ECHL ECHL

Walleye inch closer to top spot in division

Published on February 4, 2013 under ECHL (ECHL) News Release


After missing the postseason each of the last two seasons, the Toledo Walleye are well-positioned to return to the Kelly Cup Playoffs in 2013. With their current five-game winning streak, the Walleye are 26-17-4 for 56 points, good enough for fifth place in the Eastern Conference, and just two points behind Cincinnati for first place in the North Division.

Toledo's goaltending has been solid during the five-game winning streak, allowing one goal or less in each of the five wins. The Walleye have outscored their opponents 17-4 during the winning streak.

The Walleye opened last week with a 2-0 win at Cincinnati on Thursday. Joey Martin and Stephon Thorne tallied for Toledo and Kent Simpson made 20 saves to record his first professional shutout.

On Friday, Toledo used a three-goal second period to defeat Elmira 4-1. Martin scored two goals and Andrej Nestrasil provided three assists to lead the way offensively, and Simpson made 29 saves, coming within 1:31 of another shutout.

Toledo ended the week with a 2-1 win against Reading on Saturday. Randy Rowe opened the scoring midway through the first period and Travis Novak scored the eventual game-winner with a shorthanded tally late in the second period. Simpson once again was solid in goal, making 30 saves.

Simpson has won each of his last four starts, and is 5-1-0 in his last six decisions, improving his record on the season to 12-9-3 and he ranks 10th in the ECHL with a 2.51 goals-against average.

Nestrasil leads the Walleye this season with 40 points (10g-30a) and a +18 rating while Willie Coetzee, who leads the league with 184 shots on goal, paces the club with 18 goals.

Rowe continues to move up the ECHL all-time leader board, ranking ninth all-time with 597 games and 14th with 232 goals. With three more games, Rowe will become just the seventh player in ECHL history to reach the 600 games played plateau.

Toledo opens a four-game road trip this weekend, visiting Greenville on Thursday and South Carolina on Saturday.

ECHL attendance up nearly 12 percent from last season

The ECHL enjoyed a strong week at the box office last week, as an average of 5,703 fans attended the 29 games around the league.

Fort Wayne, which leads the ECHL with 7,409 fans per game, had two crowds of over 7,400 for its two home games over the weekend. Ontario had 6,316 on Friday against Utah and then welcomed 8,939 for Saturday's game against the Grizzlies. The Reign have led the league in attendance each of the last three seasons, and are currently second in the league with 7,224 per game.

The expansion Orlando Solar Bears had their third-largest crowd of the season on Saturday against Trenton as 8,650 fans were on hand at Amway Center. It was Orlando's sixth crowd of over 7,000 this season.

Three clubs had their largest crowds of the season on Saturday. Stockton surpassed 8,000 for the third time this season with 8,919 against Idaho; Gwinnett welcomed 9,587 against South Carolina and Las Vegas had 7,100 fans for its game against Alaska.

For the season, the league average is 4,606 fans per game, an increase of 11.8 percent over the same time last season. The ECHL is on pace for its largest per-game average since welcoming 4,774 per game during the 1999-2000 season.

The ECHL has averaged over 4,000 fans per game for each of the last eight seasons and 20 times in the last 22 years.

Visit the Tickets Page on ECHL.com to purchase tickets to ECHL games.

This week in ECHL history

As part of the ECHL's 25th anniversary, each week the League will take a look back at important moments in ECHL history.

Feb. 6, 1993 - Nashville's Trevor Jobe sets the ECHL record for points in a game, registering 10 points for the Knights in a game against Roanoke Valley.

Divisions

Atlantic Division

- Louie Caporusso has six goals in his last four games.

- The Jackals are 7-4-0 on the road since Dec. 27.

- Elmira hosts Reading on Wednesday, Kalamazoo on Friday and Wheeling on Sunday.

- Kirk MacDonald has 13 points (4g-9a) in his last 14 games.

- Reading has held its opposition to two goals or less in five consecutive games.

- The Royals are at Elmira on Wednesday, Trenton on Friday and Wheeling on Saturday and host Kalamazoo on Sunday.

- Mike Ullrich has 12 points (5g-7a) in nine games with Trenton.

- The Titans are 14-3-3 when scoring first.

- Trenton hosts Gwinnett on Wednesday, Reading on Friday and Kalamazoo on Saturday.

- Tim Corcoran recorded the first point of his professional career, picking up an assist on Friday vs. Reading.

- Wheeling begins a season-long eight-game road trip on Sunday.

- The Nailers host Gwinnett on Thursday and Reading on Saturday and are at Elmira on Sunday.

North Division

- David Pacan has at least one point in six of his last seven games.

- The Cyclones are 16-0-1 when leading after two periods.

- Cincinnati is at Greenville on Saturday and Gwinnett on Sunday.

- Josh Beaulieu is on team season-high seven-game point streak (5g-3a).

- Evansville has killed off 17 consecutive opposition power-play chances.

- The IceMen visit Kalamazoo on Wednesday, South Carolina on Friday and Gwinnett on Saturday.

- Kaleigh Schrock recorded his 100th career point on Saturday against Cincinnati.

- The Komets are 8-1-0 when allowing two goals or less.

- Fort Wayne is at Colorado on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

- Nick Sirota scored nine of 16 goals this season in January.

- Kalamazoo has earned at least one point in seven of its last eight road games.

- The K-Wings host Evansville on Wednesday and are at Elmira on Friday, Trenton on Saturday and Reading on Sunday.

- Kent Simpson has allowed three goals in his last four starts.

- The Walleye have won five straight games for the first time this season.

- Toledo is at Greenville on Thursday and South Carolina on Saturday.

South Division

- Olivier Dame-Malka is second among defensemen with 117 shots on goal.

- The Everblades are tied for second with nine shorthanded goals.

- Florida is at Orlando on Thursday and Friday and hosts the Solar Bears on Saturday.

- Brendan Connolly is on a 12-game point streak (7g-10a) since Jan. 5.

- Greenville is 22-8-3 against South Division opponents.

- The Road Warriors host Toledo on Thursday and Cincinnati on Saturday.

- Sacha Guimond is second with 23 power-play points (6g-17a).

- The Gladiators are fourth with 32.33 shots per game.

- Gwinnett visits Trenton on Wednesday and Wheeling on Thursday and hosts Evansville on Saturday and Cincinnati on Friday.

- Dan Dries ' first goal with the Solar Bears on Friday was the game-winning goal.

- Orlando is 8-0-1 in its last nine home games.

- The Solar Bears host Florida on Thursday and Friday and visit the Everblades on Saturday.

- Ryan Zapolski posted his league-leading fourth shutout of the season on Friday at Gwinnett.

- The Stingrays are sixth with 2.74 goals-against per game.

- South Carolina hosts Evansville on Friday and Toledo on Saturday.

Mountain Division

- Nick Mazzolini is second with 26 goals.

- The Aces are 23-0-4 when scoring first.

- Alaska hosts Stockton on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

- Steve Haddon is tied for the league lead with two shootout game-winning goals.

- Colorado has won each of its last three road games.

- The Eagles are at Las Vegas on Monday and host Fort Wayne on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

- Tyler Gron has six goals in eight games since joining the Steelheads.

- The Steelheads have played seven consecutive one-goal games.

- Idaho hosts Utah on Wednesday and Friday and visits the Grizzlies on Saturday and Sunday.

- Colin Vock had hat tricks in both of the Grizzlies' games last week.

- Utah is third on the power play at 22.1 percent (49-for-222).

- The Grizzlies are at Idaho on Wednesday and Friday and host the Steelheads on Saturday and Sunday.

Pacific Division

- Scott Greenham is second with 887 saves.

- The Condors are sixth on the power play on the road at 19.7 percent (25-for-127).

- Bakersfield hosts Stockton on Tuesday, is at Ontario on Wednesday, hosts Las Vegas on Friday and is at San Francisco on Saturday and Sunday.

- Goaltender Joe Fallon has started each of the last 11 games.

- Las Vegas has outscored its opponents 54-35 in the third period.

- The Wranglers host Colorado on Monday and are at San Francisco on Wednesday, Bakersfield on Friday and Ontario on Saturday.

- Jean-Francois Berube is third with a 2.17 goals-against average.

- Ontario is tied for first with two shorthanded goals against.

- The Reign host Bakersfield on Wednesday, San Francisco on Friday and Las Vegas on Saturday.

- Dean Ouellet leads rookies with 22 goals.

- The Bulls are 14-4-2 when scoring first.

- San Francisco hosts Las Vegas on Wednesday, is at Ontario on Friday and hosts Bakersfield on Saturday.

- Harrison Reed leads the league with 12 power-play goals.

- Stockton is fifth on the power play on the road at 20.3 percent (25-for-123).

- The Thunder are at Bakersfield on Tuesday and at Alaska on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

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ECHL Stories from February 4, 2013


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.


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