TERRY, BELLEMORE, and SMITH RECEIVE HIGHER EDUCATION IN AHL

Current Whalers extending their hockey season in American Hockey League

While Jared Boll is receiving some well-deserved time off, some present Whalers and alumni continue to play in the American Hockey League Calder Cup playoffs.

Current Whalers Chris Terry and Brett Bellemore have joined alumni Steve Ward and Justin Peters in Albany of the American Hockey League. The River Rats start their first round best-of-seven playoff series tonight against the Philadelphia Phantoms at Times-Union Center in Albany.

Terry played in one game late in the season for Albany and was scoreless and Bellemore played in four games with six penalty minutes. Ward (1-7-8, 15 PIM’s and +8 in 28 games) and Peters (2.70 goals against average .904 save percentage, 7-3-0 in 11 games) split time with Albany and the Florida Everblades of the East Coast Hockey League this year. All four players are listed on the Albany’s Calder Cup playoff roster.

It’s one thing when you’re a regular in the Ontario Hockey League, as Terry and Bellemore are. It’s quite another situation when you move up a couple of steps.

River Rats head coach Tom Rowe appreciates the jump made by Terry and Bellemore and gives a progress report on both players.

Hard core Whaler fans probably aren’t surprised at Rowe’s comments.

“Coming here is a good education for Chris,” Rowe said Wednesday. “There’s no question about his skill and his ability to think about the game. The area he needs to improve on is his conditioning and his quickness. Even smaller players at this level are in excellent condition. Chris needs to pay more attention to that.”

According to Rowe, Bellemore showed the same traits with the River Rats that he displays in Plymouth.

“To be honest, I thought he might be overwhelmed at this level,” Rowe said about Bellemore. “But he’s done a great job for us and he’s definitely in the mix to play for us in the playoffs. At this level, he needs to continue to learn how to do things quicker and deal with the pace of the game. But Belly’s a real competitive guy and is not afraid to stick his nose 

in there.”

For new Whaler fans, Terry will come back to play in Plymouth next season. There’s a chance that Bellemore could stick with Albany, but likely will come back to the Whalers next year as an overage.

According to Rowe, Ward has become an important part of Albany’s blue-line group.

“Mike Vellucci called us and recommended we sign Steve,” Rowe explained. “Honestly, he’s been one of the better free agent signings we’ve had. We had the luxury of letting Steve start the season in Florida and he was able to get acclimated. Once he got here, (assistant coach) Geordie Kinnear tweaked his game a little, but we really didn’t have to do very much. Steve is real poised with the puck and has an excellent shot. He’s definitely a top-four guy now.”

Peters played in the East Coast Hockey League All-Star game with Florida and posted a 2.57 GAA and .922 save percentage in 31 games. He starts the AHL playoff backing up Michael Leighton, who won the Baz Bastein Memorial Award as the AHL’s outstanding goaltender.

Meanwhile, Nashville-prospect Jeremy Smith is continuing his season. Smith practiced with the Predators at Joe Louis Arena, taking the place of Dan Ellis last Friday, who took the session off.

"It was great to be out there with the guys,'' Smith told the Tennessean. “Practicing in (Joe Louis Arena) was weird because it's somewhere you came and watched NHL hockey growing up. You're kind of shocked at first, but after that, the guys make you feel at home.''

Smith is now with the Milwaukee Admirals, Nashville’s AHL affiliate, as the team’s third goaltender. Smith joins former Whaler captain John Vigilante (2002-06), who has been with the Admirals for the past two seasons. Pekka Rinne played 65 games this year in goal for Milwaukee during the regular season and is expected to start tonight for the Admirals, backed up by Dov Grumet-Morris. Milwaukee plays Chicago in the best-of-seven first round playoff series, beginning at All State Arena.