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Rob Murray Selected as 2013 ECHL All-Star Head Coach

January 4, 2013 - ECHL (ECHL)
Alaska Aces News Release


Alaska Aces Head Coach, Rob Murray was named the Head Coach for the 2013 ECHL All-Star Game presented by University of Colorado Health on Friday, the Aces and the league announced on Friday morning. Murray was selected as the Head Coach by guiding the Aces to the ECHL's top winning percentage through games of December 30, 2012. Murray will lead a team comprised of league-wide All-Stars against the Colorado Eagles in this year's format. The 2013 ECHL All-Star Week, presented by CCM, begins on Tuesday, Jan. 22 with the ECHL All-Star Skills Competition, presented by OtterBox, and continues with the ECHL All-Star Game, featuring the Colorado Eagles taking on the ECHL All-Stars, on Wednesday, Jan. 23. Both events begin at 5:05 p.m. AKT at the Budweiser Events Center in Loveland, Colorado. Murray and the Aces begin a three-game road trip Friday night in Stockton.

Murray is in second season as head coach of Alaska after being named to the position on July 13, 2011. In his first season with the Aces, Murray was named a co-recipient of the John Brophy Award as the ECHL Coach of the Year, leading the club the league's best overall record and Alaska's sixth division title in nine ECHL seasons. This season Murray has coached the team to a 26-8 record, and has a combined regular season record of 69-26-11 (.703 winning pct.) in two seasons with the Aces.

Prior to joining Alaska, Murray spent eight seasons as a coach with the Providence Bruins of the American Hockey League. He was the club's assistant coach for five seasons from 2003-08. Just before the 2008-2009 season Murray was promoted to Head Coach in Providence. In his first season as head coach, Murray led the P-Bruins to a 43-29-8 record and a berth in the Eastern Conference Finals. He finished his three-year tenure with a 117-103-20 regular-season record. While in Providence, he coached seven players who went on to win the Stanley Cup with Boston in 2011.

Prior to his coaching career, Murray enjoyed a 16-year playing career that included 107 National Hockey League games with Washington, Winnipeg and Phoenix. Murray ranks seventh in American Hockey League history with 1,018 games played and is second with 2,940 career penalty minutes. Over 500 of his AHL games came with the Springfield Falcons, and he is that club's all-time leader in games played, assists, career penalty minutes and single-season penalty minutes. Murray's number 23 was retired by the Falcons, making him one of just two players in team history to have his jersey retired, alongside Hockey Hall of Famer Eddie Shore. Murray and his wife Carolyn have four children - Taylor, Zack, Quinn, and Brendan.

Murray will be joined on the bench by Larry Courville of the Reading Royals who will serve as the Assistant Coach at the All-Star Game. The Royals have the second best record in the league, and lead the Eastern Conference with a 23-7-2 record. Nine coaches from the ECHL All-Star Game have gone on to coach in the National Hockey League while more than 50 players from the contest have gone on to play in the NHL, including 36 since 2002 when the lineups began having players who coaches felt were prospects to move up to a higher level.

Alaska is 26-8-0, and leads the ECHL with 52 points and 26 wins while Reading is 23-7-2 for 48 points, which leads the Eastern Conference.

It is the first All-Star coaching appearance for both Murray and Courville. The record for All-Star appearances is three by former Aces Head Coach Davis Payne, Chris Cichocki, Glen Gulutzan, and Jeff Pyle.

The Aces will be on the road to open up 2013 beginning Friday. Alaska visits Stockton on Friday night at 6:30pm AKT, and then travels to Ontario on Saturday at 5:00pm AKT and Sunday 2:00pm AKT. The club returns to Anchorage to host the Ontario Reign on Wednesday, Jan. 9. Tickets are on sale now at the Aces office, Sullivan Arena box office, Fred Meyer Locations and online at www.ticketmaster.com. All Aces games can be heard on NewsTalk 103.7FM and 750AM KFQD. For more information, please contact the Aces office at 907.258.ACES, or visit them on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/alaskaaceshockey.

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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.

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