May 13th 2003

The Show Stopper

There was Steve Kariya, up to his old tricks as a member of the Manitoba Moose near the midway point of the 2002-03 campaign. He was averaging nearly a point per game in the final year of his contract with the Vancouver Canucks. Meanwhile on the other side of North America, the Albany River Rats were in need of an offensive jumpstart. Then on January 24, 2003, the New Jersey Devils made a deal that sent promising blueliner Mikko Jokela to the Vancouver organization in exchange for the offensive sparkplug. The deal had an immediate impact even as it took a week for Kariya to work out some visa issues and join the River Rats. The Vancouver native notched the club�s third goal in a 3-3 tie against the Hershey Bears on January 31ST at Pepsi Arena and went on to post 11 (3-8) points in his first 11 games in Red, White and Black. The diminutive winger totaled 59 points last season, which included 31 (12-19) points in 31 contests in Albany and 28 (14-14) points in 37 games with Manitoba. The 25-year-old was immediately teamed with River Rats leading scorer Craig Darby and whether the duo was flanked by Greg Crozier, Joe Hulbig or, usual linemate Dave Roche, the tandem had a certain chemistry that could not be denied. �He (Darby) can pass with the best of them in this league,� he told us, �and anytime you get the chance to play with a player that sees the ice like that, you really enjoy it. He is probably one of the best players that I have played with at this level no question about it.� Kariya has achieved success at every level from the collegiate ranks on through the National Hockey League and along the way apprehensions about his size have dissolved. His days at the University of Maine were memorable with a Hockey East First All-Star Team selection in 1999 as he led the school to it second NCAA championship, just six years after his older brother Paul (guided by then assistant coach Dennis �Red� Gendron) was a key member of the Black Bears� first title. Steve was also selected to the NCAA All-Tournament team and was a finalist for the prestigious Hobey Baker Award given to the nation�s top player. He then made the jump directly from Maine to the NHL at the outset of the 1999-00 season after being signed by the Canucks as a free agent on April 16, 1999. That first campaign was quite successful with Steve posting 19 (8-11) points in 45 NHL match-ups. A little more seasoning was in the cards so he was assigned to Western New York to get back on track after a dry spell in British Columbia. Kariya joined the Syracuse Crunch in January of 2000 and many River Rats fans will not forget his many AHL accomplishments that season. In one of the top individual performances ever against the River Rats, Kariya notched four goals and five points in a 7-4 home win at the Onondaga County War Memorial on February 18, 2000. Overall, he recorded a total of 14 (8-6) points in just five games against Albany that rookie season. Now fast-forward to the River Rats� 10TH Anniversary and the trade that was a bit of a surprise for Kariya. Adjusting to a different city in another country, on top of playing with different players in a different system weren�t quite as difficult as one might have expected due in part to his linemates. �When I came here, one of the first things Craig (Darby) said to me was �I am a passer, so get open��, he related. �I am also a passer in some respects because even if the shot is there I still have a tendency to pass up opportunities, but that is just how I play the game. I really try to focus on shooting the puck a lot more. There is no question I am naturally more tempted to pass than shoot, but it was definitely not a problem for us.� The late season assignments of Christian Berglund, Ray Giroux and Stephen Guolla from New Jersey took pressure of the Darby-Kariya-Roche line. The trio no longer held the burden to score goals for the entire hockey club and was now able to just go out and play. The lineup additions allowed the club to reel off five consecutive victories in early March, including a 5-3 home win over the Bridgeport Sound Tigers on March 2ND. It was a record-setting night with Darby establishing a regular season record with five assists and Kariya following closely behind with four points. Included in those totals, was Steve�s first hat trick as a River Rat and proof that the linemates had officially jelled. �It was just a good mix,� he said. �I had a lot of fun playing with those guys but it was unfortunate that we were unable to get into the post-season.� Another area Steve Kariya was pivotal to the Albany River Rat� success was with the man advantage. The club completed their 10TH American Hockey League season eighth overall with a 17.4% power play efficiency, including a fifth place on the road (17.9%). The talent that was available on the power play led to many options out on the ice. �We had a lot of smart players out there who were able to find open guys,� he said of the unit. �With Ray (Giroux) and (Stephen) Guolla back there or Kenny (Sutton), we had a lot of guys who were able to make plays. It was just a matter of getting open and finishing chances when we had the opportunities.� As the final leg of the season unfolded, the Albany River Rats just did not finish enough of those chances to secure a playoff berth. As Steve watches his older brother skate with the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim in the NHL�s Western Conference Finals, the 170-pound winger is left to dissect what went wrong. �We had a great coaching staff and a really good group of guys that always worked hard and played with heart,� he said. �We were in every game down the stretch and it seemed that we were always one play away from scoring a big goal or holding onto a lead. It was just the little things that caught up to us and probably the reason we are not in the playoffs.� As the post-season moves forward, one hot topic in Albany is whether the club�s Most Electrifying Player (as voted upon by the River Rats Booster Club) will be back come September. �You do not get the chance to become an unrestricted free agent too often,� he concluded, �but no matter what ends up happening, I definitely enjoyed being a member of the Albany River Rats.� Make no mistake -- A River Rats Revival with Steve Kariya on the playbill would be a hard ticket to pass up.

April 6th 2003

Albany 2 Binghamton 4

ALBANY, New York (Ticker) -- Ray Emery stopped 35 shots to help the Binghamton Senators double-up the Albany River Rats, 4-2. Emery, who was selected to the AHL All-Rookie Team, stopped all 18 shots over the first two periods and 17 of 19 over the final 20 minutes to notch his 27th win of the season. Dave Hymovitz scored midway through the second and Joe Murphy added a five-on-three power-play goal just 7:20 later to make it 2-0 Binghamton, which clinched the East Division title with the victory. Jeff Ulmer scored early in the third and Jeff Vauclair added a shorthanded, empty-net goal with 34 seconds left in regulation to insure the victory for the Senators. Craig Darby scored 7:16 into the third with Steve Kariya assisting and assisted on a power-play tally by Kariya just over seven minutes later for Albany, which was winless in its final 10 games of the season (0-6-3-1). Scott Clemmensen surrendered three goals on just 30 shots to close out the season with a personal four-game losing streak for the River Rats.

April 5th 2003

Albany 2 Bridgeport 5

BRIDGEPORT, Connecticut (Ticker) -- Jeff Hamilton scored a pair of goals and assisted on another to lead the Bridgeport Sound Tigers over the Albany River Rats, 5-2. Hamilton assisted on a marker by Daniel Tkaczuk 6:21 into the contest, scored just 84 seconds later and gave his club a 3-1 lead 7:15 into the second period. Trent Hunter finished with a pair of goals and Tkaczuk had a tally and an assist for Bridgeport, which improved to 5-2-1 vs. Albany this season. Stephen Valiquette had 28 saves for the win. Dave Roche and Mike Rupp both scored for the River Rats, who are winless over their last nine. Ari Ahonen gave up all five goals on 31 shots for the loss.

April 3rd 2003

Albany 0 Binghamton 3

ALBANY, New York (Ticker) -- Ray Emery recorded his third shutout in his last 10 starts to lift the Binghamton Senators over the Albany River Rats, 3-0. Emery finished with 28 saves to raise his record to 26-17-5. Josh Langfeld gave Binghamton a 2-0 lead 2:31 into the third period and assisted on a goal by Chris Kelly 1:38 later. David Hymovitz also scored for the Senators, who won for the fifth time in their last seven games. Scott Clemmensen finished with 32 saves for Albany, which is winless over its last eight contests (0-4-3-1).

March 30th 2003

Albany 2 Springfield 2

SPRINGFIELD, Massachusetts (Ticker) -- Stephen Guolla scored the equalizer late in the third period as the Albany River Rats skated to a 2-2 tie with the Springfield Falcons. Guolla netted his 11th goal of the season with 3:58 left in regulation. He also assisted on a power-play goal by Craig Darcy that tied the score at 1-1 with 64 seconds left in the opening period. Springfield snapped the tie 2:15 into the third period behind a marker by Erik Westrum. Ari Ahonen stopped one shot in overtime and 31 overall for Albany. Jean-Marc Pelletier finished with 29 saves for the Falcons, who finished with their seventh tie of the season.

March 29th 2003

Albany 1 Bridgeport4

BRIDGEPORT, Connecticut (Ticker) -- Martin Chabada netted two goals to help the Bridgeport Sound Tigers kept pace in the East Division with a victory over the Albany River Rats, 4-1. Chabada scored twice within a 2:22 span late in the first period to give Bridgeport a 3-0 lead. Eric Manlow added a goal and an assist for the Sound Tigers, who snapped a four-game winless streak. Joe Hulbig scored his 10th goal of the year for Albany, which is now winless in its last five. Scott Stirling notched 29 saves for Bridgeport, which remained four points behind the division-leading Binghamton Senators. Ari Ahonen stopped 18 shots for the River Rats.

March 24th 2003

Albany 3 Manchester 4

MANCHESTER, New Hampshire (Ticker) -- Joe Rullier scored on a breakaway with one second left in overtime to lift the Manchester Monarchs to a 4-3 victory over the Albany River Rats. Rullier beat the final horn with his third goal of the season to extend Manchester's unbeaten streak to seven games (6-0-1-0). Jason Holland, Brandon Dietrich and Chris Aldous also scored for the Monarchs, who have not allowed more than three goals in a game during their unbeaten streak. Jeff Sanger stopped 41 shots to pick up the win in his AHL debut. Craig Darby had a goal and an assist and Steve Kariya supplied two assists for Albany, which is winless in its last five games after winning five in a row. Scott Clemmensen made 27 saves in the loss.

March 23rd 2003

Albany 4 Portland 4

PORTLAND, Maine (Ticker) -- Andreas Salomonsson scored the game-tying goal within the final seconds of regulation as the Portland Pirates skated to a 4-4 tie with the Albany River Rats. Salomonsson, who assisted on a first-period goal by Chris Ferraro, netted a sixth- attacker tally with just four seconds left. Trent Whitfield recorded his team-leading 27th goal of the season with 7:44 remaining in the second period and Josef Boumedienne added a power-play marker 77 seconds later to give Portland a 3-1 lead. Steve Kariya cut into that lead with 19 seconds left in the middle stanza and assisted on a power-play goal by Craig Darby that tied the score for Albany 2:26 into the third. Mike Rupp tallied 53 seconds later to give the River Rats a 4-3 advantage. Darby finished with a pair of goals for Albany and Peter Ferraro supplied three assists for the Pirates. Rastislav Stana stopped three shots in overtime and 34 overall for Portland, which has tied three straight. Ari Ahonen finished with five saves in the extra stanza and 23 overall for the River Rats, who are winless over their last four games (0-2-2).

March 22nd 2003

Albany 2 Springfield 5

SPRINGFIELD, Massachusetts (Ticker) -- Sheldon Keefe and Shane Willis each registered a pair of goals as the Springfield Falcons downed the Albany River Rats, 5-2. Keefe, who added an assist, scored back-to- back goals in a 62-second span early in the first period and Willis closed the scoring with consecutive goals late in the second. Erik Westrum contributed a goal and an assist for Springfield, which has won back-to-back games for the first time since February 7. Evgeny Konstantinov turned aside 17 of 19 shots to pick up his 11th win of the season. Steve Kariya and Ray Giroux both tallied for Albany, which fell to 0-2-1 over its last three games after winning five in a row. Scott Clemmensen allowed five goals on 31 shots to take the loss.

March 20th 2003

Albany 1 Hartford 1

ALBANY, New York (Ticker) -- John Tripp scored late in the third period to help the Hartford Wolf Pack skate to a 1-1 tie with the Albany River Rats. Tripp, who leads the team with 28 goals, tallied with only 7:22 remaining in regulation on assists from Vladimir Chebaturkin and Chris Pittman. Jason LaBarbera stopped 25 shots, including three in overtime, for Hartford, which has picked up at least one point in five straight games. Dave Roche scored midway through the opening frame for Albany, which managed just one shot in the third period. Scott Clemmensen made 35 saves for the River Rats, who are winless in their last two games after going 7-1 over their previous eight.

March 17th 2003

Albany 1 Hershey 2

HERSHEY, Pennsylvania (Ticker) -- Steve Brule notched the winning goal and an assist and Philippe Sauve stopped 31 shots to help the Hershey Bears edge the Albany River Rats, 2-1. Brule combined with Eric Bertrand to set up Brad Larsen for his first goal in 16 games with the club 19 seconds into the first period. Brule broke a 1-1 tie on the power play with his 13th of the season with 1:57 remaining in the opening frame for Hershey, which snapped its five-game winless streak (0-4-1). Sauve turned aside 12 of 13 shots in the first period and all 19 over the final 40 minutes in the win, ending a personal four-game winless skid. Steve Kariya scored his 23rd goal at 3:16 of the first frame and Ari Ahonen stopped 26 shots, including all 21 over the last two frames, for Albany, which had its season-high, five- game winning streak snapped.

March 16th 2003

Albany 4 Saint John 2

ALBANY, New York (Ticker) -- Brett Clouthier scored the deciding goal early in the third period to help the Albany River Rats beat the Saint John Flames, 4-2. Clouthier netted his sixth goal of the season 3:38 into the third period to snap a 2-2 tie. Ray Giroux tied the score for Albany on the power play with 3:07 left in the second period and assisted on the marker by Clouthier. Stephen Guolla and Christian Berglund had a goal and an assist for the River Rats, who have won five straight. Scott Clemmensen stopped 27 of 29 shots to capture his 12th win of the season. Jason Spence and Jayme Filipowicz both scored in the first period for Saint John, which dropped to 18-2- 1-0 when leading after two periods. Jean-Francois Damphousse finished with 18 saves in the loss.

March 15th 2003

Albany 3 Hartford 2

ALBANY, New York (Ticker) -- Stephen Guolla scored his first overtime goal of the season as the Albany River Rats edged the Hartford Wolf Pack, 3-2. Guolla extended his scoring streak to seven games, burying his ninth goal of the year past Scott Meyer with 1:15 remaining in the extra frame, to seal the win. Guolla has five goals and six assists over his last seven games and 20 points in 14 games with the club. Ari Ahonen stopped 13 of 15 shots over the final 43:45, including three in overtime, to register his career-best fourth straight win. Defenseman Daryl Andrews and Dave Roche scored 38 seconds apart in the first period, supplying an early 2-0 lead to Albany, which has won a season-high four in a row and six of its last seven. Layne Ulmer and defender Matt Kinch scored four minutes apart in the second period for Hartford, which has dropped two straight to the River Rats. Meyer made 19 saves in the loss.

March 13th 2003

Albany 4 Syracuse 2

ALBANY, New York (Ticker) -- Steve Kariya and Greg Crozier each scored in third period as the Albany River Rats defeated the Syracuse Crunch, 4-2. Kariya recorded his 22nd goal of the season 7:59 into the final period, breaking a 2-2 tie, and Crozier notched his 19th score into an empty net with 39 seconds to play. Stephen Guolla and Jason Lehoux both scored a goal and Ari Ahonen stopped 16 shots for Albany, which has won three straight games. Derrick Walser and Mathieu Darche each tallied and Karl Goehring made 22 saves for Syracuse, which has won only six of its last 16 games.

March 9th 2003

Albany 6 Hartford 3

HARTFORD, Connecticut (Ticker) -- Greg Crozier scored a pair of goals and Craig Darby added a goal and an assist to help the Albany River Rats top the Hartford Wolf Pack, 6-3. Crozier snapped a 1-1 tie 48 seconds into the second period and added an empty-netter with 52 seconds remaining in the contest. Darby assisted on a power-play tally by Brett Clouthier that gave Albany a 3-2 lead with 61 seconds left in the middle stanza and scored 8:49 into the third to push the advantage to a pair of goals. Ari Ahonen stopped 23 of 26 shots to record just his second win since January 29. Ted Donato finished with a pair of goals and an assist for Hartford, which went 0-for-4 on the power play. Johan Holmqvist finished with 20 saves in the loss.

March 8th 2003

Albany 1 Binghamton 3

BINGHAMTON, New York (Ticker) -- Rookie Antoine Vermette tallied his first career hat trick as the Binghamton Senators beat the Albany River Rats, 3-1. The 20-year-old Ottawa prospect, who had a game-high 10 shots, tied the score during a two-man advantage late in the first period. He then broke the tie with 7:03 remaining in the second for his sixth game-winner and netted his 28th of the season 5:33 into the third frame to lead all AHL rookies in goals. Five players recorded an assist apiece and Ray Emery stopped 32 of 33 shots for Binmghamton, which improved to 3-2 in its last five home games. Stephen Guolla picked up his seventh goal and 16th point in 10 games with the team at 9:16 of the opening frame and Scott Clemmensen turned aside 27 shots for Albany, which is winless in six meetings with the Senators this season (0-4-2).

March 4th 2003

Albany 5 Bridgeport 3

ALBANY, New York (Ticker) -- Steve Kariya produced a hat trick and an assist and Craig Darby supplied five helpers as the Albany River Rats defeated the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, 5-3. Kariya, who tied the score at 1-1 early in the second period, snapped a 3-3 tie 6:21 into the third and tallied into an empty net to complete his first hat trick since scoring four goals against Syracuse on February 18, 2000. Darby, who recorded four points against the Crunch on Wednesday, posted personal season highs in both assists and points. Dave Roche notched a power-play goal and an assist for Albany, which has won three of its last four games. Scott Clemmensen stopped 25 shots to post the win. Justin Mapletoft collected two assists for Bridgeport, which has lost three in a row after going 11-1-0-1 over its previous 13 games. Stephen Valiquette allowed four goals on 21 shots to suffer the loss.

March 2nd 2003

Albany 5 Bridgeport 3

BRIDGEPORT, Connecticut (Ticker) -- Stephen Guolla produced two goals and two assists to lead the Albany River Rats to a 5-3 victory over the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. Guolla, who has posted 13 points in eight games since joining the club from the New Jersey Devils, snapped a 3-3 tie 1:59 into the third period and provided an insurance marker on the power play with 9:10 left. Christian Berglund supplied three assists for Albany, which won for just the second time in its last eight games (2-5-1). Ari Ahonen stopped 29 shots, including all 12 he faced in the third period, to pick up his 10th win of the season. Blaine Down and Martin Chabada each notched a goal and an assist for Bridgeport, which lost to the River Rats for the first time in five meetings this season (3-1-1). Scott Stirling surrendered five goals on 21 shots to suffer his first loss with the club (6-1-0). Steve scored a goal and an assist!

March 1st 2003

Albany 0 Binghamton 3

ALBANY, New York (Ticker) -- Brian Pothier had a goal and two assists and Simon Lajeunesse made 19 saves as the Binghamton Senators blanked the Albany River Rats, 3-0. Pothier scored on the power play early in the first period for just his seventh goal in 57 games this season. Lajeunesse turned away 15 shots over the final two periods en route to his seventh win and first shutout of the year. Jason Spezza, who leads the team with 51 points, recorded a goal and an assist for Binghamton. Dean Melanson added a goal for the Senators, who improved to 3-0-2 against Albany this season. Scott Clemmensen allowed three goals on 22 shots for the River Rats, who have dropped five of their last seven games.

Albany 4 Syracuse 2

February 27th 2003

Albany 4 Syracuse 2

ALBANY, New York (Ticker) -- Dave Roche had two goals and an assist and Craig Darby had a goal and three assists to help the Albany River Rats defeat the Syracuse Crunch, 4-2. Roche scored with 8:11 remaining in the first period, with Darby earning a helper, and assisted on a power-play tally by Darby 4:43 later for a 2-0 lead. Roche buried the game-winner at 6:07 of the second frame, with Darby earning his second assist of the night. Greg Crozier tallied an insurance goal late in the third with Darby, who leads the team 48 points, picking up his third assist of the night and Stephen Guolla dished out three assists, giving him four goals and five assists in six games with Albany, which snapped a five-game winless streak (0-4- 1). Scott Clemmensen stopped 18 of 20 shots to improve to 3-1-1 in his last five starts. Mathieu Darche, who is tied for the team lead with 41 points, and Blake Bellefeuille scored back-to-back goals in the second to cut the lead to, 3-2, and Karl Goehring stopped 34 of 38 to suffer the loss for Syracuse, who has lost nine of its 11 games (1-9-1).

February 20th 2003

Albany 2 Bridgeport 5

BRIDGEPORT, Connecticut (Ticker) -- Jeff Hamilton scored two goals and Justin Mapletoft dished out three assists to lead the Bridgeport Sound Tigers past the Albany River Rats, 5-2. Hamilton, a four-year standout at Yale University, notched the first goal of the game with only 3:49 left in the opening period and Mapletoft set up a Martin Chabada tally almost two minutes later to give Bridgeport a 2-0 lead. Brandon Smith scored the game-winning goal early in the second period for the Sound Tigers, who outshot Albany, 39-24. Stephen Valiquette made 22 saves to earn his second straight victory for Bridgeport, which is undefeated in regulation in its last six home games (5-0-0- 1). Dave Roche and Greg Crozier each had a tally in the second period and Ari Ahonen surrendered five goals to take the loss for the River Rats, who fell to 0-3-1 against the Sound Tigers this season.

February 18th 2003

Albany 1 Springfield 3

ALBANY, New York (Ticker) -- Jeff Taffe notched a goal and an assist to help the Springfield Falcons defeat the Albany River Rats, 3-1. Taffe, who leads the team with 39 points, scored the first goal of the game with one second remaining in the first period and set up a goal by Corey Foster midway through the third to close out the scoring. Boyd Kane tallied the game-winner with 3:50 remaining in the second and Jason Jaspers dished out two assists for Springfield, which has won six of its last eight games (6-1-1) to climb into ninth place in the Eastern Conference. Evgeny Konstantinov stopped 25 of 26 shots to end a personal six-game losing streak for the Falcons. Jason Lehoux scored the lone goal and Scott Clemmensen surrendered three goals on 25 shots to suffer the loss for Albany, which has dropped two straight home games.

February 17th 2003

Albany 3 Wikes Barre 5

ALBANY, New York (Ticker) -- Matt Murley scored a goal and had three assists to help the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins defeat the Albany River Rats, 5-3. Murley opened the scoring 33 seconds into the contest with his 11th goal of the season. He added assists on each of three unanswered goals by Wilkes-Barre. Kris Beech scored his team- leading ninth power-play goal at 7:07 in the second period. Toby Petersen made it 4-2 just 2:03 later before defenseman Francois Leroux tallied his first of the season at 6:11 in the third period to close the scoring for the Penguins, who extended their unbeaten streak to five games (4-0-2-0). Robbie Tallas turned aside 32 of the 35 shots he faced for the win. Steve Kariya, Brett Clouthier and Stephen Guolla each scored for Albany, which did not have one power- play opportunity in the game. Ari Ahonen took the loss after allowing four goals on 12 shots before being pulled in the second period.

February 15th 2003

Albany 4 Hershey 3

ALBANY, New York (Ticker) -- Stephen Guolla had a goal and an assist to help the Albany River Rats beat the Hershey Bears, 4-3. Guolla assisted on a second-period goal by Scott Cameron and netted a shorthanded marker late in the third for a 4-1 advantage. Craig Darby and Eric Johansson both scored for Albany, which won for just the second time in its last seven games. Scott Clemmensen turned away 40 of 43 shots to record his eighth win of the season. Bryan Muir and Brian Willsie both scored within the final 76 seconds of the contest for Hershey, which had a two-game win streak snapped. Philippe Sauve gave up all four goals on just 20 shots for the loss.