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Grizzlies take five-point lead for final playoff spot in Pacific Division

February 23, 2015 - ECHL (ECHL) News Release


A 3-0-1 record last week, including taking five out of six points in a crucial weekend series at Alaska, gives the Utah Grizzlies a five-point lead over the Aces for the final playoff spot in the Pacific Division.

The Grizzlies opened last week with a 2-0 win against Idaho on Monday. Patrick Wellar and Michael Pelech both had a goal and an assist for Utah while Igor Bobkov stopped all 32 shots he faced to record the shutout.

After suffering a 4-3 overtime loss in the first game of their series at Alaska on Friday, the Grizzlies rebounded with a 3-2 victory on Saturday. Mathieu Aubin scored a pair of goals while Pelech (2a) and Ryan Hayes (1g-1a) added two points each with Hayes notching the game-winning tally early in the third period.

Utah closed out the series on Sunday, skating away with a 4-0 win. Pelech had a goal and an assist for his third two-point game of the week while Barry Almeida and T.J. Syner also chipped in with a goal and an assist each. Bobkov turned aside all 30 shots for his third win, and second shutout, of the week.

Pelech is tied for third in the league with 58 points in 53 games, while his 25 goals are tied for fourth overall. Aubin has moved into the top 20 of the scoring race, as his 49 points (20g-29a) are tied for 18th.

Bobkov is 10-6-2 with two shutouts in 18 appearances with the Grizzlies this season and ranks 14th in the league with a 2.58 goals-against average.

Utah, which plays 13 of its final 19 games at home, opens a six-game home stand this week with games against Stockton on Wednesday and Saturday.

Fantasy Team voting ends tonight

The ECHL is giving fans the opportunity to vote for players to comprise the 2014-15 Fantasy Team, of which, one player from each Member Team will be selected to wear a special ECHL Fantasy Team jersey at an upcoming home game.

Each ECHL team has preselected three players to appear on their team's ballot, while fans have the opportunity to also write-in a selection of their choice. The top vote-getter on each team will wear the special fantasy team jersey during the designated dates.

Voting is now open on ECHL.com . Fans are limited to one ballot during the voting period, which runs until 11:59 p.m. ET on Monday, Feb. 23. Fans can vote for up to one player on each ECHL Member Team's ballot before hitting the "Cast Vote" button at the bottom of the voting page. The results of the Fantasy Team voting will be announced the week of Feb. 23.

A look ahead

Games to watch in the ECHL during the week ahead. Watch ECHL games live on ECHL.TV.

Eastern Conference

South Carolina at Florida (Friday and Saturday)

The Stingrays have won 10 straight games to move into third place of the East Division while the Everblades sit in second place in the division with 70 points, three points behind Reading.

Western Conference

Tulsa at Rapid City (Friday and Saturday)

The Rush havev won four straight games and eight of their last 10 to pull into a tie with Wichita for fourth place in the Central Division with 55 points. Tulsaa sits one point ahead of the two clubs with 56 points, and trails second-place Quad City by just two points entering the week.

Divisions

North Division

- Brian Nugent played in his 100th career professional game on Friday at Toledo.

- The Cyclones are 16-0-0 when scoring the first two goals of a game.

- Cincinnati travels to Evansville on Saturday.

- Branden Komm has stopped 140 of the last 150 shots he has faced.

- Evansville scored a season-high seven goals in a 7-3 win at Kalamazoo on Saturday.

- The IceMen are at Fort Wayne on Wednesday and host Cincinnati on Saturday.

- Pat Nagle has reached the 20-win plateau for the third time in his ECHL career.

- The Komets are 14-2-0 following a loss this season.

- Fort Wayne hosts Evansville on Wednesday and Indy on Friday and Saturday.

- Kyle Stroh leads the league with eight game-winning goals.

- Indy is tied for the league lead with 14 games decided in overtime or a shootout.

- The Fuel host Kalamazoo on Wednesday and are at Fort Wayne on Friday and Saturday.

- Joel Martin leads the league with 1,032 saves.

- The K-Wings are third on the penalty kill at 87.1 percent (176-for-202).

- Kalamazoo is at Indy on Wednesday, hosts Toledo on Friday and visits the Walleye on Saturday and Sunday.

- Anthony Luciani has nine points (3g-6a) and is a +10 in his last four games.

- Toledo has outscored its opponents 22-2 during its four-game winning streak.

- The Walleye visit Kalamazoo on Friday before hosting the K-Wings on Saturday and Sunday.

- Jarrett and Tanner Burton are the first set of brothers to play together for Wheeling since Paul and Tim Crowder during the 2011-12 season.

- The Nailers are 3-1-0 in games after they have been shutout, outscoring their opponents 14-4 in the three wins.

- Wheeling hosts Elmira on Friday and Greenville on Saturday and Sunday.

East Division

- Sam Marotta leads rookie goaltenders with a 2.55 goals-against average.

- Fourteen rookies have recorded at least one point for Elmira this season.

- The Jackals host Greenville on Wednesday and are at Wheeling on Friday and Reading on Sunday.

- Brant Harris is 12th among rookies with 33 points (12g-21a).

- The Everblades are second on the power play at 20.8 percent (38-for-183).

- Florida hosts Gwinnett on Wednesday and South Carolina on Friday and Saturday.

- Vinny Saponari has 12 points (3g-9a) in his last five games.

- Greenville is 6-for-20 (30.0 percent) on the power play over its last five games.

- The Road Warriors are at Elmira on Wednesday, Reading on Friday and Wheeling on Saturday and Sunday.

- Casey Pierro-Zabotel is tied for fifth with 57 points (21g-36a).

- The Gladiators are 13-2-1 when leading after two periods.

- Gwinnett is at Florida on Wednesday and Orlando on Friday and Saturday.

- Eric Baier played his 200th professional game on Friday at Florida.

- Orlando is league's third-least penalized team with 12.53 penalty minutes per game.

- The Solar Bears host South Carolina on Thursday and Gwinnett on Friday and Saturday.

- Connor Knapp is 12-3-1 in his last 16 decisions.

- The Royals are tied for the league lead with 19 road wins.

- Reading hosts Greenville on Friday and Elmira on Sunday.

- Derek DeBlois (3g-7a) and Andrew Rowe (4g-9a) are both on six-game point streaks.

- South Carolina is on a 10-game winning streak.

- The Stingrays are at Orlando on Thursday and Florida on Friday and Saturday.

Central Division

- Riley Gill leads the league with 25 wins.

- The Americans have played past regulation in four of their last six games.

- Allen is at Quad City on Wednesday, hosts Brampton on Saturday and visits Wichita on Sunday.

- Chad Painchaud is fourth with 188 shots on goal.

- Brampton is 7-1-2 in one-goal games.

- The Beast host Quad City on Monday and are at Wichita on Friday and Allen on Saturday.

- Sebastien Thinel leads Missouri with 42 points (13g-29a).

- The Mavericks are 13-0-2 when leading after two periods.

- Missouri is at Rapid City on Tuesday, hosts Quad City on Friday and Saturday and visits the Mallards on Sunday.

- Justin Fox is on a five-game point streak (3g-5a).

- Quad City matched its season high with four goals in the second period on Sunday at Brampton.

- The Mallards are at Brampton on Monday, host Allen on Wednesday, visit Missouri on Friday and Saturday and host the Mavericks on Sunday.

- Jesse Schultz is eighth with 54 points (23g-31a).

- The Rush have won four straight games, outscoring their opponents 16-9.

- Rapid City hosts Missouri on Tuesday and Tulsa on Friday and Saturday.

- T.J. Caig is on a nine-game point streak (4g-8a).

- Tulsa has allowed 11 goals in its last six games (1.83 goals-against per game).

- The Oilers are at Rapid City on Friday and Saturday.

- Mike Wilson is on a seven-game point streak (3g-8a).

- The Thunder are 13-5-7 in one-goal games.

- Wichita hosts Brampton on Friday and Allen on Sunday.

Pacific Division

- Curt Gogol leads the league with a 31.4 percent shooting percentage (11-for-35).

- Alaska is tied for second with 10 shorthanded goals.

- The Aces are at Colorado on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

- Maxime Lagace made 28 saves for his second pro shutout on Saturday against Colorado.

- The Condors are 4-1-0 in their last five games.

- Bakersfield hosts Idaho on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

- Trent Daavettila is second with 42 assists.

- Colorado is 25-3-0 when scoring first.

- The Eagles host Alaska on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

- Brett Robinson had his second professional four-point game (1g-3a) on Friday at Stockton.

- The Steelheads are 28-0-2 when scoring three or more goals.

- Idaho visits Bakersfield on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

- Dennis Brown leads the league with four shootout goals.

- Ontario is third with 2.64 goals-against per game.

- The Reign are idle until March 3.

- Vinny Scarsella has 13 points (4g-9a) in 14 games with Stockton.

- The Thunder are 11-1-0 when leading after two periods.

- Stockton is at Utah on Wednesday and Saturday.

- Mike Folkes has been even or better in 13 straight games.

- Utah plays 13 of its final 19 games at home.

- The Grizzlies host Stockton on Wednesday and Saturday.

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ECHL Stories from February 23, 2015


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