Four Rats named 'top rookies'

The Sports Network (TSN) recently ranked the "top 100 rookies" in the NHL for the 2009-10 regular season. Players from Albany placed on the list include Jamie McBain (8), Zach Boychuk (32), Brett Carson (40) and Bryan Rodney (84). Goaltender Justin Peters almost made it, but lacked the ten games required for eligibility. Read more at TSN's website. 

Reinforcements arrive

Key players will be returning to the Albany River Rats' line-up for the postseason and many are coming off excellent stints in the NHL.  

The Carolina Hurricanes yesterday reassigned six skaters to the River Rats, including forwards Jerome Samson, Zach Boychuk and Drayson Bowman, and defensemen Jamie McBain, Bryan Rodney and Casey Borer, while D-man Jay Harrison is set to be reassigned today should he clear waivers. 

Injuries and call-ups reduced Albany to 19 players for the final two games of the regular season, so the reinforcements will be welcomed as the team prepares to take on the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in the first round of the Calder Cup playoffs, scheduled to begin Wednesday night at the Times Union Center. 

Jerome Samson

(Photo by JBK-LTD)

Rats' top-scorer Jerome Samson, who was recalled to Carolina for the third time on Friday, returns to town after notching his second career NHL assist with the Canes on Saturday. 

In seven contests with Carolina this season, Samson earned two assists and was credited with 17 shots on goal. 

Samson led the Rats in scoring during the regular season with a career-high 78 points (37 G, 41 A) in 74 games. He ranked fourth in the league in points, second in goals, first in shots, and finished the season with a plus-8 rating. 

Rookie offensive defenseman Jamie McBain, who was recalled to Carolina for the first time on March 16, returns to Albany having performed remarkably well during his first 14 contests in the NHL. 

McBain scored three goals, tallied seven assists, earned a plus-6 rating and averaged well over 20 minutes of ice-time during his first run with the big club. 

McBain led all Rats' defenseman in scoring this season with 40 points (7 G, 33 A) in 68 games and tied for first among Albany D-men with a plus-11 rating. His presence on the blue line and ability to make smart decisions has been a key weapon of the Rats' offense and power play. 

First-year offensive sensation Zach Boychuk comes back to Albany for the first time since being recalled to the Hurricanes in early March. 

Boychuk totaled nine points (3 G, 6 A) and put up a plus-1 rating in 31 games spanned over six separate call-ups with the Canes this year. 

Boychuk ranked second among Albany scorers at the time of his last recall with 36 points (15 G, 21 A) in 52 contests, including eight points in his last six AHL games. 

Defenseman Casey Borer, winner of the AHL's Fred T. Hunt award, was recalled to the Hurricanes last Thursday for the first time this season. 

Borer, who returned to action in January after a lengthy recovery from a broken neck sustained in last year's bus crash, played two games with Carolina. He was responsible for blocking two shots against Montreal on April 8th. 

Borer notched one goal and eight assists in 30 contests with the River Rats this season, including a goal and four assists in his last 10 games. 

Drayson Bowman

(Photo by Jennifer Bock)

Rookie sniper Drayson Bowman, who was recalled to the Canes for the second time on March 24, scored his first two NHL goals against Tampa Bay last Tuesday. 

Bowman played in a total of nine NHL games this season, eight during his most recent recall, and registered nine shots in his final two matches.

Bowman has 32 points (17 G, 15 A) in 56 games this season with Albany.

Puck-moving blueliner Bryan Rodney, who was recalled to Carolina for the fifth time this season on March 19, picked up 11 points (1 g, 10 A) in 22 games with the Canes this year. 

Rodney tallied an assist in each of his final three NHL tilts. 

Rodney represented the River Rats at the 2010 AHL All-Star Classic and ranks second among Albany defenders with 35 points (7 G, 28 A) in 54 games.

Veteran defenseman Jay Harrison headed to Carolina for the third time this season back on March 3 after earning 14 points and a plus-8 rating in 32 games with the Rats.

Harrison ended up playing more regular season games with Carolina than he did with Albany, scoring six points (1 G, 5 A) in 38 NHL contests.

Unlike the River Rats, Albany's first-round opponent, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, will not be getting a major influx of players from the NHL, as their parent club is heading to the postseason. 

The Penguins have only one clear-day player presently recalled to the NHL, whereas the River Rats, until yesterday, had seven. 

With the regular season officially over, the AHL yesterday released schedules for the first-round of the post-season. Albany's games are listed below.

Game 1: Wednesday, April 14, 7:00 (home)

Game 2: Friday, April 16, 7:00 (home)

Game 3: Sunday, April 18, 3:05 (away)

Game 4: Monday, April 19, 7:05 (away)

Game 5: Wednesday, April 21, 7:00 (home)*

Game 6: Saturday, April 24, 7:05 (away)*

Game 7: Sunday, April 25, 5:00 (home)*

*if necessary

McBain continues to shine

Rookie defenseman Jamie McBain, who was recalled to the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday, continues to impress, earning first-star honors today as he led the Canes to a thrilling overtime victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins. 

With just 0.9 seconds remaining in the extra stanza, McBain, in a fashion familiar to fans in Albany, received the puck on the blueline and used his deadly slap-shot to thread it like a needle through traffic. Defensive partner Bryan Rodney, who was called up to Carolina on Friday, notched the secondary assist. 

McBain assisted on a goal in the first period by fellow call-up Zach Boychuk, giving the blooming blueliner two points on the night and a total of four in his first three NHL contests. 

Goaltender Justin Peters stopped 15 of 17 shots and picked up his sixth NHL victory after replacing Manny Legace, who sustained a minor leg injury in the second period.

Watch highlights of the game here. Also check out the Raleigh News & Observer for today's feature story on McBain. UPDATE: Post-game interviews with Jamie McBain and Justin Peters. 

Reid brought up, Rodney recalled

The Albany River Rats today recalled defenseman Elgin Reid from the Florida Everblades of the ECHL.

Reid will fill in for Albany alternate captain Bryan Rodney, who was called up to the Carolina Hurricanes today to replace sidelined D-man Alexandre Picard. 

Picard is listed as week-to-week after suffering an upper-body injury last night against the Washington Capitals. 

Reid returns to the River Rats for the second time this season. The 23-year-old made his AHL debut with Albany in December, skating in two games and picking up his first American league point against Syracuse on December 19th.

Reid has 21 points (5 G, 16 A) and 59 penalty minutes in 43 games this season with the Everblades.

Bryan Rodney heads to the Hurricanes for the fifth time this season, having earned five assists in 10 games with the Canes back in November and December.

Rodney ranks second among Albany defenseman in scoring with 35 points (7, G, 28 A) in 54 games and is known for having some of the best stick-handling skills on the team. 

Rodney represented the River Rats this year at the AHL All-Star Classic in Portland.

News & Notes

• The Carolina Hurricanes next season will move their AHL affiliate to Charlotte, North Carolina. Chip Alexander of the Raleigh News & Observer says "it's a go." The River Rats will need to find a new parent club to continue operations in 2010-2011. 

• Defenseman Casey Borer has been cleared for game action and may return as early as tomorrow night. Pete Dougherty at the Albany Times Union has the news.

• Coach Jeff Daniels, defenseman Bryan Rodney and goaltender Justin Peters chat with Bill Cain at the Schenectady Daily Gazette about preparing for the second half of the season. 

• Permanent NHL spots could soon be available for Pat Dwyer, Jiri Tlusty and Brett Carson. Paul Branecky at Tracking the Storm says trades are in the works. 
  

Peters, Rodney set to represent Rats

Justin Peters and Bryan Rodney are off to Portland for the AHL All-Star Classic. Albany's two representatives talk with Chris Fitz Gerald at the Troy Record. 

Watch the skills competition on Time Warner 3 tonight at 8 pm and the All-Star game on the same channel tomorrow night at 6 pm.

News & Notes

• The River Rats have a busy schedule ahead of them, Justin Peters and Bryan Rodney in particular. After the Rats finish playing three games in three nights this weekend, Peters and Rodney will head off to the AHL All-Star Classic in Portland, scheduled for Monday and Tuesday. Albany's two All-Star representatives talk with Pete Dougherty at the Albany Times Union.  

• Jacob Micflikier may be only 5-foot-8, but the solid winger packs a punch from both ends of the ice. Micflikier is featured today in the Troy Record. 

• Chris Fitz Gerlad at the Troy Record grades the River Rats' performance midway through the season.
  

• Coach Jeff Daniels talks with Bill Cain at the Schenectady Daily Gazette about coping with a thinning roster. 
  

Rodney honored as all-star

Defenseman Bryan Rodney has been selected as the River Rats' sole representative for the AHL Canadian All-Star team. The Rats' website has the full roster. 

The all-star game is scheduled for January 19 in Portland. The PlanetUSA roster will be announced tomorrow. 

Rodney out at least a week

Defenseman Bryan Rodney, who sustained a shoulder injury Saturday night in Wilkes-Barre, will be sidelined for at least a week. The Albany Times Union has the story, along with some notes from yesterday's practice. 

Rodney back in town, Reid reassigned

The Carolina Hurricanes today reassigned defenseman Bryan Rodney to the River Rats, while Albany sent down blue-liner Elgin Reid to the Florida Everblades of the ECHL. 

Rodney returns to Albany after earning three assists in three games with Carolina. He was recalled for the fourth time this season on December 15 and skated just last night in the Canes' 3-2 victory over the Panthers. 

In 10 NHL games this season, Rodney has five assists, including four on the powerplay. 

With the River Rats this year, Rodney has two goals and seven assists in 20 games.

Elgin Reid heads back to the Everblades after appearing in the first two AHL games of his career over the weekend. The 21-year-old notched his first American league point last night in Syracuse, assisting a tally by Stefan Chaput. 

Reid has three goals and five assists in 19 games with the Blades this season. 

Dwyer, Rodney recalled

Pat Dwyer, Bryan Rodney

(Photo by Jennifer Bock)

The Carolina Hurricanes today recalled forward Pat Dwyer and defenseman Bryan Rodney from the Albany River Rats. 

Hurricanes' forwards Erik Cole and Chad LaRose remain on injured reserve and Sergei Samsonov is now listed as day-to-day with a lower-body complication. 

Defenseman Joe Corvo, who is out with a severed achilles tendon, is now accompanied on the sidelines by blueliners Niclas Wallin, who is day-to-day with an upper-body injury, and Tim Gleason, who took a puck in the face Friday night in Washington. 

Dwyer and Rodney join Brett Carson and Jay Harrison, both of whom were recalled from Albany last Sunday, as well as center Brandon Sutter, who earned a spot on the NHL roster earlier this season. 

This is the third call-up of the year for Dwyer, who just returned to Albany on Sunday after playing for Carolina the previous two nights. In eight total contests with the Canes this season, Dwyer averaged 11:58 of ice-time and performed admirably on the penalty killing unit. 

Rodney, entering his fourth NHL stint of the year, notched two assists and averaged 18:27 of ice-time in seven games during his previous assignments. He was applauded for moving the puck well and holding down the point on the power play.

The call-up of Rodney leaves the River Rats with just five defenseman.

Harrison recalled, Rodney reassigned

The Carolina Hurricanes today recalled defenseman Jay Harrison and reassigned Bryan Rodney to the River Rats. 

Rodney was called up to Carolina for the third time this season on December 4th. He skated in one game and registered 17:24 of ice-time. Rodney will return to Albany, where he has a goal and five assists in 15 games thus far this season. 

Jay Harrison, who started the year with the Canes, has a goal, seven assists and a plus-4 rating in 15 contests with Albany this season. Harrison will rejoin Carolina, where he accumulated a goal, two assists and 27 penalty minutes in 10 games prior to be reassigned on November 3rd.

With defenseman Joe Corvo on injured reserve, the Canes will need a substitute for the next two to three months. Rodney offers an offensive, puck-moving style, whereas Harrison is more of a stay-at-home D-man. Brett Carson, who falls somewhere in the middle, will likely earn the next audition. 

Bryan Rodney recalled, again

Defenseman Bryan Rodney today was recalled by the Carolina Hurricanes to fill the void created by the injury to Canes' D-man Joe Corvo.

Corvo, who has averaged more ice-time than any another other Hurricane, suffered a serious laceration on his achilles tendon on Monday night during a contest against the Washington Captials. He underwent surgery and is expected to miss two to three months.

This is Rodney's third call-up of the season. The others were short-lived, but this one may last a while.

Canes lose Corvo for 2-3 months

Defenseman Joe Corvo of the Carolina Hurricanes is expected to miss two to three months after suffering a serious laceration on the back of his leg last night in Raleigh. 

General Manager Jim Rutherford said the team will likely call up either Brett Carson, Jay Harrison or Bryan Rodney as a replacement.

Corvo has been averaging over 25 minutes of ice-time, more than any other player on the Canes' roster.

Rodney returns, again

The Carolina Hurricanes today reassigned defenseman Bryan Rodney to the River Rats. 

Rodney was recalled for the second time this season on November 25th. He played one game this time around, registering over 20 minutes of ice-time, four shots on goal and an even plus/minus rating. 

Rodney was filling in for injured Canes' D-man Joni Pitkanen, who is expected to be back in the line-up tonight.

Albany captain Pat Dwyer remains in Raleigh, as forward Chad LaRose has been sidelined with a lower-body injury. 

Forward Scott Walker, who has been out with an upper-body injury since November 15, participated today at the team's morning skate. Goaltender Cam Ward was also briefly on the ice.

Rodney called back up

Defenseman Bryan Rodney today was called back up to the Carolina Hurricanes to fill in for the injury-prone Joni Pitkanen. 

Pitkanen left the Canes' game last night in Raleigh with an upper-body condition. He has been in and out of the line-up since the start of the season.

Rodney was reassigned to the River Rats from Carolina just last Friday, but skated in only two contests before getting the call once again.  

Albany captain Pat Dwyer, who was called up to the Hurricanes on November 19, may soon be reassigned. 

Dwyer was a healthy scratch last night as Carolina forward Tuomo Ruutu returned after missing one game. 

Star forward Eric Staal, who sat out 10 games with an upper-body injury, registered over 20 minutes of ice-time in his second game back.

The Hurricanes blew a 4-1 lead to the Atlanta Thrashers, losing 6-4 after allowing five unanswered goals in the third period.

News & Notes

• Pete Dougherty of the Albany Times Union chats with Tim Conboy, Bryan Rodney and coach Jeff Daniels about the Rats' well-fortified defensive corps. 

• The Rats talk to Chris Fitz Gerald at the Troy Record about their goals for the coming week, including their hopes of improving scoring chances, particularly on the power play. 

• "Coach preaches consistency," says rookie forward Chris Terry to the Schenectady Daily Gazette, "and I think if we become more consistent with our plays and the strategies the coaches draw up for us, I think we'll be more successful."
  

• Defenseman Bryan Rodney will play tonight for the first time since being returned from Carolina. Rodney was reassigned to Albany on Friday, but sat out the weekend with the flu.

• Rob Hennigar is in town and will make his first appearance as a River Rat tonight against Syracuse. He should be wearing #19. Meanwhile, Harrison Reed, who was sent to the ECHL in exchange for Hennigar yesterday, is expected to play for the Florida Everblades this evening in Wheeling, West Virginia.  

• Forward Tuomo Ruutu of the Carolina Hurricanes left Monday night's game in Dallas with a lower-body injury. He is questionable for tonight's contest against Anaheim. Eric Staal, who missed the Canes' last 10 games with an upper-body injury, is expected to play tonight. Goaltender Michael Leighton, who was curbed with a groin injury on November 17, is recovering well and traveled with team on the road trip.
  

Rodney's long journey

Bryan Rodney

(Photo by jbk-ltd)

Bryan Rodney had to overcome several obstacles to reach this point in his career. The undrafted defenseman and current Albany alternate captain was once considered a lost cause, but he defied the naysayers and has now proven capable of contributing at the NHL level. 

Writer Gare Joyce at Sportsnet.ca traces Rodney's long journey from juniors to the pros.

Rodney returned

The Carolina Hurricanes today reassigned Bryan Rodney to the Albany River Rats. 

Rodney was called up on November 11 to fill in for injured defenseman Joni Pitkanen, who is set to return tomorrow night. 

In five games with the Canes, Rodney averaged 17:51 of ice-time, tallied two assists and was credited for boosting the team's power play. 

The return of Rodney to the Rats puts eight solid defenders on Albany's roster.

News & Notes

• The River Rats' busy schedule continues with three games in four days. Albany will skate at home tonight against Syracuse, in Manchester on Friday and at Binghamton on Saturday. The Rats dropped the first contest against each team, so they should be thirsty for revenge. The standings are also a concern. The Rats fell to fourth place last night after Norfolk picked up two points against Portland. Read the Rats' weekly recap for more.

• The Rats limped home from Springfield on Sunday, but the tough loss to the Falcons only provided inspiration for the coming week. The team held a spirited practice yesterday, full of heavy skating, on-ice chatter and even a few hits. Albany worked hard on improving special teams and the quality of their scoring chances. Hopefully it will pay off. Look for the Rats to come out aggressive tonight. The Schenectady Daily Gazette has more from practice.

• It is no secret. Pat Dwyer was named captain because he leads by example. Now in his fourth year with the River Rats, Dwyer is arguably Albany's most valuable player. He serves as a role model for the rest of the team, giving everything he has on every shift. Dwyer is featured today in the Albany Times Union.

• Rookie forward Drayson Bowman, who sat out the last three games with a chest injury, will not play tonight or this weekend. He will be sorely missed. Bad info!!! 

• The injury woes of the Carolina Hurricanes continue. Goaltender Michael Leighton left last night's game against Montreal with a lower-body complication, likely a groin pull. It was Leighton's second start since Cam Ward was curbed with a laceration on his leg. Eric Staal, Scott Walker and Joni Pitkanen also remain sidelined. Carolina's next game is on Thursday. If Leighton is unable to dress, Justin Peters could be on the way up. 

• Brandon Sutter and Bryan Rodney continue to shine in Raleigh. Sutter has five goals and three assists in 11 games. Rodney has two assists in 4 games. Both are skating extended minutes and getting time on the power play. Rodney was even included in the shootout line-up last night in Montreal. Read more about their stellar performances at the Raleigh News & Observer, Canes Country and Tracking the Storm.

• Players on standby in the ECHL are stacking up impressive numbers. Jacob MicFlikier has an unbelievable 22 points (7 G, 15 A) in 10 games. Rob Hennigar has 21 points (7 G, 14 A) in 14 games. Goaltender Mike Morrison has a solid GAA of 2.79 and a SV% of .903 after 10 games. The way things are going, their services may soon be required in Albany.