RATS HOPE TO PROVE THEY'RE STILL CLASS OF AHL.(SPORTS)

Byline: PETE DOUGHERTY Staff writer

If the American Hockey League played a split season, this would be a day of renewed hope. Unfortunately for many of the league's 18 teams, games played before this week's all-star break still count.

That makes the second half a chase. The Albany River Rats, who return tonight to face the Adirondack Red Wings in the Glens Falls Civic Center, built quite a cushion for themselves over their first 38 games.

The Rats, despite losing their last two games, have a 27-8-3 record, 5 games better than Springfield (24-15-5), whose 10-game improvement from last season has been lost in Albany's glare.

``Rightfully …