AHL Weekly Release: Classic to reach global audience

WEEKLY RELEASE #15

08allstar-rbk.jpgSPRINGFIELD, Mass. … In addition to the crowds who will witness the 2008 AHL All-Star Classic presented by Reebok in person at the Broome County Arena, the action will also reach millions of AHL fans worldwide through television, video and audio cybercasting and satellite radio.

The event, with the 2008 CCM AHL All-Star Skills Competition set for Jan. 27 and the 2008 AHL All-Star Game to follow on Jan. 28, will be televised to more than 100 million households in North America, reaching fans in all 29 AHL cities.

For the seventh year in a row, Rogers Sportsnet will carry the AHL All-Star Classic live in Canada. The league’s showcase event can also be seen this year on 20 regional networks in the United States, including Fox Sports Net (FSN) in its New York, Pittsburgh, Ohio, North, Wisconsin, Midwest and Arizona regions; Comcast SportsNet on its New England, Philadelphia, Mid-Atlantic, Chicago and West networks; the New England Sports Network (NESN); Comcast Local in Michigan and Indiana; and Time Warner Sports.

CSS and Sun Sports will bring the AHL All-Star Classic to fans across 11 states in the southeastern United States, while Altitude Sports and Entertainment will air it across their 10-state territory of the Rocky Mountain region. The 2008 AHL All-Star Classic presented by Reebok will also air live on NHL Center Ice to subscribers in the U.S., on the America One network and on WQMY-TV in Wilkes-Barre, Pa.

The telecasts for the two-night event will be produced by ConCom, Inc. For the third year in a row, the team of Rob Faulds (play-by-play), Sam Cosentino (analyst) and R.J. Broadhead (sideline) will call the action.

The AHL is also pleased to be joining with B2 Networks to provide a live video broadband webcast of both nights’ festivities at no charge to fans around the world. Anyone with a high-speed cable modem or T1 or DSL broadband connection and Windows Media Player 9 or higher can view the Skills Competition and All-Star Game through the links to be provided on the official Web site of the American Hockey League, theahl.com.

Visit theahl.com for a schedule of air times for the 2008 AHL All-Star Classic presented by Reebok on the AHL All-Star TV network.

Links
AHL standings
Scores and schedules
League leaders

ALL-STAR RADIO COVERAGE … In addition to the extensive TV and video webcast coverage of the 2008 AHL All-Star Game, the event can be heard anywhere in the world on the official Web site of the AHL, theahl.com. Binghamton Senators play-by-play voice Marc Shelanski will provide the call of the All-Star Game on a worldwide audio cybercast. Additionally, fans can also view real-time game statistics on theahl.com’s live scoreboard, powered by LeagueStat.com.

The 2008 AHL All-Star Game will also be carried live on Home Ice channel 204 on XM Satellite Radio and XM Canada, the leading satellite radio company in North America with more than 8.5 million subscribers.

ALL-STAR OFFICIALS NAMED … The American Hockey League has named the on-ice officials for the 2008 AHL All-Star Game in Binghamton. Brian Pochmara will serve as the game’s referee, while Mike Emanatian and Brian Lemon will be the linesmen.

It will be the first AHL All-Star appearance for all three.

BRUINS COACHES EARN ALL-STAR NOD … Head coach Scott Gordon and assistant Rob Murray of the Providence Bruins are heading to the 2008 AHL All-Star Classic presented by Reebok after the B’s hit Sunday’s deadline with the best record in the AHL. Gordon and Murray, in their fifth year together in Providence, will be behind the PlanetUSA bench for this month’s event.

Gordon becomes the third Bruins head coach to guide an AHL All-Star team, following Bill Armstrong in 2001 and current Carolina Hurricanes coach Peter Laviolette in 2000. Murray is going to his second All-Star Classic; he captained the Canadian team at the 1997 event.

SIGALET RETURNS … Goaltender Jordan Sigalet returned to the Providence crease last weekend for the first time since Nov. 16, when he collapsed during a game due to complications from multiple sclerosis. Sigalet stopped all 18 shots he faced in 36:05 of relief work vs. Worcester on Friday, and made 16 saves on 17 shots in a 3-1 win over Springfield on Sunday.

Sigalet is 3-1-0 for the Bruins this season and 37-17-4 in 67 career AHL appearances.

ETC. … Bridgeport’s Kyle Okposo, the seventh overall pick in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft, began his professional career with one goal and four assists in three games over the weekend… Dimitri Patzold made 25 saves in Worcester’s 3-0 win at Providence on Friday, the first shutout in Sharks history… Brandon Nolan played five games in five nights last week, suiting up for Albany on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday and for the parent Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday and Saturday… Teammate Keith Aucoin played five games in six nights between the Rats and ’Canes, and scored his first career NHL goal against New Jersey’s Martin Brodeur on Thursday night… Houston goaltender Nolan Schaefer is 14-3-0 in his last 17 decisions and now leads the league in goals-against average (1.97), save percentage (.930) and shutouts (five; tied with Albany’s Michael Leighton)… One night after scoring the game-tying goal at Milwaukee on Saturday with 55 seconds left in regulation, Rockford’s Derek Nesbitt netted the overtime winner at Quad City on Sunday… Brad Richardson returned from NHL recall to Colorado and tallied two goals and four assists in three weekend games for Lake Erie… After not scoring in his first 20 career AHL games, rookie Mark Letestu has five goals in his last five contests for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton… Quad City’s Krys Kolanos had 13 points (8g, 5a) on a seven-game scoring streak that was snapped Sunday… Peoria is 14-3-2-2 this season with center Yan Stastny in the lineup… Konstantin Pushkarev has recorded eight points (5g, 3a) in seven games since returning to the Iowa lineup on Dec. 31… Sunday’s 3-1 win marked Hartford’s eighth straight victory at Hershey… Canadian AHL All-Star captain Denis Hamel enters the AHL chat room to answer fans’ questions on Tuesday, Jan. 15.