[truebluefan]

St. Louis Blues Assign Four More to Rivermen

Peoria, IL (September 24, 2006) - St. Louis Blues President John Davidson announced today that right wing Jon DiSalvatore, left wing Peter Sejna and centers Cam Keith and Carl Soderberg have been assigned to the Peoria Rivermen, the Blues' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate. The additions bring Peoria's 2006-07 AHL Training Camp roster total to 30.

DiSalvatore, 25, led the Rivermen in points in 2005-06 with 67, while finishing second to Mike Glumac in goals with 22 and second in assists to Mike Mottau with 45. The 6-foot-1, 200-pound native of Bangor, Maine, ranked fifth on the Rivermen last season with 72 games played. The fourth-year professional played five games with the Blues last year.

Sejna, 26, notched 50 points (19g, 31a), despite playing just 44 games due to injury. The 5-foot-11, 197-pound native of Liptovsky Mikulas, Slovakia, was tied for third in goal scoring and ranked fifth in points and assists. The fifth-year professional played six games for the Blues last season, registering two points (1g, 1a).

Keith, 25, split time between the Rivermen and their ECHL affiliate, the Alaska Aces, during the 2005-06 season, notching 13 points (6g, 7a) in 34 games with Peoria. The 6-foot-3, 213-pound native of Nelson, British Columbia, was an integral part to the Aces' 2006 Kelly Cup Championship, tallying 12 points (6g, 6a) in 17 playoff games (including the game- and series-clinching goal in triple-overtime of Game Six of the Western Conference Semifinals against the Las Vegas Wranglers). The third-year professional posted 30 points (13g, 17a) in 39 regular-season games for the Aces last year.

Soderberg, 20, collected five assists in 38 games for Malmo IF of the Swedish Elite League in 2005-06. The 6-foot-3, 198-pound native of Malmo, Sweden, was a second round pick (49th overall) of the St. Louis Blues in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft.

With the arrival of DiSalvatore, Sejna, Keith and Soderberg, there are now 13 AHL Rivermen returnees from last season, including: veteran enforcer and forward/defenseman Rocky Thompson, who is entering his 10th professional season after leading the team in PIM (247) last season; goaltender Chris Beckford-Tseu; left wings Charles Linglet and Ryan Ramsay; and defensemen Jeff Woywitka, Aaron MacKenzie, Doug Lynch, Zack FitzGerald, Patrick Wellar and Gerry Burke. Lynch, Beckford-Tseu and Wellar were part of the 2006 ECHL Kelly Cup Championship won by the Alaska Aces, Peoria's ECHL affiliate.

The current Rivermen training camp roster follows this release. For a complete training camp schedule, which includes four Rivermen preseason games, please refer to the outline below.

On Tuesday, September 26, Peoria faces off against the Iowa Stars at 7:00 p.m. at Carver Arena in the opening salvo of a home-and-home affair. The Rivermen travel to Des Moines, Iowa, on Friday, September 29 to battle the Stars at 7:00 p.m. at Carver Arena.

The Rivermen open the 2006-07 AHL regular season on Friday, October 6 against the Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights at Carver Arena at 7:30 p.m. It's Heritage Bank Magnet Schedule Night for the first 5,000 fans. On Saturday, October 7, Peoria welcomes the rival Chicago Wolves to Carver Arena at 7:00 p.m. on the first of two Maui Jim Sunglasses Nights, in which 25 random winners will receive a free pair of Maui Jim Sunglasses.

Rivermen season ticket plans are on sale now with 1) a Full Season package (40 games), 2) the 25th Anniversary package (25 games), 3) a 12-game package, 4) a seven-game package and 5) undated voucher books (denominations of 20 vouchers). Packages start at just $75 per seat.

For more information, please contact Director of Ticket Operations Jim Small at 309-676-1040 x 106 or via e-mail at [email protected]

 

[truebluefan]

Capitals fall short at Giant Center 3-1

New Jersey scored the first three goals Sunday night along HERSHEYPARK Drive en route to a 3-1 victory over Washington in preseason NHL action.

David Clarkson opened the scoring at the 4:31 mark of the first period with a goal from Barry Tallackson and Andy Greene to give the Devils a 1-0 lead. New Jersey would run the lead to 2-0 later in the period when Olli Malmivaara potted what eventually became the game-winning goal at 13:43. Malmivaara was named the game's number one star for his efforts. The game would remain 2-0 into the third period when Zach Parise scored for the Devils at the 13:50 mark. Washington would finally break onto the scoreboard late in the third period when Ben Clymer scored on a shot from the top of the right circle. Alexandre Giroux and Jakub Klepis assisted on the lone lamp-lighter of the night for the Capitals at 17:04.

Martin Brodeur played the first 30:53 of the game for the Devils, stopping all 13 shots he faced. Scott Clemmensen played the final 29:07 of the game for New Jersey, allowing just one goal on 21 shots. Washington goaltender Olie Kolzig went the distance for Glen Hanlon's team, making 15 saves on 18 shots.

The BEARS open the 2006 preseason Monday afternoon at Voorhees, N.J. at 1:00 p.m. against Philadelphia. Washington will practice Monday at GIANT Center before traveling to face the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday night in south Philly.

 

[truebluefan]

Rivermen Blanked 3-0 in Chicago in Preseason Action

Vernon Hills, IL (September 24, 2006) - The Peoria Rivermen came up empty in the second half of a home-and-home, preseason set with Chicago Wolves, falling 3-0 before a Sunday-afternoon crowd of 700 at Glacier Ice Arena.

The Wolves (1-1) notched the game's first tally at 7:04 of the first period on the power play. On a broken play just inside the Rivermen blue line, center Colin Fretter gathered the loose puck, flipped a backhand shot through a maze of players toward the Peoria goal and beat a screened Rivermen rookie netminder Marek Schwarz through the five-hole. Defenseman Troy Milam and center Kevin Doell were credited with assists on the man-advantage marker.

Schwarz, a first-round pick (17th overall) of the St. Louis Blues in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft, was peppered with shots in the opening session, stopping 11 of 12. Peoria (1-1) managed just seven shots on Chicago goaltender Brendan Cuthbert, who made 11 total saves before being replaced by Michael Garnett midway through the second period. Garnett turned away all eight shots he faced.

There was no scoring in the second period.

Veteran center Steve Martins was the catalyst that gave the Wolves a 2-0 lead with 8:15 left in the contest. Martins flew into the Rivermen zone right wing, lifting a pass over the stick of a Peoria defender and finding Chaz Johnson, who redirected it over Schwarz's left shoulder.

Chicago capped the scoring with their second two-power-play goal game in as many nights with 3:23 remaining regulation. During a four-on-three man advantage, Milam, who figured in both of Chicago's earlier tallies, took a feed at the point and ripped a slap shot through a crowd and past Schwarz, who stopped 27 of 30 Wolves' chances in the game.

The penalty-marred game featured 24 total power plays, 10 for Peoria, between the clubs. There was just one fight, which came late in the second period between Peoria's Trevor Baker and Chicago's Lee Jacobsen.

On Tuesday, September 26, Peoria faces off against the Iowa Stars at 7:00 p.m. at Carver Arena in the opening salvo of a home-and-home affair. The Rivermen travel to Des Moines, Iowa, on Friday, September 29 to battle the Stars at 7:00 p.m. at Carver Arena.

The Rivermen open the 2006-07 AHL regular season on Friday, October 6 against the Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights at Carver Arena at 7:30 p.m. It's Heritage Bank Magnet Schedule Night for the first 5,000 fans. On Saturday, October 7, Peoria welcomes the rival Chicago Wolves to Carver Arena at 7:00 p.m. on the first of two Maui Jim Sunglasses Nights, in which 25 random winners will receive a free pair of Maui Jim Sunglasses.

Rivermen season ticket plans are on sale now with 1) a Full Season package (40 games), 2) the 25th Anniversary package (25 games), 3) a 12-game package, 4) a seven-game package and 5) undated voucher books (denominations of 20 vouchers). Packages start at just $75 per seat.

For more information, please contact Director of Ticket Operations Jim Small at 309-676-1040 x 106 or via e-mail at [email protected]

 

[truebluefan]

St. Louis Blues Assign Another Two to Rivermen

Peoria, IL (September 24, 2006) - St. Louis Blues President John Davidson announced today that right wing David Backes and defenseman Tomas Mojzis have been assigned to the Peoria Rivermen, the Blues' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate. The additions bring Peoria's 2006-07 AHL Training Camp roster total to 32.

Following his junior season at NCAA Division I Minnesota State-Mankato (Mankato), Backes, 22, joined the Rivermen for the final 12 games of the regular season, collecting 10 points (5g, 5a) and +6 plus/minus rating; he also tallied two points (1g, 1a) in three playoff contests. The 6-foot-3, 210 native of Blaine, Minnesota, served as captain at Mankato last season, while leading the team in points (T-42, career high) and assists (29). The rookie forward missed just one game in his three-year career, playing in a school-record 115 games.

Mojzis, 24, was acquired by the St. Louis Blues in early March 2006, along with a third-round selection in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft, from the Vancouver Canucks for defenseman Eric Weinrich. The 6-foot-1, 192-pound native of Kolin, Czech Republic, registered seven points in 12 games after joining the Rivermen late in the 2005-06 regular season. The fourth-year professional posted 18 points (5g, 13a) in 37 games for the AHL's Manitoba Moose and skated seven games (his first at the NHL level) with the Canucks with one assist.

With the arrival of Backes and Mojzis, there are now 16 AHL Rivermen returnees from last season, including: veteran enforcer and forward/defenseman Rocky Thompson, who is entering his 10th professional season after leading the team in PIM (247) last season; goaltender Chris Beckford-Tseu; left wings Peter Sejna, Charles Linglet and Ryan Ramsay; centers Cam Keith and Carl Soderberg; right wing Jon DiSalvatore and defensemen Jeff Woywitka, Aaron MacKenzie, Doug Lynch, Zack FitzGerald, Patrick Wellar and Gerry Burke. Lynch, Beckford-Tseu and Wellar were part of the 2006 ECHL Kelly Cup Championship won by the Alaska Aces, Peoria's ECHL affiliate.

The current Rivermen training camp roster follows this release. For a complete training camp schedule, which includes four Rivermen preseason games, please refer to the outline below.

On Tuesday, September 26, Peoria faces off against the Iowa Stars at 7:00 p.m. at Carver Arena in the opening salvo of a home-and-home affair. The Rivermen travel to Des Moines, Iowa, on Friday, September 29 to battle the Stars at 7:00 p.m. at Wells Fargo Arena.

The Rivermen open the 2006-07 AHL regular season on Friday, October 6 against the Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights at Carver Arena at 7:30 p.m. It's Heritage Bank Magnet Schedule Night for the first 5,000 fans. On Saturday, October 7, Peoria welcomes the rival Chicago Wolves to Carver Arena at 7:00 p.m. on the first of two Maui Jim Sunglasses Nights, in which 25 random winners will receive a free pair of Maui Jim Sunglasses.

Rivermen season ticket plans are on sale now with 1) a Full Season package (40 games), 2) the 25th Anniversary package (25 games), 3) a 12-game package, 4) a seven-game package and 5) undated voucher books (denominations of 20 vouchers). Packages start at just $75 per seat.

For more information, please contact Director of Ticket Operations Jim Small at 309-676-1040 x 106 or via e-mail at [email protected]

 

[truebluefan]

Canucks Send Five to Moose

Late last night, the Vancouver Canucks, the NHL affiliate of the Manitoba Moose, reduced their training camp roster by seven, sending the following players to the Moose:

Forwards

Marc-Andre Bernier Brad Moran

Defencemen

Joe Rullier Prestin Ryan

Goalie

Julien Ellis

The Canucks also released Gordie Dwyer and Vladimir Kutny outright.

The Moose continue training camp Monday, September 25th with the first on-ice sessions at River Heights Arena beginning at 9:00 AM. Manitoba will play Lakehead University in a pair of exhibition games at the Fort William Garden in Thunder Bay, ON on Friday, September 29th and Saturday, September 30th.

 

[truebluefan]

Knights Reduce Single Game Ticket Prices

Omaha, NE - The Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights announced today that they are reducing the prices fans will pay when they purchase individual game tickets. The average reduction across the five seating zones is more than 20%. Individual game tickets will go on sale, Monday, October 2nd at 10:00 a.m. at the Omaha Civic Auditorium box office and all Ticketmaster outlets. Tickets may be purchased by phone at (402) 422-1212.

"This is yet another step in a process we began back in March when we lowered our season ticket prices by an average of 21%," said Reynold Smith, Ak-Sar-Ben Knights' President. "We are committed to making our games an even better value for our fans. While those fans who are season ticket holders will see the greatest savings, fans who buy our tickets individually also will see significant savings over last year's walk-up prices."

Fans will see the greatest savings in the lower bowl on the ends where the tickets have been reduced from $27.00 to $18.00, a drop of more than 33%. Those fans sitting in the second balcony will see a decrease of more than 30% with tickets falling from $21.50 per game to just $15.00. The grid below compares the walk-up tickets prices for the upcoming season with those from 2005-06.

SECTION 06-07 WINDOW PRICE 05-06 WINDOW PRICE % DECREASE

Orange-Third Balcony $12.00 $13.00 7.7%

Blue-Second Balcony $15.00 $21.50 30.2%

Green-Lower Bowl Ends $18.00 $27.00 33.3%

Yellow-Lower Bowl Center $21.00 $27.00 22.2%

Red-On The Glass $29.00 $32.00 9.4%

The Ak-Sar-Ben Knights' 2006-07 season begins on Friday, October 6th when they visit the Peoria Rivermen. They will host their home opener on Friday, October 20th when they welcome the Syracuse Crunch at 7:00 p.m. The first 5,000 fans will receive a magnetic schedule courtesy of Alegent Health. The complete season schedule can be found on-line at omahaaksarbenknights.com.

Season tickets and 22-Game Mini Plans for the 2006-2007 season are on sale now. Season tickets start as low as $10 per seat per game. For more information on pricing and benefits, visit the Knights' office at the Omaha Civic Auditorium or call (402) 344-4625. Ticket information is also available on-line at omahaaksarbenknights.com.

The Ak-Sar-Ben Knights are currently offering a special on group tickets. Any group of 15 or more that purchases tickets for the home opener, for Saturday, November 4th or Saturday, December 16th will receive complementary tickets in the same seating area for another game during the season. The seats must be reserved and a deposit placed by October 1st.

 

[truebluefan]

Blackhawks assign players to Norfolk

The Chicago Blackhawks, 4-0 in the NHL preseason, assigned seven men to the Norfolk Admirals' camp. Admirals practices begin Tuesday at the Chilled Ponds complex in Chesapeake and are open to the public.

Chicago assigned forwards Adam Berti, Bryan Bickell and 2005-06 Norfolk regulars Carl Corazzini and Martin St. Pierre, plus defensemen Jordan Hendry, David Koci and Steve Munn to Norfolk. ...

complete article

 

[truebluefan]

Rivermen lose game, still manage to have big gain

The Peoria Rivermen lost a preseason game but gained six key players Sunday.

The Chicago Wolves won an AHL rematch against the Rivermen, 3-0, at Glacier Ice Arena.

The parent-club St. Louis Blues, meanwhile, sent down wingers Cam Keith, Peter Sejna and Jon DiSalvatore, plus highly touted rookie center Carl Soderberg, winger David Backes and defenseman Tomas Mojzis.

complete article

 

[truebluefan]

From farming to farm team

Warren McCutcheon felt it was time to take the next step, so his degree in agriculture from the University of Manitoba will have to wait.

McCutcheon, a key cog on the Bisons men's hockey team the past three seasons, has put his education on hold to pursue his dream of playing professional hockey.

The 24-year-old from Carman is among the hopefuls trying to earn a spot with the Manitoba Moose, who opened training camp yesterday with physicals and medicals at the MTS Centre.

complete article

 

[truebluefan]

Dallas assigns 14 players to Iowa Stars

The Dallas Stars assigned 14 players to the American Hockey League Iowa Stars today.

Assigned to Iowa: forwards Krys Barch, Chris Conner, Mike Green, Yared Hagos, Marius Holtet, John Lammers, Tuomas Mikkonen, Marty Sertich, Janos Vas, Francis Wathier, defensemen Mark Fistric, Mario Scalzo, Marty Wilford and goaltender Tobias Stephan.

Iowa opens training camp Sunday with a 5:30 p.m. practice open to the public at Wells Fargo Arena in downtown Des Moines.

The Dallas Stars also released left wing Kip Brennan, trimming the NHL team's roster to 32 players.