All-Star rosters, fan balloting coming

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. … The American Hockey League will be announcing the playing rosters for the 2012 AHL All-Star Classic on Wednesday, January 4, at 3:00 p.m. ET.

Both the Eastern Conference and Western Conference rosters will be announced at that time.

In addition, 2012 AHL All-Star Classic Fan Balloting presented by Reebok will begin Thursday, January 5, at noon ET on the official Web site of the AHL at theahl.com and on the Official American Hockey League Fan Page at facebook.com/theahl.

Fans will have the opportunity to vote for the starting lineups for the 2012 AHL All-Star Game by visiting theahl.com or facebook.com/theahl and completing the official Reebok AHL All-Star Fan Ballot. By completing the official ballot, fans will also be entered to win a grand prize of a team-signed authentic 2012 AHL All-Star jersey. Five more winners will each receive a pair of tickets to the 2012 AHL All-Star Skills Competition and All-Star Game, courtesy of Insurance Office of America.

On-line fan balloting at theahl.com will end at noon ET on Monday, January 23, 2012.

Tickets for the 2012 AHL All-Star Classic – which include admission to both the 2012 AHL All-Star Skills Competition at 3 p.m. on Sunday, January 29, and the 2012 AHL All-Star Game at 7 p.m. on Monday, January 30 – are on sale now at the Boardwalk Hall box office, all Ticketmaster locations, by calling (800) 736-1420 or at www.ticketmaster.com. Tickets are also available for the Post-Skills Party (January 29, 5:30 p.m.) and the 2012 AHL Hall of Fame Induction & Awards Ceremony (January 30, 11 a.m.) at Caesars Atlantic City.

The 2012 AHL All-Star Classic will feature the top young talent in the American Hockey League competing in an internationally televised showcase from historic Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City. Of the 562 players to take part in the AHL All-Star Classic since 1995, more than 93 percent have competed in the National Hockey League, including Patrice Bergeron, Dan Boyle, Daniel Briere, Ryan Callahan, Brian Campbell, Zdeno Chara, Jimmy Howard, Miikka Kiprusoff, Ryan Miller, Zach Parise, Pekka Rinne, Bobby Ryan, Martin St. Louis, Jason Spezza, Eric Staal, P.K. Subban and Tomas Vokoun.

The 2012 AHL All-Star Classic is presented by the Atlantic City Convention & Visitors Authority, Caesars Entertainment, the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority and the American Hockey League. For destination information about Atlantic City, please visit www.atlanticcitynj.com.