ECHL ECHL

Dayton First To Claim Playoff Spot In American Conference

March 26, 2007 - ECHL (ECHL) News Release


Dayton won 3-2 at Johnstown on Sunday to become the first team in the American Conference to clinch a berth in the Kelly Cup Playoffs. The Bombers are 4-0-1 in their last five games and 11-2-3 in their last 16 games to improve to 35-22-7 and 77 points which leads the North Division, two points ahead of Cincinnati at 35-25-5 and four points better than Toledo at 35-28-3.

Dayton has 31 more points than a year ago and the most wins and points since its last postseason appearance in 2001-02 when they finished first in their division with 92 points (40-12-12) and advanced to the Kelly Cup Finals. The Bombers will host Wheeling on Tuesday before traveling to Reading on Friday and Johnstown on Saturday.

Cincinnati, which needs only one point to clinch a postseason berth, hosts Johnstown on Tuesday before traveling to Wheeling on Friday and Saturday. The Cyclones, who had a voluntary suspension for each of the last two years, are trying to reach the Kelly Cup Playoffs for the third time in their four seasons, including 2003 when they lost in Game 7 of the conference finals to eventual champion Atlantic City.

Toledo, which reached the conference finals a year ago, is trying to reach the postseason for three straight years for the first time since it qualified in each of its first eight seasons from 1991-99. The Storm will travel to Johnstown on Friday and then host Trenton on Saturday and Wheeling on Sunday.

In the North Division, berths in the Kelly Cup Playoffs will be awarded to the first-place team as well as to the next four-best teams, based on regular-season point totals. The fourth seed and the fifth seed will play a best-of-three series in the Division Quarterfinals with the winner advancing to meet the division winner in the Division Semifinals, a best-of-five series that also had the second seed playing the third seed. The winners will advance to the best-of-seven Division Finals with the winner advancing to the American Conference Finals to meet the winner of the South Division.

Trenton is 32-29-5 and in fourth place with 69 points, two points ahead of Reading at 30-30-7. The Titans will play their next three games on the road, visiting Reading on Wednesday, Toledo on Saturday and Dayton on Sunday while the Royals will host Trenton on Wednesday and Dayton on Friday.

Wheeling has won a season-high five games to improve to 28-31-6 and move into a tie for sixth place with Johnstown at 62 points, five points behind Reading for the fifth and final berth in the North Division. The Nailers, who have reached the Kelly Cup Playoffs twice in the last three years and advanced to the division finals last season, will travel to Dayton on Tuesday before hosting Cincinnati on Friday and Saturday.

Looking for its 12th postseason appearance and its first back-to-back trips to the Kelly Cup Playoffs since 2001 and 2002, Johnstown will travel to Cincinnati on Tuesday before returning home to meet Toledo on Friday and Dayton on Saturday.



Gladiators Four Power-Play Goals Shy Of ECHL Record

Gwinnett has 112 power-play goals in 66 games for a league-leading power-play percentage of 24.0 percent, and needs four power-play goals in its final six games to break the ECHL record of 115 power-play goals set by Nashville in 1995-96.

The Gladiators scored the second-highest number of power-play goals with 114 in 2005-06 and they led the league with a power-play percentage of 24.1 percent, which was the highest since 1999-2000 when Greenville had 24.3 percent.

Gwinnett leads the league with 269 goals and 4.08 goals per game after having a league-leading 304 goals and 4.29 goals per game a year ago.



Florida, Trenton Have Largest Crowds Of The Season

In a week that saw the largest crowds of the year in Florida and Trenton and the second-largest crowd of the season in Idaho the ECHL raised its attendance to 3,376,064, marking the 12th straight year that the league has drawn more than 3.3 million.

More than 13,400 watched the three-game West Division showdown between Idaho and Alaska including 5,142 on Mar. 24, the fifth sellout of the season as the Steelheads raised their average to 4,350 per game. Victoria has had more than 4,000 for its last seven games as the Salmon Kings had their sixth-largest and seventh-largest crowds of the year with more than 9,100 in attendance for two games against Long Beach.

Florida had over 13,800 for its two games against Columbia, including the third sellout of the year with 7,516 on Mar. 24, to increase its total attendance to 210,436 and 6,189 per game. The Everblades have had more than 200,000 fans in each of their first nine seasons, and from 2000-05 they led the league in attendance.

Stockton continues to lead the league in total attendance with 214,316 and average attendance with 6,697 per game. The average is up 5.3 percent from a year ago when the Thunder led the ECHL in their inaugural season with 6,343 per game, which was the largest average attendance since 2000-01.

Trenton had over 9,000 for its two games against Cincinnati including a season-high 5,435 on Mar. 24. Texas had its third-largest crowd of the season when it hosted Gwinnett in a battle of South Division leaders on Mar. 24 as the Wildcatters' average attendance is up 4.8 percent from 2004-05.

Charlotte leads the league with nine sellouts and is third in the league with 5,964 per game, an increase of 2.1 percent from a year ago when the Checkers had a league-high 10 sellouts after moving into the new Charlotte Bobcats Arena.

Bakersfield had 8,325 on Mar. 23, which is the third-largest crowd of the season, and the third time in the last five games and fourth time this season that there have been more than 8,000 fans at Rabobank Arena. The Condors raised their average to 5,828 per game, which is fourth in the league and up 3.9 percent from last season as they, look to increase average attendance for the fourth straight season since joining the ECHL as an expansion team in 2003-04.

Fresno had 6,290 for its game on Mar. 20 to increase its attendance to 5,051 per game, which is up 11.6 percent and the largest increase among the 12 teams who have raised their average attendance from last season.

Johnstown raised its attendance to 2,544 per game, which is up 4.8 percent from a year ago. Utah has raised its average attendance to 4,154 per game, up 7.5 percent from a year ago, which is the second highest increase, while Dayton's average is up 6.8 percent, which is the third-highest growth since last season. Phoenix had more than 6,000 for each of its last two home games to finish with 3,711 per game, an increase of 0.5 percent from the RoadRunners inaugural season, while Wheeling has more than 9,000 in its last three home dates to raise its average to 2,835 per game.

The ECHL is trying to raise attendance for the fourth year in a row for the first time ever after having its largest average since 1999-2000 in 2005-06 with 4,327 per game as 13 of 22 returning teams raised their attendance.



South Division Shaping Up With Florida In The Lead

Posting a pair of wins against Columbia, Florida improved to 40-20-6 and moved into first place in the South Division with 86 points, one point ahead of Texas which improved to 38-20-9 after sweeping a two-game series against Gwinnett which is three points back at 38-21-7.

The Everblades and Wildcatters will meet in Texas on Friday and Saturday while the Gladiators will host South Carolina on Thursday and Pensacola on Saturday while traveling to Columbia on Friday.

Florida has not missed the Kelly Cup Playoffs since joining the league in 1998-99 and in 2004 and 2005 the Everblades advanced to the Kelly Cup Finals. The Wildcatters, who are looking for their first trip to the Kelly Cup Playoffs since they relocated to Beaumont in 2003-04, have set team highs with 38 wins, 19 road wins and 19 home wins after being unable to play last season in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita. The Gladiators have advanced to the postseason every season since relocating to Georgia in 2003-04, reaching the Kelly Cup Finals in 2006 and the conference finals in 2004.

In the South Division, berths in the Kelly Cup Playoffs are awarded to the first-place team as well as to the next four-best teams based on regular-season point totals. The fourth seed and the fifth seed will play a best-of-three game series in the Division Quarterfinals with the winner advancing to meet the division leader in the Division Semifinals, a best-of-five series that also had the second seed playing the third seed. The winners will advance to the best-of-seven Division Finals with the winner advancing to the American Conference Finals to meet the winner of the North Division.

Augusta (37-26-3) and South Carolina (34-24-9) are tied for fourth place with 77 points, two points ahead of Charlotte (36-25-3). The Stingrays will travel to Gwinnett on Thursday before heading to Augusta for games on Friday and Saturday against the Lynx, who will host Columbia on Wednesday and play at Charlotte on Sunday. The Checkers, who are 5-2-0 in their last seven games, will play their next four games at home, hosting Pensacola on Tuesday and Thursday, Columbia on Saturday and Augusta on Sunday.

South Carolina holds the ECHL record for most playoff appearances and consecutive playoff appearances having advanced in each of its first 13 seasons, including 1997 and 2001 when the Stingrays won the Kelly Cup. Augusta has not made back-to-back Kelly Cup Playoff appearances since 2000 and 2001 while Charlotte is trying to reach the postseason three consecutive years for the first time since advancing each of its first five seasons from 1994-98.

In the South Division, berths in the Kelly Cup Playoffs are awarded to the first-place team as well as to the next four-best teams based on regular-season point totals. The fourth seed and the fifth seed will play a best-of-three game series in the Division Quarterfinals with the winner advancing to meet the division leader in the Division Semifinals, a best-of-five series that also had the second seed playing the third seed. The winners will advance to the best-of-seven Division Finals with the winner advancing to the American Conference Finals to meet the winner of the North Division.



Cincinnati's Wirll Only Six Goals Away From 50

Mike Wirll of Cincinnati scored a goal in each of his three games last week and continues to lead the ECHL with 44 goals in 66 games. If Wirll can score six goals in his remaining seven games he will become the first player to score 50 goals since 2000-01 when Andrew Williamson of Toledo had 52 goals in 66 games. The most goals scored in the last five seasons are 49 goals by Chris Minard of Alaska in 2004-05.

Idaho's Marty Flichel, who had a pair of goals on Mar. 24, and Victoria's Wes Goldie, who scored two goals on Mar. 23, are tied for second with 37 goals and each has six games remaining. The last time that the ECHL had two 40-goal scorers was 2003-04 when San Diego's Mark Pederson had 44 goals and Florida's Brian McCullough had 40 goals. Flichel and Goldie each have six games remaining. Mike Pandolfo, who has been playing in the AHL with Lowell since Feb. 17, is fourth with 36 goals while Gwinnett rookie Colton Fretter, who has not played since being injured on Feb. 14, is fifth with 35 goals.

Despite being held without a point in two games at Texas, Brad Schell and Scott Mifsud of Gwinnett continue to lead the ECHL in assists and points. Schell is first in the league with 85 assists and 110 points in 63 games while Mifsud is second with 63 assists and 88 points in 64 games.

Schell and Mifsud can become only the second set of teammates in league history to finish first and second in assists and the fifth duo to lead the scoring race. The only time that teammates led the ECHL in assists was 1996-97 when Ron Handy and John De Pourcq of Louisiana had 67 assists and 63 assists, respectively.

The 85 assists and 110 points by Schell are the most assists and points since 1999-2000 when John Spoltore of Louisiana had 92 assists and 119 points. The first player since 2002-03 to score 100 points, Schell is eight assists shy of the ECHL record of 93 assists by Dan Gauthier of Knoxville in 1990-91. Schell has also played four games in the American Hockey League where he has three points (1g-2a) for Chicago.

The top five single-season point totals in ECHL history are: 161 by Trevor Jobe of Nashville in 1992-93, 148 by Bill McDougall of Erie in 1989-90, 144 by Hugo P. Belanger of Nashville in 1995-96, 140 by Stan Drulia of Knoxville in 1990-91 and 139 by Phil Berger of Greensboro in 1993-94.

The scoring and assist leaders each of the past two years have been from the Alaska Aces with Scott Gomez, who had 63 assists and 86 points during the NHL lockout in 2004-05, and Alex Leavitt, who had 65 assists and 91 points last season. Leavitt's teammate Mike Scott finished second in scoring with 87 points, marking the fourth time and the first time since 1996-97 that teammates were first and second in scoring. South Carolina's Ed Courtenay (54g-56a) and Mike Ross (50g-60a) tied for the lead with 110 points in 1996-97. Erie's Scott Burfoot led the league with 97 points (29g-68a) and teammate Stephane Charbonneau was second with 91 points (50g-41a) in 1994-95. Stan Drulia of Knoxville led the league with 140 points (63g-77a) and teammate Dan Gauthier was second with 134 points (41g-93a) in 1990-91.



Four Teams Still Battling For Two Playoff Spots In National Conference

Heading into the final two weeks of the season, Victoria, Phoenix, Utah and Long Beach continue their battle for the final two Kelly Cup Playoff berths in the National Conference.

The Salmon Kings swept their two-game series against Long Beach last weekend and can clinch their first-ever postseason berth with a win at Utah on Wednesday. Victoria, which is in third place in the West Division and seventh in the conference with 64 points (30-32-4), continues its series at Utah, which reached the postseason in its first season in 2006-07, on Friday and Saturday.

Trying for its first Kelly Cup Playoffs berth in its second season, Phoenix has 55 points (25-35-5) and has a four-point advantage over Long Beach (24-38-3) and Utah (22-37-7) for the last spot in the National Conference. The RoadRunners and new coach Brad Church will look to end a season-high seven-game losing streak on Wednesday when they visit Bakersfield. Phoenix, which plays its last seven games on the road, will travel to Stockton on Friday and Fresno on Saturday.

Looking for its third consecutive Kelly Cup Playoffs appearance, Long Beach will play at Idaho on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. Following back-to-back wins against Alaska on Friday and Saturday, Idaho is 37-24-5 and in second place in the West Division and fourth in the conference with 79 points. The Steelheads have advanced to the Kelly Cup Playoffs in every one of their first four seasons including 2003-04 when they became only the second expansion team in ECHL history and the first since 1990 to win the championship.

Alaska has already clinched the West Division and has a league-leading 98 points (46-15-6) as it looks to become the first team to repeat as regular season champion. The Aces are also trying to become only the second team in ECHL history to finish with 100 points in back-to-back seasons (Trenton in 2000-01 and 2001-02). Alaska became only the second team to win both the regular season and postseason championships in the same season in 2006 joining the South Carolina Stingrays who won both the Kelly Cup and the Brabham Cup in 1997. Alaska has a six-point lead over Las Vegas (39-12-14) which is two points in front of Bakersfield (40-15-10) in the Pacific Division.

The Wranglers and Condors continue their battle for the Pacific Division when they meet for the last time in the regular season on Tuesday at Las Vegas. Las Vegas will host Alaska on Friday and Saturday while Bakersfield hosts Phoenix on Wednesday and Stockton on Saturday and travels to Fresno on Friday.

Stockton, which will be making its first Kelly Cup Playoffs appearance in its second season, has 76 points (33-22-10) which ties it for fourth place in the Pacific Division and sixth in the conference with Fresno. The Thunder, who have won their last six games and are 9-1-0 in their last 10 games, will host the Falcons on Tuesday and Phoenix on Friday before traveling to Bakersfield on Saturday. Fresno will be making its second consecutive postseason appearance after reaching the National Conference Finals last year, losing in double overtime in Game 7 at Alaska. The Falcons will visit Stockton on Tuesday before hosting Bakersfield on Friday and Phoenix on Saturday.

In the National Conference, playoff berths will be awarded to the first-place team in each division as well as to the next six-best teams, based on regular-season point totals, and all playoff series will be best-of-seven games. In the Conference Quarterfinals, the division winners will be seeded first and second in order of points and the next six-best teams will be seeded third through eighth in order of points. In the Conference Semifinals and the Conference Finals, teams will be re-seeded according to the same criteria as the Conference Quarterfinals with division leaders seeded first and second while the remaining teams will be seeded in order of regular-season points.

Check out the ECHL Statistics



ECHL Stories from March 26, 2007


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.


Sports Statistics from the Stats Crew
OurSports Central