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HOCKEY: Dave Liffiton (born 1984)
LIFFITON PLAYS FIRST NHL GAME - April 11, 2006 Dave Liffiton played his first National Hockey League (NHL) game on 04/11/2006, with the New York Rangers. The Rangers called up Dave from their affiliate team, the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League, as Ranger defenseman Marek Malik was out with a shoulder injury. Appearing on home ice before 18,200 spectators at New York's Madison Square Garden, he played against the New York Islanders, who won the match 3 - 2. Dave had one hit and one blocked shot to his credit and spent two minutes in the penalty box for tripping. In a Newark Star-Ledger report of the game, Dave described when he heard the good news. "I got the news about 11 -- I think it was 47 on the clock -- this morning, after practice," Liffiton said. "Shoenie (Hartford coach Jim Shoenfeld) pulled me aside as I was coming off the ice and said I was going up, so it's a pretty good feeling." He was called up with teammate Chris Holt of the Wolf Pack, who was to back up goalie Kevin Weekes. Dave's teammates for the evening on the Rangers included Jaromir Jagr, Martin Straka, and Michael Nylander. The Rangers currently lead their conference. For the 2005 - 2006 season with the Hartford Wolf Pack, Dave Liffiton has played 55 games, with two goals, nine assists, and 158 penalty minutes. The Wolf Pack are second in their American Hockey Leagure conference and will be playing for the championship Calder Cup. Dave has been on the injured list twice during the season, once with a concussion and the second time with an ankle problem.
BACKGROUD The Colorado Avalanche of the National Hockey League drafted David Liffiton in the second round of the 2003 draft (63rd overall). He earned the attention of the NHL playing defense for the Plymouth Whalers and signed a rookie contract in the summer of 2004. That same year the New York Rangers acquired him in a three-player trade, and for the 2004 - 2005 season he played with the Rangers' affiliates, the Hartford Wolf Pack and the Charlotte Checkers. Hartford is in the American Hockey League and Charlotte Checkers is part of the East Coast Hockey League. He did very well during the season, but separated his shoulder and was on the disabled list for two months. When Hockey's Future interviewed him in the Spring of 2005, at the age of twenty he was the youngest player in the American Hockey League. The 2005 - 2006 season finds him with the Hartford Wolf Pack. David was born in 1984, at Windsor, Ontario. He is 6'3" and 210 pounds, is a very physical player, and does not shy away from fights.
Statistics
Statistics as of 04/12/2006.OHL - Ontario Hockey League AHL - American Hockey League ECHL - East Coast Hockey League NHL - National Hockey League
SourcesGunning, Holly, "Q&A with David Liffiton," Hockey's Future (www.hockeysfuture.com), 04/-3/2005. Stephenson, Colin, "Rangers Notebook: Jagr Honored by Former Greats." The Star Leger (www.nj.com), 04/12/2006. "Rangers Reassign Liffiton to Wolf Pack" New York Rangers Press Release of 04/12/2006 (www.newyorkrangers.com). (Updated 04/12/2006) Copyright © 1992 - 2006 Thomas Liffiton |
