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Coors Light ECHL American Conference All-Stars Named

Published on January 5, 2005 under ECHL (ECHL) News Release


PRINCETON, N.J. – The ECHL on Wednesday announced the American Conference starting lineup and roster for the 2005 Coors Light ECHL All-Star Game on January 26 at the Sovereign Center in Reading, Pa. There are 12 rookies on the 21-man roster and 20 of the players will be making their first ECHL All-Star appearance.

The starting lineups were determined in voting by American Conference coaches, team captains, media relations directors, broadcasters and newspaper writers. Coaches also submitted the top prospects from within their conference that determined the final roster with each of the 12 teams in the American Conference having a representative.

The starting lineup and roster for the National Conference All-Star Team will be announced at 4 p.m. ET on Thursday.

2005 Coors Light ECHL All-Star Game American Conference Starters
G – Mike Minard, Columbia
D – Corey Neilson, Pensacola
D – Matt Pagnutti, Florida
F – Matt Hendricks, Florida
F – Mike Harder, Charlotte
F – Carl Mallette, Greenville

Under contract to Manitoba of the AHL, Columbia goaltender Mike Minard is 13-1-2 with two shutouts while ranking third in wins and ninth in goals-against average with 2.24. Columbia defenseman Greg Amadio leads ECHL defensemen in plus-minus rating with +19 and he has three points (0g-3a) in 25 games.

The 2004 ECHL Defenseman of the Year , Pensacola's Corey Neilson is the only player on the American Conference roster that has appeared in an ECHL All-Star Game, making his second consecutive start and second appearance. Neilson ranks fourth among league defensemen with 16 assists and is tied for fourth in scoring with 21 points after leading ECHL defensemen in 2003-04 with 78 points (19g-59a). Selected in the third round (74th overall) by Toronto in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft and under contract to Toronto, Pensacola rookie goaltender Todd Ford is 8-2-0 with a shutout, a goals-against average of 2.00 and a save percentage of .939.

Selected in the fifth round (131st overall) by Nashville in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft and under contract to Lowell of the American Hockey League and in his first professional season, Florida forward Matt Hendricks leads ECHL rookies with 16 goals and is tied for the rookie lead in scoring with 33 points while ranking fourth in assists with 17. Under contract to Lowell of the AHL, Florida defenseman Matt Pagnutti is tied for 10th among league defensemen with 16 points (3g-13a).

Charlotte forward Mike Harder, who is tied for ninth in the league with 30 points, has the league's longest scoring streak after scoring a point (6g-12a) in each of the Checkers first 12 games. Under contract to and currently on a call up to Hartford of the AHL, Charlotte rookie defenseman Ryan Glenn has 12 points (2g-10a) in 29 games.

Greenville forward Carl Mallette, who finished among the top five vote getters for 2004 ECHL Rookie of the Year , is in his second professional season and he leads the league with 18 goals and 38 points in 30 games. Under contract to Edmonton of the AHL, Greenville rookie forward Martin St. Pierre is tied for second in the league with 23 assists and tied for third in scoring with 33 points and he leads ECHL rookies in assists and ranks second in scoring.

Gwinnett has the most representatives on the American Conference with rookie forwards Brett Engelhardt and Jeff Campbell and defenseman Jim Jackson. On loan to St. John's of the AHL since December 14, Engelhardt is tied for second among league rookies with a team-leading 14 goals and tied for 12th among rookies in scoring with 23 points in 21 games. In his first full professional season, the 23-year-old Campbell is fifth among ECHL rookies with 13 goals and tied for fifth in scoring with 27 points in 29 games. In his second professional season, the 24-year-old Jackson leads ECHL defensemen with four power-play goals and has 13 points (5g-8a) in 29 games.

Selected in the eighth round (261st overall) by New Jersey in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft, South Carolina rookie forward Joey Tenute is tied for the ECHL lead with 14 power-play points (4ppg-10ppa) and is tied for 15th overall in scoring with 29 points (14g-15a) in 29 games. He leads league rookies in power-play assists and power-play points while he is tied for second in goals and game-winning goals and ranks fourth in scoring. Under contract to Portland of the AHL, South Carolina rookie defenseman Mark Ardelan leads league defenseman with seven goals while ranking 14th in scoring with 15 points.

Selected in the third round (87th overall) by the New York Islanders in the 1999 NHL Entry Draft, Pee Dee forward Brian Collins leads the league with five shorthand points and is tied for second with three shorthand goals and two shorthand assists while leading the Pride with 13 goals and 27 points in 29 games. In his first professional season, Pee Dee rookie forward Mark Mullen is tied for 17th among ECHL rookies with 21 points (11g-10a) in 29 games.

Selected in the fifth round (165th overall) by Los Angeles in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft, Louisiana rookie goaltender Nathan Marsters is 9-9-2 and ranks 19th in the league with a goals-against average of 2.52.

Mississippi forward Jeff Hutchins is tied for fifth in the league with 16 goals and tied for seventh in scoring with 31 points (16g-15a) in 30 games.

Selected in the seventh round (198th overall) by New Jersey in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft and under contract to Albany of the AHL, Augusta rookie left wing Ken Magowan leads the team in goals (11) and plus-minus rating (+5) while ranking fourth in scoring with 20 points in 29 games.

Selected in the fourth round (113th overall) by the Edmonton Oilers in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft and under contract to San Antonio, Texas rookie center Lou Dickenson is tied for second on the team with 11 assists and is fourth in scoring with 15 points in 17 games. One of 18 finalists for the TV program "Making The Cut", Dickenson has also played 15 games in the AHL with San Antonio, scoring one goal.

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