Ben Knopp Named ECHL Player of the Week

Published on February 7, 2006 under ECHL (ECHL)
Phoenix RoadRunners News Release


Phoenix, Ariz. - The Phoenix RoadRunners of the ECHL are pleased to announce that forward Ben Knopp has been named the In Glas Co ECHL Player of the Week for the week of January 30 through February 5. Knopp is the first ECHL RoadRunner to win the league's weekly player award.

Knopp, 23, tallied three goals, including the game-winner Friday, and added an assist to lead the RoadRunners to a two-game sweep of the Pensacola Ice Pilots in Florida last week. Prior to the series, the Calgary, Alberta native had missed the club's previous five games due to injury. He also collected his first goals since January 10 against Alaska

In his fourth professional season, Knopp has recorded eight goals and 12 points in 16 games. He missed more than nine weeks of the regular season after suffering an injury on October 29 against San Diego. Despite his time away from the ice, Knopp has made a significant impact during the RoadRunners inaugural season in the ECHL. With the assistance of the RoadRunners organization, Knopp purchased four tickets for the remainder of the 2005-06 regular season on January 24 and donated them to the low income families from the Maricopa County Head Start Program.

Selected by the Columbus Blue Jackets with the 69th overall pick at the 2000 NHL Draft, Knopp spent both the entire 2002-03 and 2003-04 seasons in the American Hockey League with the Syracuse Crunch before splitting time with the Dayton Bombers and the Pee Dee Pride of the ECHL last year. He has tallied 33 goals and 69 points in 198 career games.

The Phoenix RoadRunners have won a club-record five consecutive games and will continue their comeback towards the ECHL Kelly Cup Playoffs beginning at 9:15PM MST Friday when they head to Anchorage for a three-game weekend series against the West Division leader Alaska Aces.

Catch all the action live on News Talk Radio 1100AM KFNX and Pro Sports Radio beginning with "RoadRunners Countdown" at 8:55PM.

Furry representatives from three of the most prominent sports franchises in the Valley will be making special deliveries this Valentine's Day. The Phoenix Suns Gorilla, Mercury mascot Scorch and Rocky the RoadRunner will make surprise deliveries on Tuesday, February 14 to sweethearts, kids or friends of the top bidders via a special online auction on www.phxroadrunners.com. The Gorilla will make one delivery to the top bidder, while Scorch and Rocky will deliver Valentine's Day goodies to each of their top two bidders, respectively. Bidding starts at $100 for Scorch and Rocky and $150 for the Gorilla. Bidding will close at noon on Monday, February 13. Winners will be contacted on Feb. 13 regarding details of the delivery.

A portion of the proceeds from the auctions will benefit Best Buddies of Arizona. Best Buddies enhances the lives of people with intellectual disabilities by providing opportunities for one-to-one friendships and integrated employment. Visit www.bestbuddiesphoenix.org for more information.

Phoenix returns to US Airways Center at 7:11PM on Tuesday, February 14 as they welcome the Long Beach Ice Dogs for a special Valentine's Day game. For more information or to order tickets, call (602) 462-GOAL or purchase online at www.ticketmaster.com.

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