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Player of the Week (Dec. 27): Christmas shortened the week to only two or three games for teams, which was too bad for Providence's Cameron Mann. He scored a goal in each of the Bruins' three games, to include an overtime game-winner against New Haven. Mann was currently near the top of the AHL scoring list but was promptly recalled to Boston for a few weeks.

Cameron Mann by Meredith Martini

Player of the Week (Jan. 3): Providence went for the double, producing the POTW for the second week in a row. This time it was rookie Andre Savage getting the nod, after running six goals and an assist in three games. Savage posted his first professional hat trick in the process as well. For an encore, the Michigan tech product was named to the Canadian All-Star team. A pretty good week.

Rookie of the Month (Jan.): Another college product named to the Canadian All-Star team took home this award - Lowell's Ray Giroux. The former Yale blueliner had ten points in 11 games during December, a month in which he scored in nearly every game and had a plus rating in the ones he didn't score in. Giroux is also leading AHL defensemen in power-play goals and was able to direct the team bus driver to the New Haven Coliseum.

Ray Giroux by Meredith Martini

Goaltender of the Month (Jan.): And yet another Canadian All-Star turns up in this category, as Hamilton's Steve Passmore went 6-1-0-2 in December with a 1.49 GAA and a .952 save percentage. Passmore had two shutouts during the month, both against divisional opponents, and was leading the AHL in goals-against average.

Hampton Roads Lead Out: As soon as one team joined the AHL, another dropped out - at least for another year. The Hampton Roads team, which was intended to play in the Scope Arena and scheduled to join the league for the 1999-2000 season, iced that idea until 2000-2001 with the approval of the AHL Board of Governors. The owners of the Hampton Roads team had intended to move the existing ECHL team to the Hampton Coliseum to make room for the AHL team, but the Coliseum refused to allow the ECHL team in, and it was too late to try to sell the ECHL franchise for next season, so the Scope, the city of Norfolk and the team's owners all agreed the AHL team should wait an extra year while they try to place the ECHL team somewhere else.

And while the Canadiens were thinking of moving their team to Montreal, the addition of a QMJHL team to Montreal may squelch that idea. So the 1999-2000 score stands as follows: Louisville in. Hampton Roads out. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre probably in but on a road trip from hell since their arena isn't going to be ready in time. Fredericton probably out. Quebec City maybe in. Carolina maybe back in. Montreal some possibility, but increasingly unlikely. Got that?

Say What?: After the players dropped the gloves and punched but weren't 'fighting', one didn't think there would be more odd penalty definitions from Hershey. Not so fast. During a delayed penalty call Dec. 26, the Philadelphia Phantoms sent the extra player on the ice well before goalie Jean-Marc Pelletier reached the bench. The rest of us call that 'too many men' and a minor penalty. Referee Tim Kowal called it 'premature substitution' and merely penalized the Phantoms with a change in the location of the next faceoff. 'Premature Substitution', don't they have pills for that now?

Also stretching definitions was the AHL front office, who released press materials proclaiming Hamilton head coach Walt Kyle to be a rookie AHL coach. I guess that full year as the head coach of the Baltimore Bandits didn't count. The AHL also deemed New Haven's Pat Mikesch to be a rookie, even though he spent all of the 96-97 season with Kentucky, appearing in 77 games. Sorry gang, but they're not rookies.

Easy Come, Easy Go: Some people just don't learn. Case in point, St. John's Greg Smyth. As you will recall, Smyth was suspended ten games for smashing Jean-Pierre Dumont's face on Nov. 30 (Dumont still has a mark from that incident) and Smyth didn't return to AHL ice until Dec. 29. He lasted 24 hours. During the Maple Leafs/Bulldogs game on Dec. 30, Hamilton's Daniel Lacroix was given a game misconduct and headed for the Bulldogs' dressing room.

Reports say Smyth left first the bench and then the ice, followed Lacroix back to the dressing room and either took a baseball swing at Lacroix or threw his stick at him, depending on the report. The AHL, stating that they couldn't prove Smyth did anything with his stick, suspended Smyth for six games for leaving the bench to start an altercation. He won't be eligible to play again until Jan. 17, in Philadelphia. And this is why players like Smyth are called 'cementheads.'

Custody Battle: Andrei Bashkirov is a career minor leaguer. And as a European who was never drafted, he couldn't play in the NHL - or the AHL - until he was drafted. When Bashkirov turned 27 and still hadn't been drafted by an NHL team, he signed with the IHL's Fort Wayne Komets. The next day, Montreal drafted him. The Canadiens have since assigned him to Fredericton three times, all over the strenuous objections of the Komets. After plenty of hollering and name-calling, AHL President Dave Andrews and IHL President Doug Moss ordered Fredericton to turn Bashkirov over to Fort Wayne. Bashkirov may still play in Montreal, but any minor league stints must now be in the IHL.

Highs and Lows: How about those T-Blades? Kentucky's Dec. 27 win over Cincinnati meant that for the first time in over a season the Philadelphia Phantoms were NOT the leaders of the Mid-Atlantic Division. Indeed, the T-Blades took over not only the division lead but the AHL points lead. Kentucky liked the top so much, they proceeded to beat the Phantoms twice and went on to post franchise records for consecutive wins (10) and consecutive road wins (7). Those also stand as the league's best marks so far this season. John Nabokov had a personal eight-game win streak to boot. The Thoroughblades were so dominating, at one point in a stint of 603 minutes they were tied or in the lead for 587 minutes and 30 seconds. The game-winning goals during the ten games came from nine different players - and none of them were among the team's top five forwards.

Unfortunately, pride goeth after a fall too. The final game of Kentucky's road trip was their undoing, as the struggling IceCats iced the Blades on Jan. 6 to end the streaks. Kentucky then returned home just in time to drop two games to the Hershey Bears, who hadn't beaten the T-Blades all season. Talk about extremes.

Paul Brousseau by Meredith Martini

Shots On Goal: Hershey's Paul Brousseau scored both the tying goal and the overtime winner against New Haven Dec. 23, giving Hershey their first win in the city since 1992...

Kentucky's rookie blueliner Dan Boyle set up three of the T-Blades goals in their 4-2 win over Cincinnati Dec. 23, bringing Boyle to second on the rookie scoring list behind Shane Willis...

The Portland Pirates held on to beat Syracuse 6-5 Dec. 23, largely because Casey Hankinson scored two goals in less than a minute. The win dropped Syracuse to last in the AHL in winning percentage, a distinction previously held all season by Portland...

Rochester's Jean-Luc Grand-Pierre needed only the assist for a Gordie Howe hat trick against Philadelphia, as he scored the game-winning goal and won a fight with Frank Bialowas. Grand-Pierre also bodyslammed Bialowas with a legal check...

While the Pirates' streak of defensive games ended, the Hershey Bears held opponents to three or fewer goals in nine straight games...

The Syracuse Crunch have allowed the most goals in the AHL, 127 through Dec. 23...

The four New York teams have something extra to play for - the "Empire Vision Cup" was invented for the New York team with the best winning percentage against its state-mates. Albany is running away with it, with an .800 mark as of Dec. 23...

Richard Park had a three-point night for Philadelphia against Hershey Dec. 26 while Jean-Marc Pelletier stopped 41 of 42 shots...

The Beast of New Haven took a 1-0 lead on the WolfPack in Hartford Dec. 26, notable because it was the first time in the history of the Beast that they had a lead in the Civic Center. They still lost the game...

Providence's Eric Nickulas scored two goals including the game- winner and also had an assist for the Bruins against Worcester Dec. 26...

Kentucky's Peter Allen, who hadn't scored a goal in a season and a half with the Blades, scored his second goal in two days and this one stood up as the game-winner as the T-Blades took down Cincinnati 5-3 Dec. 27...

Greg Phillips scored in overtime to give the Falcons a win over Hartford Dec. 27 despite the Wolfpack's tying the game after going down 3-0...

The Albany River Rats scored six unanswered goals against Portland Dec. 27 - and then Portland returned the favor with four of their own. The Rats hung in for the win...

Darryl Laplante by Meredith Martini

Darryl LaPlante scored the game-winner for the Adirondack Red Wings against the Hershey Bears Dec. 27. It was significant because he scored it with three seconds remaining in regulation...

Providence's Cameron Mann did the OT game-winner thing as well, scoring his second against New Haven in the extra session...

The T-Blades liked first place so much, they made sure they stayed there a while longer, knocking off the Phantoms 5-2 on Dec. 28. Jarrod Skalde had four assists...

But on the same night, Hamilton's Joe Hulbig did Skalde a little better and scored four goals. Chris Ferraro and Jim Dowd had three points each as the Bulldogs rolled over the Maple Leafs 7-1...

Christmas week was the first week this season in which no one posted a shutout. Presently, 17% of AHL games are ending with a zero on the board...

Four AHL players have four game-winning goals to their credit - Saint John's Hnat Domenichelli, Hamilton's Chris Ferraro, Portland's Matt Herr and Hartford's Daniel Goneau...

Hartford's JF Labbe is a perfect 7-0-0 at home...

The Beast of New Haven have already gone into overtime in seven games, winning only one...

The Providence Bruins have already topped last season's win total, which was 19...

It took a while, but a team other than Providence finally topped the 100 goal mark. Saint John and Kentucky both did it...

Cincinnati's Frank Banham was credited with five or more shots in fifteen games already this season. He lead the AHL in shots taken...

Most teams don't win if they're trailing after the second period, but the Adirondack Red Wings don't win if they're trailing after the first. The Wings are 2-16-2 in such situations...

Albany goaltender Frederic Henry had a personal unbeaten streak of ten games...

The Hamilton Bulldogs have ended nine-game winning streaks for two different teams this season, finishing the party for Rochester and Providence...

Cincinnati ended a five-game losing streak when they defeated Adirondack 2-1 on Dec. 29...

Rochester's Matt Davidson notched his first pro hat trick, including the game-winning goal, against Hartford Dec. 29. Scott Nichol also had three assists...

Valentin Morozov by Meredith Martini

Valentin Morozov and Robert Dome both notched a pair of goals against St. John's Dec. 29 as the Crunch went on to win 7-3. Dome's goals came 18 seconds apart...

Mark McArthur picked up his first AHL shutout Dec. 30 as Lowell blanked the Flames, 3-0. McArthur made 48 saves...

Albany's Jeff Williams increased his AHL leading goal totals with a pair against Portland Dec. 30, to include the game-winner. Just-returned Trevor Halvorson set up three goals for the Pirates...

Worcester's Kevin Sawyer notched a hat trick that included the game-winner against Springfield Dec. 30, the IceCats' first game in two weeks wherein a veteran (Jason Widmer) played for them...

Oh my but Kentucky enjoys playing the Phantoms these days. John Nabokov picked up his fourth shutout at the Phantoms' expense Dec. 30, as Steve Guolla had a three-point night. Philadelphia responded with penalties, giving the T-Blades 13 power plays...

Peter White missed the game when he was finally recalled to the Flyers. He had appeared in every game in the history of the Phantoms' franchise...

St. John's Ladislav Kohn scored the game-winning goal with 16 seconds left in regulation against Hamilton Dec. 30 for a 2-1 victory...

Hershey's Bruce Richardson liked scoring his first AHL goal so much, he came back Dec. 30 and scored another. He also set up two goals, and Ville Niemenen also had a three point night as the Bears ripped Syracuse, 8-2...

The Crunch, claiming financial considerations, converted several overnight trips into down - and - backs to dodge hotel costs. Coach Jack McIlhargey feels that move has already cost his team a game...

Rochester's Craig Fisher picked up a hat trick against Fredericton Dec. 30, making things easy for a conditioning Dwayne Roloson...

Byron Ritchie scored two, both set up by Shane Willis, in the Beast's Dec. 31 5-2 win over Worcester...

Fredericton's Andrei Bashkirov racked up a hat trick Dec. 31, but Adirondack tied up the game for good when Alexandre Jacques scored his first goal of 1998...

Hamilton's Chris Ferraro and Fredrik Lindqvist had three points each against Syracuse Dec. 31 en route to a 4-0 win. Steve Passmore got the shutout, Ferraro the hat trick...

Albany's Steve Brule scored two goals against Saint John Jan. 1, extending his point streak to a team-record 11 games. The Rats went on to win 4-1, with Ken Sutton involved in all four goals...

Kentucky kept rolling in Lowell Jan. 1, winning 4-1 for their team-record fifth consecutive road win and eighth consecutive overall win. Herbert Vasiljevs scored two goals...

It only took eight games, but Hershey finally beat the Phantoms Jan. 2 in Philly. Chris Armstrong scored a pair, including the game-winner, en route to a 5-3 win...

Portland's Nolan Baumgartner scored two goals including the game- winner, and set up the tying goal as the Pirates beat the Lowell Lock Monsters 4-1 Jan. 2. Lowell won the first six meetings of the two teams...

Albany's Jeff Williams scored in overtime to give the Rats a 3-2 win over Fredericton Jan. 2. Steve Brule extended his point streak to 12 games...

Jamie Ram stopped 42 shots for his first shutout for Cincinnati against Saint John...

Jeff Reese returned to hockey with a 40-save win against Hartford Jan. 2, as the Maple Leafs won 3-1...

The Bruins routed Worcester 7-1 Jan.2, as Andre Savage had a natural hat trick...

New Haven's Chris Allen scored two goals, including the game- winner, as the Beast defeated Adirondack 4-3...

For the second time in three games, a Fredericton Canadien notched a hat trick Jan. 3. This time it was Marc Beaucage, who scored all the Hab's goals in their 3-2 win over Cincinnati...

Hartford got even with St. John's Jan. 3, as Derek Armstrong scored the first goal and set up three of the other four goals for the Wolfpack's 5-3 win...

Hamilton's Jeff Daw had a three-point game as the Bulldogs bit the Phantoms 6-1 Jan. 3...

The Thoroughblades ran their streak to ten games with a 3-2 win over New Haven Jan. 3. Andy MacIntyre scored the game-winner for the second game in a row...

Jamie Thompson scored his first AHL goal, a game-winner, with four minutes left to give Worcester a 2-1 win over Springfield Jan. 3...

Detroit sent Kevin Hodson to Adirondack on a two-week conditioning stint...

Providence and Kentucky have double digit win totals from both of their goaltenders...

Kentucky Thoroughblades blueliner Dan Boyle leads all defensemen in scoring with 31 points, and fellow rookie d-man, Lowell's Ray Giroux, leads defensemen in power-play goals...

Providence hasn't lost in their last 14 home games, with 13 wins and a tie...

The P-Bruins' Antti Laaksonen, who was banished to the ECHL last season, is now leading the AHL in plus/minus with a +23...

Fredericton defenseman Francis Bouillon is leading all blueliners in goals scored, with 12...

The Portland Pirates aren't bothering with extra time. They are the only AHL team to see overtime just once...

St. John's Shawn Thornton has managed an interesting combination. He's second in the AHL in penalty minutes, and also leads his club in plus/minus...

The Adirondack Red Wings killed off 27 consecutive power plays over six games, to include shutting down the league's two best power-play teams in Rochester and New Haven...

The Albany River Rats have only played twelve home games so far - and they won nine of them...

Presently leading the goaltending stats is Hamilton's Steve Passmore, first in GAA (1.91), second in wins (14), minutes played (1,535), saves (728) and save percentage (.937) and third in shutouts (3)...

The Amerks are second on the power play 21.6%, and third while short-handed, at 85.5%...

For the third time in four games, a Fredericton Canadien had a hat trick. This time it was Martin Gendron, who was involved in all four goals against Hartford Jan. 5 as the Habs won 4-3. Eric Houde set up all of Gendron's goals, while Scott Fraser was involved in all three WolfPack goals...

For the third time in four games, a Rochester Amerk had a hat trick. This time it was Domenic Pittis for the Amerks as they defeated Hamilton 5-1 Jan. 5. Craig Fisher set up all of Pittis' goals...

Christian Matte by Kevin Fischer

For the first time this season, a Bear had a hat trick. Christian Matte picked up a trick against Portland Jan. 6 as the Bears won 6-2...

Hartford's Derek Armstrong scored a pair against Saint John Jan. 6 as the 'pack won 3-1. It was the sixth straight loss for the Flames...

Philadelphia and Cincinnati played a wild one Jan. 6 that didn't even have a winner, ending in a 2-2 tie. Both Bob Wren and Moe Mantha were ejected while Tom Askey faced 60 shots, a franchise record for both teams. The tie also gave the Phantoms a franchise record five-game winless streak...

Kentucky's ten game overall and seven-game road winning streak was halted by the Worcester IceCats, of all teams, on Jan. 6...

Springfield has installed seamless glass in their rink, the first AHL team to do so. Look for an increase in injuries, particularly head injuries and concussions, in Springfield...

They needed seven tries to get it right, but the Hershey Bears finally defeated the Kentucky Thoroughblades on Jan. 8. Christian Matte picked up his second consecutive game-winning goal...

Albany's Pierre Dagenais had a two-goal game against Portland Jan. 8, as Portland lost their seventh of eight games...

Hamilton took down the IceCats 4-1 Jan. 8, as Steve Passmore stopped 44 of 45 Worcester shots...

The Philadelphia Phantoms won for the first time in six games, 3-1 over Cincinnati Jan. 8 as Brian Wesenberg scored two goals...

Providence won the battle of division leaders, defeating Rochester 4-3 Jan. 8 on a game-winner from ECHL stalwart Jim Bermingham who had been added to the team that day...

Saint John lost their seventh straight game, this time to Fredericton, on Jan. 9. Stephane Robidas had three points...

Jason Podollan and Ladislav Kohn scored 12 seconds apart on St. John's way to defeating Springfield 3-1...

The Bears beat Kentucky for the second time in two days, this time more decisively with a 6-2 win. Christian Matte scored two more goals...

Providence ran their win streak up to nine games Jan. 9 with a shutout of Hamilton. John Grahame only needed to stop 20 shots...

Bob Wren should be suspended more often. After sitting out a one- game suspension for actions against Philadelphia, Wren exploded for five points against the Phantoms Jan. 9 as Cincinnati won 6-4...

The Syracuse Crunch notched a rare win, all the rarer against Albany, on Jan. 10. Peter Schaefer, Eric Bertrand and Pierre Dagenais each scored twice as the Crunch took it 6-5...

The Phantoms took back their pride Jan. 10, defeating Cincinnati 6-3 in the teams' fourth game in five nights against each other. Brian Wesenberg had three points for Philadelphia...

One night after losing by a goal to a division leader, the Rochester Americans defeated another division leader by a goal. The Amerks knocked down Lowell 2-1...

Shane Willis had another three-point night for New Haven as they trounced Worcester, 7-1, Jan. 10...

The IceCats' Tyler Willis may be suspended by the AHL after he was found to have tape on his hands - a no-no - after fighting with the Beast's Chad Cabana...

Worcester's Jochen Hecht scored the only goal for the IceCats against New Haven, his tenth of the year. He was the first IceCat to reach double digits in goalscoring and Worcester was the last AHL team to have a double digit goalscorer...

Albany coach John Cunniff - who is also the head coach for the PlanetUSA All-Stars - was arrested in Albany Jan. 8 and arraigned later that day for trespassing and criminal mischief involving damage to an Albany apartment. No comment from Cunniff or the team...

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