ST. PIERRE NAMED SECOND TEAM AHL ALL-STAR

Hogs leading point man honored for strong season

Rockford, Ill.- It’s hard to believe that two weeks into the 2007-08 regular season the majority of Rockford IceHogs fans had never heard of Martin St. Pierre. After beginning the campaign in the Russian Super League, St. Pierre didn’t join the IceHogs in the American Hockey League until Oct. 16th. On Thursday, the AHL named St. Pierre an AHL Second Team All-Star.

St. Pierre currently ranks second in the AHL in scoring with 83 points and 63 assists. Both totals lead the IceHogs. In his third full season in the AHL, and fourth overall, the Embrun, Ontario native was named a First Team AHL All-Star a season ago.

With six games still remaining, St. Pierre has already set IceHogs franchise records for longest point streak, 15 games from Nov. 30-Jan. 4, power-play points (38) and power-play assists (29). St. Pierre also leads Rockford with 20 multi-point games, 10 of which he scored three or more points. Following an impressive November, St. Pierre was named the AHL/CCM Player of the Month after accumulating 7g-14a-21pts in 13 games.

The IceHogs centerman was named to the AHL’s Annual All-Star Game in January for the third time in his career and he tied a league record for most career All-Star Game points with eight. St. Pierre chipped in a goal and two assists in the game in Binghamton to help Team Canada to a 9-8 shootout win.

St. Pierre also received two National Hockey League recalls in ’07-08 and appeared in five games with the Chicago Blackhawks.

Both the First and Second AHL All-Star Teams were announced by the league on Thursday. The first team is made up of goalie Michael Leighton (Albany River Rats), defenseman Andrew Hutchinson (Hartford Wolf Pack) and Lawrence Nycholat (Binghamton Senators), and forwards Jason Krog (Chicago Wolves), Pascal Pelletier (Providence Bruins) and Teddy Purcell (Manchester Monarchs).

Joining St. Pierre on the Second Team include goalie Drew MacIntyre (Manitoba Moose), defensemen Joel Kwiatkowski (Chicago Wolves) and Brian Salcido (Portland Pirates) and forwards Brett Sterling (Chicago Wolves) and P.A. Parenteau (Hartford Wolf Pack).

The All-Star Teams were voted on by members of the media, AHL coaches and players.

Next Home Game: Saturday, April 5 vs. San Antonio Rampage. The puck drops at 7:05 p.m. A key West Division match-up at the MetroCentre as the IceHogs and Rampage meet for the final time in the regular season. The game is the IceHogs Charitable Foundation’s annual Jersey Auction presented by Saturn as the IceHogs wear special jerseys that will be auctioned following the game. The first 1,000 fans to the game will pick up a jersey auction t-shirt courtesy of Saturn of Rockford, Dental Dimensions, Alpha Controls & Services, and 13 WREX.