NFL, MLB, NHL, NBA, CFL stats



American Hockey League

Three cheers for the red, white and blue

January 3, 2005 - American Hockey League (AHL) News Release


SPRINGFIELD, Mass. … The Rochester Americans have captured 13 division titles and made 16 trips to the Calder Cup Finals in their storied history. Their brain-trust has become synonymous with Rochester’s winning tradition over the past two decades. And they are once again looking to add some banners to the rafters at the historic Blue Cross Arena.

Rochester started its 49th AHL season slowly, winning just once in eight tries during October (1-4-2-1). But the Amerks enter the new year as the AHL’s hottest team, winners of seven in a row with just one regulation loss since Thanksgiving (12-1-1-2) and a 19-3-1-2 mark since the first of November.

Third-year pro Ryan Miller has been a key part of the Amerks’ recent success. After allowing 15 goals in his first three starts of the season and losing five of his first six decisions, the 2004 AHL All-Star goaltender has settled in to post a 17-9-1 record in 27 appearances, including a current 16-4-1 run.

Rochester’s offense is being paced by 21-year-old center Derek Roy, who leads the team with 24 assists and 33 points in 33 games. Rookie Thomas Vanek, the fifth overall draft pick and MVP of Minnesota’s NCAA championship run in 2003, leads the Amerks with 15 goals, including 10 on the power play. Jason Pominville, 22, is on pace for his second straight 30-goal season for Rochester. Chris Taylor continues to be a consistent factor, now with 283 points in 289 games in an Amerks uniform, and Norm Milley, in his fifth year with the club, remains a solid two-way forward.

The Amerks have one of the league’s most experienced group of defensemen, including former Calder Cup champions David Cullen (Houston, 2003), Brandon Smith (Providence, 1999) and Steve Lingren (Hershey, 1997). Doug Janik was a 2004 AHL All-Star, former first-rounder Jeff Jillson played 64 NHL games last season and second-year pro Nathan Paetsch leads all team defenseman in plus/minus rating.

Leading the Amerks are head coach Randy Cunneyworth, who reached three Calder Cup Finals as an Amerks player (1983, 1984, 1999) and one more as an assistant coach (2000); and assistant Doug Houda, a defenseman on Rochester’s last Calder Cup championship team in 1996 and a runner-up in 2000. General manager Jody Gage reached five Calder Cup Finals as a player (four with the Amerks) and two more as Rochester’s GM.

The Amerks have earned a point in 11 straight games away from home (10-0-0-1) since their last road regulation loss on Oct. 26, and they now own one of the AHL’s best road records at 10-2-1-2, a year after winning just 12 of 40 contests on enemy ice. Rochester hits the road this week for games in Edmonton on Wednesday and Thursday, followed by a visit to Cleveland on Friday.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

PHANTOMS FIRST IN ’04 … Thanks in part to a record 17-game winning streak, Philadelphia finished with the American Hockey League’s best regular-season record during 2004, earning 107 points in 77 games (.695).

Hartford was second with 110 points in 80 games (.688) on the calendar year, and Manchester was third with 106 points in 78 games (.679). Milwaukee led Western Conference teams with 109 points in 82 games (.665), in addition to a 16-6 postseason record en route to the 2004 Calder Cup championship.

AHL Team Records – 2004

GP W L T/SOL OTL Pts Pct
1. Philadelphia 77 49 19 6 3 107 .695
2. Hartford 80 49 19 10 2 110 .688
3. Manchester 78 48 20 6 4 106 .679
4. Milwaukee 82 51 24 4 3 109 .665
5. Chicago 79 47 23 5 4 103 .652
6. Worcester 76 40 24 8 4 92 .605
7. Rochester 79 40 25 9 5 94 .595
8. *Edmonton 78 41 27 7 3 92 .590
9. Wilkes-Barre 79 37 24 9 9 92 .582
10. Grand Rapids 79 42 31 5 1 90 .570
*includes Toronto, 2003-04

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

TSUNAMI RELIEF … The American Hockey League and its teams are doing their part to assist the relief efforts in southeast Asia following last week’s deadly tsunamis. The Houston Aeros raised more than $2,000 and accepted donations of non-perishable food items, blankets and pillows at their home game on Dec. 29.

The Canadian Red Cross was present at both Edmonton Road Runners home games over the weekend accepting donations, and the Road Runners donated all funds from both nights’ Chuck-a-Puck sales to the relief efforts. “Our hearts go out to all the families affected by this devastating event,” said Road Runners president Stew MacDonald.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A DECEMBER TO REMEMBER … Wilkes-Barre/Scranton forwards Kris Beech, Michel Ouellet and Matt Murley put up incredible numbers during the month of December, combining for 53 points and a plus-58 rating in 12 games and accounting for more than half (23) of the team’s 45 goals as the Penguins went 8-3-0-1 and moved into second place in the East Division.

Beech led all AHL scorers with 23 points on the month, finding the scoresheet in 11 of his 12 outings including two four-point nights and two three-point efforts. Ouellet scored 12 times in December (and two more on Jan. 1), and now leads the league with 26 goals on the season. Murley had 14 points and was a plus-20 to take over the AHL lead in plus/minus rating (+26).


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ETC. … Jean-Sebastien Aubin, who spent part of his rookie 1997-98 season with Syracuse, stopped 110 shots in two nights (including 63 on Thursday alone) to lead St. John’s to a pair of wins over the Crunch… Syracuse had not allowed a single shorthanded goal all season before giving up four in a three-game span last week… There were seven hat tricks recorded in the AHL last week, with four players – Binghamton’s Denis Hamel, Edmonton’s Tony Salmelainen, Hershey’s Mathieu Darche and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s Michel Ouellet – ringing out 2004 with three-goal efforts on Dec. 31… Following the Senators’ 7-1 win over Springfield, Binghamton’s AHL teams are 15-5-3 all-time at home on New Year’s Eve… Heading into Tuesday’s gold-medal match against Russia, Patrice Bergeron of Canada (via Providence) leads all scorers with 11 points in five games at the World Junior Championships… Friday night’s game marked the 100th regular-season meeting between Hershey and Philadelphia… Manchester’s 4-1 loss to Lowell on Friday was its first regulation loss at home this season after a 13-0-1-0 start… Providence earned a point in 12 straight games (9-0-0-3) before Saturday’s 5-3 loss to the Monarchs… Grand Rapids’ current seven-game winless skid (0-6-0-1) ties a franchise worst, last done in 1998… Utah’s Peter White played in his 700th regular-season AHL game on Saturday at Hartford… Edmonton goaltender Tyler Moss earned his 100th AHL win on Friday vs. Cleveland… The crowd of 17,898 fans at the HSBC Arena in Buffalo on Tuesday was the eighth-largest ever for an AHL game.

Check out the American Hockey League Statistics

• Discuss this story on the American Hockey League message board...

American Hockey League Stories from January 3, 2005


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.


Sports Statistics from the Stats Crew
OurSports Central