GLENS FALLS, NY – The Adirondack Phantoms, proud AHL affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers, announced details for the 2011 Adirondack Hockey Hall of Fame Celebration on March 12 at the Glens Falls Civic Center, including the induction of the 2011 Class of the Adirondack Hockey Hall of Fame, presented by Glens Falls National Bank.
Hall Of Fame Weekend begins on Friday, March 11th as the Phantoms host Time Warner Cable Cup rival Albany Devils at the Glens Falls Civic Center at 7:30. Fans can enjoy $2 pizza slices courtesy of East End Eatery.
Saturday, March 12th features the Adirondack Hockey Hall of Fame Celebration. The Adirondack Hockey Hall of Fame Reception will take place in Heritage Hall at 4:30, where the 2011 Class will be officially inducted into the Adirondack Hall of Fame. That night, the Phantoms host the Hershey Bears in the Hall of Fame game at 7:00 and the 2011 Adirondack Hockey Hall of Fame Inductees will be honored throughout the game.
The Phantoms will also be wearing special jerseys for the Hall of Fame game, commemorating the 75th Anniversary of the American Hockey League.
The 2011 Adirondack Hockey Hall of Fame Inductees presented by Glens Falls National Bank:
JODY GAGE
Born in Toronto, Ontario, right wing Jody Gage made an immediate impact from the very beginning of the Adirondack Red Wings in 1979. In his pro debut on October 11, 1979 he scored four goals in leading the Red Wings to an 8-3 victory over the Hershey Bears. Those were the first of his 504 career AHL goals.
Gage played in six seasons with Adirondack from 1979 to 1985 and rates third all-time in franchise history with 385 total games played. He was integral in the team's first Calder Cup Championship in 1981 tying for the team lead in goals that post-season with nine as the Wings knocked off division champs Hershey and Maine back-to-back for the title.
Gage is second all-time in Red Wings history with 153 total goals. His 320 career points are third all-time. In 1983-84 he scored 40 goals and 72 points marking the first of his seven seasons in which he reached the 40 goal mark.
He would win another Calder Cup title with Rochester in 1987 and appeared with the Americans in the Calder Cup Finals again in 1990, 1991 and 1993. Gage was just the third AHL'er ever to reach the 1,000 point mark and just the fifth ever to reach 500 career goals. He was only the second ever to score 60 goals in a season in 1987-88 with Rochester.
In the front office with the Americans as a General Manager and Assistant GM he guided the team to three more Calder Cup appearances including one more title in 1996.
He was a member of the inaugural induction class of the American Hockey League Hall of Fame in 2006.
BARRY MELROSE
Kelvington, Saskatchewan native Barry Melrose is now famous as an ESPN analyst. But on the ice he concluded his playing career and began his professional coaching career with the Adirondack Red Wings.
From 1983 to 1987 he played 200 games with Adirondack racking up 737 penalty minutes. He also played in 300 NHL games from with the Winnipeg Jets, Toronto Maple Leafs and Detroit Red Wings.
In his first season as a Head Coach in Canadian Major Juniors he led the Medicine Hat Tigers to the 1988 Memorial Cup Championship. Melrose became Head Coach of the Adirondack Red Wings and won a Calder Cup Championship in 1992 capped by a thrilling seven game series over the St. John's Maple Leafs. He also served as General Manager of the Red Wings in his last two seasons as Head Coach.
Following his success with Adirondack he became Head Coach with the Los Angeles Kings from 1992 to 1995 and helped lead the team to their first ever appearance in the Stanley Cup Finals in his first season.
In January 2004 he and fellow ESPN commentator Steve Levy became part-owners of the Adirondack Frostbite of the UHL, keeping the tradition of professional hockey alive in the North Country. He continues to reside in Glens Falls.
HUGO BELANGER
Born in St. Hubert, Quebec, right wing Hugo Belanger is considered the greatest player of the IceHawks and Frostbite.
He has played in more games and scored more goals than anyone in Adirondack professional hockey history. His 456 games from 2000 to 2006 included a six season streak of 70 or more games every year he was in Glens Falls.
He scored at least 30 goals in each of his years in Glens Falls and broke the 40 goal mark twice finishing with a total of 221 goals in his UHL career.
His career best 143 points in 2002-03 including 101 assists, also leading the league, pushed the IceHawks to a 44-28-4 record. Belanger led the UHL in points in three different seasons in 2000-01, 2002-03 and 2004-05. He finished second in points in 2001-02 and was fourth in his two other seasons. He won the league MVP in three consecutive seasons from 2001-03.
His 464 career assists are 4th all-time in UHL history and his 221 goals rate 14th. In his entire professional career beginning in 1993 with the Indianapolis Ice of the IHL Belanger played in 1011 games scoring an incredible 518 goals and 947 assists for a huge total of 1465 points. That massive total is the most for any professional minor-league hockey player since 1980 and places him fifth all-time.
Ticket information for the Adirondack Hockey Hall of Fame reception will be available next week.
