[GDT] Flames vs Amerks - Friday Jan 23 @ 5:05pm & Saturday Jan 24 @ 5:00pm (MST)

[Drury18]

Adirondack Flames (22-15-3-1) vs Rochester Americans (Buffalo Sabres) (21-12-2-3)

Friday January 23rd @ 5:05pm (MST)
Saturday January 24th @ 5:00pm (MST)


#31 - Joni Ortio

Ortio, a goalie from Turku, Finland, was selected with the Flames 6th Round Pick (171st overall) in the 2009 Entry Draft. A long time member of the Finnish National Team, Ortio has represented Finland at the U18 World Junior Championship and the U20 World Junior Championships 4 times bringing home a bronze medal in 2009. Despite being drafted by the Swift Current Bronco's of the WHL, Ortio opted to stay in Finland in order to continue his education there and not make the jump to North America. As a result, Joni struggled to adapt to the North American game upon turning pro and spent the first 4 years of his professional career between TuTo, TPS, Abbotsford and Alaska before finally making the full time jump to the AHL in 2013-14. During that season, Ortio finally found success in the North American game and was solid in net for the Heat earning him a spot on the 2013-14 AHL All Rookie Team as well Team MVP for the Heat. His success continued in the 2014-15 season where he has spent most of the season in the AHL Top 5 for goaltender wins, minutes played, saves and shutouts. His play also earned him a nomination to the 2014 AHL All Star Game and a call up to the Flames where he went 4-1 with a 1.98 GAA, .931 GAA and 1 SO. Joni isn't the only hockey player in his family as his father Kai was a defencemen who played in the Liiga (winning the championship in 1988-89) and 1 &2 Divisioona before retiring and becoming a coach in the Finnish Leagues. Ortio has been quoted as saying he hasn't been involved in a goalie fight in his career but "I'd like to try it sometime if there is a chance".

Game Notes:

• This is the 8th and 9th of 12 meetings this season between the teams. They will meet again on the 31st to close out a 3 game series over 2 weeks.
• Adirondack leads the season series 4-3 outscoring the Amerks 21-20.
• The Flames have lost 3 straight; The Amerks have won 3 of their last 5.
• Flames players looking to snap pointless streaks: Gillies (12 games), Cundari (8 games) and Reinhart (5 games)

Roster Notes:

• ADD - Drew Shore (F), Joni Ortio (G), Markus Granlund (F) and Tyler Wotherspoon (D) - Assigned to the AHL Flames
• DEL - Taylor Vause (F) - Returned to Colorado
• The Flames now have 17 forwards (16 healthy), 9 defencemen (9 healthy) and 3 goalies on the roster
• Scratches for Tonight: Setoguchi (Injured), Arnold (Injured), TBA
• Starting Goalie: TDA

Standings:

• Adirondack sits in 11th (out of 30 teams) with 48 points and 2nd in the North Division 6 points behind Utica.
• Overall PP is 9th in the AHL at 17.5 % (30/171). Home PP is 10th at 18.1%; Road PP is 16th at 16.9%
• Overall PK is 10th in the AHL at 85.4 % (146/171). Home PK is 18th at 82.6%; Road PK is 6th at 88.2%
• Poirier (F) is 6th in Rookie Points with 12G, 13A and 25 PTS, 2nd for Rookie Goals (12) and 5th in Rookie Shooting Percentage (17.6%)
• Arnold (F) is 17th in Rookie Points with 9G, 12A and 21 PTS
• Culkin (D) is tied for 3rd in Rookie PP Assists (9) and tied for 3rd in overall Defencemen PP Assists
• Ortio (G) is 4th for Wins (17) and 5th for Saves (721) and

Point Streaks and Notables:

• Agostino - 1G, 2A in 5GP
• Arnold - 4G, 5A in 12GP - Injured
• Baertschi - 5G, 12A in 20GP
• Culkin - 9A in 16GP
• Granlund - 3G, 2A in 5GP
• Hanowski - 1G, 3A in 4GP
• Poirier - 7G, 6A in 14GP
• Potter - 3A in 5GP
• Wolf - 4G, 2A in 4 GP

Injuries:

• Devin Setoguchi (Sports Hernia Surgery) - Out for Season
• Bill Arnold (Separated Shoulder) - Out 1-2 Months

Preview from the Adirondack Flames : http://www.adirondackflames.com/news/?article_id=177

Preview from the Rochester Americans : http://www.amerks.com/preview.asp?gameID=20150123

Listen Live : http://radio.securenetsystems.net/v5/WCQL

Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AHLFlames

[Drury18]

As tonight's game is an away game, there will be limited to no info on who will be starting or scratched until warm-ups.

I don't know if Ortio is starting or if Grats/Shore/Granlund/Wotherspoon is playing. When I hear anything I will post it.

[flamesfan55]

Originally Posted by Drury18

As tonight's game is an away game, there will be limited to no info on who will be starting or scratched until warm-ups.

I don't know if Ortio is starting or if Grats/Shore/Granlund/Wotherspoon is playing. When I hear anything I will post it.

Conroy on the Fan said that Ortio will not be starting tonight.

[Drury18]

I figured that was the case.

I'd honestly be surprised if Ortio, Granlund or Wotherspoon were even physically in Rochester right now. Well maybe not Ortio so much as Granlund and Wotherspoon.

[Flame19,289]

Tonight's game is being televised throughout Upstate New York on Time-Warner Cable Sports Network.

[Drury18]

Doug Carr will be making his first appearance in net for the Flames tonight.

Amerks are starting Matt Hackett (0-2, 3.66 GAA, .875 SV%)

[Drury18]

Scratches: Ortio, Wotherspoon, Granlund have not arrived, Setoguchi (injured), Arnold (injured), Acolatse (healthy), Stevenson (healthy), Agostino (healthy) and Gillies (healthy)

McGrattan appears to make his AHL Flames debut tonight.

[Drury18]

Huska has been putting the guys through HARD practices during this week off. Says they are coming into the game hungry for competition.

[Drury18]

Starters:

Carr
Culkin-Potter
Baertschi-Shore-Poirier

[Drury18]

Shore is wearing #23 is his debut. McGrattan is wearing #22 for his debut.

Huska will speak about the addition of McGrattan in the 1st intermission.

[Drury18]

Amerks having a Men's Health Night so there are some ceremonial puck drops and a ceremony to honour Grigerenko for AHL Player of the Week.

Game is a bit delayed.

[Drury18]

Game On!

[Caged Great]

I am interested to see how Carr does tonight. He looked good in the preseason.

[Drury18]

Carr with a good glove save off Dalpe.

[Drury18]

Reinhart misses on an empty net side and a wrap around attempt that Hackett just got to.

[Caged Great]

You can tell Reino is snakebitten when he practically pulls a Backlund from last game

[Drury18]

Flames with a delayed penalty as Potter is going off for interference

[Drury18]

Rochester with about 40 seconds of 6 on 5 play with the goalie pulled for the delayed penalty before the Flames touch the puck.

[Drury18]

Carr making a number of saves on this PK.

I am not hating what I am seeing from him so far.

[Drury18]

Amerks Goal

0-1 Amerks

Armia with a backhand goal over the glove of Carr. He walked around the Flames defencemen.