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The Albany Devils have been impressive so far this season. They are sitting at 5th in the Eastern Conference in the AHL and have the 4th lowest goals allowed in the league with 11. While it is still early in the season, they have shown improvements from last season. Outside of the AHL, there was one major standout this season, while a few others have yet to play a game.
| Albany Devils | |||||||||||||||
| Player | Birth Year | Team | League | Position | GP | G | A | PTS | PPG | +/- | PIM | PP | SHG | SOG | SH% |
| Jon Merrill | 1992 | Albany | AHL | D | 6 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 0.83 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 11.1 |
| Joe Whitney | 1988 | Albany | AHL | LW | 6 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 1.50 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 16 | 31.3 |
| Scott Timmins | 1989 | Albany | AHL | C | 6 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 1.33 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 15 | 20 |
| David Wohlberg | 1990 | Albany | AHL | C | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0.17 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 20 |
| Harri Pesonen | 1988 | Albany | AHL | LW | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0.17 | -1 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 0 |
| Reid Boucher | 1993 | Albany | AHL | LW | 6 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 0.83 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 7.1 |
| Brandon Burlon | 1990 | Albany | AHL | D | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | -2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Eric Gelinas (X) | 1991 | Albany | AHL | D | 5 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0.60 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 20 | 5 |
| Seth Helgeson | 1990 | Albany | AHL | D | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0.17 | 0 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Cam Janssen | 1984 | Albany | AHL | RW | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | -1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Dan Kelly | 1989 | Albany | AHL | D | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0.17 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| Stefan Matteau | 1994 | Albany | AHL | LW | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| Chris McKelvie | 1985 | Albany | AHL | LW | 6 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0.33 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 20 |
| Corbin McPherson | 1988 | Albany | AHL | D | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Rod Pelley | 1984 | Albany | AHL | C | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0.17 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| Tim Sestito | 1984 | Albany | AHL | C | 6 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0.33 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 12 | 16.7 |
| Mike Sislo | 1988 | Albany | AHL | RW | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0.20 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 16.7 |
| Darcy Zajac | 1986 | Albany | AHL | C | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0.25 | -3 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Reece Scarlett | 1993 | Albany | AHL | D | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0.25 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Mike Hoeffel | 1989 | Albany | AHL | LW | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Kelly Zajac | 1988 | Albany | AHL | C | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1.00 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Harry Young | 1989 | Elmira | ECHL | D | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | -2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Raman Hrabarenka | 1992 | Elmira | ECHL | D | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Riley Boychuk | 1991 | Elmira | ECHL | LW | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Goalies | Birth Year | Team | League | Position | GP | Mins | W | L | SOL | SO | GA | GAA | SVS | SV% | |
| Keith Kinkaid | 1989 | Albany | AHL | G | 4 | 243:35:00 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 1.97 | 83 | 0.961 | |
| Scott Wedgewood | 1992 | Albany | AHL | G | 2 | 124:47:00 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.96 | 49 | 0.961 | |
| Maxime Clermont | 1991 | Elmira | ECHL | G | 1 | 59:00:00 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3.07 | 15 | 0.833 | |
| Anthony Brodeur | 1995 | Gatineau Olympiques | QMJHL | G | 6 | 302:33:00 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 3.17 | 105 | 0.868 | |
| (X - not on active roster) | |||||||||||||||
| Player | Birth Year | Team | League | Position | GP | G | A | PTS | PPG | +/- | PIM | PP | SHG | SOG | SH% |
| Artur Gavrus | 1994 | Dinamo Minsk | KHL | C | 12 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0.25 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 7.14% |
| Vladimir Zharkov | 1988 | CSKA Moskva | KHL | RW | 20 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 0.20 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 37 | 5.41% |
| Graham Black | 1993 | Swift Current Broncos | WHL | C | 14 | 5 | 7 | 12 | 0.86 | 1 | 14 | 3 | 0 | - | - |
| Myles Bell | 1993 | Kelowna Rockets | WHL | LW | 9 | 5 | 3 | 8 | 0.89 | 5 | 17 | 1 | 0 | - | - |
| Damon Severson | 1994 | Kelowna Rockets | WHL | D | 9 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 1.11 | -1 | 12 | 2 | 0 | - | - |
| Ben Johnson | 1994 | Windsor Spitfires | OHL | C | 10 | 6 | 2 | 8 | 0.80 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 1 | - | - |
| Ben Thomson | 1993 | Kitchener Rangers | OHL | LW | 7 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0.29 | -2 | 30 | 0 | 0 | - | - |
| Ryan Kujawinski | 1995 | Kingston Frontenacs | OHL | C | 10 | 5 | 3 | 8 | 0.80 | 4 | 12 | 1 | 0 | - | - |
| Blake Coleman | 1991 | Miami Ohio | NCAA | C | 4 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 1.00 | 3 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 33.33% |
| Alexander Kerfoot | 1994 | Harvard University | NCAA | C | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Blake Pietila | 1993 | Michigan Tech | NCAA | LW | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0.33 | -2 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.00% |
| Derek Rodwell | 1990 | University of North Dakota | NCAA | LW | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Miles Wood | 1995 | Brown University | NCAA | LW | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Joe Faust | 1991 | University of Wisconsin | NCAA | D | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0.50 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0.00% |
| Curtis Gedig | 1991 | Ohio State University | NCAA | D | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.00% |
| Steve Santini | 1995 | Boston College | NCAA | D | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0.67 | 4 | 4 | - | - | 4 | 25.00% |
Albany Notes:
- The Albany Devils went 2-0-1 last week.
- In the first game of a back-to-back against the Norfolk Admirals the Albany Devils fell in the shootout. Albany led in shots 32-22 but only got one goal by goalie John Gibson. Keith Kinkaid was in net and only allowed one goal leading to the shootout. Eric Gelinas scored the Devils lone goal from Scott Timmins and Jon Merrill.
- In the second meeting in as many nights against the Admirals, the Devils got revenge in another shootout. Scott Timmins scored the goal for Albany in regulation with assists going to Eric Gelinas and Joe Whitney. Scott Wedgewood was in net and made 25 saves during regulation and went 4-for-4 in the shootout.
- With the victory against the Admirals, the Devils were set to their best start in Albany Devils history going 3-1-0-1.
- The Devils faced the Utica Comets last night and won 4-1. Keith Kinkaid was in net and made 22 saves for his 40th career win. Joe Whitney, Scott Timmins, Chris McKelvie, and Jon Merrill each scored a goal. With a power play goal, the Devils have scored six goals with the man advantage in as many games.
- With a six game point streak, Scott Timmins is off to the best start by a Devil in franchise history.
- Eric Gelinas was called-up to New Jersey yesterday after Bryce Salvador was moved to non-roster due to a death in the family. He may be in the NHL lineup tonight when the Devils face the Canucks at home.
- Speaking of Gelinas, he has been working quite well with Jon Merrill. Coach Rick Kowalsky said of the pair,
"We wanted to see how they would be together. We were wondering if there was enough puck for both of them. So far, it’s worked out and we are going to continue along that path."
Other Notes:
- Artur Gavrus hasn't played in a while for the Dinamo Minsk. I haven't found any details on his absence, but he hasn't played in the last two weeks.
- Blake Coleman got his first career hat trick against the University of North Dakota on Saturday in a 6-2 win for Miami. His line has been clicking well to start the season and he was rewarded with a strong night.
- After a strong season for Michigan Tech and earning a roster spot on the US World Junior Team which won gold at the WJC last year, I'm not really sure what Blake Pietila is doing this season. He is racking up the penalty minutes, was suspended for a game due to game misconduct and major cross-checking penalty, and has no points in three games played. His coaches were expecting a big sesason from him, so hopefully he steps up his game sooner, rather than later.
- Derek Rodwell has yet to make an appearance for the University of North Dakota Huskies.
- Miles Wood will be at the Rock this weekend playing against Yale and Dartmoth with Brown University for the Liberty Hockey Invitational.
Prospect of the Week:
The honors this week go to Blake Coleman. He had a hot start to the 2012-2013 season as a sophomore and then cooled down as the season progressed. He is off to another hot start as a junior and earned his first career hat trick. Hopefully he can keep it up this season. What's interesting about his successful night was that it came just one day after a disappointing one - he was ejected from the game the night before. He was ejected for hitting from behind, but did not receive a suspension. Coleman's coach, Enrico Blasi was pleased to see him bounce back and prove himself following a rough outing,
"I thought it was important for him to come back and play well, and Blake is that type of player where he plays hard and goes to the tough areas of the ice. He plays a very intense game and sometimes he gets called for some penalties, but we know he’s going to play hard every night."
Which prospects are standing out to you? How much do you read into the hot start for Albany? Are you excited to see Gelinas called up to New Jersey? What do you think about the Pietila suspension and Coleman's bounce back performance after being ejected from the game just one night earlier? Please post your thoughts below. Thanks for reading!