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March 6, 2007 - ECHL (ECHL) - Pensacola Ice Pilots News Release


PENSACOLA, FL - The Pensacola Ice Pilots finished the past week with a record of 1-1-0-1 and currently have a record of 18-37-1-2 for 39 points. The Ice Pilots beat the South Carolina Stingrays 7-2 at The Hangar on Sunday, but dropped a 5-4 decision to the Stingrays the previous night and a 5-4 shootout loss in Columbia last Tuesday.

DODGE ICE PILOTS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: It was close race for the Dodge Ice Pilots Player of the Week based on the performances of forwards Rob Rankin and John Hecimovic. But Rankin's first professional hat trick and six points for the week gave him the nod as Player-of-the Week. Rankin notched his hat trick in a 7-2 romp over the Stingrays on Sunday. Hecimovic finished a close second after picking up one goal and six assists for seven points. He had five assists alone in that victory over the Stingrays.

SPECIALTY TEAMS SUCCESS: The Pensacola Ice Pilots specialty teams have been very successful over the past seven games. The Ice Pilots have notched at least one power play goal in their last six games and in total, 10 power play goals in 39 opportunities. The power play has climbed to 14th in the ECHL. The Blue and Gold have surrendered just six power play goals in 39 times shorthanded and have climbed up to 23rd overall in penalty killing.

ICE CHIPS: Rookie Rich Meloche has one goal and four assists in his last three games. Since joining the Ice Pilots in a trade, forward Erik Johnson has six goals and one assist in 10 games. Ice Pilots have scored at least six goals, (seven goals three different times), in four of their last five home games. The Ice Pilots are 3-2 in their last five home games at The Hangar and are just four games below .500. The Ice Pilots have won 15 games when they have been out shot by opponents this season. The Ice Pilots have scored 199 goals which rank among the top four in the South Division and top five in the American Conference.

UPCOMING GAMES:

FRIDAY, MAR. 9 AND SATURDAY, MAR. 10 @ FLORIDA EVERBLADES, 7:30 PM EASTERN, 6:30 PM CENTRAL TIME.

It's the fifth and sixth visits to the Germain Arena for the Pensacola Ice Pilots this season to face their state rivals the Florida Everblades. In the previous four games the Ice Pilots have posted a mark of 1-3 and have been competitive in all of them.

Saturday's game will be taped and then replayed on Friday, Mar. 16. for the NHL Network in Canada as part of the ECHL Game of the Week package. The NHL Network is a 24-hour hockey channel available on Satellite in Canada.

BROADCAST SCHEDULE: Both games can be heard live on the official flagship station of the Ice Pilots, Classic Country AM1620 beginning with the pre-game show (Ice Pilots Countdown to Face-off) at 6:15 pm both nights. Denis J. Puska has the exciting play-by-play action at 6:30 pm. The broadcast is also aired live on www.icepilots.com by clicking on the Sportsjuice logo. Video coverage is provided by the B2 Networks and a high-speed internet connection is required in order to view the game.

ICE PILOTS REWIND:

COLUMBIA INFERNO 5 - PENSACOLA ICE PILOTS 4, SHOOTOUT: The Pensacola Ice Pilots held a pair of one goal leads in the contest only to see the Columbia Inferno rally to tie. Pensacola enjoyed a 4-3 lead late in the third period when the Inferno tied the game on a shorthanded marker to force overtime and then the shootout. Sergei Ogorodnikov, John Hecimovic, Rene Gauthier and David Wrigley scored for the Ice Pilots in the contest and Michael Mole took the loss in goal.

SOUTH CAROLINA STINGRAYS 5 - PENSACOLA ICE PILOTS 4: A third period rally by the Pensacola Ice Pilots was halted by the South Carolina Stingrays on Saturday night. The Ice Pilots trailed 5-2 going into the third period and ended up losing 5-4. Nate Metcalf had a great game with two goals and one assist, while Erik Johnson and Rich Meloche chipped in single goals.

PENSACOLA ICE PILOTS 7 - SOUTH CAROLINA STINGRAYS 2: Rob Rankin scored his first professional hat trick and John Hecimovic set up five goals as the Ice Pilots thrashed the Stingrays 7-2. The Ice Pilots led 3-1 after the opening 20 minutes and 4-2 going into the third period. Jesse Baraniuk, Sergei Ogorodnikov, Erik Johnson and Derrick Byfuglien had the other Ice Pilots' goals. Michael Mole was terrific in net stopping 41 of 43 shots.

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