SPRINGFIELD, Mass. … The American Hockey League announced today that Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins defenseman Alex Goligoski and Norfolk Admirals forward Justin Keller have been added to the rosters for the 2008 AHL All-Star Classic presented by Reebok, to take place this Sunday and Monday in Binghamton, N.Y.
Goligoski, a 22-year-old rookie from Grand Rapids, Minn., will join the PlanetUSA AHL All-Star team. In 38 games for the Penguins this season, Goligoski has recorded six goals and eight assists for 14 points along with a plus-4 rating. Pittsburgh’s second-round pick in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft, Goligoski played three seasons at the University of Minnesota and was an NCAA West First Team All-American and a WCHA First Team All-Star in 2006-07.
Keller, 21, is in his second professional season after being drafted by the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2004. He has compiled nine goals and 10 assists for 19 points in 39 games for Norfolk and is tied for the team lead with seven power-play goals. He led the Western Hockey League with 51 goals in 2005-06, and scored the winning goal in the Memorial Cup Final for Kelowna in 2004. A native of Nelson, B.C., Keller will play for the Canadian AHL All-Star team.
The 2008 AHL All-Star Classic presented by Reebok will feature the top young talent in the American Hockey League competing in the 2008 CCM AHL All-Star Skills Competition on Sunday, January 27 (7:00 ET), and the 2008 AHL All-Star Game on Monday, January 28 (7:00 ET). The event will be televised live on Rogers Sportsnet in Canada and on a network of regional broadcast partners in the United States. It will also be offered at no charge on B2 Networks’ broadband video webcast at theahl.com.
Of the 427 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, Brad Boyes, Daniel Briere, Zdeno Chara, Jonathan Cheechoo, Pavol Demitra, Rick DiPietro, Patrik Elias, Ray Emery, Jiri Hudler, Miikka Kiprusoff, Kari Lehtonen, Ryan Miller, Martin St. Louis, Jason Spezza, Eric Staal and Steve Sullivan.
