Four more added to All-Star rosters

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. … The American Hockey League today announced four additions to the team rosters for the 2011 AHL All-Star Classic presented by Capital BlueCross, to take place Sunday and Monday, Jan. 30 and 31, in Hershey, Pa.

Forward Eric Tangradi and defenseman Robert Bortuzzo, both of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, have been added to the Eastern Conference All-Star roster, while Lake Erie Monsters forward Mark Olver and Texas Stars forward Francis Wathier have been added to the Western Conference All-Star squad.

In addition, the AHL announced that Wilkes-Barre’s Dustin Jeffrey (personal), Portland’s Drew Schiestel (injury), Lake Erie’s Ryan Stoa (NHL recall) and Texas’s Travis Morin (NHL recall) will miss the event.

Tangradi, a second-round draft pick by Anaheim in 2007, is tied for the Wilkes-Barre team lead with 17 goals and has totaled 29 points in 40 games for the Penguins in 2010-11. He has also recorded a goal and an assist in nine NHL games with Pittsburgh.

Bortuzzo, a third-round draft pick by Pittsburgh in 2007, has two goals and 16 assists in 45 games for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton this season and is tied for third among AHL defensemen with a plus-17 rating.

Among AHL rookies, Olver ranks second with 18 goals and sixth with 29 points while skating in 45 games for the Monsters. He also has two assists in four NHL contests with Colorado.

Wathier, a member of the Dallas organization since turning pro in 2005, has 12 goals and 10 assists in 42 games for Texas this season. He also appeared in one NHL game with the parent Stars.

The 2011 AHL All-Star Classic presented by Capital BlueCross in Hershey will feature the top talent in the American Hockey League competing in the AHL All-Star Skills Competition and the AHL All-Star Game, a two-day event to be televised nationally in the United States and Canada. Of the 528 players to take part in the AHL All-Star Classic since 1995, more than 94 percent have competed in the National Hockey League, including Patrice Bergeron, Dan Boyle, Daniel Briere, Dustin Byfuglien, Brian Campbell, Zdeno Chara, Eric Fehr, Miikka Kiprusoff, Kari Lehtonen, Ryan Miller, Zach Parise, Bobby Ryan, Martin St. Louis, Jason Spezza, Eric Staal and Tomas Vokoun.

A limited number of tickets remain available for the 2011 AHL All-Star Classic presented by Capital BlueCross – which include admission to both the 2011 AHL All-Star Skills Competition at 3 p.m. on Sunday, January 30, and the 2011 AHL All-Star Game at 7 p.m. on Monday, January 31. Tickets are also available for the 2011 AHL Hall of Fame Induction & Awards Ceremony (January 31, 11 a.m.) and the Post-Skills Party (January 30, 6 p.m.). Contact the Giant Center box office at (717) 534-3911 for information.