Wednesday, May 18, 2022

Sun Shine in 27-Point Rout of Liberty

By Bob Phillips

BROOKLYN—DeWanna Bonner led the Connecticut Sun with 16 points—12 coming in the decisive first half—guiding Connecticut to a runaway 92-65 victory before a paltry crowd of 3,054 at Barclays Center on Tuesday night. Natasha Heideman added 15 for the Sun—her benchmark output total for the young season. Brionna Jones chipped in with 14 points, while Jonquel Jones added 13. Alyssa Thomas had 12 points and four steals for the Sun, who earned their second victory of the young season. Courtney Williams, who returned from a two-game suspension, added four for the Sun, who improved to 2-1. It marked the diminutive sparkplug’s return to Connecticut after a two-year run in Atlanta with the Dream.

The Sun did not exactly start the game en fuego, missing their first six shots and committing. The Libs, meanwhile, 10 of the game’s first 12 points. Then, Michaela Onyenwere’s 3-pointer with 2:28 remaining in the first period gave New York a 15-11 lead. But that was as good as it would get for the Liberty. Brionna Jones answered with a layup and Heideman followed with a trey to spark an 18-0 run, and the Sun never looked back.

Betnijah Laney led New York with 16 points. Former UConn star added 13 for the Libs, who dropped their fourth straight game after opening the season with an 81-79 victory over the Sun.

A swarming Connecticut defense forced New York to commit 29 turnovers—tied for second-most in Liberty franchise history. New York set its franchise’s single-game record for miscues with 30 against the Phoenix Mercury in 1998 and had 29 turnovers against the Los Angeles Sparks last season. The Utah Starzz set the WNBA record for single-game turnovers when they coughed up the ball 33 times vs. the Phoenix Mercury on August 17, 1997.

The Liberty have lost four in a row since beating Connecticut 81-79 in the season opener.

The Sun return to action on Friday when the host the x-x Indiana Fever. Tip-off at the Mohegan Sun Arena will be at 7 p.m. The game will be televised on NESN+ and live-streamed on ESPN3 and Facebook.com/IndianaFever. The Libs, meanwhile, are off until next Tuesday when they will travel to Minneapolis to take on the Minnesota Lynx. Tip-off is at 8 p.m. and will be televised on Bally Sports North Extra and streamed on the YES app.

—With Staff Reports

#CTSun #NYLiberty #WNBA
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Friday, May 13, 2022

UConn Legend Ray Reid Named Technical Director for Athletic

By Bob Phillips

HARTFORD—Ray Reid, the legendary UConn men’s soccer coach who led the Huskies to the national championship in 2000, has been named Technical Director for the USL’s Hartford Athletic. Reid, who led the Huskies to four Big East Tournament championships and was named NCAA’s Men’s Soccer Coach of the Year four times, will oversee all aspects of the first team including personnel decisions, selection of coaches and technical staff, player identification and scouting, as well as oversight of the Hartford Athletic Academy.

“Over the past few months, I’ve really missed the locker room and the camaraderie of being part of a team,” said Reid, who retired as UConn’s head coach after last season—his 25th with the Huskies. “I’m honored and excited to join Hartford Athletic. I’ve been very fortunate to work at two outstanding Universities in UConn and Southern Connecticut State University. They will always hold a special place in my heart. My goal now is to help Hartford Athletic be a team that the entire state of Connecticut gets behind.”

The 61-year-old Reid, who retired in December 2021, coached 33 seasons overall, including 25 at UConn, where he won 312 matches, garnered eight regular season titles in the AAC and Big East, won four Big East championships and one national title. He was inducted into the Connecticut Soccer Hall of Fame in 2003.

Before coming to Storrs, Reid led his alma mater Southern Connecticut State University Owls to three DII national championships in eight years at the helm. UConn has produced 41 MLS draft picks including 14 first-round picks, including three overall No. 1 overall—including Jamaican National Team goalkeeper Andre Blake and Canadian star Cyle Larin—under Reid’s guidance.

“Ray Reid is a Connecticut soccer icon, and we are thrilled to be adding him as our Technical Director,” said Hartford Athletic Chairman Bruce Mandell. “He has a proven record of success both on and off the pitch and his experience will perfectly complement Coach Watling and the rest of our technical staff as well as provide unique opportunities for our organization as a whole.”

Reid has one of the broadest coaching trees in all of soccer, having developed over 19 coaches at the D1 and professional levels. Presently, nine NCAA DI head coaches have served under Reid’s tutelage, eight of whom were former players. He also is a founding board member of the Clive Charles Initiative, a platform designed and engineered to increase coaching opportunities at all levels for underrepresented and minority coaches in college and professional soccer. .”

“Ray is one of the most influential people in soccer in Connecticut and his experience and knowledge of the American soccer system are welcome additions to our organization,” said Hartford Athletic Head Coach Harry Watling. “I’m very pleased that he has decided to come on board and look forward to working with him.”

Hartford Athletic will be back in action on Saturday, May 14, when they host New York Red Bulls II at Trinity Health Stadium at 7 p.m. Fans interested in purchasing tickets for the match should click HERE.

—With Staff Reports

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Monday, April 11, 2022

Gabriel to Transfer from UConn

STORRS—Sophomore forward Piath Gabriel will transfer from the UConn women’s basketball program it was announced on Thursday.

A native of Manchester, NH, Gabriel appeared in 35 games at UConn where she scored a total of 54 points and grabbed 37 rebounds, averaging 4.9 minutes played in 13 games this past season. Her best game came against Xavier on Feb. 18 when she scored 11 points and grabbed four boards in eight minutes on the court. Gabriel sat out a handful of tames this season, including UConn’s appearances in the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight rounds of the NCAA Tournament due to academic obligations.

She is the first player to enter the transfer portal since the Huskies lost to South Carolina in the NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship Game last week in Minneapolis. Gabriel is the third player to leave to program within the past year, following Saylor Poffenbarger and Mir McLean.

“Thank you to my coaches and support staff for the last two years at UConn,” Gabriel said. “I’m grateful for my time in Storrs but after talking it over with my family, I’ve decided it’s in my best interest to enter the transfer portal. I will forever cherish the relationships I've built with my teammates and I'm glad to say they are my sisters for life.”

The Manchester, N.H. native played in 13 games this season, averaging 4.9 minutes per game. Gabriel’s best performances came at Xavier on Feb. 18 (11 points, four rebounds in eight minutes) and against Xavier at home on Jan. 15 (nine points, five rebounds in 10 minutes). She sat out a small handful of games this year, including most recently the Sweet Sixteen and Elite Eight rounds of the NCAA Tournament, due to academic obligations.

“We appreciate Piath’s time at UConn,” head coach Geno Auriemma said. “She was a great teammate and has a lot of potential. We wish her and her family the best with her collegiate career.”

—Staff Reports

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Islanders Stop Phantoms

BRIDGEPORT—Kyle MacLean’s shorthanded goal in the final two minutes proved to be the difference as the Bridgeport Islanders earned a 4-2 win against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms before 3,127 fans at Total Mortgage Arena on Sunday afternoon. Cory Schneider, who improved to 12-10-4 between the pipes, made 42 saves for the Islanders. It was two shy of his AHL career high, Andy Andreoff, Austin Czarnik and Simon Holmstrom also scored for the Islanders, who went 2-1-0-0 during its seventh and final three-in-three series of the season and improved to 3-1-1-0 against Lehigh Valley.

MacLean’s ninth goal of the season came at 18:18 of the third period following a delay of game penalty assessed to Michael Dal Colle. He raced down the left side of the Phantoms’ zone and cut to the doorstep where a backhanded attempt didn’t beat goaltender Felix Sandstrom. However, he immediately beat out two Lehigh Valley players below the goal line and brought the puck back in front, where he lifted a forehand shot over Sandstrom to make it 3-1.

Andreoff drew first blood at 11:46 of the first period, just a few hours after he was returned to Bridgeport by the New York Islanders after playing in the parent club’s setback against the St. Louis Blues on Saturday night. Andreoff’s 17th marker of the AHL season came on a rebound from the bottom of the right circle set up by Chris Terry’s deflection on a Robin Salo shot. Terry extended his point streak to seven games (seven goals, two assists).

Czarnik doubled the advantage at 17:39 of the second period by skating to the slot and capitalizing on Parker Wotherspoon’s pass. It was Czarnik’s 11th goal of the campaign, and his third since Mar. 27.

The Phantoms nearly got one back towards the end of the second frame, but Wade Allison missed an open net on a 2-on-1 rush in transition, hitting the right post. It was one of three times that Lehigh Valley drew iron in the period and one of five times in the game. The visitors eventually broke through at 13:16 of the third when Adam Johnson deflected Brennan Menell’s lengthy shot to end Schneider’s shutout bid (38th shot against).

The Phantoms continued to apply pressure, but MacLean provided much needed insurance with his first shorthanded goal of the season just over five minutes later. The Phantoms made it 3-2 when Garrett Wilson scored with an extra attacker at the 19:24 mark, jamming the puck in after a scramble in front of the net.

Holmstrom added the final touch with an empty-netter with just 3.3 seconds remaining in the contest. The Islanders went 0-for-2 on the power play, and 3-for-3 on the penalty kill.

With the win Bridgeport improved to 29-28-7-4, while Lehigh Valley dropped to 26-29-7-4. The two teams will meet again on Friday—this time at the PPL Center in Allentown—with faceoff scheduled for 7:05 p.m. The game can be heard online via the Bridgeport Islanders Radio Network, or seen via AHLTV, beginning with the pre-game show at 6:45 p.m.

—with staff reports

THE SKINNY
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Wednesday, September 29, 2021

Sun Fall To Sky in Game One

By Bob Phillips

UNCASVILLE—At this time of the season, a nine-day break can mean a couple of things. On the one hand, it gives players a chance to rest and recover from the bumps and bruises—major and minor—accrued over the course of a long season. On the other hand, it can throw a team off its rhythm.

For the Connecticut Sun, the top-seeded team in the WNBA postseason tournament, the first day back in the office seemed to be more a case of the second. The team, in search of its first WNBA championship and coming off a 14-game winning streak, dropped its first game in over a week to the Chicago Sky—the No. 6 seed—101-95 in double overtime before 4,720 fans at the Mohegan Sun Arena on Tuesday night.

Jonquel Jones, who earlier had been named the league’s Most Valuable Player of the regular season, led the Sun with a 26-point, 11-rebound effort, while Brionna Jones (22 points, 10 rebounds) and DeWanna Bonner (13 points, 10 boards) also put up double-doubles for Connecticut. Longtime Sun nemesis Candace Parker led the Sky with a strong all around game (22 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists), with Allie Quigley (19 points), Kahleah Copper (13 points) and Courtney Vandersloot (12 points) also scored in double digits for the visitors. Indeed, Vandersloot, who also grabbed 10 boards and handed out a playoff-record 18 assists, became just the second player in league history to record a triple-double in the playoffs. Former Houston Comets star Sheryl Swoopes was the other player to put up a triple-double in the 2005 playoffs.

The game, which featured 14 lead changes and 15 ties, was tight from start to finish. Chicago led by three at the first turn and took a one-point lead, 47-46, into the locker room at intermission. Chicago maintained a slim lead, 66-63 at the third turn while the Sun came back to win the fourth quarter by three points, sending the game into an extra session.

After both teams scored seven points in the first extra session, Chicago took the second OT period 10-4 for the margin of victory. It was just the fifth double OT game in WNBA playoff history.

“We missed shots, missed assignments, we missed free throws, we missed layups… some things uncharacteristic of us,” said Bonner.

“We had some chances,” added Curt Miller, who was named the WNBA Coach of the Year before game-time. “We took 13 more shots and we took 10 more fould shots. We just weren’t efficient enough tonight offensively to overcome the offensive juggernaut [the Sky] can be and for how much Slooty can really, really influence a game.”

Next game will be on Thursday, and it’s a must-win situation for the Sun, who lost their home-court advantage with the Game 1 loss. “We know we can play better,” Bonner said. “We have to play better or we’re going to be down 0-2.”

Tip-off at the Mohegan Sun Arena is slated for 8 p.m., and the game will be televised on ESPN2.

—with staff reports

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Thursday, September 16, 2021

Bridgeport Isles Release Promo Sked

By Bob Phillips

BRIDGEPORT—The Bridgeport Islanders—the team formerly known as the Sound Tigers—have released their promotional schedule for the 2021-22 season. All of the Islanders’ 36 home games will feature a new or returning promotion, theme, or exclusive giveaway item. Individual-game tickets are now on sale.

The promotional lineup features major theme nights that will headline many Islanders’ home games, some for the very first time. Those include Maverick Night (Nov. 6), Superhero Weekend (Dec. 4-5), Star Wars Night (Feb. 26) and Pokémania (Apr. 10). Hockey & Hops also returns for three times the fun (Nov. 26, Mar. 4, and Apr. 8).

“This is something you don’t see a lot, a key promotion during every regular-season game,” said Tim Farrell, Islanders Vice President of Marketing. “We’re proud to offer our fans more variety and creativity than we ever have this season as we enhance the game-night experience at Webster Bank Arena.”

Click here for the full promotional schedule

The calendar also includes the return of popular cause events like Teddy Bear Toss (Dec. 11), Military Appreciation Night (Jan. 8), First Responders Appreciation Night (Feb. 19), Pink in the Rink (Mar. 5), and Girls Hockey Weekend (Mar. 18-19).

The promotional calendar kicks off with the home opener on Saturday, Oct. 23, at 7 p.m., featuring a magnet schedule giveaway to the first 3,000 fans, live music before the game, and a kid’s zone on the concourse. Bridgeport will face Springfield in its 21st home opener.

“We’re genuinely so excited to welcome our fans back to home games this season,” President of Business Operations Brent Rossi said. ““I think there’s a strong appetite for fans and families in our area to come out and this is going to be a special season for many different reasons, beginning with opening night in less than six weeks.

The Islanders will continue to provide season-long value to fans attending Webster Bank Arena. Every Sunday home game will feature a $10 ticket for kids 12 and under. In addition, all military veterans and active-duty personnel, as well as seniors 65 and older, will receive a $5-off ticket discount. Each of these offers are available at the Yale New Haven Health Box Office at the Webster Bank Arema.

Single-game tickets are available online at Ticketmaster.com or by visiting the Yale New Haven Health Box Office (Webster Bank Arena, 600 Main Street in Bridgeport). In addition, partial and flex ticket plans are currently on sale. Each offer a discount over the regular ticket price and guarantee the purchaser a seat to the games of his or her choosing.

Promotions by Date:

Oct. 23 Opening Night at Webster Bank Arena

Oct. 24 Kids’ Day ($10 tickets for fans 12 and under)*

Oct. 30 Haunted Hockey

Oct. 31 Trick-or-Treat

Nov. 6 Maverick Night

Nov. 7 Kids’ Day ($10 tickets for fans 12 and under)*

Nov. 21 Kids’ Day ($10 tickets for fans 12 and under)*

Nov. 26 Hockey & Hops Beer Tasting

Dec. 4 -5 Superhero Weekend

Dec. 11 North Pole Night

Dec. 28-29 Holiday Hockey Weekend

Jan. 5 Deal Days

Jan. 8 Military Appreciation Night

Jan. 9 Prince and Princess Night

Jan. 22 Hockey Night in Connecticut

Jan. 23 Wizarding World Day

Feb. 2 School Day Game (10:30 a.m.)

Feb. 15 Deal Days

Feb. 19 First Responders Appreciation Night, presented by Yale New Haven Health

Feb. 20 A Day at the Office

Feb. 26 Star Wars Night

Feb. 27 Kids’ Day ($10 tickets for fans kids 12 and younger*)

Mar. 4 Hockey & Hops Beer Tasting

Mar. 5 Pink in the Rink, presented by Yale New Haven Health

Mar. 11 Deal Days

Mar. 18-19 Girls Hockey Weekend

Apr. 3 Autism Awareness

Apr. 5 School Day Game (10:30 a.m.)

Apr. 8 Hockey & Hops Beer Tasting

Apr. 10 Pokémania

Apr. 22 Pride Night

Apr. 23 Fan Fest

* With purchase of adult ticket.

Please visit BridgeportIslanders.com for updates as the season draws closer.

Connect with the Bridgeport Islanders

The Bridgeport Islanders are proud to introduce their new social media handles on Facebook (@AHLIslanders), Twitter (@AHLIslanders) and Instagram (@AHLIslanders). The team can be reached by phone at 203-345-2300.

COVID POLICY

The Bridgeport Islanders’ COVID-19 policy is that all fans ages 12 and over will need to be fully vaccinated (two weeks after the final required dose, depending on the vaccine), show proof of a negative rapid antigen test taken within six hours of faceoff, or show proof of a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours of game day.

“The City of Bridgeport currently requires all attendees to wear a face mask while inside the arena,” the team said in a statement.

Islanders To Play Home Preseason Schedule in Bridgeport

Anyone worried about the parent New York Islanders commitment to Bridgeport (vis-à-vis the Nassau Coliseum with plenty of open dates) should have those concerns allayed after the Islanders announced that their 2021 six-game preseason schedule feature all three home games at Webster Bank Arena. The Islanders’ preseason schedule is as follows:

*09/26 at 7 p.m. - Islanders at NY Rangers (Madison Square Garden)

*09/28 at 7 p.m. - Islanders at Flyers (Wells Fargo Center)

10/02 at 2 p.m. - Islanders vs. Devils (Webster Bank Arena)

10/05 at 7 p.m. - Islanders vs. Flyers (Webster Bank Arena)

10/07 at 7 p.m. - Islanders at Devils (Prudential Center)

10/09 at 7 p.m. - Islanders vs. NY Rangers (Webster Bank Arena)

Tickets to the games at Webster Bank Arena will go on sale to the general public on Friday, Aug. 20, at 10 a.m. and are available through Ticketmaster.com or by visiting the Yale New Haven Health Box Office at the Webster Bank Arena. For group ticket information, please call 203-579-5230. Executive suites and premium seat packages are also available by calling 203-345-4818.

Exclusive presale opportunities for games at Webster Bank Arena are as follows:

Presale Priority #1

New York Islanders Season Ticket Members

*Exclusive 2-day window begins Tuesday Aug. 17 at 10 a.m.

Opt-in form sent via email from the New York Islanders>

Presale Priority #2

Bridgeport Islanders Season Ticket Members

Begins Thursday August 19 at 10 a.m.

Available through Ticketmaster.com>

Presale Priority #3

New York Islanders Season Ticket Waiting List Members

New York Islanders Newsletter Members: Sign up here

Bridgeport Islanders Newsletter Members (Sign up at BridgeportIslanders.com)

Begins Thursday August 19 at 12 p.m.

Available through Ticketmaster.com

Job Fair

The Bridgeport Islanders will host a Fall Job Fair on Wednesday, Oct. 13, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Yale New Haven Health Box Office at the Webster Bank Arena, in partnership with Career Resources and Entry Point Staffing.

The Fall Job Fair is an opportunity for local job seekers to connect with businesses that are currently hiring in southern Connecticut and beyond.

Register HERE

“We’re excited to partner with Career Resources and Entry Point Staffing to host this kind of career fair for the very first time,” Islanders President of Business Operations Brent Rossi said. “This event will play a tremendous role in pairing qualified job seekers with several of our area’s top businesses. It doesn’t matter if someone is looking to enter the workforce for the first time or expand his or her career, we’re looking forward to making a difference.” >

The entry fee for a participating business includes one six-foot table, a showcase on the team’s website, placement on Webster Bank Arena digital assets during the event, and 20 tickets to a Bridgeport Islanders home game. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to a local charity.

Space is limited, but businesses may reserve their spot by contacting Dan Tamburro in the Islanders front office at 203-345-4822 or via email: dan.tamburro@bridgeportislanders.com.

Job seeker registration for the event is completely free and includes interviewing tips and skills, guidance on resume writing, and a complementary professional headshot photo. Early entry on the day of the event is available beginning at 9:30 a.m. for veterans and disabled job seekers.

Those looking to attend can save time at the door by registering in advance using this link.

—with staff reports

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Wednesday, September 15, 2021

Wolf Pack Ink Former Sound Tiger Star Tanner Fritz

By Bob Phillips

HARTFORD—The Hartford Wolf Pack announced today that the club has signed veteran forward Tanner Fritz to a one-year American Hockey League (AHL) contract through the 2021-22 AHL season. Fritz, 30 (8/20/91), scored six points (3 g, 3 a) in 20 games with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers during the 2020-21 AHL season. The 31-year-old Grand Prairie, Alberta, native added 10 PIM’s and finished with a -5 rating during the abbreviated campaign.

The 5’11”, 192-pound forward has played each of his first six professional seasons in the New York Islanders organization. He scored a career-high 42 points (19 g, 23 a) in 63 games with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers—who this season will be rebranded as the Bridgeport Islanders--in 2016-17, then made his NHL debut the next season with the Islanders on January 2, 2018, against the Boston Bruins.

Fritz appeared in 34 NHL games during the 2017-18 season, scoring seven points (3g, 4a). In all, Fritz has appeared in 42 NHL games over the course of two seasons with eight points (3g, 5a) and 10 PIM’s.

An undrafted free agent, Fritz signed with the Islanders organization for the 2015-16 season following a a four-year collegiate career at Ohio State. Fritz scored 110 points (36g, 74a) in 142 games for the Buckeyes, whom he captained during his senior season in 2014-15. He also wore the “A” for the Sound Tigers in 2020-21.

Single-Game Tix Now On Sale

Excited at the prospect at welcoming fans back into the XL Center for the first time in 19 months, the Wolf Pack announced this week that single-game tickets are now on sale for the team’s 25th season in the AHL. The ’Pack return to a full Atlantic Division after playing only the Bridgeport Islanders and Providence Bruins in the 2020-21 season, truncated by COVID. The Wolf Pack will compete with the Springfield Thunderbirds, Hershey Bears, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, Lehigh Valley Phantoms, Charlotte Checkers, Bridgeport Islanders and Providence Bruins in the quest to return to the Calder Cup Playoffs.

Among the highlights on the 2021-22 schedule, the Islanders come to town five times to fight for bragging rights in the State of Connecticut. The T-Birds will make the short trek down I-91 six times, while the Bruins come to town five times during the upcoming campaign.

There will also be some unfamiliar faces coming to the XL Center. The Laval Rocket will come to town on Jan. 15, 2022, while the Belleville Senators make a pair of appearances across the border on Dec. 8, 2021, and Apr. 1, 2022. The Toronto Marlies will also make a rare appearance in Hartford, visiting the XL Center on Jan. 19, 2022.

The Utica Comets will have a new look when they come to town on Dec. 4, 2021. The Comets are entering their first season as the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s New Jersey Devils.

In addition to some marquee matchups, the Wolf Pack will also host numerous promotional nights throughout the season including:

*The annual Hockey Fights Cancer game on November 20

*Star Wars Night and the Teddy Bear Toss on December 4.

*Military Appreciation Night returns on March 5.

*Hartford Hockey Heritage Night on February 26.

As has been the case for the past several years, every Friday night at the XL Center will be $2 beer and $1 hot dog night, while every Sunday is Family Day. Family Day packages can be purchased for each Sunday home game, and include three tickets, three hot dogs and three fountain drinks.

The action starts on Oct. 15, when the Wolf Pack host the Islanders on Opening Night. Opening Weekend concludes two days later on Oct. 17 when the P-Bruins come to town.

Tickets are available at the XL Center box office, or by visiting www.hartfordwolfpack.com. The Wolf Pack have been the top minor league affiliate of the New York Rangers since the team’s inception in 1997, and have been the starting point for several of the Rangers newest faces including Igor Shesterkin, Filip Chytil, and Ryan Lindgren. Follow the Wolf Pack on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok. .

The American Hockey League was officially born in 1936 when the Canadian-American Hockey League and the International Hockey League merged to form the International-American Hockey League (the “International” would be dropped from the league’s name in 1940). The AHL continues to serve as the top development league for all 32 National Hockey League teams; nearly 90 percent of today’s NHL players are American Hockey League graduates, and more than 100 honored members of the Hockey Hall of Fame spent time in the AHL in their careers.

—with staff reports

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