minor league hockey

GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. The Gwinnett Gladiators announced Friday that forward Matt Caruana has been called up to the Portland Pirates of the American Hockey League. Caruana makes his first trip to the AHL this season and his third trip to the AHL in his professional career. Caruana returns to Portland where he began his professional career in 2007-08.  

The 24-year-old former member of the Memorial Cup winning Quebec Remparts -- and for nine games during the 2006-07 season, the Dalhousie Tigers of the Atlantic University Sport Men's Hockey Conference -- will enroll at St. Thomas University in January and play for the Tommies men's hockey team next year. Melanson, who scored 42 goals in his last season of junior hockey and 28 and 30 goals in two ECHL seasons since, has two years of university eligibility remaining. "Matt's no different than a lot of g

Once I get my degree, I'll either decide I want to try golf again or I want to play a couple of years of hockey.   -Mike Eagles

 

After missing the Alaska Aces' first 14 hockey games with a broken left hand suffered blocking a shot in an exhibition game six weeks ago, the former NHLer from Anchorage tonight makes his ECHL debut on the road against Bakersfield. The Aces, who lost to Bakersfield in overtime last week and won the second game of the weekend series in Anchorage, play three games in three nights against the Condors. Until now, all of Ryznar's 264 regular-season and playoff games as a pro have been in either the Americ  

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton shorthanded due to injuries and promotions to Pittsburgh. HARTFORD, Conn. — By the time the first period came to a close Thursday against the Wolf Pack, the Penguins found themselves in position all too familiar during the past two weeks —down and out. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, depleted by injuries and departures to the NHL, allowed four goals in the first period, including two power-play goals 30 seconds apart, to head into the locker room down three goals.

We have a lot of new guys and think at the start we stood around and watched the puck   -Todd Reirden

 

After earning six of a possible eight points in their last four games, the Pirates have climbed out of the AHL's Atlantic Division cellar for the first time since the first week of the season. In his last five games, veteran forward Mark Mancari, among the AHL's top 10 in total points, has five goals. Since returning from a four-game absence because of an upper-body injury, forward Nathan Gerbe, a second-year pro, has four assists in three games.  

Blue line partners John Carlson and Karl Alzner are part of a three-player tie for the best plus-minus rating in the AHL at plus-14. But Carlson became a minus for the Hershey Bears Thursday when he was recalled by the Washington Capitals. The 19-year-old rookie joined Jay Beagle and Michal Neuvirth on this week's recall shuttle.

He can get a little bit of confidence. I know he wanted to see so bad what the NHL was like. He didn't stay as long at camp this year as he maybe had anticipated. For him to be able to showcase himself and at least know what to work towards is great for him.   -Karl Alzner

 

"We've got to start converting, because those 0-fers are gonna start hurting in the win column." The Hershey Bears had just posted a 3-1 victory over Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, but Hershey coach Mark French wasted little time in expressing some concern over what has become a major flaw in the Hershey attack. The Bears can't seem to score on the power play, and that included an extended two-man advantage against the Penguins on Saturday night.

The penalty kill's been great, fantastic   -Mark French

 

While his Bridgeport Sound Tigers teammates play in Canada this weekend, Bobby Hughes is off to Utah. The centerman will be assigned to the ECHL today, Sound Tigers president Howard Saffan said. "(It's) because he hasn't had very much game-time experience," Saffan said. "A player of his caliber needs to skate himself back into shape."  

Chicago Blackhawks General Manager of Minor League Affiliations Mark Bernard announced on Thursday that the Rockford IceHogs, members of the American Hockey League, have assigned Right Wing Derek Nesbitt to the Toledo Walleye of the ECHL. Nesbitt has appeared in 11 games in his second stint with the IceHogs, recording one goal and one assist with a plus/minus rating of -5. Nesbitt made his AHL debut with the IceHogs on Dec. 26, 2007 against Peoria.  

"When guys who aren't scorers can score, that helps a lot," the Springfield Falcons center said Thursday. With three key forwards unavailable, the Falcons continue to inch up the standings in the American Hockey League's Atlantic Division. The 4-3 victory over Lowell Wednesday gives Springfield momentum as it hits the road for games in Providence Friday and Hershey Saturday night.

These types of games go a long way toward changing your culture (to winning)   -Rob Daum