest unbeaten streak by a rookie goaltender to begin his career when he went 14-0-2 in his first 16 starts for the Pittsburgh Penguins during the 1996-97 season. Originally drafted by Pittsburgh with their sixth selection, 156th overall, in the 1993 NHL Entry Draft, Lalime was acquired by the Blues on June 27, 2004, in exchange for a fourth-round choice in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft.

Despite being traded from the St. Louis Blues organization, Evans, 25, will remain with the Rivermen on loan from the Edmonton Oilers. So far this season, the 6-1, 210-pound center has played in 26 games, scored 11 points (4 goals, 7 assists), compiled a plus-six rating, and incurred 35 penalty minutes. After being taken in the ninth round, 251st overall, of the 1998 NHL Entry Draft by the Washington Capitals, the Smiley, Saskatchewan, native signed with St. Louis as a free agent on April 11, 2001.

The Rivermen are a proud new member of the AHL. Founded in 1936, the AHL now serves as the primary development league for all 30 National Hockey League teams and is celebrating its 70th anniversary season in 2005-06.

Group and season tickets for the inaugural Rivermen AHL season are now on sale! To obtain more information or to purchase season tickets, please contact Rivermen Director of Ticket Operations Jim Small at (309) 676-1040, extension 106, or tickets@rivermen.net. Listen to the live broadcast of all Rivermen games on HOPE 98.5 (WPIA-FM).

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American Hockey League Stories from December 14, 2005


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