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Barons Weekly Report

February 28, 2005 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Cleveland Barons News Release


Coming Up

3/1/05 vs. Edmonton – National City Rink located in Gund Arena - 7:00pm www.sportstalkcleveland.com

After losing the first three games of the eight-game season series, the Barons have stormed back winning the last four games against the Road Runners. While the Barons have gained all eight possible points during that time, two shootouts afforded the Road Runners two points over the four games. The Barons are chasing the Road Runners for the final playoff spot in the North Division. Cleveland currently sits just seven points behind Edmonton, who has not won in their last six games. Ryane Clowe has dominated the season series. His 11 points (5-6-11) lead the season series. Clowe has scored the game’s first goal in three of the seven games against Edmonton this season. Marcel Goc has performed well against Edmonton as well. His eight points (2-6-8) are second in the season series. After dropping his first game against Edmonton, goaltender Nolan Schaefer has won his last 3. With a 3-1-0 record against the Road Runners, his 2.64 goals against average and .908 save percentage against Edmonton are the best of any goaltender in the series. Edmonton enters the game with the third-best penalty kill in the league with an 88.3% kill rate. The Barons have found moderate success against the stingy unit marking 6 goals and a 13.3% power play percentage in the series.

3/4/05 vs. Hamilton – National City Rink located in Gund Arena - 7:00pm www.sportstalkcleveland.com

The Barons played six of their first 23 games against the Hamilton Bulldogs posting a 2-4-0-0 record. The two teams haven’t met since December 10th. Garrett Stafford has led the Barons against Hamilton this season with 5 points (2-3-5). Continuing with the blueline success, All-Star defenseman Christian Ehrhoff’s three goals pace all skaters in the series and his four points (3-1-4) are second on the Barons. Nolan Schaefer shutout the Bulldogs on November 13th with a 33-save performance. Hamilton center Tomas Plekanec leads the series with six points (2-4-6). The Barons have performed well on the power play against Hamilton with a 24.1% efficiency mark. The 24.1% power play rate is the Barons best against any team in the AHL this season.

EAST OF CHICAGO PIZZA COLLECTORS PUCK… The first 1,500 children 14-and-under in attendance will receive an East of Chicago Collector’s Puck. It is the second East of Chicago Collector’s Puck giveaway this season.

3/5/05 vs. Hamilton – National City Rink located in Gund Arena - 7:00pm www.sportstalkcleveland.com

The Barons will host the Bulldogs in back-to-back games. When the Barons play the same team in consecutive nights, they hold a 17-16-0-1 record. Currently, Hamilton sits in a fifth-place tie with the Syracuse Crunch, just four points away from the fourth and final playoff spot in the North Division. Tomas Plekanec leads the Bulldogs with 44 points, 22 goals, and 22 assists this season. The Barons have had a difficult time figuring out Yann Danis this season. He holds a 2-0-0 record with a 1.00 goals against average and a .958 save percentage. On the season, Danis has received the lion’s share of time appearing in 36 games and posting a 17-12-5-3 record.

GARRETT STAFFORD BOBBLEHEAD NIGHT… The first 3,000 fans in attendance will receive a Garrett Stafford Bobblehead. Gates open a 6pm and bobbleheads will be dispersed at that time.

POST-GAME SKATE PRESENTED BY MARC’S… The Post-Game Skate with the Barons presented by Marc’s will be the perfect opportunity to get your Garrett Stafford Bobblehead signed by #5. The entire team will take part in a post-game skate with the fans. Fans are encouraged and welcomed to bring their skates to the arena as skates will not be provided. The team will pose for pictures and sign autographs during the skate.

LEGENDS NIGHT… The Cleveland Barons will induct Johnny Bower, Bob Whidden, and Phil Simon into the Cleveland Hockey Legends Ring of Honor prior to Saturday’s game. Bower holds the AHL record with 359 regular season wins, 284 in Barons Blue. Bower became known for the goose-egg as his 45 shutouts are still an AHL record as well as his streak of 249:51 that stands as the league’s longest shutout streak. Bower won the Les Cunningham Award, given to the AHL’s Most Valuable Player, twice with the Barons and once with the Providence Reds. Simon, 71, is being inducted for his 55 years of service to Cleveland Hockey. He sank his teeth into Cleveland Hockey during the 1950-51 season with the original Barons. Simon became the visiting team’s stick boy and has since served several roles including goal judge and his current position as Assistant Equipment Manager. Simon has served a role at some capacity with the original, NHL, and current versions of the Barons, the Crusaders (WHL), and the Lumberjacks (IHL). Whidden, 58, was a goaltender for the Crusaders (WHL) for their four seasons in Cleveland. Whidden’s mark on Cleveland hockey is much deeper than his time on the ice. Remaining in the city, Whidden took the role of Head Coach for the St. Edward Eagles in 1984 where he has won nine state titles and taken the team to the Ohio Class AAA Hockey Finals 15 times. Whidden is also credited as being a main cog in bringing the Lumberjacks from Muskegon to Cleveland.

Flashback

2/9/05 Cleveland 4 – Edmonton 3… The Barons defeated the Road Runners in a complete team effort. Only Grant Stevenson totaled a multi-point game with two assists as four different Barons scored goals. Using late goals, the Barons scored goals during the last minute of play in both the first and second periods. Ryane Clowe started the scoring for the Barons to give them a 1-0 lead. Edmonton rallied to score two goals within 18 seconds of each other early in the second period. The Barons would then score three consecutive goals to seal the game. Jim Fahey was credited with the game-winner and Nick Bootland and Josh Gorges tallied the rest.

2/10/05 Cleveland 3 – Edmonton 2 Shootout… Nolan Schaefer was fantastic in stopping 34 shots, including two breakaway opportunities for the Road Runners, in gaining his 12th win of the season. The Yellow Grass, Saskatchewan native also stopped four of five shooters in the shootout to secure the win. Garrett Stafford delivered the Barons first shootout goal and Grant Stevenson’s conversion gave the Barons the victory. In regulation, Ryane Clowe scored another first goal, this time just 32 seconds into the game. Tomas Plihal scored his 11th goal of the season as well.

Doug Dieken/Cleveland Barons Charity Auction

The Doug Dieken Foundation and Cleveland Barons Charities will host “A Night With The Barons” on Wednesday, March 2nd at Windows on the River from 6-9pm. Proceeds from the event benefit the Doug Dieken Foundation. Attendees will take part in a live, silent, and Chinese auction. The Doug Dieken Foundation was started by Dieken in 1997 after witnessing the impact the Special Olympics program had on his brother, who is developmentally disabled. In response to a lack of city funding for the program, the Doug Dieken Foundation began co-sponsoring a variety of events. The Annual Doug Dieken/Cleveland Barons Charity Auction has become the cornerstone of a foundation that serves as the primary support for the Cleveland Public Schools Special Olympics Program. The entire Barons roster and front office will be on hand to enjoy the evening. Barons captain and defenseman, Matt Carkner, is on the Board of Directors, along with his wife Kary, for the event. Each table will have at least one member of the Cleveland Barons sitting with them. For details, call the Barons front office at 216-420-2518.

Cleveland Barons Hockey Insider Show The Cleveland Barons Hockey Insider Show will air every Monday night from 8-9pm on SportsTalk 850-AM WKNR. The weekly show will be hosted by The Voice of the Barons Jamie Smock and Jason Gibbs, Promotions Director for WKNR. The show can also be heard on www.sportstalkcleveland.com.

Clip Carkner’s Curls For Cancer

The Barons are launched the Clip Carkner’s Curls For Cancer campaign on Saturday. Fans can purchase raffle tickets in the concourse for a chance to win 4 glass seats to the game on March 26th and a chance to shave Matt Carkner’s head following that game on center ice. All the proceeds raised will be donated to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. The Barons will draw the winner during the third period of the March 19th game.

Goal Oriented

The Barons have scored 22 goals in the last seven games. That is good for a per-game average of 3.14 goals. During that span, the Barons are 4-2-0-1. Cleveland has a 22.9% power play percentage (8-35) during that span, including three games with multi power play goal performances.

Bring On The Road Kill

The Barons have been steady on the penalty kill in the last 13 home games. The Barons have held their road opponents to seven power play goals in the last 60 power play opportunities. That is good for an 88.3% penalty kill rate on home ice over the last 13 home games. They haven’t allowed a power play goal in their last nine short-handed situations.

One Goal Getters

The Barons have gained at least one point in 78.6% of their home games that are decided by one goal. They are 8-3-1-2 in one-goal games on home ice this season.

First Look

The Barons have been successful when scoring the game’s first goal this season. They have won the last six games in which they scored the first goal. The Barons have also gained at least one point in the last 11 games when they score first (10-0-0-1). They have accomplished the feat 28 times posting a 19-6-1-2 record. In the 30 games they have not scored the game’s first goal, they are 6-22-0-2.

Barons Player of the Week

The Cleveland Barons nominee for CCM AHL Player of the Week, for the second consecutive week, is center Grant Stevenson. Stevenson recorded three assists in the Barons two victories over the Edmonton Road Runners on the week. Stevenson also converted on the deciding shootout goal, giving the Barons a 2-1 edge in the Sunday shootout. His three points led the Barons on the week and he accomplished it in a homecoming. Stevenson is a Spruce Grove native, which is near Edmonton.

Generous Grant

Grant Stevenson has posted seven points in the last five games (1-6-7). Those five games include three multi-point games. Stevenson is again making a late point push. Over the last 16 games, he owns 12 (3-9-12) of his season’s 25 points. Stevenson produced 16 of his 39 points during the 2003-04 season over the last 14 games of the season.

The Clowe-ser

Ryane Clowe has scored a goal in each of the last four games. It is tied for the longest current streak in the AHL with Albany’s Ahren Nittel. He has scored the Barons first goal in the last four games and has scored the game’s first goal in the last two. Scoring the game’s first goal six times this season, Clowe is tied for the sixth-most first goals in the league. In the last 13 games, he has contributed on 48.6% of the Barons 35 regulation goals (17/35) and has posted a +7 plus/minus rating. In those 13 games, Clowe owns 9 goals and 8 assists (9-8-17). Clowe leads the Barons with 12 multi-point games on the season. His 48 points, 30 assists, and +13 plus/minus rating all lead the Barons. Clowe has been productive on the power play as he leads the team with 10 goals and leads the team with 17 points.

Ryane’s Song

Ryane Clowe is one of only four players in the AHL to have 13 points in their last 10 games. With 7 goals and 6 assists, Clowe joins Albany’s Zach Parise (2-11-13), Binghamton’s Brandon Bochenski (7-6-13), and Providence’s Keith Aucoin (4-9-13) as the leading 10-game point producers.

United Marcel Service

The United Marcel Service has been delivering lately. Marcel Goc has delivered 14 assists to teammates in the last 17 games. Overall, he has 18 points (4-14-18) during that span. On the season, Goc is second on the Barons with 36 points (12-24-36). His 24 assists on the season are second on the team and his 12 goals are third. He is tied for fifth in the league with three short-handed goals, which are all unassisted. The Barons have gained at least one point in the last seven games (6-0-0-1) that Goc has recorded at least one point.

Air Ehrhoff

Christian Ehrhoff, the Barons All-Star representative, is tied for 17th among all AHL defensemen with 27 points (9-18-27). Among defensive scorers, he is tied for seventh in goals (9), tied for fourth in power play goals (6), and tied for fourth in game-winning goals (3). Ehrhoff’s 187 shots lead all defensemen and are ninth among all skaters. Ehrhoff leads all Barons defensemen in points, goals and assists. His 15 points on the power play (6-9-15) are second on the team.

Making Teams Risserable

Patrick Rissmiller has recorded an assist in the last three games (0-3-3). Since returning to the lineup seven games ago, Rissmiller has totaled two goals and three assists as the Barons have gone 4-2-0-1. His 15 goals are second on the team, his six power play goals are tied for second on the team, and his 29 points are third. Rissmiller ranks second in goals (43), assists (71) and points (114) in Barons franchise history. With 194 games played, Rissmiller is close to passing Miroslav Zalesak (196) on the Barons all-time list for second place in games played.

Gorgeous Gorges

Josh Gorges was nominated as the Rookie of the Month for February. Gorges lead all Barons defensemen with a +5 plus/minus rating in 11 games during the month. His 2 goals and 2 assists for 4 points all marked highs in a month for Gorges. Gorges has recorded at least one point in four out of the last six games (2-2-4).

Plihal Power

Tomas Plihal has recorded a goal in two of the last three games. Plihal has exceeded his rookie totals (4-12-16) from last season in both goals (11) and points (18).

No Joshing

On the season, Josh Prudden leads Barons rookies in goals with 11, which ranks tied for fourth overall on the team. Prudden’s four game-winning goals lead the team and his three unassisted goals are tied for the team lead. He is tied for 12th overall in goals among rookie scorers. Prudden’s 16 points are tied for second on the Barons in rookie scoring.

Practice Makes Perfect

Below is the Barons schedule for the week. Practice times are subject to change. All practices at Barons Arena are open to the public. For information, contact the Barons at 216-420-0000…

Date Event Location Time

3-1 Pre-Game Skate Barons Arena 10:00am

3-1 vs. Edmonton National City Rink located in Gund Arena 7:00pm

3-2 Practice Barons Arena 10:30am

3-3 Practice National City Rink located in Gund Arena 10:30am

3-4 Pre-Game Skate National City Rink located in Gund Arena 10:00am

3-4 vs. Hamilton National City Rink located in Gund Arena 7:00pm

3-5 Pre-Game Skate National City Rink located in Gund Arena 10:00am

3-5 vs. Hamilton National City Rink located in Gund Arena 7:00pm

Barons Broadcasts

All games this week will be aired live on SportsTalk AM-850 WKNR.

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