Rochester Americans

Pro hockey team
text_color = white
bg_color = #CE2007
team = Rochester Americans

logosize = 200px
city = Rochester, New York
league = American Hockey League
conference = Western Conference
division = North Division
founded = 1956
arena = Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial
colors = Red, Blue, White
owner = flagicon|CAN Curt Styres
flagicon|USA Steve Donner
coach = flagicon|CAN Benoit Groulx
GM = flagicon|CAN Jody Gage
media = Democrat and Chronicle
Time Warner Sports 26
affiliates = Florida Panthers (NHL)
Florida Everblades (ECHL)
name1 = Detroit Olympics
(Original IHL)
dates1 = 1935 to 1936
name2 = Pittsburgh Hornets
dates2 = 1936 to 1956
name3 = Rochester Americans
dates3 = 1956 to present
reg_season_titles = 6 (1964-65, 1967-68, 1973-74, 1982-83, 1990-91, 2004-05)
division_titles = 14 (1964-65, 1965-66, 1967-68, 1973-74, 1977-78, 1982-83, 1986-87, 1989-90, 1990-91, 1996-97, 1998-99, 1999-00, 2000-01, 2004-05)
conf_titles = 3 (1995-96, 1998-99, 1999-00)
calder_cups = 6 (1964-65, 1965-66, 1967-68, 1982-83, 1986-87, 1995-96)The Rochester Americans are an ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. The team plays its home games in Rochester, New York at the Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial, formerly known as Rochester War Memorial Arena, which was renovated in the mid-1990s. The Americans are one of the oldest franchises in the AHL, celebrating their 50th consecutive season in the American Hockey League in 2005-06. Their years of unbroken league membership rank second to the Hershey Bears. Known commonly as the "Amerks", they have played in Rochester, since relocating from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

The team colors are red, white and blue. The logo is a patriotic badge with "Americans" written in script. The Americans have won six Calder Cups: in 1965, 1966, 1968, 1983, 1987 and 1996. They have lost in the Finals ten times: in 1957, 1960, 1967, 1977, 1984, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1999 and 2000.

History

Early years

The Amerks became a joint affiliate in 1956, of both the Montreal Canadiens and the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League. Under Coach Billy Reay the team finished in third place in the AHL standings and played the defending champion Providence Reds in the opening round of the Calder Cup playoffs. With Bobby Perreault in goal, the Americans defeated Providence and goaltender Johnny Bower in five games. Rochester then was defeated in a five-game final by the Cleveland Barons, who won the Calder Cup.

The Amerks reached the playoffs in 1959, losing to the Buffalo Bisons in five games. The 1959 Amerks were led by the "WHAM" [WHAM is an extension of the first letters of the line's players: Hicke, Aldcorn and Migay] line of center Rudy Migay, left wing Gary Aldcorn and right wing Billy Hicke. Migay and Hicke were named co-MVP for the AHL that season and Hicke was chosen league Rookie of the Year.

In 1959-60 the Americans became the first team in American Hockey League history to win a playoff series after trailing three-games-to-none.Fact|date=April 2008 The Amerks' comeback against the Cleveland Barons included the efforts of the veteran Migay, right wing Pat Hannigan and league-leading goaltender Ed Chadwick. A crowd of 7,762 at the War Memorial witnessed a 4-1 triumph in Game 7. Rochester went on to lose the Calder Cup Finals in five games to Eddie Shore's Springfield Indians.

Following the 1960-61 season in which the Amerks failed to qualify for the playoffs, the Montreal Canadiens transferred their working agreement to the Quebec Aces of the American Hockey League and sent Rochester players Guy Rousseau and Claude Labrosse to Quebec. As the exclusive affiliate of the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Americans made the playoffs the next two seasons but never contended for the Calder Cup championship.

Beginning in 1963-64 former Amerks' defenseman Joe Crozier became the team's Coach and General Manager. Under Crozier the Amerks won the Calder Cup in 1965, 1966 and 1968 and were finalists in 1967; they are the only team in AHL history to appear in the Calder Cup finals in four consecutive seasons.

In 1965-66 the Amerks played their final 10 regular season and all playoff home games at a neutral site because the 1966 American Bowling Congress tournament occupied the War Memorial. The home games were at Toronto's Maple Leaf Gardens, about convert|180|mi|km from Rochester, except for of one playoff game at Buffalo's Memorial Auditorium in the Calder Cup Finals. On May 8, 1966 before a crowd of 7,655 at the "Aud" the Amerks tied up the series at two games apiece with a 3-1 victory over the Cleveland Barons and went on to win the next two games and the Calder Cup.

Notable players from this era included Bronco Horvath, Gerry Cheevers, Bobby Perreault, Al Arbour, Darryl Sly, Norm "Red" Armstrong, Duane Rupp, Wally Boyer, Dick Gamble, Stan Smrke, Jim Pappin, Don Cherry, Gerry Ehman, and Mike Walton.

The expansion era

When the National Hockey League expanded from six to twelve teams for the 1967-68 NHL season the Amerks lost several players. Arbour (St. Louis), Ehman (Oakland), Boyer (Oakland), Horvath (Minnesota) and Rupp (Pittsburgh) were all drafted by the new NHL teams. Pappin and Walton were both promoted to the Maple Leafs. Smrke retired.

The Amerks struggled through the early part of the 1967-68 AHL season. Just before Christmas and with the team in last place Crozier made a deal with the expansion Minnesota North Stars. In exchange for forwards J.P. Parise and Milan Marcetta the Amerks received Ted Taylor, Len Lunde, George "Duke" Harris, Murray Hall, Don Johns and the rights to Horvath. The return of Horvath marked his fourth tour of duty with the Amerks since 1956-57. The Amerks improved and by mid-March had the best record in the league. The regular-season champion Amerks then defeated the Hershey Bears 4 games to 1 in the playoff semi-finals and the Quebec Aces 4 games to 2 in the Calder Cup finals. The Amerks won the final game 4-2 before a crowd of 11,711 at Le Colisee de Quebec.

In the summer of 1968 the team was sold to Vancouver who established the Amerks as the farm team of the expansion Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League. With the majority of the Rochester players transferred to Vancouver of the Western Hockey League the minor league Canucks won the 1968-69 and 1969-70 WPHL Patrick Cup Championships while the Amerks finished in last place each year.

After four straight losing years the Vancouver NHL team was prepared to either sell or fold the Rochester team. In the summer of 1972 a group of Rochester businessmen bought the Americans franchise from Vancouver and named Amerks defenseman Don Cherry as Coach/General Manager. Playing the next two seasons as an independent club the Amerks made the playoffs in 1972-73 and were the regular season AHL champions in 1973-74.

The Boston Bruins hired Cherry as their coach in 1974-75 and became the Amerks' parent team the same year.

The Americans are currently affiliated with the Florida Panthers. In November 2003, the Sabres and the New Jersey Devils played in the first-ever NHL regular-season game in Rochester.

In the 2003-04 season, the Americans were beaten 4 games to 1 by the Milwaukee Admirals in the Western Conference final.

In 2007, the Sabres announced that this would be their last season of affiliation with the Amerks. Reasons cited include the financial insecurity of the AHL team and the awkwardness of the dual affiliation with the Panthers. In June 2008 the affiliation officially ended, as Buffalo chose the Portland Pirates to be their AHL affiliate. [citenews|title=Sabres, Amerks to separate after this season|url=http://www.sabresinsider.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=146&Itemid=1|accessdate=2007-12-07|publisher=Sabres Insider]

On May 6 2008, the American Hockey League approved of the sale of the Amerks to Curt Styres. [citenews|title=Amerks' sale approved today|url=http://www.democratandchronicle.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080506/SPORTS02/80506041|accessdate=2008-05-06|publisher=Rochester Democrat And Chronicle]

Retired numbers

The Rochester Americans have retired only two sweater numbers in their history.
*Number 6 retired in honor of Norm "Red" Armstrong following his death from a fall in a construction accident in 1974 at age 35.
*Number 9 was later retired in honor of Dick Gamble and Jody Gage. Gage broke Gamble's team scoring records with the Amerks during his long tenure with the team. Gage currently serves as the Amerks' General Manager.

eason-by-season results

Regular season

Playoffs

^‡Lost in preliminary round, prior to reaching first round of playoffs.

Team records

ingle season

:Goals: 61 flagicon|CAN Paul Gardner (1985-86):Assists: 73 flagicon|CAN Geordie Robertson (1982-83):Points: 119 flagicon|CAN Geordie Robertson (1982-83):Penalty Minutes: 446 flagicon|CAN Rob Ray (1988-89):GAA: 2.07 flagicon|CAN Martin Biron (1998-99):SV%: .930 flagicon|CAN Martin Biron (1998-99)

Career

:Career Goals: 351 flagicon|CAN Jody Gage:Career Assists: 377 flagicon|CAN Jody Gage :Career Points: 728 flagicon|CAN Jody Gage:Career Penalty Minutes: 1424 flagicon|CAN Scott Metcalfe:Career Goaltending Wins: 108 flagicon|CAN Bob Perreault:Career Shutouts: 16 flagicon|CAN Bob Perreault:Career Games: 653 flagicon|CAN Jody Gage

References

External links

* [http://www.amerks.com Rochester Americans Official Website]
* [http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/teamseasons.php?tid=3 The Internet Hockey Database - Rochester Americans]