Week 16 Primer

Devils Quick Hits:

-Albany begins the week with a 18-14-3-5 record, good for 44 points and 4th place in the Northeast Division (8th in the Eastern Conference).

-With New Jersey starting their All Star Break on Tuesday, Joe Whitney has been sent back to Albany.  In his latest callup he appeared in two games and was scoreless.  In turn, Myles Bell was returned to Evansville, where he will particpate in tonight’s ECHL All Star Game in Orlando.  He was recalled on December 30th but never saw game action.

1/21, Game #41 vs. Bridgeport

Where: Prudential Center, Newark, NJ.

When: 7:30 PM.

Season Series: Bridgeport leads 5-4.

Standings:

Bridgeport: 19-16-4-1, 43 points, 5th place in Northeast Division

Sound Tigers Leading Scorers/Goaltending:

3 players with 32 points

Kevin Poulin, 13-8-5, 2.39 GAA; David Leggio, 6-8-0, 3.74 GAA

Notes:

-Bridgeport is coming off a 1-1-1 weekend, losing to Providence in overtime then splitting a 2 game set with Syracuse on home ice.

-After seeing the Sound Tigers for nearly 1/3 of the first half, this is the final regular season matchup between the two teams.

-This is Albany’s third visit to New Jersey for a home game this season.  They won the first two in Atlantic City against Lehigh Valley on November 28th and December 14th.

-This is also the first appearance for a Devil AHL team in Prudential Center since February 3, 2010, when Lowell dropped a 3-2 overtime decision to Hartford.  The goal scorers that night? Tim Sestito and Nathan Perkovich.  Current Portland goaltender Mike McKenna took the loss in net.

Listen: AHL Live

Twitter: @trace_1114, @AlbanyDevils, @TheSoundTigers

1/23, Game #42 at Worcester; 1/24, Game #43 vs. Worcester

Where: DCU Center, Worcester, MA (1/23); Times Union Center, Albany, NY (1/24)

When: 7:30 PM (1/23); 2:00 PM (1/24)

Season Series: First meetings of 4.  Future matchups: March 13th @Albany; April 12th @ Worcester

Standings:

Worcester: 20-14-3-2, 45 points, 3rd place in Atlantic Division

Sharks Leading Scorers/Goaltending:

Freddie Hamilton, 24 points (8 G, 16 A); Daniil Tarasov, 23 points (10 G, 13 A); Jeremy Langlois, 21 points (11 G, 10 A)

Troy Grosenick, 15-6-3, 2.67 GAA; J.P. Anderson, 4-6-1, 2.71 GAA

Notes:

-The Sharks start the week the hottest team in the AHL, rattling off seven straight wins.  They travel to Portland on Wednesday before the weekend series with the Devils.

-Local ties: Former Devils defenseman Matt Taormina is the Sharks’ lone AHL All Star representative.  Troy Grosenick, former Union goaltender, is in his second professional season.

-Saturday is a busy day in downtown Albany for the home half of the series: it’s GE Kids in Free Day and Devil Dawg’s birthday (meaning multiple mascots around the building).  It’s also the first half of a hockey doubleheader at the Times Union Center, as RPI takes on Union for the annual Mayor’s Cup in the nightcap.

Listen: AHL Live, WTAG 580 AM

Twitter: @trace_1114, @AlbanyDevils, @WorcesterSharks, @WSharksRadio