Sports stats

ECHL ECHL

Alaska Moves Into First In The West Division

March 17, 2008 - ECHL (ECHL) News Release


Going 3-0-0 on the road last week Alaska improved to 37-21-5 and moved into first place in the West Division, two points ahead of Victoria (36-21-5) and Idaho (34-22-9). Las Vegas is 40-11-12 and continues to lead the Pacific Division and the National Conference with 92 points.

The division winners in the National Conference will be seeded first and second in order of points with the next six teams seeded third through eighth in order of points. Teams will not be re-seeded and all series are best-of-seven games.

The Aces will visit Pacific Division and National Conference leader Las Vegas (40-11-12) on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Alaska is 9-1-0 in its last 10 road games and 16-2-0 in its last 18 games overall while Las Vegas is 6-0-1 in its last seven home games and 11-2-5 in its last 18 games overall. The first three meetings this season were all decided in a shootout with the Aces winning 2-1 on Feb. 22, 4-3 on Feb. 23 and 3-2 on Feb. 24 to improve to 16-14-5 all-time against Las Vegas. The Wranglers have won the last five meetings at Las Vegas and are 19-12-4 all-time against Alaska.

Idaho returns home for games against Stockton on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday while Victoria will host Utah on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. The Steelheads are 2-0-0 at home and 2-3-0 overall this season and 10-8-2 all-time against the Thunder. The Salmon Kings are 1-0-2 at home and 3-1-2 overall this season and 12-9-2 all-time against the Grizzlies, who have won the last two meetings.

Phoenix is 4-0-1 in its last five games to improve to 22-33-8, five points ahead of Bakersfield for the last Kelly Cup Playoffs berth in the National Conference. The RoadRunners host Fresno, which is 36-17-8 and in second place in the conference with 80 points, on Tuesday and Thursday before traveling to Las Vegas on Sunday. Bakersfield hosts Stockton on Monday before traveling to Fresno on Friday and Saturday.

The Falcons have won the last five meetings with Phoenix to improve to 5-1-0 in the season series and 13-4-0 all-time against the RoadRunners. Fresno has also won its last five games against Bakersfield and is 5-1-1 in the season series and 20-14-8 all-time against the Condors, who are 22-12-8 all-time against the Falcons.



South Division Heats Up; Only One Playoff Spot Left



Going 3-1-0 with three road wins, South Carolina improved to 40-22-3 and moved into a tie for second place in the South Division with Gwinnett (39-19-5), five points ahead of Florida (35-21-8).

Texas has already clinched the South Division with a league-leading 108 points (49-6-10) to secure the top seed in the Kelly Cup Playoffs with the next seven-best teams being seeded second through eighth in order of points. Teams will be re-seeded according to the same criteria in the Division Semifinals and the Division Finals. The South Division playoff series will all be best-of-five games.

South Carolina hosts Florida on Friday while Gwinnett will host Florida on Thursday before traveling to Charlotte on Friday and Augusta on Saturday. The Stingrays have won the last two meetings with Florida to improve to 2-1-0 at home and 4-4-0 overall in the season series and 34-33-9 all-time against the Everblades.

The Gladiators have won both games against Florida this year to improve to 22-9-4 all-time against the Everblades. Gwinnett is 3-2-1 this season and 24-11-4 all-time against Charlotte which has won the last three meetings to improve to 3-1-0 at home and 3-2-0 overall this season against the Gladiators. Gwinnett has won its last five meetings with Augusta and is 3-0-1 on the road and 7-1-1 overall this season to improve to 25-14-5 all-time against the Lynx. Augusta is in the Kelly Cup Playoffs for the third straight season, tying its team record for consecutive appearances set in 1992-94 and tied in 1999-2001.

Charlotte has gone 5-1-0 in its last six games to improve to 31-25-6 and move into a tie for fifth place with Columbia (29-26-10). The Checkers visit Pensacola on Monday before returning home to host Augusta on Thursday and Gwinnett on Friday while Columbia hosts Pensacola on Wednesday and Saturday. Charlotte is 6-0-1 in its last seven home games and 8-1-1 in its last 10 home games. The Checkers have won the last two meetings to improve to 2-0-0 on the road and 5-1-0 overall this year and 18-12-1 all-time against Pensacola. The Checkers are 4-0-0 at home and 5-3-1 overall against Augusta this season to improve to 30-26-8 all-time against the Lynx. The Inferno have won the last three meetings and are 2-1-0 on the road and 4-1-0 overall against Pensacola to improve to 16-9-4 all-time against the Ice Pilots.



Texas Increases Lead In The Brabham Cup Race



Picking up five of a possible six points, Texas improved to 49-6-10 and increased its lead in the race for the Brabham Cup to 10 points over Cincinnati (47-10-4) and 16 points over Las Vegas (40-11-12).

The Brabham Cup is the trophy awarded to the ECHL regular season point champion, who is guaranteed home-ice advantage throughout its participation in the Kelly Cup Playoffs.

The award is named in recognition of Henry Brabham, who founded the ECHL in 1988-89 with five teams in four states. Brabham, who was the first inductee into the ECHL Hall of Fame, owned three of the original five teams, including the legendary Johnstown Chiefs who are celebrating their 20th season in 2007-08. The dedication of the Virginia businessman was crucial to the league surviving to span from coast-to-coast while advancing 350 players and countless coaches, on-ice officials and front office personnel to the National Hockey League.

The Wildcatters, who are looking to become only the 10th team in ECHL history to win 50 games, travel to Mississippi for games on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

The 108 points ties Texas with Florida and San Diego for the fourth-highest point total in ECHL history. The Everblades set the ECHL record and won the Brabham Cup with 108 points (53-15-2) in 1999-2000 while San Diego captured the Brabham Cup with 108 points (49-13-10) as an expansion team in 2003-04.

The league record is 116 points (56-12-4) by Louisiana in 2001-02 while the second highest total is 113 points (53-12-7) in 2005-06 and the third-most is 112 points (53-13-6) in 2005-06.

Texas reached 100 points in 61 games to break the league record of 62 games by Louisiana in 2001-02, and they clinched their Kelly Cup Playoffs berth in only 48 games to break the mark of 56 games by Louisiana in 2001-02. The Wildcatters, who are the 23rd team in ECHL history to surpass 100 points, have set team records for points (108), wins (49), road wins (25) and home wins (24).

Texas needs one more victory to tie the league record of 26 road wins by Louisiana in 2001-02.

Cincinnati, which needs one point to clinch the North Division, hosts Johnstown on Monday and Wednesday before traveling to Johnstown on Friday and Wheeling on Saturday. The Cyclones set the ECHL record with 17 wins in a row from Jan. 16-29, breaking the record of 14 games by Knoxville from Dec. 28, 1993-Jan. 29, 1994 and Louisiana from Nov. 23-Dec. 22, 2001, and had an ECHL season high and team record 14-game home winning streak from Jan. 5-Mar. 12.

Las Vegas, which is trying to become the first team in league history to reach 100 points three seasons in a row, hosts Alaska on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday and Phoenix on Sunday. The Wranglers, Alaska and Trenton are the only teams to score 100 points in back-to-back seasons. Las Vegas won the Brabham Cup in 2006-07 with 106 points and finished second in 2005-06 with 112 points, which is the third-highest total in league history. Trenton won the Brabham Cup in 2000-01 with 104 points and finished second in 2001-02 with 104 points while Alaska finished second in 2006-07 with 105 points after finishing first in 2005-06 with 113 points which is the second-highest total in league history.

Cincinnati leads the ECHL with 252 goals and 4.13 goals per game while Texas is second with 244 goals and 3.75 goals per game and Las Vegas is ninth with 215 goals and 10th with 3.41 goals per game. The Cyclones have allowed a league-low 145 goals and are second in goals-against average with 2.38. Texas leads with a goals-against average of 2.37 and is tied for second with Las Vegas with 154 goals allowed. The Wranglers are third with a goals-against average of 2.44.



Desharnais Point Streak Ends As Fourth Longest In ECHL History



For the first time in 2008, David Desharnais of Cincinnati did not score a point in a 6-0 loss to Trenton on Mar. 13, ending his scoring streak at 27 games which is the fourth longest in ECHL history, in a 6-0 loss to Trenton on Mar. 13. The streak began on Dec. 31 with two assists at Trenton and included 11 multiple-assist games and 15 multiple-point games.

Desharnais had three assists in his next game and leads the league with 63 assists and 85 points in 57 games. He has already broken the team record of 75 points by Sheldon Gorski in 1997-98 and Matt Noga in 2002-03 and the club mark of 51 assists by Noga in 2002-03.

He registered an assist in 20 consecutive games from Jan. 5-Feb. 9 to break the ECHL record of 17 games by Peter Kasowski of Roanoke Valley from Oct. 26-Dec. 7, 1991.



Longest Consecutive Point-Scoring Streak
38 - Trevor Jobe, Nashville, Dec. 19, 1992-Mar. 14, 1993 (112 points)
35 - Brian Martin, Hampton Roads, Oct. 30, 1990-Jan. 18, 1991 (points not available)
32 - Jamey Hicks, Birmingham, Dec. 30, 1997-Mar. 6, 1998 (65 points)
26 - David Desharnais, Cincinnati, Jan. 5-Mar. 12, 2008 (49 points)
25 - Mike Kompon, Reading, Nov. 26, 2005-Mar. 8, 2006 (40 points)
- Sheldon Gorski, Louisville, Dec. 31, 1991-Feb. 4, 1992 (52 points)



Reading Clinches Playoff Berth In North Division



Winning two of three games against Elmira, Reading clinched a berth in the Kelly Cup Playoffs and improved to 35-22-6, one point behind the second-place Jackals. The Royals are returning to the postseason after not qualifying a year ago when their streak of three Kelly Cup appearances, including a trip to the conference finals in 2004, was ended.

Reading travels to Elmira on Friday before hosting Trenton on Saturday while the Jackals host Wheeling on Monday and Dayton on Thursday and Saturday. The Royals are 5-4-1 against the Jackals, who are 4-0-0 at home and 5-3-2 overall against Reading. The Royals have won the last three meetings with the Devils to improve to 2-0-2 at home and 5-3-2 overall this season and 33-32-8 all-time against Trenton. The Jackals are 3-0-0 at home and 6-1-0 overall against Wheeling and 2-1-0 at home and 3-2-1 overall against Dayton.

Trenton, which went 3-0-0 last week, hosts Wheeling on Thursday and travels to Reading on Saturday. The Devils, who are nine points behind Dayton for the fifth and final playoff berth, are trying to reach the Kelly Cup Playoffs for the fourth straight year. Trenton is 2-1-1 at home and 5-3-1 overall against Wheeling this season and 34-26-7 all-time against the Nailers. The Devils are 2-2-0 on the road and 5-5-0 overall against Reading and 40-25-8 all-time against the Royals.

Johnston has gone 7-2-1 in their last 10 games to improve to 30-27-5 and fourth place in the division, one-point in front over defending American Conference champion Dayton (27-25-10). The Chiefs are trying to reach the Kelly Cup Playoffs for the third straight season for the first time since 2000 to 2002 while the Bombers are looking for their first back-to-back postseason appearances since 2000 and 2001. Johnstown travels to Cincinnati on Monday and Wednesday before hosting the Cyclones on Friday and Wheeling on Sunday. Cincinnati, which needs one point to clinch the North Division, is 6-0-0 in the season series and 25-11-4 all-time against the Chiefs. Johnstown has won the last two meetings with Wheeling to improve to 3-1-0 at home and 7-3-0 overall this season and 70-63-15 all-time against the Nailers.

Dayton visits Elmira on Thursday and Saturday and Trenton on Friday. The Bombers have won the last three meetings with Elmira to improve to 1-1-1 on the road and 3-2-1 overall against the Jackals. Dayton is 2-2-1 on the road and 4-4-1 overall this season against the Devils.

Cincinnati, which is 7-2-1 in the last 10 games, is 47-10-4 and needs only one point to clinch the North Division. The Cyclones will host Johnstown on Monday and Wednesday before traveling to Johnstown on Friday and Wheeling on Saturday. Cincinnati is 3-0-0 at home and 6-0-0 overall this season and 25-11-4 all-time against the Chiefs. The Cyclones have won the last seven meetings with Wheeling to improve to 5-0-0 at home and 9-1-0 overall this season and 22-23-4 all-time against the Nailers.



ECHL On Pace To Surpass 3.5 Million Fans For 13th Season In A Row



Elmira had its league-leading 13th sellout and Dayton had its largest crowd of the season to help the ECHL raise its average attendance for the sixth consecutive week to 4,091 per game.

The league has welcomed more than 3.2 million fans and is on pace to surpass 3.5 million for the 13th season in a row.

Dayton had its largest crowd of season with 7,965 on Mar. 15 and drew more than 17,800 for three games to raise its average to 3,585 per game.

South Carolina drew more than 12,500 for two games to raise its average to 5,086 per game while Las Vegas had more than 11,000 for two games to increase its average to 4,857 per game.

Stockton had over 15,000 for two games to raise its league-leading average to 6,572 per game. The Thunder have drawn 216,875 for 33 games and are looking to lead the ECHL in attendance for the third consecutive season.

Elmira had 3,824 on Mar. 14 for its 13th sellout crowd of the year. The Jackals are averaging 3,591 per game, which is 94.9 percent of the capacity of First Arena and up 4.8 percent from last season.

There have been 39 sellouts this season and Bakersfield (8,895 on Nov. 24, 2007), Johnstown (4,238 on Nov. 30, 2007), Elmira (4,981 on Dec. 29, 2007), Idaho (5,631 on Jan. 16), South Carolina (10,565 on Jan. 19) and Charlotte (12,256 on Feb. 23) have had the largest crowd in their history.

Seven teams have seen their average attendance increase from last season led by Cincinnati with 23.6 percent, Victoria with 11.0 percent and Mississippi with 9.8 percent.

Check out the ECHL Statistics



ECHL Stories from March 17, 2008


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.


Sports Statistics from the Stats Crew
OurSports Central