The hurricane warning flags that act as the trim for the new Albany River Rats’ uniforms could also serve as a warning to other American Hockey League teams that these rodents aren’t going to be pushed around anymore.
Within the first 10 minutes of last Saturday’s home opener against Hamilton, Albany scored a power play goal and got into two fights, including a multi-player scrum near the Rats’ bench that sent two Rats and one Bulldog to the locker room with game misconducts.
Fortunately for the River Rats, they held on for a 3-2 victory over Hamilton in front of 7,396 fans at Pepsi Arena the second-largest for a home opener in team history.
I think it was huge because we’ve all been talking about how we want to change the culture of this franchise and get them back to their winning ways,` said Rats forward Matt Murley. `We can say all we want, but we had to go out and show them in that first game that we’re a new team, we’re a new organization and we’re going to get a lot of wins for them.`
Murley knows better about the culture surrounding the River Rats than any other player on this year’s roster. He grew up in Troy and played his college hockey at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute as the Rats began their slide from AHL power to cellar dweller. He also helped to administer several Albany losses as a member of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins the last four years.
`I’m excited to be back,` Murley said of his debut as a River Rat. `I was away a lot when I was younger. I came back for four years and I went away again for four years. It’s great to be back. All my family and friends got to come to the game tonight, they know they had a good time and they’re going to enjoy having me around.`
Another new Rat, Keith Aucoin, had been used to hearing the jeers of Albany fans when he’d score a goal. Saturday night, he was cheered as he scored twice, including the eventual game-winner on a third period power play.
`I don’t know what it is. I’ve always liked playing at this rink, and it’s good for our team if it keeps going like this,` said Aucoin.
It was obvious from the moment that the Rats took the ice that Albany hockey fans were in for a different experience than what they endured during the final six years of the team’s 13-year affiliation with the New Jersey Devils. The new players ` a mixture of prospects from the National Hockey League’s Colorado Avalanche and Carolina Hurricanes ` skated aggressively and pursued the puck wherever it was on the ice.
That aggressive play led to an early power play chance, and the Rats took advantage. Pat Dwyer sent a pass to Scott Kelman, who jammed it into the goal for a 1-0 lead less than six minutes in.
The Rats also showed perseverance. After losing Johnny Boychuk and Cody McLeod to game misconducts for their participation in a six-man fight at 7:35 of the first period and Tim Conboy to an injury following a fight, Albany’s 15 remaining skaters fought off fatigue late in the game to hold on to the lead.
`We wanted to put on a good show, and we came out in the first period and played unbelievable,` said Aucoin. `We battled, we stuck up for each other and when you do that, you play well as a team, it goes a long way.`
The win gave Albany a 2-1 start to its season and some optimism for River Rats fans looking for a break after six consecutive losing seasons.
`It was an ugly win, but it’s a win that we can take,` said Albany head coach Tom Rowe.“