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ECHL Leads Minor League Hockey In Average Attendance

Published on November 9, 2009 under ECHL (ECHL) News Release


Drawing 108,436 and averaging over 5,163 per game for the weekend, the ECHL raised its average attendance to 4,385 per game to lead all of minor professional hockey.

The third-longest tenure professional hockey league behind only the National Hockey League and the American Hockey League, the ECHL is 8.7 percent ahead of its average for the first four weeks in 2008-09 with 4,385 per game.

The only minor professional hockey league to increase average attendance each of the last two seasons, the Premier 'AA' Hockey League has averaged more than 4,000 fans each of the last five seasons and 17 times in the last 19 years while drawing more than 3 million fans for 16 straight seasons.

To purchase tickets for any ECHL game go to ECHL.com/tickets.shtml.

Cincinnati had the second-largest regular season crowd in team history with 10,920 on Friday. The Cyclones are third in the league with 5,889 fans per game, an increase of 89.7 percent from last season when they averaged 3,104 per game which led the ECHL and ranked second in professional hockey with an attendance increase of over 23 percent. The 5,889 is an increase of 219 percent since 2006-07 and in 2007-08 Cincinnati led professional hockey with an increase of more than 36 percent.

Elmira had their league-leading fourth sellout and the largest crowd in history with 4,325 on Friday. The Jackals have sold out four of their first five games and are averaging 3,943 per game which is 104.2 percent of capacity at First Arena and up 18.3 percent from last season. Elmira has had 23 sellouts since joining the ECHL tying for the league lead a year ago with five sellouts after having a league-leading 14 sellouts their first season in 2007-08.

More than 16,000 attended "Thunder Goes Pink 4" on Friday and Saturday to help Stockton move back into first place with 7,096 per game, an increase of 14.1 percent from 2008-09. The Thunder, who had their 14th sellout with 9,392 on Saturday, have led the ECHL in attendance each of their first four seasons and are trying to tie the league record of five years set by Florida from 2000-05.

Toledo had its third sellout and second largest crowd of the year with 7,442 on Saturday. The Walleye are second in the league with 6,466 per game which is up almost 65 percent from 2006-07 when the team played its last season in the Toledo Sports Arena.

Gwinnett had 8,614 on Saturday to raise its average to 5,162 per game which is fifth in the league while Ontario is fourth with 5,554 after drawing more than 16,500 on the weekend.

Idaho had a sellout crowd of 5,251 on Saturday to raise its attendance to 3,956 per game. The Steelheads lead the league the last seven seasons with 43 sellouts followed by Charlotte with 38, Florida with 31, Elmira with 23 and Alaska with 22.



Grizzlies' Kinasewich On Record Goal Pace



Ryan Kinasewich of the Utah Grizzlies has scored two goals in each of his last two games and he leads the ECHL with 13 goals, four game-winning goals and 20 points in eight games.

He was named Reebok Hockey ECHL Player of the Month after leading the league in October with nine goals and three game-winning goals while tying for the lead with 14 points in five games.

He has had five two-goal games and one three-goal game while registering multiple points in seven games. He has a six-game point streak (10g-6a) during which he has had two four-point games, two three-point games and three two-point games.

Kinasewich is averaging 1.63 goals per game and is on pace to score 117 goals. The ECHL record for goals is 85 by Trevor Jobe of Nashville in 1992-93 while the record for goals per game is 1.40 by Bill McDougall of Erie in 1989-90. Kinasewich is averaging 2.5 points per game and is on track to score 180 points. Jobe also set the league record for points (161) and points per game (2.63) in 1992-93.

He led the Grizzlies in scoring for three seasons in a row from 2005-08 and is the team's all-time leader with 121 goals and is second all-time with 273 points in 188 regular season games.

The native of Edmonton, Alberta has played in the ECHL each of his first six professional seasons and has 311 points (137g-174a) in 231 regular season games and 20 points (11g-9a) and 36 penalty minutes in 26 Kelly Cup Playoff games with Utah and Reading. He has also played in the American Hockey League where he has 15 points (6g-9a) and 18 penalty minutes in 61 games for Bridgeport, Hamilton, Lake Erie and Manchester.

National Conference - Pacific Division

Bakersfield Condors
* Bakersfield is fourth in the league on the power play with 22.6 percent (7-for-31).
* Dan Sexton is tied for the lead among rookies with eight goals and 16 points.
* Condors host Stockton on Tuesday and play at Alaska on Friday.

Las Vegas Wranglers

* Las Vegas is 4-1-0 when outshooting its opponents.
* Michael Ouzas is tied for the league lead with five wins.
* Wranglers host Utah on Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, and play at Utah on Saturday.

Ontario Reign

* Ontario is on a three-game win streak.
* Curtis Darling has won his last three starts and recorded his first shutout of the season on Nov. 8 against Alaska.
* Reign play at Victoria on Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday.

Stockton Thunder

* Stockton needs 35,978 fans to reach 1 million fans in club history.
* Judd Blackwater leads the ECHL with five power-play goals.
* Thunder play at Bakersfield on Tuesday before hosting Idaho on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

National Conference - West Division

Alaska Aces
* Alaska is fourth in the league at home on the penalty kill with 94.1 percent (32-for-34).
* Scott Reid leads the league with two shootout wins.
* Aces host Bakersfield on Friday and Saturday.

Idaho Steelheads
* Idaho had a sellout crowd of 5,251 on Nov. 7 against Utah.
* Rookie Mathieu Tousignant set a career-high with four points (1g-3a) in 7-2 win at Utah on Nov. 6.
* Steelheads play at Stockton on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Utah Grizzlies
* Utah is the only team unbeaten on the road at 4-0-0.
* Ryan Kinasewich leads the league with 20 points, 13 goals, four game-winning goals and 56 shots.
* Grizzlies play at Las Vegas on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday before hosting Las Vegas on Saturday.

Victoria Salmon Kings
* Victoria has scored five power-play goals, but has allowed four shorthand goals.
* Chad Painchaud has scored in six of seven games and leads the team with eight points (4g-4a).
* Salmon Kings host Ontario on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

American Conference - South Division

Charlotte Checkers
* Charlotte is 3-1-0 on the road this season.
* Jared Nightingale leads ECHL defensemen with 41 penalty minutes in eight games.
* Checkers play at South Carolina on Saturday between home games against Elmira on Friday and Sunday.

Florida Everblades
* Florida scored a season-high four power-play goals against Charlotte on Nov. 5 to end an 0-for-18 stretch.
* Jacob Micflikier is tied for fourth in scoring with 14 points (6g-8a).
* Everblades host Toledo on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

Gwinnett Gladiators
* Gwinnett is third in the league on the power play with 28.8 percent (17-for-59).
* Brad Schell leads the ECHL with 16 assists and is tied for fourth with 16 points.
* Gladiators host South Carolina on Friday and Elmira on Saturday.

South Carolina Stingrays
* Stingrays own the third-best road record in the league at 4-1-1.
* Todd Ford made 27 saves at Wheeling on Nov. 6 to earn his fourth win of the year.
* Stingrays play at Elmira on Tuesday, at Trenton on Wednesday and at Gwinnett on Friday.

American Conference - North Division

Cincinnati Cyclones
* Cincinnati drew the second-largest crowd in team history (10,920) against Toledo on Nov. 6.
* Rookie Matt Pierce has a six-game goal scoring streak (7g) and a seven-game point streak (7g-3a).
* Cyclones play at Kalamazoo on Friday and Saturday.

Kalamazoo Wings

* Kalamazoo has the league's best road record (6-0-1).
* Rick Cleaver has scored in eight of nine games and is on a four-game point streak (5g-3a).
* K-Wings host Cincinnati on Friday and Saturday.

Toledo Walleye

* Toledo improved to 5-2-0 at home with wins on Nov. 4 and Nov. 7.
* Jean-Claude Sawyer leads ECHL defensemen with five goals, 10 assists and 15 points.
* Walleye play at Florida on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

Wheeling Nailers
* Wheeling recorded its 87th win against Johnstown on Nov 7, the most wins for any ECHL team against a single opponent.
* Mitch Ganzak has back-to-back overtime game winners against Johnstown dating back to last season.
* Nailers play at Johnstown on Friday and host Johnstown on Saturday.

American Conference - East Division

Elmira Jackals

* Elmira drew the largest crowd in team history with 4,325 against Trenton on Nov. 6.
* Brennan Turner is tied for the league lead in plus-minus with +9.
* Jackals host South Carolina on Tuesday then travel to Charlotte on Friday and Gwinnett on Saturday.

Johnstown Chiefs

* Johnstown had its first multiple power-play goal game (2-for-9) on Nov. 7 against Wheeling.
* Jim McKenzie has scored in all five games he has played and is tied for team lead with six points (3g-3a).
* Chiefs host Reading on Wednesday and Wheeling on Friday before playing at Wheeling on Saturday.

Reading Royals

* Reading has scored on eight of 10 attempts in its last two shootout wins.
* Most recent shootout win on Nov. 8 was the first pro win for goaltender Andrew Engelage.
* Royals play at Johnstown on Wednesday, host Trenton on Friday and play at Trenton on Saturday.

Trenton Devils

* Trenton preserved its ECHL record for consecutive wins to begin a season (8 in 2001) by winning in overtime at Elmira on Nov. 6.
* Jeff Prough has scored four goals in the last three games, including the game winner in all three wins against Elmira.
* Devils play at South Carolina on Wednesday, at Reading on Friday and host Reading on Saturday.

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ECHL Stories from November 9, 2009


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