AHL Rochester Americans

Rochester at San Antonio Tonight

Published on January 2, 2003 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Rochester Americans News Release


(Rochester, NY)... The Rochester Americans battle the San Antonio Rampage tonight at 8:00 p.m. at the SBC Center. The Amerks are unbeaten in their last two games (1-0-1) and are 6-2-2 in their last 10 games.

Rochester (14-12-8-2, 38 points) is in second place in the Central Division, eight points behind the Grand Rapids Griffins. The Amerks will have to make their assault on first place with goaltenders Mika Noronen and Tom Askey, as Ryan Miller remains in Buffalo with the Sabres.

Noronen was re-assigned to Rochester by the Buffalo Sabres and is expected to start tonight against the Rampage. It is the second assignment to Rochester this season for the former American Hockey League Rookie of the Year and AHL All-Star. Noronen has played in two games with the Amerks and was 0-1-1 with a 2.40 goals-against average. With the Sabres this season, the native of Tampere, Finland, was 0-6-1 with a 3.54 goals-against average.

In his Rochester career, Noronen has a career 75-46-22 record and a 2.28 goals-against average (10th all-time) in 148 games. He is third all-time in wins with 75. His 13 career shutouts with the Amerks place him in a second-place tie with Martin Biron. He was named The Hockey News' Minor Pro Prospect of the Year in 2000 and 2001--the only time a player has won the award in consecutive seasons. Noronen was named the team's Most Valuable Player for the 1999-00 and 2000-01 seasons. In 1999-00, he won the Dudley (Red) Garrett Memorial Award as the AHL Rookie of the Year, becoming the first Amerk goalie to win the award. He was also named the Amerks' Rookie of the Year and Most Improved Player. That same season, he was named an AHL Second Team All-Star and an AHL All-Rookie Team member.

Noronen was the Buffalo Sabres' first-round selection (21st overall) in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft.

In other player moves, defensemen Jody Robinson has returned from the Elmira Jackals (UHL) and Rory Fitzpatrick was re-assigned to Rochester by Buffalo. Both players will join the team for the game in San Antonio later tonight. Forward Sean McMorrow will sit out tonight as part of his two-game suspension. The Amerks play the Rampage tonight, before heading to Houston for two games. The contest against the Rampage will be broadcast on WHTK 1280-AM and on the web at www.amerks.com.

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American Hockey League Stories from January 2, 2003


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