Rochester Re-Signs Evan Rankin; Signs Rick Schofield

[4thLineGoon]

(Rochester, NY)... The Rochester Americans announced today that the team has signed forwards Evan Rankin and Rick Schofield to American Hockey League contracts.

Rankin, 26, appeared in 35 games with the Amerks last season, recording 29 points on 15 goals and 14 assists, as well as 12 penalty minutes and a +9 rating, after joining the Amerks on Nov. 25, 2011. Rankin also collected one assist while playing in two Calder Cup Playoff games with Rochester. Prior to joining the Amerks last season, Rankin had registered 18 points (10+8) in 15 games for Toledo of the ECHL. The 6-foot-1, 195-pound Rankin, a native of Portage, Michigan, has appeared in 49 career AHL games with Rochester, Grand Rapids Griffins and Manitoba. In 143 career ECHL games with Toledo, Rankin collected 130 points on 65 goals and 65 assists. He also played one season with Rio Grande Valley of the Central Hockey League (2008-09) and four seasons of collegiate hockey at Notre Dame from 2004 to 2008.

Schofield, 25, appeared in 73 AHL games with the Syracuse Crunch last season, recording 17 points on eight goals and nine assists, along with 28 penalty minutes and a +9 rating. He also appeared in four Calder Cup Playoff games with the Crunch. In 2010-11, the 6-foot-2, 197-pound Schofield registered seven points (3+4) in 11 games with Syracuse after completing a four-year collegiate career at Lake Superior State University. A native of Scarborough, Ontario, Schofield notched 144 points (51+53) in 104 career games at Lake Superior State.