Augusta Lynx Weekly

February 5, 2008 - ECHL (ECHL)
Augusta Lynx News Release


Augusta, GA - It was an up and down week for the Augusta Lynx this past week. The week got off to a great start for Augusta who won road games for the first time this season at Gwinnett and at South Carolina. On Tuesday in Gwinnett, the Lynx offense exploded for eight goals in an 8-6 win over the Gladiators. #16 Chase Watson and #20 Matt Auffrey had two goals a piece and #7 James Brannigan chipped in three points. On Thursday, the Lynx winning streak went to two as they ended the Stingrays 11-game home winning streak with a 3-1 win. #9 Louis Goulet had two goals and goaltender #30 Bobby Goepfert had 26 saves in the win. Friday and Saturday, the Lynx hosted the last-place Pensacola Ice Pilots however the return home did not go as expected for the Lynx. The Ice Pilots won 2-1 on Friday night. Lynx goaltender #1Gerald Coleman had 27 saves in his debut after being assigned from the Portland Pirates a day earlier. On Saturday, the Lynx used some late game heroics from #20 Matt Auffrey to tie the score late, but only managed a point as they fell in overtime to the Ice Pilots, 2-1. The crowd of 5,506 was the largest for the Lynx since October 22, 2004.

THREE GAMES THIS WEEK:

Wednesday, February 6 vs. Wheeling Nailers, 7:05pm (James Brown Arena)

Friday, February 8 @ Florida Everblades, 7:30pm (Germain Arena)

Saturday, February 9 @ Florida Everblades, 7:30pm (Germain Arena)

AUGUSTA LYNX PLAYERS TO DELIVER TEDDY BEARS ON TUESDAY: Augusta Lynx players will be at the MCG Children's Medical Center at 1:30 on Tuesday, February 5th at 1:30pm to give teddy bears to the children. The teddy bears were originally collected on "Teddy Bear Toss Night" back on December 8, 2007, when almost 500 bears where donated by fans and thrown onto the ice during a 3-0 win over the Mississippi Sea Wolves.

THAT'S A LOT OF PEOPLE! Saturday night, the Lynx played in front of the largest crowd to see a game at the James Brown Arena since October 22, 2004. The announced crowd of 5,506 was the largest crowd of the season for the Lynx and out of 345 total home games in Augusta from 1998-2008, it ranks in the top 40 of all-time crowds.

LYNX RETURN HOME AGAIN ON WEDNESDAY AGAINST WHEELING: The Augusta Lynx homestand continues with another home game this Wednesday, February 6th against the Wheeling Nailers from the ECHL's North Division. The Nailers defeated the Lynx earlier on this season by a 4-1 score in Wheeling, so the Lynx will be looking for revenge! It is Augusta Chronicle Spotted Night. Everyone that brings and shows their camera will receive a coupon that can be redeemed for a free game ticket with the purchase of a game ticket. A table will be set up in front of the ticket booth for fans to show their cameras on Wednesday night.

INTRODUCING THE LIL' LADY LYNX! The Lady Lynx, the professional dance/promotional team for the Augusta Lynx is excited to announce the creation of the LiL' Lady Lynx! The LiL' Lady Lynx is junior dance program and team open to young girls, ages 8-12, that have an interest in dancing and community involvement. Some of the activities include performing as their own group at Augusta Lynx home games and attending community events with the Lady Lynx! For more information on this great program please email Director Dory Kyrias at: ladylynx@augustalynx.com

PIRATES GOALTENDER COLEMAN ASSIGNED BY ANAHEIM: Augusta Lynx Head Coach Bob Ferguson announced this past Thursday that the Anaheim Ducks have assigned Portland Pirates goaltender Gerald Coleman to the Augusta Lynx. Coleman, 22, who is in his 3rd professional season was drafted in the 7th round of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft by the Tampa Bay Lightning. Coleman, who is from Romeoville, Illinois, has appeared in 16 games so far this season with the Portland Pirates, posting an 8-7-1 record with a 2.96 goals against average and a 89.4% save percentage. He has posted a team-high two shutouts this season, which included a 31-save performance at Lowell on November 21st and a 25-save performance against Springfield on December 16th. Coleman has not appeared in a game with the Pirates since January 9th, a 5-3 win at Bridgeport. Last season, Coleman played in 17 contests for the Johnstown Chiefs of the ECHL before arriving in Portland. Playing in 11 games for the Portland Pirates last season, the netminder put up a 2.89 goals-against average and a .895 save percentage with a 4-5-0 record. Coleman made his professional debut on October 15, 2005 at Manchester stopping 32 of 35 shots on goal. He made his NHL debut on November 11th of that season in Atlanta stopping three of four shots on goal in relief. The netminder collected his first professional shutout making 26 saves earning the game's third star on December 3rd at Manchester. In 2004-05, he accumulated an outstanding 32 wins in 38 games for the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League en route to capturing the 2005 Memorial Cup Championship. In his second season with the London Knights in 2003-04, Coleman saw action in 33 games and recorded a 2.20 GAA and went 24-8 allowing just 68 goals with five shutouts. That season he led the OHL in save percentage and shutouts. Prior to playing in the OHL, Coleman played two seasons for the United States National Development Team and became the first graduate of the NHL's Diversity Program, leading the way for minority players to the game of hockey.

CATCH THE LYNX LIVE FROM FLORIDA: Follow the Lynx game-by-game as they make their annual roadtrip this weekend to Estero, Florida to take on the Everblades. The three games against the Everblades marks the final time this season that the two teams, who are separated by just two points, will face one another before the playoffs. Florida is in 4th place, which is the final spot for home ice during the first round of the playoffs. All of the games in Florida are a 7:30pm face-off time. The series begins on Friday, February 8th. Fans can catch all the action on Newstalksports 1630AM WRDW, or through the Augusta Lynx website at www.augustalynx.com. The broadcast with the Voice of the Lynx Alex "Cheeks" Kyrias begins at 7:15pm with the Stone by Design Pre-Game Show.

RADIO HOUR RETURNS ON FEBRUARY 18TH: The Augusta Lynx Radio Hour will return to the air this week on Monday, February 18th from 7:00-8:00pm at Indigo Joe's (3730 Wheeler Rd.) in Augusta. Join the Voice of the Lynx, Alex "Cheeks" Kyrias for the weekly show that discusses all that related to the Augusta Lynx broadcast LIVE on 1630AM WRDW. Guest's for this week's show include Head Coach Bob Ferguson, and two Lynx players.

HARLEY RAFFLE TICKETS AND 2008 TEAM CALENDARS ON SALE: Make sure to purchase your raffle tickets to win the customized Augusta Lynx Harley Davidson Fatboy-Softail, on display during each home game. Raffle tickets are just $20 for your chance to win this new, custom bike! The 2008 Augusta Lynx/Harley Davidson team calendars starring the Lynx players and the Lady Lynx are on sale now during each Lynx home game. For only $5 you can have this great 13-month calendar with pictures inside of the Lynx players and the Lady Lynx.

PARTY WITH THE PLAYERS! Attention all area youth (ages 17 and under). The Augusta Lynx Booster Club wants you to Come Party with the Lynx Players at Planet X-Treme on Monday, February 18th from 6:00-9:00pm. The event is open to the first 25 youth to sign up and pay. So, hurry and stop by the Booster Club Table behind section 115 at any home game. Keep in mind the last home game prior to the event in February 6th. Cost is $15.00 with a special discount for Booster Club youth at $10.00, and includes unlimited game play, laser tag contests, pizza and drinks. Sorry, no grown-ups! E-mail Cynthia Casady for more details at allarmybrats@yahoo.com

COMPARED TO LAST YEAR: After 46 games last season, the Lynx were 25-20-0-1. This season after 46 games, the Lynx are 23-19-1-3. The Lynx won a franchise-record 39 games last season.

The week that was:

Tuesday, January 29, Augusta Lynx 8 @ Gwinnett Gladiators 6

It took a huge offensive outburst of eight goals, but the Augusta Lynx snapped their four-game slide on Tuesday night in Gwinnett with a big 8-6 win over the Gladiators. The Lynx got two goals from #16 Chase Watson and #20 Matt Auffrey, and additional goals from #12 Ryan Dingle, #7 James Brannigan, #21 Bobby Bolt and #11 Matt Christie. The Lynx led 4-3 after the first period. The four goals for Augusta matched the goal output from the last four games. #12 Ryan Dingle got the Lynx on the board first with a breakaway goal just :47 seconds into the game. After the Gladiators answered, the Lynx scored three straight to make it 4-1. #16 Chase Watson scored on a wrap-around to make it 2-1, then #20 Matt Auffrey scored on the power play with a wicked wrist shot to make it 3-1. The Lynx made it 4-1 with #7 James Brannigan's second goal of the season. The Gladiators came back late in the 1st period to score two goals to make it 4-3 after one period, but the Lynx would never surrender the lead. The Lynx made it 5-3 in the 3nd period with a goal from Chase Watson, after a nice effort by #5 Ken Scuderi to get the puck to the net. The Glads would make it 5-4, but the Lynx answered right back with Auffrey's second goal of the night on a great defensive effort, picking up his own loose puck and putting another wrist shot home. The Glads made it 6-5 at the end of the 2nd period. The 3rd period was all Lynx, including a power play goal by #21 Bobby Bolt and perhaps the backbreaker from #11 Matt Christie. Christie's goal was a shorthanded breakaway goal that came on the heels of the Lynx killing off a 5 on 3 power play, which included a major penalty against #10 Garrett Winder. The Glads would add one more, but goaltender #30 Bobby Goepfert shut the door the rest of the way with 30 saves on the night.

Thursday, January 31, Augusta Lynx 3 @ South Carolina Stingrays 1

Two nights after capturing their first win of the season in Gwinnett, the Augusta Lynx came to Charleston, South Carolina wanting to do the same against the South Carolina Stingrays, and that's exactly what they did Thursday night with a 3-1 win over the 'Rays. The Lynx went about this win in an entirely different way than Tuesday's offensive outburst, using defense and special teams to get the job done. The 'Rays would get on the board first as Chris Chaput hammered home a rebound on the power play to give the 'Rays a 1-0 lead after one. After only four shots on goal in the 1st period, the Lynx amped up the offense in the 2nd period. #21 Bobby Bolt tied the game with a 2 on 1 shorthanded goal as he and #11 Matt Christie worked some give-and-go magic to tie the game. The Lynx took their first lead as captain #9 Louis Goulet tipped home a power play drive from #3 Brian Yandle and #25 Adrian Veideman. The rest of the way was tight defense by the Lynx in the 3rd period and more outstanding saves from #30 Bobby Goepfert. Goepfert's denials led to the late game heroics from Goulet. While down 6 on 4 and with the net empty for the extra attacker at the other end, Goulet won a face-off and while falling on his stomach shot the puck 175 feet down the ice into the open net for the 3-1 win.

Friday, February 1, Pensacola Ice Pilots 2 @ Augusta Lynx 1

Led by the goaltender Cam Ellsworth, the Pensacola Ice Pilots came into Augusta and pulled off a 2-1 win over the Augusta Lynx on Friday night in front of 2,958 fans at the James Brown Arena. The Lynx outshot the Ice Pilots 12-8 in the 1st period and had the majority of the chances, but failed to convert on some golden opportunities. The Ice Pilots scored first on the power play as Erik Fabian drove home a shot from the slot past a screened Gerald Coleman for a 1-0 lead for Pensacola. The Lynx evened the score in the 2nd period with a great individual effort from #7 James Brannigan who skated in 3 on 3 and created space as he dumped the puck off to #18 Igor Pohanka on the right wing for a drive that beat a diving Ellsworth to tie the game at 1-1. #6 Will Bodine also assisted on the play. However, special teams would once again make the difference in this game as the Lynx went scoreless on all eight of their power plays. In the 3rd period, the Ice Pilots killed off a penalty to find Mathiieu Roy coming out of the penalty box on a 2 on 1. Roy held the puck long enough to beat Coleman high to the glove side for the game-winner. The Lynx had plenty of chances the rest of the way, but couldn't find the back of the net on this night. The Lynx outshot the Ice Pilots in every period and 36-29 for the game, but the lone power play goal for Pensacola would provide the difference on Friday.

Saturday, February 2, Pensacola Ice Pilots 3 @ Augusta Lynx 2 (OT)

The Lynx team that posted two big road wins earlier in the week at Gwinnett and at South Carolina, was not the same Lynx team that showed up this weekend against the last-place Pensacola Ice Pilots. For the first time all season long, Pensacola swept a weekend series of an opponent and unfortunately for the Lynx it came at home. On Saturday night, it was in front of the largest crowd of the season of 5,506 fans as the Ice Pilots defeated the Lynx 3-2 in overtime. Joel Stepp was the hero for Pensacola, scoring the final two goals of the game including the OT winner. The Lynx got off to a much better start in the 1st period compared to Friday night. #25 Adrian Veideman scored on a tip-in six minutes into the game with an assist to #9 Louis Goulet. The Lynx made it clear throughout the 1st period that they were not going to be pushed around in their own building, with several fights breaking out. However, the physical play and dominance went away for the Lynx in the 2nd period as Pensaola become the aggressor. It paid off with a tip-in goal from former Lynx foward Dan Sullivan to tie the game. Throughout the remainder of the game, the Lynx failed to generate the type of chances down low that net ugly goals. Just as they had the night before the Ice Pilots took a 2-1 lead early in the 3rd period with a breakaway goal from Stepp, who beat #30 Bobby Goepfert high to the glove side. The Lynx scrambled to tie the game, and finally got the equalizer as #20 Matt Auffrey slapped home a loose puck in front with help from Goulet and #16 Chase Watson. In the overtime however, Stepp beat his man down low on a 2 on 2, brought the puck in from the goal line and slid it underneath Goepfert for the win.



ECHL Stories from February 5, 2008


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