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Attendance Trend Up For Expanded ECHL

October 20, 2003 - ECHL (ECHL) News Release


There were four sellouts on opening weekend in the ECHL and 150,774 fans attended 32 games on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. South Carolina had the largest opening night crowd with 8,053 on Saturday while Greensboro had 7,281 on Friday, almost double its home opening crowd of 4,123 in 2002-03.

The 150,774 fans is more than attended 33 games on opening weekend last weekend for both the ECHL (116,747 fans for 28 games) and the West Coast Hockey League (32,397 for five games). The ECHL averaged 4,711 fans on opening weekend, up 13 percent from last season's 4,170 average for the ECHL and up 4.2 percent from the 4,520 average on opening weekend in 2002-03 for the ECHL and WCHL combined.

Idaho had a near capacity crowd of 5,002 and Toledo had a sellout crowd of 5,361 on Friday while Johnstown (4,011) and Reading (7,215) both had capacity crowds on Saturday. The average attendance for the 22 home openers on opening weekend was 5,424, an increase of 7.9 percent from last year's average of 5,026. Peoria had 7,053 for its opener on Saturday, up almost 16 percent from last season, while Charlotte drew 6,329 and Louisiana had 6,025, up more than 20 percent from 2002-03.

The strong attendance should continue on Tuesday as Las Vegas opens the new 7,773-seat Orleans Arena against Bakersfield and into the weekend as Alaska, Florida, Greenville and Gwinnett all play their home openers. Gwinnett will be playing its first-ever game in the new Gwinnett Civic and Culture Center when it hosts Augusta on Friday. In 2002-03, Florida drew 6,761 fans for its opener while Greenville had 6,632 fans and Alaska had 5,991. The Aces, who did not play opening weekend and drew over 7,000 for two preseason games against Trenton, host Fresno on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

San Diego, which had 12,920 on opening night in 2002-03, plays its home opener on November 1 against rival Idaho while Long Beach, which had 6,340 for opening night last season, opens the same night against Bakersfield. Texas will open the new state-of-the-art Arena at the Southeast Entertainment Complex on November 8 against Louisiana. Fresno is the last team to open at home as it awaits completion of the 13,800-seat Save Mart Center where the Falcons will host Bakersfield on November 16.

Two-Time NHL All-Star Irbe Wins ECHL Debut
In front of a sellout crowd of 4,011 at Cambria County War Memorial, two-time National Hockey League All-Star Arturs Irbe made 26 saves and picked up the win in his ECHL debut with the Johnstown Chiefs, 4-1 over Long Beach on Saturday.

"I'm awfully proud of this bunch of guys. They showed a lot of poise and a lot of heart and played really well for me. They made it an easy night for a rookie in this league," Irbe told the Johnstown Tribune-Democrat. "The league is more offensive than the American Hockey League or the NHL, but our boys definitely did their part defensively and made it so much easier for me."

Assigned to Johnstown by Carolina of the NHL, Irbe appeared in the 1994 and 1999 NHL All-Star Games and helped lead the Hurricanes to the 2002 Stanley Cup Finals.


ECHL Opening Weekend Sees Five Shutouts
There were two shutouts on opening night and five shutouts in 32 games on opening weekend in the ECHL. There were two shutouts in 29 games on opening weekend in the ECHL in 2002-03. Florida's Jeff Maund had 27 saves in the final two periods, including 16 in the second, and 29 saves overall in a 2-0 win at Augusta on Friday.

Fresno's Nolan Schaefer made 23 saves in a 3-0 win at Bakersfield on Friday. San Diego's Trevor Koenig turned aside 27 shots, including 16 in the third period, as the Gulls won their opener 1-0 at Bakersfield on Saturday. Koenig picked up his 100th career win and his 15th career shutout with San Diego. Reading's Adam Hauser made 17 saves, including nine in the second period, as the Royals won their home opener 2-0 over Texas. Hauser tied for the ECHL lead with five shutouts as a rookie with Jackson in 2002-03. Wheeling's Martin Brochu made 24 saves over the last two periods and 29 saves overall as the Nailers beat Long Beach 2-0 on Sunday. It was the 17th career shutout for Brochu, who has played eight games in the National Hockey League with Washington and Vancouver.

Bullies' Henkel, Royals' Zion Record Opening Night Hat Tricks
Atlantic City's Jim Henkel and Reading's Jonathon Zion each scored a hat trick on opening night. Henkel scored the first two goals of the game and picked up his third early in the third with a power-play goal in the Bullies' 7-3 win over Texas. Zion scored the first goal of the game and then had back-to-back power-play goals in less than five minutes in the second period of Reading's 6-1 win at Trenton. It was the second professional hat trick for both Henkel and Zion. Henkel is tied for the ECHL lead with four goals and two power-play goals and is tied for second in scoring with six points (4g-2a). Zion leads ECHL defensemen with three goals and is tied for the lead in power-play goals with two.


ECHL Feature Games Of The Week

Eastern Conference

Northern Division
Reading at Toledo Friday, 7:30 ET
 * Toledo is 3-1-1 all-time against the Royals.
* Reading is 2-0-0 for the first time in team history.
* Storm's Drew MacIntyre made an ECHL season-high 52 saves in 2-1 overtime win at Peoria.


Southern Division

Louisiana at Florida Friday, 7:35 ET
 * Louisiana is 6-2-3 all-time against Florida.
* Florida's Keith Anderson leads the ECHL with seven points (3g-4a).
* IceGators' Frederic Cloutier is 8-0-1 all-time in October.

Western Conference

Central Division
Columbus at Pensacola Friday, 7:05 CT
 * Pensacola is 4-1-1 all-time against Columbus.
* Ice Pilots' Brian Eklund leads the ECHL with 83 saves.
* Cottonmouths are 2-0-0 for the first time in history.

Pacific Division

Bakersfield at Las Vegas Tuesday, 7:05 PT
 * Home Opener for Las Vegas.
* Greg Day leads Vegas in assists (4) and points (6).
* Condors have never opened the year with three losses.

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ECHL Stories from October 20, 2003


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