Phantoms’ Laliberte earns Player of the Week honors

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SPRINGFIELD, Mass. … The American Hockey League announced today that Philadelphia Phantoms right wing David Laliberte has been named the Reebok/AHL Player of the Week for the period ending Apr. 5, 2009. Laliberte posted six goals, one assist and a plus-5 rating in four games as the Phantoms continued their charge towards a Calder Cup Playoff berth.

Laliberte began the week with a hat trick plus an assist as Philadelphia rallied from two goals down to defeat Albany, 6-3, on Wednesday night. After being held off the scoresheet in a 3-2 overtime win at Norfolk on Friday, Laliberte picked up a goal in Saturday’s 4-2 victory over the Admirals, then scored twice more on Sunday as the Phantoms ran their winning streak to six games and moved into fourth place in the East Division with a 3-0 win over Norfolk.

In recognition of his achievement, Laliberte will be presented with an etched crystal award prior to an upcoming Phantoms home game.

A fourth-round draft pick by the Philadelphia Flyers in 2004, the 23-year-old Laliberte is one off the team lead with 28 goals and ranks fifth with 47 points in 67 games for the Phantoms in 2008-09. The second-year pro from St-Liboire, Que., tallied nine points (three goals, six assists) in 27 AHL games as a rookie last season. He played five junior seasons for Montreal and Prince Edward Island (QMJHL) and was a 50-goal scorer for the Rocket in 2006-07.

Other nominees for Reebok/AHL Player of the Week include Albany right wing Jerome Samson, Bridgeport left wing Jon Sim, Chicago right wing Joe Motzko, Grand Rapids defenseman Brian Lashoff, Hamilton center David Desharnais, Hartford right wing Jordan Owens, Hershey left wing Alexandre Giroux, Houston center Corey Locke, Iowa goaltender Jean-Philippe Levasseur, Lake Erie goaltender Tyler Weiman, Lowell right wing Vladimir Zharkov, Manchester defenseman Thomas Hickey, Milwaukee right wing Andreas Thuresson, Peoria goaltender Manny Legace, Portland left wing Mathieu Darche, Quad City defenseman Anders Eriksson, Rochester center Janis Sprukts, Rockford center Tim Brent, San Antonio goaltender Josh Tordjman, Syracuse left wing Alexandre Picard, Toronto goaltender Justin Pogge, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton left wing Chris Minard and Worcester goaltender Thomas Greiss.

Also see: Previous winners, Reebok/AHL Player of the Week