Rats welcome new faces after trades

As many predicted, the Carolina Hurricanes yesterday made a flurry of deals prior to the NHL trade deadline, unloading five veterans, opening up nearly $9 million in salary cap space, and clearing room for prospects from Albany.

When the dust finally settled, the Rats had lost three players and gained three new faces.

Fourth-line center Harrison Reed, who spent the past two seasons with Albany, was dealt to the Colorado Avalanche and will likely join the Lake Erie Monsters in the North Division. 

Carolina made room for rookie forward Zach Boychuk and blueliner Jay Harrison, both of whom were recalled last night.

Veterans Joe Corvo, Aaron Ward, Stephane Yelle, Scott Walker and Andrew Alberts were all traded away for younger players and draft picks. 

Joining the River Rats in the coming days will be Justin Pogge, a talented netminder from Anaheim; Oskar Osala, a large power forward from Washington; and rookie Cedric LaLonde-McNicoll, a natural center from Colorado. 

Pogge, who will be 24 years old in April, has been spending the season with the San Antonio Rampage, where he has earned a 2.57 GAA, .920 SV%, one shutout and a record of 12-7-0-3. 

Pogge started the year with the Bakersfield Condors of the ECHL, registering a 2.69 GAA, .902 SV%, one shutout, and a record of 6-2-0-0. 

Pogge was acquired along with a fourth-round pick from Anaheim in exchange for veteran defenseman Aaron Ward.

Selected in the third-round by Toronto in 2004, Pogge spent his first three professional seasons with the Marlies. He was granted seven starts with the Maple Leafs last season, but did not perform up to expectations and was traded to Anaheim during the summer.

Pogge, a native of Fort McMurray, Alberta, is a product of the Western Hockey League. He spent two years with the Prince George Cougars and another two years with the Calgary Hitmen, putting up a phenomenal 1.72 GAA, .926 SV%, 11 shutouts and a record of 38-10-2-4 during his final junior year. Pogge was honored with the league's MVP award and was named Canadian Hockey League goaltender-of-the-year.

Pogge helped Team Canada win its second consecutive gold medal at the 2006 World Junior Championships with a 1.00 GAA, .952 SV% and an undefeated record of 6-0. 

Pogge is listed at 6-foot-3, 204 pounds and is similar in size and frame to Albany's regular starter, Justin Peters, as well as Carolina's goalie coach Tom Barrasso, who hopes to personally fine-tune the skills of the young netminder.

The acquisition of Pogge gives Albany some stability in net as Justin Peters remains in Carolina. Canes' starter Cam Ward is out indefinitely and Rats' rookie Mike Murphy is sporting a cast/finger-splint.

Recently acquired back-up goalie Ryan Mior, who was signed to a professional tryout contract on Sunday, will likely be released after he recovers from an undisclosed injury suffered on Tuesday.

Oskar Osala, drafted by the Washington Capitals in the fourth round in 2006, comes to Albany from the division rival Hershey Bears, where the Finnish-born 22-year-old has totaled 29 points (15 G, 14 A) in 53 games this season (including two goals and an assist against Albany). 

Osala was acquired along with Brian Pothier (formally of R.P.I.) and a second-round pick from Washington in exchange for defenseman Joe Corvo.

Listed at 6-foot-4, 220 pounds, Osala is a powerful winger best known for his speed and hard shot. He knows how to play tough and is not afraid to mix things up from time to time. 

Watch clips of Osala scoring three points against Rochester earlier this season 

After spending a season in the Finnish elite league SM-liiga, Osala signed a three-year deal with the Capitals in 2008. 

Osala tallied 37 points (23 G, 14 A) and a +11 rating in 75 games with the Bears last year and put up another six goals and four assists in 22 playoff contests as Hershey went on to win the Calder Cup. 

Osala was recalled to the Capitals on two occasions, going scoreless in his first two NHL appearances.

Cedric LaLonde-McNicoll is a 21-year-old undrafted rookie center who started his pro career this season with the Lake Erie Monsters. 

The undersized youngster was acquired along with a sixth-round pick from Colorado in exchange for Stephane Yelle and Harrison Reed.

Born in Longueuil, Quebec, LaLonde-McNicoll spent four full seasons with the Shawinigan Cataractes of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League prior to going pro in October. The small but speedy playmaker, listed at 5-foot-10, 178 pounds, was the third-highest scorer in the QMJHL last season with 104 points (38 G, 66 A) in 65 games.

LaLonde-McNicoll has 13 points (5 G, 8 A) in 45 games this year with Lake Erie.

Trade deadline deals

• Defenseman Aaron Ward to Anaheim for goaltender Justin Pogge and a fourth-round pick. 

• Forward Scott Walker to Washington for a seventh-round pick. 

• Defenseman Joe Corvo to Washington for defenseman Brian Pothier, forward Oskar Osala and a second-round pick. 

• Andrew Alberts to Vancouver for a third-round pick. 

• Forwards Stephane Yelle and Harrison Reed to Colorado for rookie forward Cedric Lalonde-McNicoll and a sixth-round pick.

Reed back, but Rats still short

Despite the return of Harrison Reed from the ECHL, the River Rats will likely be short on forwards heading into a three-game weekend. 

Reed rejoined the Rats today after registering three shots on goal last night with the Florida Everblades in a shootout win over the Reading Royals.

On the other side of the coin, Pat Dwyer, Zach Boychuk, Jiri Tlusty and Jerome Samson all remain with the Carolina Hurricanes. 

Moreover, Rob Hennigar is out indefinitely with a broken hand, Michael Ryan is curbed with a lower-body injury and Matthew Pistilli is sidelined with a concussion sustained last Saturday.

Defenseman Jonathan Paiement will likely continue playing the role of two-way winger, but even with Paiement up front, Albany will be limited to just 11 forwards. 

A tryout deal for an ECHL skater could be in the works. The Rats may also consider calling up a defenseman and putting Tim Conboy at wing, where the rugged blueliner was positioned in Carolina. 

News & Notes

• The Rats' regular weekly round-up is available at the team's website. 

• Forward Harrison Reed today was temporarily reassigned to the Florida Everblades of the ECHL. Reed will play for the Blades tomorrow night and likely rejoin the Rats this weekend. 

• Injured Carolina Hurricanes' forwards Sergei Samsonov, Erik Cole, and Chad LaRose are back at practice. All three accompanied the team on the road this week and coach Paul Maurice told the Raleigh News & Observer that at least one may be ready to play Thursday in Detroit. The Canes are in Toronto tonight to face the Maple Leafs. 

• Some of the River Rats recently called up to the Hurricanes may never come home. Canes' GM Jim Rutherford says full-time openings may soon be available. "Things are starting to open up now as far as moving players," Rutherford told the Raleigh News & Observer. "It's not like we're giving up on the second half, but there are some players we are developing who are closer to playing here. We won't just move someone out just to move someone out. We will try to build assets, whether it's trading for a player or for draft picks or getting a spot open for a player from Albany."

• Jiri Tlusty is the subject of an article in today's Raleigh News & Observer.  

• Rob Hennigar was recently in Florida to have a specialist look at the hand he injured on December 6 against Wilkes-Barre. He is still weeks away from playing, but stopped in at a Blades' practice to see his old teammates. The Naples Daily News keeps us informed. 

• Forward Milan Gajic of the Florida Everblades is having trouble recovering from a leg injury sustained back in early November. Gajic would now likely be skating with the River Rats had he not been sidelined. Gajic is pitching in as an acting assistant coach with the Blades and proudly tells the Naples Daily News that the team is 7-3 with him behind the bench. 
  

Dwyer, Tlusty recalled

The Carolina Hurricanes today recalled Rats' captain Pat Dwyer and newly acquired forward Jiri Tlusty, while Albany called up center Harrison Reed and winger Matthew Pistilli. 

Canes' forwards Chad LaRose and Erik Cole were both placed on injured reserve today. LaRose is expected to miss three to four weeks with a lower-body injury and Cole will be out for two to three weeks with an upper-body condition.

Dwyer, who is tied for the lead in goals scored for Albany, will join the Canes for his second NHL stint of the season. Dwyer played six games with Carolina in late November, averaging 10:53 of ice-time and filling in on the penalty killing unit. 

In 22 games with Albany this season, Dwyer, arguably the AHL club's most valuable player, has 11 goals, 12 assists and a plus-1 rating.

Jiri Tlusty, who was acquired by the Canes in a trade on December 3, heads to Carolina after just one game of action with the River Rats. 

Tlusty was mostly a non-factor in his first contest with the organization. He demonstrated exceptional skating ability, but was still adjusting to the new team and system. 

Tlusty heads into Carolina with 74 games of NHL experience under his belt. He holds ten goals and ten assists during his time in the big league. 

Harrison Reed reunites with the Rats after a rock-solid eight-game stretch in the ECHL. Reed, who was reassigned to the Florida Everblades on November 24, earned eight goals, five assists and was named ECHL player of the week for November 23-29. 

Prior to joining the Blades, Reed skated in 19 games with Albany, registering two assists and a plus-1 rating. 

Rookie forward Matthew Pistilli, who was reassigned to Florida on December 3, was held scoreless in three games with the Everblades. 

In 21 games with the Rats this season, Pistilli has three goals, two assists and a plus-2 rating.

News & Notes

• Pete Dougherty at the Albany Times Union catches up with injured defenseman Casey Borer, who recently returned to Albany and started skating for the first time since having neck surgery in September. 

• Forward Rob Hennigar, who was recently recalled from the Florida Everblades of the ECHL, chats with Chris Fitz Gerald at the Troy Record about his new role as a member of the Albany River Rats. 

• Goaltender Justin Peters talks with Bill Cain of the Schenectady Daily Gazette about his time with the Canes and his desire to stay focused and prepared for any and all opportunities.  

• Center Harrison Reed, who was reassigned to the Florida Everblades on November 24, earned ECHL player of the week honors after scoring seven goals and five assists in four games with the Blades.

• Hurricanes' General Manager Jim Rutherford has expressed interest in "transitioning" his team. "If we could [move contracts out], we would probably move a handful of guys out today and move the younger guys in, even if they weren't ready," Rutherford told Tracking the Storm. The process is easier said than done. 

• Hurricanes' goaltender Cam Ward, who was cut by a skate blade on November 7, returned to practice this week and is hoping to play in net against New Jersey on December 9th. Barring any more injuries, the Canes will soon have three healthy netminders. Veteran goalie Manny Legace, who was signed to a two-way deal after Ward went down, could be reassigned to Albany. 

• Cory Lavalette at Canes Country has a bit more on the latest addition to the Rats' squad, Jiri Tlusty.

• Who is the funniest River Rat? Watch the latest installment of Murphy's Mailbag and find out. 

News & Notes

• Defenseman Zack FitzGerald is spotlighted in the Troy Record.

• Injured leader Mike Angeldis is the focus of the Albany Times Union.

• Goaltender Mike Murphy will get the first start of his pro career this weekend. Coach Jeff Daniels says Murphy will likely play against Rochester on Saturday.

• Forward Harrison Reed will play in his first contest of the 2009-10 season tonight against the Portland Pirates. Reed was impressive at training camp and in the preseason. Expect him to skate hard. Phil Janack has more.

• Fans in Albany can forget about seeing defenseman Jay Harrison in the short-term. Carolina D-man Joni Pitkanen remains day-to-day. Pitkanen, who underwent knee surgery in September, skated in his first contest of the season Tuesday night, but did not play in the third period because of soreness in his knee. Pitkanen also sat out of practice the last two days. That means Harrison will be back in the line-up for Carolina this weekend. 

• Coach Jeff Daniels tells Phil Janack that the injury to Carolina's Erik Cole should not affect things in Albany, at least not for the time being. Former River Rat Tim Conboy filled in for the Canes Tuesday night in a 2-1 shootout win over the Tampa Bay Lightning. Conboy had a fight in the first period, but did not play a regular shift. He registered only 3:25 of ice-time. Conboy will likely play again tonight in the Canes' contest against the Florida Panthers. 

• Portland tonight will be without blueliner Joe DiPenta, who was recently handed a one-game suspension for taking a two-handed chop at Kip Brennan of the Springfield Falcons.
  

Rivalry kicks off with a bang

(Photo by Jennifer Bock)

The Albany River Rats and Adirondack Phantoms kicked off the Northway rivalry with a bang on Friday and Saturday night.

No points or positions in the standings were up for grabs in the two-game preseason series, but something less tangible was clearly on the line.

The Rats hit the ice determined to set the tone against their new arch-nemesis from the north...and they did just that.

During 125 minutes of intense and physical hockey, the Rats and Phantoms traded punches, penalties and home-town wins.

The Phantoms won the first contest on Friday in a shootout, 2-1, while the River Rats dominated the second match on Saturday, 5-1. Each team recorded a victory, but there was little doubt regarding which team was superior.

During both contests Albany had better puck control and spent more time on the attack. The Rats out-shot the Phantoms 27 to 20 in Glens Falls, and 27 to 16 at the Times Union Center.

Adirondack netminder Johan Backlund saved the Phantoms from losing the first match.

The Rats had a multitude of chances in game one, but only winger Jerome Samson was able to score. Samson played well and has been impressive at camp. He was assisted by Drayson Bowman and Elgin Reid.

Bowman, after tallying an assist, was injured in a knee-on-knee collision. He did not return and did not play Saturday. No word on his condition.

Reid is at camp on a tryout basis and playing solid.

The Rats were blessed with the presence of Zach Boychuk in game two. Boychuk, a 2008 first-round draft pick, was recently assigned to Albany from Carolina. He was undoubtedly the most skilled player on the ice Saturday night.

Zach Boychuk
(Photo by Jennifer Bock)

Boychuk's constant pursuit of the puck put the Phantoms on their heels throughout game. He finished the night with two points, scoring a goal off a beautiful set-up by Bryan Rodney and helping Jacob Micflikier net the Rats' final goal in the third.

Boychuk also drew several penalties, as the Phantoms were forced to hook and hold the speedy youngster all night.

In the second period, Boychuk was awarded a penalty shot after being tackled on a break-away. He was unable to convert. After he returned to the bench, back-up veteran goaltender Mike Morrison provided the rookie some advice for the future. Boychuk listened carefully.

Also getting on the board were Stefan Chaput, assisted by Nicolas Blanchard; Harrison Reed, assisted by Steven Goertzen and Jacob Micflikier; and Mike Angelidis, assisted by Brad Herauf. In addition, Jonathan Paiement landed two secondary assists on the goals by Boychuk and Micflikier.

As some fans may remember, last season some of the tougher clubs around the league took advantage of the Rats' smaller stature and lack of healthy enforcers. Not this time.

The Phantoms' attempts to intimidate fell flat. The Rats were not afraid go hit-for-hit, mix things up after the whistle, and drop the gloves.

In the bare-knuckle department, Zack Fitzgerald did exactly what he was signed to do. During the first period of game two, Fitzgerald noticed a Phantom taking cheap shots in a post-whistle scrum. Fitzgerald moved in, singled out his man, dropped the gloves and delivered numerous haymakers in a lengthy bout.

Albany's Zack Fitzgerald and Nicolas Blanchard fight Adirondack's Matt Clackson and Josh Beaulieu
(Photo by Jennifer Bock)

Meanwhile, Niclolas Blanchard went toe-to-toe with a man of his own, earning a game misconduct for the secondary altercation. Blanchard may have lost his playing privileges for the night, but Albany kept the momentum.

The Rats and Phantoms totaled 160 penalty minutes, ten belonging to Brad Herauf, who was perhaps the most passionate and spirited player on the ice.

Herauf, who is fighting for a spot on the AHL roster, brings toughness and great character to the bench. His drive motivates the entire team.

Brad Herauf
(Photo by Jennifer Bock)

Herauf is a true worker that always appears to be improving. He is best known for his toughness, but is capable of producing hard-nosed offense as well. He tallied an assist in Saturday's game on a goal by Mike Angelidis.

D-man Benn Olson should be commended for delivering big hits and playing a good defensive game. He sent the final message of the preseason with a fight against Andrew Lord at the end of intermission on Saturday.

Benn Olson takes care of business at the final buzzer
(Photo by Jennifer Bock)

Harrison Reed, who has been skating well since the first day of training camp, had a very strong second night, notching the game-winner and earning first star.

Brett Carson was designated captain on Friday. Carson did not play Saturday and the "C" was worn by Mike Angelidis.

Netminders Mike Murphy and Mike Morrison split time in the first game. Justin Peters secured the win on Saturday.

Steven Goertzen, Nicolas Blanchard, Bryan Rodney, Zach Boychuk and Pat Dwyer did not play in Glens Falls. Brett Carson, Nick Dodge, Jerome Samson, Drayson Bowman and Pat Dwyer were scratched in game two.

Brandon Sutter, Michael Ryan, Jamie McBain and Jay Harrison remain in Carolina.

Attendance in Albany more than doubled the previous night's showing in Glens Falls, 5,289 to 2,039. The Rats offered free tickets.

The River Rats start the regular season at home next Saturday at 7 p.m. against the Manchester Monarchs.

Prospects Topple Red Wings, Occupy First Place

Mike Murphy has been described as the "talk of the tournament" for his outstanding play in net
(Photo from NHL.com)

The Carolina prospects defeated the young Red Wings tonight at the tournament in Traverse City, taking over first place in the "Eastern Conference." The 5-3 comeback win came in exciting fashion.

The first period was scoreless (thanks to Mike Murphy) with no penalties, but things exploded in the second.

Detroit took a 1-0 lead 4:40 into the period. Shortly after, Jamie McBain was penalized for his second hooking penalty of the tournament, allowing the Wings to go up by two on the power play.

Although the Red Wings dominated in the shot column 25 to 9 at the halfway point, Carolina refused to quit. Matthew Pistilli linked up with Brandon Sutter to bring the Canes within one at the 10:56 mark of the second period.

Minutes later, with a power play opportunity of their own, the Hurricanes tied the game on a goal by Matt Kennedy, his second of the tournament, assisted by Stefan Chaput and Beau Schmitz.

Detroit scored a demoralizing goal with one second remaining in the period, reestablishing the lead going into the third. But again, the Canes bounced back. About a minute and a half into the third period Harrison Reed knotted the game at 3-3 on a tally assisted by Stefan Chaput.

Moments later, a roughing penalty by the Red Wings brought out the Carolina power play unit for the second time. The Canes quickly capitalized, as Zach Boychuk, assisted by Drayson Bowman and Jamie McBain, seized the lead at 4-3.

At the eight minute mark, Jamie McBain was sent back to the box on an interference call, but the penalty kill came through.

Carolina stayed strong through the third period and Chris Terry sealed the deal with an unassisted goal with 1:22 left.

Goaltender Mike Murphy registered his second win of the tournament, stopping 33 of 36 shots.

The win places Carolina in first place in the "Eastern Conference," which consists of the New York Rangers, Detroit Red Wings and Atlanta Thrashers.

The team has one conference game remaining against Atlanta on Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. A win would guarantee the Canes a spot in the championship game.

Updates: The Hurricanes' website has a rundown of the game. Hockey's Future also has a recap, as well as some high praise for netminder Mike Murphy, described as "the best player of the tournament." Brandon Sutter adds his two cents.