
Bullies, Nailers, Rivermen Set Torrid Pace
January 12, 2004 - ECHL (ECHL) News Release
The race in the Northern Division remains tight with second place Atlantic
City going 9-0-1 in its last 10 games while leader Wheeling and third place
Peoria have each gone 8-1-1 in their last 10 games.
Wheeling is 25-10-2 and begins the week leading the ECHL with 52 points
while defending Kelly Cup Champion Atlantic City is in second place in the
division with 49 points and a 24-9-1 record and Peoria is in third place in
the division with 47 points and a 20-8-7 record. Johnstown is 5-5-0 in its
last 10 games and four points back in fourth place at 20-14-3 while Reading
is 2-5-3 in its last 10 and in fifth place at 18-12-6.
Idaho, which has won four consecutive games and is 7-1-2 in its last 10,
and Mississippi, which has won three consecutive games and is 6-3-1 in its
last 10, are tied for second overall in the ECHL with 50 points. Idaho
(24-11-2) leads the Pacific Division by three points over Alaska (22-10-3)
and Las Vegas (21-11-5) and by five points over San Diego (21-9-3).
Mississippi leads the Central Division with 50 points, two points ahead of
Louisiana (23-10-2), three points ahead of Gwinnett (22-11-3) and nine
points ahead of Pensacola (18-12-5).
Atlantic City hosts Trenton on Friday and Charlotte on Saturday before
traveling to Wheeling on Sunday. In the only meeting of the season between
the division leaders, Atlantic City won 7-1 at Wheeling on December 14.
Atlantic City is 2-1-0 at home and 2-3-0 overall against Trenton in 2003-04
and in the only meeting with Charlotte, the Bullies won 3-2 in a shootout
at Charlotte on October 29.
Peoria plays at Cincinnati on Tuesday before hosting Dayton on Thursday
and Johnstown on Friday and Saturday. The Rivermen are 3-1-0 at Cincinnati
and 5-3-0 overall against the Cyclones in 2003-04. Peoria is 2-0-0 at home
and 3-0-1 overall against Dayton and 1-1-0 at home and 2-1-1 overall
against the Chiefs in 2003-04.
Wheeling hosts Cincinnati on Friday and Saturday and Atlantic City on
Sunday. The Nailers are 1-2-0 against Cincinnati and 0-1-0 against Atlantic
City.
Peoria has won a team season-high five consecutive games which is the
longest current winning streak in the ECHL. The Rivermen won 4-2 at Las
Vegas on Friday and 6-2 at Las Vegas on Saturday to increase their road
winning streak to four game games. It is the second four-game winning
streak for Peoria in 2003-04 and ties it with Idaho, Columbus and South
Carolina for the longest current road winning streak.
During the five-game winning streak, Levente Szuper is 3-0-0 with a 2.39
goals against average and a .920 save percentage while Mike Valley is 2-0-0
with a 1.39 goals against average and a .946 save percentage. Selected in
the fourth round (116th overall) by the Calgary Flames in the 2000 National
Hockey League Entry Draft, Szuper is 7-0-0 in his last seven starts to
improve to 7-3-1 while lowering his goals against average from 4.53 to 2.94
and raising his save percentage from .818 to .886. Valley is 11-3-5, ranks
fifth in the league with a 2.22 goals against average, is tied for fifth in
the league with two shutouts and has a .914 save percentage.
During the five games, Tyler Rennette, Trevor Baker, Marty Johnston and
Scott Turner have a team-high four goals while Adam Edinger has a
team-leading seven assists and Rennette (4g-3a), Baker (4g-3a) and Edinger
(0g-7a) are tied for the lead with seven points.
During the current winning streak, Randy Rowe has scored six points (2g-4a)
in four games, including the game-winning goal on Friday. Rowe has a
10-game scoring streak, the longest current individual scoring streak in
the league, in which he has 18 points (10g-8a). Rowe has scored 22 points
(12g-10a) in his last 13 games and is tied for the ECHL lead with six
game-winning goals while ranking second in goals with 23 and tied for 16th
in scoring with 39 points (23g-16a).
Atlantic City has won four games in a row, including a 5-2 win at Dayton
on Thursday, a 5-1 win at Roanoke on Friday and a 4-0 win at Greensboro on
Saturday. The Boardwalk Bullies opened the season with six consecutive
wins, a mark that was matched December 12-31.
Atlantic City's Scott Stirling is 9-0-1 with a shutout in his last 10
games, allowing one goal or less in six games and two goals or less in nine
games to lower his league-leading goals against average from 1.74 to 1.69.
Stirling is 20-7-1 and leads the ECHL with 20 wins, is tied for second with
three shutouts and ranks second with a .940 save percentage.
In his second start in the last 14 games, rookie Jake Moreland made 27
saves in a 5-1 win at Roanoke on Saturday to improve to 4-2-0 with a 2.35
goals against average and a .923 save percentage.
Luke Curtin leads Atlantic City offensively the last 10 games with 10
goals and 21 points, including a team-high six goals and 11 points in the
last five games. Curtin leads Atlantic City with 19 goals, 24 assists and
43 points and is tied for the ECHL lead with four shorthand goals and tied
for eighth in scoring. Jon Cullen has 11 assists and 17 points in the last
10 games and seven assists and nine points in the last five games. Cullen
is second on the Bullies with 15 goals, 23 assists and 38 points and is
tied for third in the league with three shorthand goals and ranks 18th in
scoring.
A 5-2 loss at Cincinnati on Saturday ended Wheeling's season-high
five-game winning streak, but the Nailers rebounded on Sunday with a 3-2
shootout win against Reading and are 9-1-1 in their last 11 games.
In his first professional season, Wheeling's Nick Boucher is 16-3-0 and
leads the ECHL with four shutouts while ranking seventh with a 2.33 goals
against average. Selected in the ninth round (280th overall) by the
Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft, Boucher is 9-0-1 with
three shutouts in his last 11 games and has lowered his goals against
average from 2.92 to 2.33 while raising his save percentage from .895 to
.913.
During the last 11 games, Jason Jaffray leads Wheeling with eight goals
and 20 points while Jean-Francois Dufour has a team-high 15 assists and
ranks second with 19 points. Jaffray ranks fourth in the ECHL in scoring
with 49 points (20g-29a) while Dufour is tied for third with 16 power-play
assists and tied for eighth in scoring with 43 points (16g-27a).
Inferno's Blackburn, Cottonmouths' Tapp
Post Back-To-Back Shutouts
Columbia's Josh Blackburn and Columbus' Jason Tapp each posted
back-to-back shutouts last week.
Blackburn made 28 saves in a 7-0 win at Texas on January 4 and then made
27 saves in a 7-0 win against Roanoke on Thursday. Blackburn's shutout
streak ended at 173:18 on a goal at 7:09 of the second period in a 3-2 loss
against Toledo on Friday after beginning in the second period of a 4-3
shootout win at Mississippi on January 2. Selected in the fifth round
(116th overall) by the Phoenix Coyotes in the 1998 National Hockey League
Entry Draft, Blackburn ranks second in the ECHL with three shutouts, and is
14-6-3 with a 2.63 goals against average and a .915 save percentage.
Making his first-ever ECHL start, Tapp had 30 saves in a 3-0 win at South
Carolina on Tuesday and then made 21 saves in a 4-0 win at Gwinnett on
Friday. Tapp's Cottonmouths team record shutout streak ended at 168:55 on a
goal at 8:55 of the third period in a 3-1 win against Gwinnett on Saturday.
The 25-year-old Tapp is tied for fifth in the ECHL with two shutouts and is
3-1-0 with a 1.50 goals against average and a .950 save percentage in his
first four starts.
The ECHL record for consecutive shutouts is three set by Hampton Roads
Darryl Paquette on March 25-29, 1997 and tied by Trenton's Andrew Allen on
February 5-14, 2003. Paquette also holds the ECHL record for longest
shutout sequence by a goaltender with 236:03 from March 23-April 2, 1997.
Cottonmouths Go 9-1-1, Climb In Central Division
Going 3-1-0 last week and 9-1-1 in its last 11 games, Columbus has
improved to 18-18-3 and moved to within two points of fourth place
Pensacola in the Central Division.
The Cottonmouths, who won a season-high six consecutive games from
December 21-January 2, have 39 points while Pensacola has 41 points and a
18-12-5 record. Mississippi (22-11-6) leads the Central Division with 50
points while Louisiana (23-10-2) is in second place with 48 points and
Gwinnett (22-11-3) is in third place with 47 points.
Columbus plays at Augusta on Thursday and at Florence on Friday before
hosting Greenville on Saturday. The Cottonmouths, who have won four road
games in a row, are 1-1-0 at Augusta and 2-2-0 overall against the Lynx in
2003-04. Columbus won 1-0 at Florence on December 6 in its only meeting
with the Pride and won 2-1 at Greenville on December 30 in the only meeting
with the Grrrowl. Defenseman Rumun Ndur scored the game-winning goal in the
win at Florence and in the win at Greenville, his only two goals of the
season for the Cottonmouths.
Marc-Andre Thinel and John Morlang lead the Cottonmouths the last 11 games
with five goals and two game-winning goals while Dan Tessier has a
team-high nine assists and 12 points in eight games since being assigned
from Toronto of the American Hockey League on December 29.
The Cottonmouths have used five different goaltenders during the 11-game
streak.
Rookie Jason Tapp has started the last four games for the Cottonmouths
going 3-1-0 with a 1.50 goals against average and a .950 save percentage.
In his first-ever ECHL start, Tapp had 30 saves in a 3-0 win at South
Carolina on Tuesday and then made 21 saves in a 4-0 win at Gwinnett on
Friday. Tapp's team record shutout streak came to an end at 168:55 with a
goal at 8:55 of the third period in a 3-1 win against Gwinnett on Saturday.
Bobby Haselden replaced an injured Kristian Antila in the first period on
January 3 and made 20 saves in a 2-1 shootout loss against South Carolina.
In the last 11 games, Antila has made two starts and is 1-0-0 with a
shutout, a 0.00 goals against average and a 1.000 save percentage.
Prior to his recall to Albany of the AHL on January 5, Matus Kostur was
4-0-0 with a 1.50 goals against average and a .938 save percentage while
Olivier Michaud, who was recalled to Hamilton of the AHL on December 28,
allowed three goals in a 5-3 win against Gwinnett on December 21.
Pride On Season-High Three-Game Streak
Florence won three consecutive games for the first time in 2003-04 beating
Florida 3-2 in overtime on Friday, winning 4-2 at South Carolina on
Saturday and beating Toledo 2-0 on Sunday.
The Pride, who improved to 9-8-4 at home and 13-17-5 overall, play at
Greensboro on Wednesday before hosting Columbus on Friday and Columbia on
Saturday. Florence is 0-1-0 at Greensboro and 0-2-0 overall in 2003-04
against the Generals. The Pride is 0-1-0, losing 1-0 at home on December 6,
against Columbus in 2003-04 and 1-0-1 at home and 1-2-1 overall against
Columbia, winning 7-5 on December 27 to end an 11-game winless streak
against the Southern Division leader.
Florence ended a 1-for-30 power-play slump by going 3-for-15 (20 percent)
on the power play, including the game-winning goal on both Friday and
Saturday. The Pride allowed only one power-play goal in 17 chances (94.1
percent) to improve its penalty kill to 83 percent.
After allowing two goals on the first three shots he faced against South
Carolina, goaltender Matt Underhill stopped the next 36 shots he faced in
the 4-2 win. Selected by Calgary in the sixth round (170th overall) in the
1999 NHL Entry Draft, the 24-year-old then made 42 saves in the 2-0 win
against Toledo on Sunday for his first professional shutout. Underhill, who
played for the Southern Conference in the 2003 ECHL All-Star Game begins
the week with a shutout streak of 113:16 and is 5-8-2 with a 3.25 goals
against average and a .902 save percentage in 15 games with the Pride. He
has also appeared in four games for Manchester of the American Hockey
League going 2-2-0 with a 2.90 goals against average and a .903 save
percentage.
Wes Goldie scored the game-winning goal on Friday and Saturday and has
scored four points (2g-2a) during the three-game winning streak. Goldie
leads the Pride with 18 goals, eight power-play goals, three shorthand
goals and four game-winning goals and is tied for third on the team with 24
points (18g-6a) and 10 power-play points (9g-2a).
Allan Sirois has a five-game scoring streak in which he has seven points
(1g-6a), including five points (1g-4a) during the three-game winning
streak. Sirois is tied for the team lead with 23 assists, 29 points and 13
power-play points (4g-9a) while ranking second on the team with nine
power-play assists.
Northern Division
Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies
* Scott Stirling leads the ECHL with a 1.69 goals against average and 20
wins.
* Atlantic City leads the ECHL in goals allowed with 1.94 goals per game.
* Bullies host Trenton on Friday and Charlotte on Saturday before traveling
to Wheeling on Sunday.
Cincinnati Cyclones
* Ryan Brindley has a seven-game home assist streak (8a) dating back to
December 5.
* Terry Marchant has 14 points (5g-9a) and is +6 in his last 10 games.
* Cincinnati hosts Peoria on Tuesday before traveling to Wheeling on Friday
and Saturday and Toledo on Sunday.
Dayton Bombers
* Dayton is 5-2-0 when leading after the first period and 8-5-3 in one-goal
games.
* Rookie Olivier Proulx leads the team with 21 assists and 30 points.
* Dayton travels to Peoria on Thursday and Toledo on Friday and Saturday.
Johnstown Chiefs
* David Currie earned his first professional shutout in Saturday's 2-0 win
against Reading.
* Chiefs' penalty kill leads the ECHL with 89.8 percent (149-for-166).
* Johnstown travels to Peoria on Friday and Saturday.
Peoria Rivermen
* Randy Rowe has a 10-game point streak (10g-8a) and ranks second in the
ECHL with 23 goals.
* Trevor Baker has an eight-game point streak (7g-6a) and leads the team
with 18 assists.
* Peoria travels to Cincinnati on Tuesday before hosting Dayton on Thursday
and Johnstown on Friday and Saturday.
Reading Royals
* Cody Rudkowsky is tied for second in the ECHL with three overtime wins
and ranks third with a 2.18 goals against average.
* Royals' home penalty kill ranks second in the ECHL with 90.5 percent
(57-for-63).
* Reading hosts Charlotte on Friday and Trenton on Saturday.
Toledo Storm
* Toledo is 8-2-4 in one-goal games and 8-2-2 when leading after the first
period.
* Nick Parillo (10g-15a) and Morten Ask (9g-16a) lead the team in scoring
with 25 points.
* Toledo travels to Greenville on Tuesday before hosting Dayton on Friday
and Saturday and Cincinnati on Sunday.
Trenton Titans
* Scott Bertoli has a nine-game point streak (9g-6a) and set a team record
scoring two shorthand goals in 1:22 during the second period of Friday's
5-0 win against Dayton.
* Trenton travels to Atlantic City on Friday and Reading on Saturday.
Wheeling Nailers
* Nick Boucher earned his league-leading fourth shutout in Friday's 2-0 win
against Reading.
* Wheeling ranks third in the ECHL in scoring with 3.65 goals per game.
* Nailers host Cincinnati on Friday and Saturday and Atlantic City on
Sunday.
Southern Division
Charlotte Checkers
* Charlotte's road penalty kill ranks second in the ECHL with 90.0 percent
(108-for-120).
* Kevin Caulfield has a six-game point streak (3g-3a) dating back to
December 20.
* Charlotte travels to Reading on Friday and Atlantic City on Saturday.
Columbia Inferno
* Columbia leads the ECHL in scoring with 3.89 goals per game.
* Tim Smith (6a) and Chris St. Croix (6a) each have a six-game assist
streak dating back to January 2.
* Columbia travels to Greensboro on Tuesday and Florence on Saturday and
hosts South Carolina on Friday and Greensboro on Sunday.
Florence Pride
* Matt Underhill earned his first professional shutout in Sunday's 2-0 win
against Toledo.
* Pride went 16-for-17 (94.1 percent) on the penalty kill last week and has
its first three-game win streak of the season.
* Florence travels to Greensboro on Wednesday before hosting Columbus on
Friday and Columbia on Saturday.
Florida Everblades
* Brian McCullough leads the ECHL with 24 goals and ranks third with 50
points.
* Reggie Berg earned his first hat trick of the season in Tuesday's 5-3 win
at Greenville.
o Florida hosts Pensacola on Tuesday and Roanoke on Friday and Saturday.
Greensboro Generals
* Daniel Berthiaume leads the ECHL with four overtime wins and ranks second
with 19 wins and 936 saves.
* Greensboro hosts Columbia on Tuesday and Florence on Wednesday before
traveling to Gwinnett on Friday, Augusta on Saturday and Columbia on
Sunday.
Greenville Grrrowl
* Chris Lynch has a nine-game point streak (6g-9a) and leads the team in
scoring with 40 points (21g-19a).
* Bob Cunningham is tied for third in the ECHL with 21 goals.
* Greenville hosts Toledo on Tuesday before traveling to Augusta on Friday
and Columbus on Saturday.
Roanoke Express
* Duncan Dalmao is tied for third in the ECHL with 16 power-play assists.
* Shawn Limpright has scored a point in 13 of his last 14 games (12g-9a).
* Roanoke travels to Florida on Friday and Saturday.
South Carolina Stingrays
* David Brumby is 6-7-0 and ranks third in the ECHL with a .934 save
percentage.
* Ed Courtenay tallied his first hat trick of the season in Friday's 6-4
win against Gwinnett.
* South Carolina hosts Augusta on Tuesday before traveling to Columbia on
Friday and Gwinnett on Saturday.
Central Division
Augusta Lynx
* Jonathan Gagnon has a six-game goal streak (7g) dating back to January 2.
* Lynx are 8-0-1 when leading after the first period and 6-3-3 in one-goal
games.
* Augusta travels to South Carolina on Tuesday before returning home to
face Columbus on Thursday, Greenville on Friday and Greensboro on Saturday.
Columbus Cottonmouths
* Jason Tapp is 3-1-0 with a 1.50 goals against average and two shutouts in
his first four ECHL games.
* Colin Pepperall leads the team with 17 assists and 26 points.
* Columbus travels to Augusta on Thursday and Florence on Friday and hosts
Greenville on Saturday.
Gwinnett Gladiators
* Michael Garnett ranks third in the ECHL with 18 wins and fifth with a
2.28 goals against average.
* Gladiators' road penalty kill ranks third in the ECHL with 89.4 percent
(76-for-85).
* Gwinnett travels to Mississippi on Tuesday before hosting Greensboro on
Friday and South Carolina on Sunday.
Louisiana IceGators
* Frederic Cloutier earned his second shutout of the season in Sunday's 2-0
win against Pensacola.
* IceGators' power play leads the ECHL with 21.6 percent (41-for-190).
* Louisiana travels to Texas on Friday and Saturday before hosting
Pensacola on Sunday.
Mississippi Sea Wolves
* Steffon Walby (19g-32a) and Brent Gauvreau (17g-34a) are tied for the
ECHL lead with 51 points.
* Sea Wolves rank second in the ECHL with 3.79 goals per game.
* Mississippi hosts Gwinnett on Tuesday and Pensacola on Friday and
Saturday.
Pensacola Ice Pilots
* Corey Neilson leads the ECHL with 20 power-play assists and 25 power-play
points.
* Jim Abbott leads ECHL rookies with 19 goals and is tied for fifth with 32
points.
* Pensacola travels to Florida on Tuesday, Mississippi on Friday and
Saturday and Louisiana on Sunday.
Texas Wildcatters
* John Snowden is tied for fourth among ECHL rookies with 15 goals.
* Lukas Smital has a nine-game road point streak (6g-6a) dating back to
December 12.
* Texas travels to Fresno on Tuesday before hosting Louisiana on Friday and
Saturday.
Pacific Division
Alaska Aces
* Aces rank third in the ECHL in goals allowed with 2.51 goals per game.
* Joe Talbot is tied for the ECHL rookie lead with a team-high 38 points
(17g-21a).
* Alaska travels to Las Vegas on Tuesday, Bakersfield on Friday and San
Diego on Saturday and Sunday.
Bakersfield Condors
* Kevin Riehl has a six-game point streak (5g-3a) dating back to December
28.
* Johan Astrom leads the team with 15 goals and four power-play goals.
* Bakersfield hosts Alaska on Friday and Las Vegas on Saturday.
Fresno Falcons
* Greg Bullock has seven points (5g-2a) in his last five games and leads
the team in scoring with 40 points (18g-22a).
* Falcons lead the ECHL in penalty minutes with 30.5 penalty minutes per
game.
* Fresno hosts Texas on Tuesday, San Diego on Friday and Idaho on Saturday.
Idaho Steelheads
* Miguel Delisle is tied for the ECHL rookie lead with nine power-play
goals.
* Dan Ellis is 5-1-1 with a 2.65 goals against average in his last seven
games.
* Idaho hosts Long Beach on Friday and Sunday and travels to Fresno on
Saturday.
Las Vegas Wranglers
* Chris Kenady has a nine-game point streak (6g-8a) dating back to December
28.
* Dave Cousineau ranks second among ECHL defensemen with seven power-play
goals.
* Las Vegas hosts Alaska on Tuesday before traveling to Bakersfield on
Saturday.
Long Beach Ice Dogs
* Nick Ganga has six goals and six assists in his last 10 games.
* John McNabb leads the team with 16 goals and 31 points.
* Long Beach travels to Idaho on Friday and Sunday.
San Diego Gulls
* Mark Pederson has an eight-game goal streak (10g) and is tied for third
in the ECHL with 21 goals.
* Gulls' penalty kill ranks second in the ECHL with 89.1 percent
(164-for-184).
* San Diego travels to Fresno on Friday before hosting Alaska on Saturday
and Sunday.
ECHL Stories from January 12, 2004
- Rosebush Live Webchat on Wednesday; SpongeBob & Hey Arnold Saturday - Bakersfield Condors
- Checkers Schedule Slows Down - Charlotte Checkers
- Fresno Falcons Weekly Update - Fresno Falcons
- 'Catters are unbeaten in regulation in last three on the road - Texas Wildcatters
- Rivermen Sweep Two-Game Set in Las Vegas - Peoria Rivermen
- Wranglers Gear up for Alaskan Showdown - Las Vegas Wranglers
- Charter Communications to Broadcast ECHL All-Star Game - Greenville Grrrowl
- Penner, Johnstone to Visit Quaker Steak & Lube Tuesday Evening - Dayton Bombers
- Kroger Chuck-A-Puck Prize Donated to Charity - Atlanta Gladiators
- Still in Fourth, but Sitting Pretty - San Diego Gulls
- Aquino recalled to Wolves - Atlanta Gladiators
- Bullies, Nailers, Rivermen Set Torrid Pace - ECHL
- Condors Come Up Empty in Two Home Games - Bakersfield Condors
- Titans Bring back Kilbourne - Trenton Devils
- Titans Raise More than $5000 for Charities - Trenton Devils
- ECHL Transactions - ECHL
- Rudkowsky Recalled by Worcester - Reading Royals
- E-A-G-L-E-S, EAGLES - Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies
- Ice Dogs Weekly - Long Beach Ice Dogs
- Express Forward Dusbabek Returns - Roanoke Express
- Nailers Week In Review - Wheeling Nailers
- IceGators Split Pride in America Weekend - Louisiana IceGators
- Coaches Show Returns to Airwaves Tonight - Florida Everblades
- Ice Dogs Bark Louder than Bite in 3-2 Loss to Idaho - Long Beach Ice Dogs
- Pack the Pit - Columbus Cottonmouths
- Steelheads Weekly Update - Idaho Steelheads
- Everblades Notch 2-0-2 Record this Past Week - Florida Everblades
- Simply Invincible! - Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies
- Titans Go 1-1-1 to Stay in Seventh - Trenton Devils
- Grrrowl Weekly - Greenville Grrrowl
- Bombers Cap Week with Strong Road Win - Dayton Bombers
- Clones Split Weekend Pair - Cincinnati Cyclones
- Royals Battle through Tough Road Swing - Reading Royals
- Inferno Weekly - Columbia Inferno
- Johnstown Chiefs Weekly - Johnstown Chiefs
- Mississippi Vaults Into First Place in Central Division - Mississippi Sea Wolves
- Roanoke Express Weekly - Roanoke Express
- Stingrays Drop Two of Three at Home - South Carolina Stingrays
- Nailers Introduce the "J" Line - Wheeling Nailers
- Florence Pride Weekly - Myrtle Beach Thunderboltz
- Gladiators Weekly Update - Atlanta Gladiators
- Shootout Thriller Caps Pulsating Series - Alaska Aces
- Aces Top Gulls In Shootout, 4-3 - San Diego Gulls
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