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The Envelope, Please...

March 24, 2003 - American Hockey League (AHL) News Release


SPRINGFIELD, MA ... The American Hockey League begins handing out individual awards this week in recognition of the top performers during the 2002-03 season.

One of the most talented rookie crops in recent memory has created an excellent group of candidates for the Dudley (Red) Garrett Memorial Award, which has been won in the past by such players as Tyler Arnason, Daniel Briere, Darcy Tucker, Felix Potvin and Brett Hull. Milwaukee forward Darren Haydar leads all rookies and ranks sixth overall with 71 points, while Binghamton's Antoine Vermette has scored 34 goals, third-most in the entire AHL. Fellow Senators Jason Spezza and Ray Emery have also had stellar freshman campaigns, and the AHL's rookie class of 2003 also includes Hamilton teammates Jarret Stoll and Mike Komisarek, Cleveland's Brad Boyes and Niko Dimitrakos, and goaltenders Ryan Miller of Rochester and Curtis Sanford of Worcester.

Grand Rapids could become the first team since 1989-90 to be represented by back-to-back Aldege "Baz" Bastien Award winners as outstanding goaltender. After Martin Prusek parlayed his 2001-02 win into a full-time job in Ottawa, the Griffins' Marc Lamothe leads the league in wins (32) and minutes played (3,220), and his 2.11 goals against average is second only to Craig Andersson (1.93), who has split the year between Norfolk and the Chicago Blackhawks. Portland's Maxime Ouellet, whose seven shutouts and .932 save percentage both lead the league, and Hamilton's Eric Fichaud, San Antonio's Chris Mason and Binghamton's Emery are also among the top candidates.

The Eddie Shore Award for top defenseman has several worthy contenders as well. Houston's Curtis Murphy leads all AHL blueliners with 21 goals, while no D-man has more points than 1992 winner Greg Hawgood of Utah (49). Conference front-runners Hamilton and Grand Rapids dominate the plus/minus leaderboard, which includes Bulldogs Marc-Andre Bergeron (+34), Francois Beauchemin (+28) and Mike Komisarek (+27) and Griffins Travis Richards and Dave Van Drunen (both +33).

The race for the John B. Sollenberger Trophy as the AHL's leading scorer is led by Grand Rapids' Michel Picard, whose 79 points are three more then teammate Mark Mowers and Houston forward Jean-Guy Trudel entering the final two weeks of the season. Picard, who has 579 points in 501 career AHL games, is gunning for his first scoring title.

The award announcements begin on Wednesday when the AHL reveals the 28 finalists for the Yanick Dupre Memorial Award as the AHL's Man of the Year. The 2002-03 AHL All-Rookie Team will be announced on Thursday, and the First and Second All-Star Teams will be unveiled on Friday.

Notable games this week:
Wed., Hershey at Milwaukee
Wed., Houston at Chicago
Fri., Philadelphia at Cincinnati
Fri./Sat., St. John's at Saint John
Sat., Worcester at Portland
Sat., Albany at Springfield
Sat., Bridgeport at Manchester

WORKIN' OVERTIME ... The Chicago Wolves set an American Hockey League record over the weekend with their ninth and 10th overtime wins of the season. J.P. Vigier and Ben Simon scored in the extra session as the Wolves defeated Rochester on Friday and Manitoba on Saturday, improving to 10-4-7 in overtime games this year.

Rochester (8-3-15) and Hartford (8-3-10) each won eight OT games during the 2001-02 season; the Amerks are 5-5-14 in overtime this year, while the Wolf Pack are 0-6-12. Chicago's OT wins, 2002-03

Nov. 3 at Mil. 7-6 Steve Maltais

Nov. 16 at Utah 4-3 Kurtis Foster

Nov. 30 vs. G.R. 2-1 J.P. Vigier

Feb. 7 vs. Hou. 4-3 Simon Gamache

Feb. 12 at Utah 3-2 Mark Hartigan

Feb. 22 vs. Hou. 4-3 Kurtis Foster

Mar. 1 vs. Utah 5-4 Andreas Karlsson

Mar. 6 at Hou. 3-2 Mike Weaver

Mar. 21 vs. Roch. 3-2 J.P. Vigier

Mar. 22 vs. Mtb. 3-2 Ben Simon

GRIFFINS GROUND AEROS ... Despite taking an AHL season-low 10 shots on goal, Grand Rapids recorded a 3-1 victory over Houston on Sunday in a battle between the top two teams in the Western Conference. The Griffins have won the last four meetings with the Aeros by a combined score of 18-2, despite being outshot by a total of 145-72.

Grand Rapids currently leads Houston by four points for the best record in the conference.

OFF THE ICE ... The Philadelphia Phantoms turned back the clock to the 1970s to celebrate Tribute to Philly Hockey Night on Sunday. Paul D'Amato (Tim "Dr. Hook" McCracken), former Philadelphia Firebird Mark Bousquet (Andre "Poodle" Lussier) and Louise and Janet Arters (the Sparkle Twins) from the 1977 movie Slap Shot were on hand to help raise funds for multiple sclerosis, with which Louise Arters was diagnosed in 1985... The Phantoms wore replica jerseys of the Firebirds, who played in the AHL from 1977-79, and auctioned them off after the game... The Norfolk Admirals held a silent auction over the weekend to benefit the Michael Taft Fund, set up to assist a young Admirals fan who is battling an inoperable brain tumor... Syracuse will host their eighth annual Crunch at Your Service benefit dinner on Mar. 26, raising funds for United Way of Central New York... The Worcester IceCats are planning a Jerseys Off Our Backs auction to benefit Habitat for Humaity... The Manitoba Moose will be hosting a free women's hockey clinic at the Winnipeg Arena on Mar. 27.

ETC. ... Portland took an AHL season-high 60 shots on Sunday, but Jayme Platt made 56 saves in his AHL debut to give Lowell a 4-4 tie with the Pirates... Also on Sunday, Manchester's Jeff Sanger made 41 saves to win his first AHL appearance, 4-3 in overtime against Albany... Norfolk snapped a nine-game winless streak (0-5-3-1) with a 4-1 win over Cincinnati on Sunday... Utah forward Justin Cox scored his first goal of the season in his 47th game on Friday, then added his second goal on Saturday night... Manchester's Travis Scott and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton's Jean-Sebastien Aubin both posted consecutive shutouts last week... Justin Papineau has scored a goal in all five games since joining Bridgeport... Hartford's Nils Ekman and Albany's Craig Darby both have current 10-game point-scoring streaks... John Campbell, younger brother of San Antonio's Jim Campbell and Grand Rapids' Ed Campbell, made his AHL season debut with Lowell over the weekend; Dan Vandermeer, brother of Philadelphia's Jim and Peter Vandermeer, did the same with Cincinnati on Sunday... Philadelphia goaltender Neil Little dressed for six games in seven nights last week, playing with the Phantoms on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday and backing up Robert Esche with the Flyers on Thursday and Saturday... Eighteen-year-old Brian Lee, a third-round draft pick by Anaheim in 2002, made his pro debut with Cincinnati on Saturday... Binghamton needs one victory in its last six games to allow head coach John Paddock to extend his own AHL record with his ninth career 40-win season... Portland has recorded four consecutive ties... Saint John finished its season series with Hamilton at 6-2-0-0, and the Flames are 21-2-1-1 in their last 25 games against the Bulldogs.

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