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Alaska's Lamoureux Ties League Shutout Record

March 9, 2009 - ECHL (ECHL) News Release


Alaska rookie Jean-Philippe Lamoureux stopped 30 shots in a 2-0 win against Las Vegas on Sunday for his seventh shutout of the season to tie the ECHL record set by Maxime Gingras of Richmond in 1998-99 and tied by David Brumby of Jackson in 1999-2000 and Frederic Cloutier of Louisiana in 2001-02.

The 24 year old is 26-14-2 and leads the league in wins with 26 and save percentage with .923 while ranking second with a goals-against average of 2.30.

He is 4-1-0 with two shutouts, a goals-against average of 1.41 and a save percentage of .948 in his last five starts.



Everblades Become First Team In Kelly Cup Playoffs

Florida became the first team to qualify for the 2009 Kelly Cup Playoffs with a 4-1 win against Mississippi on Saturday.

The Everblades have reached the Kelly Cup Playoffs in every one of their 11 seasons and advanced to the Kelly Cup Finals in 2004 and 2005 and reached the conference finals in 2007.

Florida is 40-16-3 and leads the ECHL with 83 points. The Everblades won the Brabham Cup, which is the trophy presented to the regular season champion, in 1999-2000 and set ECHL records with 53 wins and 108 points. The 53 wins are now tied for the third most in league history while the 108 points are tied for sixth.

Everblades rookie goaltender David Leggio is 22-6-1 and leads the league with a goals-against average of 2.24. He is tied for second with 22 wins and tied for third with four shutouts.

Kevin Baker leads the ECHL with 47 goals, 22 power-play goals, 10 game-winning goals and 85 points in 58 games. He is trying to become the first player to score 50 goals since Andrew Williamson of Toledo led the league in 2000-01 with 52 goals in 66 games. There have been 41 players in ECHL history who have scored 50 goals and the most scored in the seven seasons is 49 by Chris Minard of Alaska in 2004-05 while the second most is 47 by Mike Wirll, who played for Cincinnati, Pensacola and Utah in 2006-07. The ECHL record is 85 goals by Trevor Jobe of Nashville in 1992-93.

Florida's Peter Metcalf leads ECHL defensemen with 49 points in 46 games while he is second with 41 assists, 23 power-play assists and 29 power-play points.

The Everblades lead the league in scoring with 3.80 goals per game while ranking third in goals-against average with 2.63. They second on the penalty kill with 87.2 percent (341-for-391) and third on the power play with 21.4 percent (84-for-393) while their 13 shorthand goals are tied for third.

Reign Have Record Crowd Of 9,659

The ECHL saw its average attendance increase again after a weekend that included a record crowd of 9,659 at Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario, Calif. on Saturday. The league has drawn more than 2.6 million for 650 games which is an average of 4,128 per game.

The expansion Reign raised their average to 5,558 per game which is third overall while Gwinnett had more than 13,000 for two games to move into fourth place with 5,512 per game.

Stockton and Florida remain first and second with 6,221 per game and 5,617 per game after a weekend that saw both raise their average for the second straight week. The Thunder are trying to become the first team to lead the ECHL in attendance for four consecutive seasons since the Everblades led the league for a record five straight years from 2000-05.

Charlotte is sixth after raising its average to 5,177 with 6,103 on Sunday and Reading is seventh after having more than 10,600 for two games to increase its average to 4,936. South Carolina is ninth after 7,166 on Saturday to raise its average to 4,892 per game and Alaska is 10th with 4,662 per game.

Wheeling had its third-largest crowd of the season on Saturday to raise its attendance to 2,842 per game. The Nailers had 5,410 on Feb. 28 which was their first sellout since 5,596 on Feb. 26, 2005 and the largest crowd at WesBanco Arena since 5,235 on Apr. 4, 2006.



American Conference - North Division

Cincinnati Cyclones
* Cincinnati is 18-11-1 on the road and tied for the league lead with 18 wins.
* Barret Ehgoetz has a three-game point streak (2g-3a) and a two-game goal streak (2g).
* Cincinnati plays at Johnstown on Friday and at Trenton on Sunday.

Dayton Bombers
* Greg Labenski has played 296 games in a Bombers uniform.
* Matt Auffrey (3g-3a) and Andrew Fournier (4g-3a) have combined for 13 points in six games since being acquired from Florida.
* Bombers host Elmira on Friday and Saturday.

Elmira Jackals
* Mike Sgroi has eight goals and 16 points in 11 games with the Jackals.
* Steve Yetman leads the Jackals with 23 goals and 48 points in 52 games.
* Elmira plays at Dayton on Friday and Saturday.

Johnstown Chiefs
* Chiefs are 20-9-3 at home and have won 20 home games in back-to-back seasons for first time since 2000-01 and 2001-02.
* Kris Mayotte is 4-0-0 with a goals-against average of 2.25 in his last four starts.
* Chiefs host Cincinnati on Friday and Wheeling on Saturday and play at Wheeling on Sunday.

Reading Royals
* Levi Nelson scored his first career game-winning goal in 5-2 win against Cincinnati on Saturday.
* Dan Rudisuela has 20 points (10g-10a) in his last 17 games.
* Royals host Wheeling on Wednesday and Trenton on Saturday while playing at Trenton on Friday.

Trenton Devils
* Trenton is 5-0-1 against the South Division.
* Ryan Gunderson has scored the game-winning goal in each of the Devils last two wins.
* Trenton hosts Reading on Friday and Cincinnati on Sunday and plays at Reading on Saturday.

Wheeling Nailers
* Nailers are second in the league with 3.75 goals per game and on the power play with 21.6 percent (67-for-310).
* Rookie Bryan Ewing leads the ECHL with six shorthand goals.
* Nailers play at Reading on Wednesday and at Johnstown on Saturday and host Johnstown on Sunday.

American Conference - South Division

Charlotte Checkers
* Checkers are 18-8-6 in one-goal games including 4-2 in overtime and 4-4 in shootouts.
* Mike Bayrack leads the team with 18 goals, 36 assists and 54 points in 54 games.
* Checkers host Gwinnett on Tuesday and Saturday and South Carolina on Sunday.

Florida Everblades
* Florida has reached the Kelly Cup Playoffs in every one of their 11 seasons.
* Peter Metcalf leads ECHL defensemen with 49 points (8g-41a) in 46 games.
* Florida plays at Mississippi on Friday and Saturday and at Gwinnett on Sunday.

Gwinnett Gladiators
* Gladiators are tied for the league lead with 14 shorthand goals.
* Josh Johnson tied his career high with 42 saves in 5-4 shootout win against Trenton on Saturday.
* Gladiators play at Charlotte on Tuesday and Saturday and at South Carolina on Friday and host Florida on Sunday.

Mississippi Sea Wolves
* Mississippi is 5-1-1 in their last seven home games and 17-11-4 overall at home.
* Ryan Cruthers is fifth among ECHL rookies with 56 points (27g-32a) in 53 games.
* Mississippi hosts South Carolina on Tuesday and Wednesday and Florida on Friday and Saturday.

South Carolina Stingrays
* Stingrays have won their last two shootouts with Charlotte to improve to 3-2 overall in shootouts.
* Jonathan Boutin recorded his third shutout of the season and first with the Stingrays on Saturday.
* Stingrays play at Mississippi on Tuesday and Wednesday and at Charlotte on Sunday while hosting Gwinnett on Friday.

National Conference - Pacific Division

Bakersfield Condors
* Bakersfield is 4-1-0 against Utah.
* Tylor Michel scored his first career hat trick in 8-4 win against Utah on Mar. 4.
* Bakersfield hosts Utah on Friday and Saturday.

Las Vegas Wranglers
* Wranglers play nine of their last 12 games at home where they are 15-10-2.
* Tyler Mosienko has five goals and nine points in his last six games.
* Wranglers host Idaho on Friday and Saturday.

Ontario Reign
* Ontario has won its last three road games to improve to 15-10-2 in away games.
* Jeff Zatkoff is 2-0-0 with a goals-against average of 2.00 in his last two starts.
* Ontario plays at Victoria on Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Stockton Thunder
* Andrew Perugini is 14-4-0 in his last 18 games.
* Ryan Huddy has scored club record 31 goals.
* Thunder do not play until Mar. 18 when they visit Ontario.

National Conference - West Division

Alaska Aces
* Aces are 13-2-0 in their last 15 home games to improve to a league-leading 24-7-1 at Sullivan Arena.
* Matt Shasby has a nine-game assist streak (11a) which ties teammate Cam Keith (13a) for longest assist streak in the league this season.
* Aces host Phoenix on Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Idaho Steelheads
* Matt Climie is 3-0-0 with a goals-against average of 1.33 in his last three starts.
* Garett Bembridge has a six-game point streak (3g-5a).
* Idaho plays at Utah on Wednesday and Sunday and at Las Vegas on Friday and Saturday.

Phoenix RoadRunners
* RoadRunners need one win to tie their club record of 27 wins.
* John McNabb (2g-4a) and Daniel Sisca (2g-6a) have five-game point streaks.
* RoadRunners play at Alaska on Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Utah Grizzlies
* Rob Hennigar has 16 multiple-point games in his last 30 games.
* Tyler Wooddisse scored his first professional hat trick on Sunday.
* Utah hosts Idaho on Wednesday and Sunday and plays at Bakersfield on Friday and Saturday.

Victoria Salmon Kings
* Salmon Kings return home for first time since Feb. 8 after 11 consecutive road games.
* Matt Kelly has six points (3g-3a) in his last seven games.
* Salmon Kings host Ontario on Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Saturday.

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Premier 'AA' Hockey League Fast Facts
* The ECHL celebrated its 20th Anniversary in 2007-08 and is the third-longest tenured professional hockey league behind only the National Hockey League and the American Hockey League.
* ECHL began in 1988-89 with five teams in four states and has grown to be a coast-to-coast league with 21 teams in 16 states and British Columbia in 2008-09.
* The league officially changed its name from East Coast Hockey League to ECHL on May 19, 2003.
* Affiliations with 24 of the 30 teams in the National Hockey League marking 12th consecutive season that the league has had affiliations with at least 20 teams in the NHL.
* 398 former ECHL players have played in NHL.
* 143 have played their first NHL game in the last four seasons.
* 44 former ECHL players have made their NHL debut this season: former Idaho Steelheads right wing Jay Beagle (Washington on Feb. 11), former Wheeling Nailers and ECHL All-Star defenseman Paul Bissonnette (Pittsburgh on Oct. 4), former Stockton Thunder and ECHL All-Star right wing Troy Bodie (Anaheim on Jan. 16), former Bakersfield Condors center Alexandre Bolduc (Vancouver on Nov. 27), former Florida Everblades defenseman Brett Carson (Carolina on Dec. 7), former South Carolina Stingrays defenseman Sean Collins (Washington on Dec. 6), former Las Vegas Wranglers and Wheeling Nailers goaltender John Curry (Pittsburgh on Nov. 26), former Greenville Grrrowl goaltender Jeff Drouin-Deslauriers (Edmonton on Oct. 17), former Johnstown Chiefs center Andre Deveaux (Toronto on Nov. 27), former Dayton Bombers center Philippe Dupuis (Colorado on Dec. 12), former Gwinnett Gladiators left wing Chris Durno (Colorado on Jan. 18), former Gwinnett Gladiators right wing Pat Dwyer (Carolina on Nov. 2), former Columbus Cottonmouths and Tallahassee Tiger Sharks left wing Mitch Fritz (New York Islanders on Oct. 30), former South Carolina Stingrays right wing Andrew Gordon (Washington on Dec. 23), former Augusta Lynx and Mississippi Sea Wolves goaltender Riku Helenius (Tampa Bay on Jan. 30), former Charlotte Checkers center Dwight Helminen (Carolina on Oct. 28), former Las Vegas Wranglers goaltender Brent Krahn (Dallas on Feb. 14), former Trenton Devils right wing Pierre-Luc Letourneau-Leblond (New Jersey on Oct. 22), former Gwinnett Gladiators defenseman Scott Lehman (Atlanta on Dec. 18), former Utah Grizzlies defenseman Andrew MacDonald (New York Islanders on Feb. 28), former Charlotte Checkers defenseman Steve MacIntyre (Edmonton on Oct. 15), former Florida Everblades left wing Kenndal McArdle (Florida on Dec. 2), two-time All-Star and former Las Vegas Wranglers goaltender Mike McKenna (Tampa Bay on Feb. 3), former All-Star and Wheeling Nailers center Kurtis McLean (New York Islanders on Jan. 19), former South Carolina Stingrays and ECHL All-Star goaltender Michal Neuvirth (Washingtons on Feb. 14), former Phoenix RoadRunners and Wheeling Nailers center Cam Paddock (St. Louis on Nov. 14), former Las Vegas Wranglers defenseman Adam Pardy (Calgary on Oct. 9), former Idaho Steelheads left wing Warren Peters (Calgary on Dec. 7), former Charlotte Checkers center Jakub Petruzalek (Carolina on Feb. 5), former Charlotte Checkers defenseman Corey Potter (New York Rangers on Dec. 7), former Augusta Lynx defenseman Kevin Quick (Tampa Bay on Jan. 13), former Utah Grizzlies right wing Joel Rechlicz (New York Islanders on Mar. 4), former Charlotte Checkers, Columbia Inferno and Elmira Jackals defenseman Bryan Rodney (Carolina on Dec. 11), former Gwinnett Gladiators center Jared Ross (Philadelphia on Oct. 11), former Alaska Aces goaltender Marek Schwarz (St. Louis on Oct. 25), former Greenville Grrrowl and Stockton Thunder center Tim Sestito (Edmonton on Nov. 26), former Dayton Bombers and Las Vegas Wranglers defenseman Tyler Sloan (Washington on Oct. 21), former Utah Grizzlies and ECHL All-Star center Trevor Smith (New York Islanders on Dec. 31), former Johnstown Chiefs and Mississippi Sea Wolves forward Radek Smolenak (Tampa Bay on Dec. 2), former Augusta Lynx defenseman Brett Skinner (New York Islanders on Oct. 27), former Las Vegas Wranglers and ECHL All-Star defenseman Tyson Strachan (St. Louis on Dec. 18), former Phoenix RoadRunners goaltender Josh Tordjman (Phoenix on Mar. 8), former Wheeling Nailers right wing Tim Wallace (Pittsburgh on Dec. 10) and former Idaho Steelheads center Tom Wandell (Dallas on Dec. 10).
* There were 72 former ECHL players on NHL opening-day rosters.
* Twenty-six former ECHL players made their NHL debut in 2007-08 including six who played in both the ECHL and the NHL: Chris Beckford-Tseu (Alaska and St. Louis), Adam Berti (Pensacola and Chicago), Joe Jensen (Wheeling and Carolina), Dan LaCosta (Elmira and Columbus), Jonathan Quick (Reading and Los Angeles) and Danny Taylor (Reading and Los Angeles).
* Record 47 former ECHL players played their first NHL game in 2005-06.
* ECHL is represented for the eighth consecutive year on the National Hockey League championship team in 2008 by Aaron Downey of the Detroit Red Wings.
* Former ECHL coaches working as head coaches in the NHL are Bruce Boudreau of the Washington Capitals and Scott Gordon of the New York Islanders while former ECHL player Dan Bylsma is the interim head coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Boudreau, who coached Mississippi for three seasons winning the Kelly Cup championship in 1999, was named NHL Coach of the Year in 2007-08 becoming the first former ECHL coach to receive the award. Peter Laviolette, who began his coaching career with the Wheeling Nailers, led Carolina Hurricanes to the Stanley Cup in 2006.
* There are 18 assistant coaches in the NHL who were players or coaches in the ECHL.
* There are 18 former ECHL officials scheduled to work as part of the NHL officiating team in 2008-09 with referees David Banfield, Chris Ciamaga, Ghislain Hebert, Marc Joannette, Mike Leggo, Wes McCauley, Dean Morton, Dan O'Rourke, Brian Pochmara, Kevin Pollock, Kyle Rehman, Chris Rooney, Justin St. Pierre and Ian Walsh and linesmen Steve Barton, Brian Mach, Tim Nowak and Jay Sharrers. Barton, Joannette, Leggo, McCauley, Nowak, Pollock, Rooney and Sharrers all worked the 2008 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
* ECHL has affiliations with 23 of the 29 teams in the American Hockey League and for the past 19 years there has been an ECHL player on the Calder Cup Champion.
* In the last six seasons the ECHL has had more call-ups to the AHL than all other professional leagues combined with over 2,000 call-ups involving more than 1,000 players since 2002-03.
* Further information on the ECHL is available from its website at ECHL.com.

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