Rochester Americans
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| Rochester Americans | |
 |
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| Conference | Western Conference (AHL) |
| Division | North Division |
| Founded | 1956 |
| Arena | Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial |
| City | Rochester, New York |
| Team Colors | Red, White, and Blue |
| Logo Design | A red, white, and blue shield |
| Franchise History | Pittsburgh Shamrocks (1935-36) in the Original IHL Pittsburgh Hornets (1936-1956) Rochester Americans (1956 - present) |
| Local Media Affiliates | Democrat and Chronicle Time Warner Sports 26 |
| Owner |  Steve Donner |
| General Manager |  Jody Gage |
| Head Coach | Randy Cunneyworth |
| Team Affiliations | Buffalo Sabres (NHL) Florida Panthers (NHL), Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs (CHL) |
| Regular Season Titles | 6 (1964-65, 1967-68, 1973-74, 1982-83, 1990-91, 2004-05) |
| Division Championships | 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) |
| Conference Championships | 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. They play in Rochester, New York at the Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial.
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[edit] History
The Rochester Americans are one of the most storied franchises in the history of the American Hockey League, winner of six Calder Cups. Known commonly as the "Amerks", they are located in Rochester, New York. Since the team's inception in 1956, they have played at the Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial, formerly known as Rochester War Memorial Arena, which was renovated in the mid-1990s. When they entered the AHL in 1956-57 the Americans were affiliated with both the Montreal Canadiens and the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League. After Montreal left following the 1960-61 season the Americans were the exclusive affiliate of the Maple Leafs from 1961-1968. Under Coach/General Manager Joe Crozier the Maple Leaf-supplied Amerks won the Calder Cup in 1965, 1966 and 1968 and were finalists in 1967. To this day they are the only team in American Hockey League history to appear in the finals four consecutive seasons. Notable players from this era are Gerry "Cheesy" Cheevers, Bobby Perreault, Don "Grapes" Cherry, Al "Radar" Arbour, Darryl "Slip" Sly, Larry Hillman, Norm "Red" Armstrong, Duane Rupp, Wally Boyer, Dick "Grumps" Gamble, Stan Smrke, Eddie Litzenberger, Jimmy Pappin, Mike "Shaky" Walton and Gerry "Tex" Ehman. In the summer of 1968 the team was sold to Vancouver interests who hoped to establish the Amerks as their farm team for the expansion Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League. The Vancouver-Rochester arrangement never worked out and after four last-place finishes and dwindling attendance Vancouver was ready to either sell or fold the Amerks. In the summer of 1972 a group of Rochester businessmen bought the franchise and appointed Don Cherry as Coach/General Manager. Playing for two seasons as an independent team the Amerks made the playoffs in 1972-73 and were the regular season AHL champions in 1973-74. The Boston Bruins were so impressed with the job Cherry had done in resurrecting the Amerks they hired him as their coach in 1974-75 and became the Amerks' parent team the same year. They are currently affiliated with the nearby Buffalo Sabres, and the distantly south Florida Panthers. The team colors are, naturally, red, white and blue. The logo is a patriotic badge with "Americans" written in script. The Americans won the Calder Cup in 1965, 1966, 1968, 1983, 1987, and 1996. They have appeared in the Finals and lost in 1957, 1960, 1967, 1977, 1984, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1999, and 2000. Their close-knit relationship with the Sabres brought attention to Rochester in November of 2003, when the Sabres and the New Jersey Devils played in first-ever NHL regular-season game in Rochester. In the 2003-04 season, the Americans came close to the Calder Cup, but were beaten 4-1 by the Milwaukee Admirals in the Western Conference final.
[edit] Year-by-year record
| Year | GP | W | L | T | OL | SOL | GF | GA | PTS | Finish | Playoffs |
| 2005-06 | 80 | 37 | 39 | -- | 2 | 2 | 261 | 270 | 78 | 5th, North | Out of Playoffs |
| 2004-05 | 80 | 51 | 19 | -- | 6 | 4 | 243 | 208 | 112 | 1st, North | Lost in Division Finals |
| 2003-04 | 80 | 37 | 28 | 10 | 5 | -- | 207 | 188 | 89 | 3rd, North | Lost in Conference Finals |
| 2002-03 | 80 | 31 | 30 | 14 | 5 | -- | 219 | 221 | 81 | 2nd, Central | Lost in Qualifying Round |
| 2001-02 | 80 | 32 | 30 | 15 | 3 | -- | 206 | 211 | 82 | 2nd, Central | Lost in Qualifying Round |
| 2000-01 | 80 | 46 | 22 | 9 | 3 | -- | 224 | 192 | 104 | 1st, Mid-Atlantic | Lost in Conference Quarterfinals |
| 1999-00 | 80 | 46 | 22 | 9 | 3 | -- | 247 | 201 | 104 | 1st, Empire | Lost in Calder Cup Finals |
| 1998-99 | 80 | 52 | 21 | 6 | 1 | -- | 287 | 176 | 111 | 1st, Empire | Lost in Calder Cup Finals |
| 1997-98 | 80 | 30 | 38 | 12 | 0 | -- | 238 | 260 | 72 | Last, Empire | Lost in round 1 |
| 1996-97 | 80 | 40 | 30 | 9 | 1 | -- | 298 | 257 | 90 | 1st, Empire State | Lost in round 2 |
| 1995-96 | 80 | 37 | 34 | 5 | 4 | -- | 294 | 297 | 83 | 3rd, Central | Won Calder Cup |
| 1994-95 | 80 | 35 | 38 | 7 | -- | -- | 333 | 304 | 77 | 4th, Southern | Lost in round 1 |
| 1993-94 | 80 | 31 | 34 | 15 | -- | -- | 277 | 300 | 77 | 4th, Southern | Lost in round 1 |
| 1992-93 | 80 | 40 | 33 | 7 | -- | -- | 348 | 332 | 87 | 2nd, Southern | Lost in Finals |
| 1991-92 | 80 | 37 | 31 | 12 | -- | -- | 292 | 248 | 86 | 2nd, Southern | Lost in round 3 |
| 1990-91 | 80 | 45 | 26 | 9 | -- | -- | 326 | 253 | 99 | 1st, Southern | Lost in Finals |
| 1989-90 | 80 | 43 | 28 | 9 | -- | -- | 337 | 286 | 95 | 1st, Southern | Lost in Finals |
| 1988-89 | 80 | 38 | 37 | 5 | -- | -- | 305 | 302 | 81 | 5th, Southern | Out of Playoffs |
| 1987-88 | 80 | 46 | 26 | 7 | 1 | -- | 328 | 272 | 100 | 2nd, Southern | Lost in round 1 |
| 1986-87 | 80 | 47 | 26 | 0 | 7 | -- | 315 | 263 | 101 | 1st, Southern | Won Calder Cup |
| 1985-86 | 80 | 34 | 39 | 7 | -- | -- | 320 | 337 | 75 | 6th, Southern | Out of Playoffs |
| 1984-85 | 80 | 40 | 27 | 13 | -- | -- | 333 | 301 | 93 | 3rd, Southern | Lost in round 1 |
| 1983-84 | 80 | 46 | 32 | 2 | -- | -- | 363 | 300 | 94 | 2nd, Southern | Lost in Finals |
| 1982-83 | 80 | 46 | 25 | 9 | -- | -- | 389 | 325 | 101 | 1st, Southern | Won Calder Cup |
| 1981-82 | 80 | 40 | 31 | 9 | -- | -- | 325 | 286 | 89 | 2nd, Southern | Lost in round 2 |
| 1980-81 | 80 | 30 | 42 | 8 | -- | -- | 295 | 316 | 68 | Last, Southern | Out of Playoffs |
| 1979-80 | 80 | 28 | 42 | 12 | -- | -- | 260 | 327 | 66 | 4th, Southern | Lost in round 1 |
| 1978-79 | 80 | 26 | 42 | 12 | -- | -- | 289 | 349 | 64 | 4th, Southern | Out of Playoffs |
| 1977-78 | 81 | 43 | 31 | 7 | -- | -- | 332 | 296 | 93 | 1st, Southern | Lost in round 2 |
| 1976-77 | 80 | 42 | 33 | 5 | -- | -- | 320 | 273 | 89 | 3rd | Lost in Finals |
| 1975-76 | 76 | 42 | 25 | 9 | -- | -- | 304 | 243 | 93 | 2nd, Northern | Lost in round 2 |
| 1974-75 | 76 | 42 | 25 | 9 | -- | -- | 317 | 243 | 93 | 2nd, Northern | Lost in round 2 |
| 1973-74 | 76 | 42 | 21 | 13 | -- | -- | 296 | 248 | 97 | 1st, Northern | Lost in round 1 |
| 1972-73 | 76 | 33 | 31 | 12 | -- | -- | 239 | 276 | 78 | 3rd, Eastern | Lost in round 1 |
| 1971-72 | 76 | 28 | 38 | 10 | -- | -- | 242 | 311 | 66 | Last, Eastern | Out of Playoffs |
| 1970-71 | 72 | 25 | 36 | 11 | -- | -- | 222 | 248 | 61 | Last, Western | Out of Playoffs |
| 1969-70 | 72 | 18 | 38 | 16 | -- | -- | 253 | 315 | 52 | Last, Western | Out of Playoffs |
| 1968-69 | 74 | 25 | 38 | 11 | -- | -- | 237 | 295 | 61 | Last, Western | Out of Playoffs |
| 1967-68 | 72 | 38 | 25 | 9 | -- | -- | 273 | 233 | 85 | 1st, Western | Won Calder Cup |
| 1966-67 | 72 | 38 | 25 | 9 | -- | -- | 300 | 223 | 85 | 2nd, Western | Lost in Finals |
| 1965-66 | 72 | 46 | 21 | 5 | -- | -- | 288 | 221 | 97 | 1st, Western | Won Calder Cup |
| 1964-65 | 72 | 48 | 21 | 3 | -- | -- | 310 | 199 | 99 | 1st, Western | Won Calder Cup |
| 1963-64 | 72 | 40 | 30 | 2 | -- | -- | 256 | 223 | 82 | 2nd, Western | Lost in round 1 |
| 1962-63 | 72 | 24 | 39 | 9 | -- | -- | 241 | 270 | 57 | 3rd, Western | Lost in round 1 |
| 1961-62 | 70 | 33 | 31 | 6 | -- | -- | 234 | 240 | 72 | 3rd, Western | Lost in round 1 |
| 1960-61 | 72 | 32 | 36 | 4 | -- | -- | 261 | 244 | 68 | 5th | Out of Playoffs |
| 1959-60 | 72 | 40 | 27 | 5 | -- | -- | 285 | 211 | 85 | 2nd | Lost in Finals |
| 1958-59 | 70 | 34 | 31 | 5 | -- | -- | 242 | 209 | 73 | 3rd | Lost in round 1 |
| 1957-58 | 70 | 29 | 35 | 6 | -- | -- | 205 | 242 | 64 | 5th | Out of Playoffs |
| 1956-57 | 64 | 34 | 25 | 5 | -- | -- | 224 | 199 | 73 | 3rd | Lost in Finals |
[edit] Team records
[edit] Single Season
- Goals: 61 Paul Gardner (1985-86)
- Assists: 73 Geordie Robertson (1982-83)
- Points: 119 Geordie Robertson (1982-83)
- Penalty Minutes: 446 Rob Ray (1988-89)
- GAA: 2.07 Martin Biron (1998-99)
- SV%: .930 Martin Biron (1998-99)
[edit] Career
- Career Goals: 351 Jody Gage
- Career Assists: 377 Jody Gage
- Career Points: 728 Jody Gage
- Career Penalty Minutes: 1424 Scott Metcalfe
- Career Goaltending Wins: 108 Bob Perreault
- Career Shutouts: 16 Bob Perreault
- Career Games: 653 Jody Gage
