SPRINGFIELD, Mass. … The American Hockey League announced today that Portland Pirates right wing Mark Mancari has been named the Reebok/AHL Player of the Week for the period ending Nov. 9, 2008. Mancari tallied four goals and four assists for eight points in three games as the Pirates continued their winning ways atop the AHL standings.
Mancari began the week with a three-point night, scoring twice and adding an assist in Portland’s 5-3 victory at Worcester on Wednesday. He came back on Friday with the Pirates’ only regulation goal in a 2-1 shootout victory over Springfield, then registered a goal and three assists as Portland defeated Philadelphia, 5-3, on Saturday. The Pirates now sit at 9-1-1-0 on the year, good for 19 points and a league-best .864 points percentage.
In recognition of his achievement, Mancari will be presented with an etched crystal award prior to an upcoming Pirates home game.
Now in his fourth professional season after being drafted by the Buffalo Sabres in 2004, Mancari leads the entire AHL in points (22) and plus/minus rating (plus-14), tallying nine goals and 13 assists in just 11 games. He has totaled 71 goals and 107 assists for 178 points in 226 career AHL games with Portland and Rochester, and added one assist in three NHL games with Buffalo in 2006-07. A 23-year-old native of London, Ont., Mancari participated in the 2008 AHL All-Star Classic and set a league record by registering 102.8 mph during the Hardest Shot event at the annual Skills Competition.
Other nominees for Reebok/AHL Player of the Week include Albany goaltender Justin Peters, Binghamton right wing Ryan Shannon, Bridgeport center Kurtis McLean, Chicago center Matt Anderson, Grand Rapids center Evan McGrath, Hamilton center Ben Maxwell, Hartford left wing Lauri Korpikoski, Hershey goaltender Simeon Varlamov, Houston left wing John Lammers, Iowa left wing Josh Green, Lake Erie right wing Chris Stewart, Lowell left wing Alexander Vasyunov, Manchester left wing Matt Moulson, Manitoba center Jason Krog, Milwaukee goaltender Drew MacIntyre, Norfolk goaltender Karri Ramo, Peoria defenseman Jonas Junland, Philadelphia center Jared Ross, Providence left wing Jeremy Reich, Quad City left wing Kyle Greentree, Rochester left wing Kenndal McArdle, Rockford right wing Pascal Pelletier, San Antonio left wing Jeff Hoggan, Syracuse center Nikita Filatov, Toronto center Kris Newbury, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton left wing Chris Minard and Worcester defenseman Derek Joslin.
