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ECHL playoff update

April 18, 2005 - ECHL (ECHL)
Augusta Lynx News Release


Weekend Action

American Conference

Columbia vs. Charlotte – Series Tied 2-2

Friday night Eric Boulton's game winner was the only even strength goal for the Columbia Inferno as they defeated the Charlotte Checkers 4-2 to grab a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five American Conference Quarter Final.

Dwight Helminen gave Charlotte a 1-0 lead before Walker McDonald's shorthanded goal evened the score just 1:01 into the second period. Brad Ralph followed with a power play goal to give the Inferno with their first lead of the night, but Ryan Glenn countered with a man advantage goal for the Checkers to tie the game at 2-2. Boulton would then find the score sheet at 16:06 for his first goal of the playoffs and a 3-2 Columbia lead through 40 minutes. Sean Owens added an insurance marker at 8:43 of the third period, a power play goal that provided a 4-2 final.

With the Checkers facing elimination on Saturday, the team responded with a 3-1 victory on home ice thanks to goals by Lee Falardeau in the first period and Kenton Smith's third period marker at 17:43 to make it a 2-1 game. Helminen provided an empty net goal for Charlotte, who also got 27 saves from Alex Westlund for his first playoff victory of the year.

Sunday the two teams were back at it, again taking to the ice at the Cricket Arena in Charlotte. The Checkers fell behind just 1:22 into the contest before scoring three goals in a row to take a 3-1 lead. Dan Preston scored to tie the game, followed by a pair of Dusty Jamieson goals, one short handed, one on the power play. Eric Boulton pulled the Inferno within a goal, but Ryan Glenn and Eduard Pershin scored twice in the third period to ice the 5-2 victory for Charlotte and tie the series at two games apiece.

Game Five will come back in Columbia on Wednesday night at 7:30 pm.

Florida vs. South Carolina – Florida leads 2-1

Friday night the South Carolina Stingrays rebounded from a 7-4 loss to the Florida Everblades to even their best-of-five American Conference Semi Final series at 1-1 with a 4-3 regulation win.

Kris Vernarsky sent the Everblades to the locker room with a 1-0 lead after 20 minutes of play, but South Carolina scored the next three goals to forge a 3-1 lead by the opening stages of the final frame. Ryan Brindley scored to make it 3-2 game, but Trevor G. Johnson's first goal of the playoffs would stand for the eventual game winner at 9:16 from Rich Peverley. David Lundbohm once again pulled the Everblades within a goal at 17:30, but the 4-3 count held thanks in part to 46 saves from Gregg Naumenko.

The two teams would shift venues to the North Charleston Coliseum on Saturday, where Florida would dismantle the Stingrays by a 5-2 count and reclaim the series lead 2-1.

Keith Anderson, Brad Church, and Paul Cabana boosted the Everblades to a 3-0 lead, but back came the Stingrays on goals by Joe Tenute and Trevor S. Johnson to make it 3-2 at 10:48 of the second period. But the Everblades didn't buckle, using goals from Lundbohm and Reggie Berg to earn the 5-2 final. Tyler MacKay rebounded with 25 saves for the win after taking the Game Two loss.

Game Four will be Monday night at 7:05 pm.

Gwinnett vs. Mississippi – Gwinnett leads 2-1

Using their only game of home ice to their advantage, the Mississippi Sea Wolves won Game Two of their American Conference Quarter Final Series in overtime to knot the series at 1-1 with the Gwinnett Gladiators.

All four goals in regulation came on the power play in this game, with Rick Emmett and Nick Greenough trading first period markers for a 1-1 tie after 20 minutes of play. Chris Durno gave Gwinnett a 2-1 lead at the end of the second period, but only 33 seconds into the third period, Kerry Ellis-Toddington evened the score at 2-2 to push the game into overtime. At 3:22 of the extra session, Jay Legault beat Sean Fields for a 3-2 Sea Wolves win. Phil Sauve stopped 35 shots to earn the win for Mississippi.

Back in Gwinnett for Game Three, Mike Stahopoulos and Kevin Doell each scored twice in an 8-1 pasting as the Gladiators regained the momentum heading into Monday's Game Four. Jeff Campbell and Chris Durno added one goal, two assist performances, while Adam Berkhoel stopped just 16 shots for the win. Travis Lisabeth scored the only goal for the Sea Wolves with just one second left in the second period.

Game Four will come on Monday night at 7:05 pm.

Pensacola vs. Greenville – Greenville leads 2-1

Overtime has dominated this series between the first and eighth overall seeds in the American Conference, with the home team yet to find victory as the Greenville Grrrowl carry a 2-1 lead over the Pensacola Ice Pilots.

The Grrrowl secured a 2-0 series edge by defeating the Ice Pilots 3-2 in OT Friday night. All four regulation goals came in the third period, with Dwayne Hay breaking the ice just 37 seconds into the final frame. Jason Josza replied for the Grrrowl at 2:29 but Aaron Phillips' second goal of the playoffs made it 2-1 Pensacola at 7:45. Back came Greenville, with Martin St. Pierre notching the equalizer at 11:22 for a 2-2 tie through regulation. It took 15:48 of the extra frame, but Richard Pitirri's first goal of the post-season nailed the game down for the Grrrowl. Mike Brodeur stopped 53 shots for the win, while Frederic Cloutier made 28 saves in the loss.

The Ice Pilots would return the favor the following night by an identical 3-2 score in Greenville. Cam Keith scored both regulation goals for the Ice Pilots and Ryan Vince netted the game winner at 8:21 of overtime for the win. Cloutier this time found the win column with 27 saves, while Morrison turned aside 35 shots in the loss.

Game Four will commence Tuesday night at 7:05 pm.

National Conference

Trenton vs. Atlantic City – Trenton Wins 3-0

The Trenton Titans completed a three-game sweep of the Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies to advance to the Northern Division Final against the winner of the Reading/Toledo series.

The Titans took Game Two in overtime just 20 seconds into the extra session on Brent Robinson's game winner. Andrew Allen recorded the victory with 27 saves for Trenton.

Game Three turned into another overtime affair, with Scott Bertoli, Michael Schutte, and Rick Kowalsky notching a goal and an assist apiece for the Titans in the win. Jason Notermann scored twice in the loss for Atlantic City, while Nick Deschenes scored the game winning goal at the 11:59 mark of overtime. Allen once again earned the OT win, this time with 36 saves. Trevor Koenig suffered the loss on 32 saves.

Reading vs. Toledo – Reading leads 2-1

If you happen to be a fan of goaltending duels and defensive, low-scoring hockey, this is your series. After Scott Fankhouser posted 32 saves to blank the Reading Royals 1-0 to open the series, Barry Brust notched 31 saves in Game Two for a 1-0 win over the Toledo Storm.

Game Three followed a similar pattern to the first two contests, with Brust stopping 42 saves for his second consecutive donut and Rob Hisey and Cail MacLean scoring for the Royals in a 2-0 win. Former Lynx Mike Sandbeck assisted on both goals for the Royals, who will face Toledo in Game Four on Tuesday at 7:05 pm back in Ohio.

Long Beach vs. Idaho – Long Beach wins 3-1

The Long Beach Ice Dogs wrapped up their series with the Idaho Steelheads with a pair of road wins on Saturday and Sunday after splitting the first two games at home.

Friday, Idaho managed their only win of the series, courtesy of Mike Stutzel's game winning goal and 29 saves by Steelheads' rookie phenomenon Frank Doyle. Long Beach wrapped things up with a 4-2 win in Game Three and a 7-2 thumping in Game Four. Chris Kenady led the series in scoring for Long Beach with three goals and six points, with two goals and an assist coming in Game Four. Sebastien Centomo started all four games of the series for the Ice Dogs, compiling a 2.26 GAA and .925 save percentage.

Alaska vs. Bakersfield – Series Tied 2-2

The Bakersfield Condors kept their Western Division Semi Final series alive with a 4-3 overtime win on Saturday night, forcing a fifth and deciding game against the Alaska Aces back in Anchorage on Monday at 11:15 pm EST.

Connor James scored twice to open the contest for the Condors before Ryan Gaucher made it a 2-1 contest. Brad Mehalko's power play goal opened up the two-goal margin once again for Bakersfield, but Alaska scored twice in the third period from Chris Minard and Mike Scott to send the game to overtime. Just 25 seconds into the OT, Mehalko's second goal of the night insured a trip back up north from James and Guy Dupuis. Davis Parley made 43 saves to earn the win while Peter Aubry turned aside 32 shots in the loss.

Upcoming Action

American Conference Quarterfinals (Best-of-Five)

No. 5 Mississippi Sea Wolves (40-24-9) at No. 4 Gwinnett Gladiators (40-25-8) 7:05 p.m. ET (Gwinnett Leads Series 2-1) * Jeff Campbell and Chris Durno each had three points (1g-2a) in Gwinnett's 8-1 over Mississippi in Game 3. * Jay Legault, Nick Greenough, Jeff Hutchins and Austin Miller have two points for Sea Wolves. * Mike Stathopoulos has five points (3g-2a), including two goals in Game 3, and leads Gwinnett with a +6. * Mississippi's Phil Sauve and Randy Petruk combined have a 4.91 goals-against average. * Gladiators have a goals-against average of 1.64 and have outscored Mississippi 15-5. * Including 3-2 overtime win in Game 2, Sea Wolves won last three games decided by one goal.

No. 3 Florida Everblades (43-21-10) at No. 6 South Carolina Stingrays (40-25-9) 7:05 p.m. ET (Florida Leads Series 2-1) * Florida's David Lundbohm, Paul Cabana, Steve Saviano and Matt Pagnutti each have five points. * Trevor S Johnson leads the Stingrays defense with three points (2g-1a) in three games. * Everblades scored the first three goals in 5-2 win in Game 3. * Carlyle Lewis has a point in each game in the series and leads the Stingrays with five points (3g-2a). * Everblades' David Lundbohm has four goals on seven shots (57.1 percent). * South Carolina's Gregg Naumenko and Justin Eddy combined have a 5.00 goals-against average.

West Division Semifinals (Best-of-Five)

No. 4 Bakersfield Condors (41-23-10) at No. 1 Alaska Aces (46-20-8) 7:15 p.m. AT (Series Tied 2-2) * Alaska's Charles Linglet leads ECHL playoff scoring with seven points (2g-5a). * Condors rookie Connor James has three goals and an assist in last two games leads the team in scoring. * Bakersfield has won the last two games, both decided by one goal, to force Game 5. * Six of Alaska's 13 goals have been power-play goals, accounting for 46.2 percent of playoff offense. * Brad Mehalko scored the game winner 25 seconds in overtime of Bakersfield's 4-3 win in Game 4. * Alaska's Ryan Gaucher is tied for the league playoff lead for defensemen with five points (2g-3a).

Upcoming Kelly Cup Playoffs Games

North Division Semifinals (Best-of-Five)

No. 1 Reading Royals (44-23-7) at No. 4 Toledo Storm (42-27-5) (Reading Leads Series 2-1) Game 4 - Tuesday at 7:05 p.m. ET

No. 2 Trenton Titans (45-21-9) vs. No. 3 Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies (42-25-8) (Trenton Wins Series 3-0)

American Conference Quarterfinals (Best-of-Five)

No. 7 Charlotte Checkers (40-28-7) at No. 2 Columbia Inferno (40-23-12) (Series Tied 2-2) Game 5 - Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. ET

No. 1 Pensacola Ice Pilots (52-18-5) vs. No. 8 Greenville Grrrowl (41-28-5) (Greenville Leads Series 2-1) Game 4 - Tuesday at 7:05 p.m. ET

West Division Semifinals (Best-of-Five)

No. 2 Long Beach Ice Dogs (45-21-9) vs. No. 3 Idaho Steelheads (43-25-7) (Long Beach Wins Series 3-1)

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ECHL Stories from April 18, 2005


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