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Published on October 19, 2007 under ECHL (ECHL) News Release


Mississippi Sea Wolves (0-0-0) at Florida Everblades (0-0-0) 7:30 ET
- Sea Wolves are back on the ice for the first time since Apr. 18, 2005.
- Florida finished second in the ECHL with 272 goals in 2006-07.
- Steffon Walby is in first season as head coach of Mississippi after three years as an assistant coach.
- Everblades were 23-11-2 at home in 2006-07.



Reading (0-0-0) at Trenton (0-0-0) 7:30 ET
- Fourth time in the last five years that teams have faced each other in season opener.
- Reading was 6-4-2 against Trenton in 2006-07.
- Trenton was 81.9 percent (176-for-215) on the penalty kill at home in 2006-07.
- Royals had 14 shorthanded goals in 2006-07.



Texas Wildcatters (0-0-0) at Augusta Lynx (0-0-0) 7:35 ET
- Wildcatters tied for fourth in the ECHL on the power play in 2006-07 with 18.8 percent (99-for-528).
- Augusta was 21-13-2 at home in 2006-07.
- Texas had 91 points in 2006-07 which was a 46-point increase from 2004-05.
- Lynx were 2-1-0 at home against Texas in 2006-07.



Columbia Inferno (0-0-0) at Charlotte Checkers (0-0-0) 7:35 ET
- Charlotte was 3-2-0 at home and 6-3-0 overall against Columbia in 2006-07.
- Inferno won their last two games of 2006-07 including 3-2 win at Charlotte in season finale.
- Checkers led the ECHL on the penalty kill last season with 87.1 percent (418-for-480).
- Columbia has won its last four road season openers, including 7-3 at Augusta a year ago.



Wheeling Nailers (1-0-0) at Elmira Jackals (0-0-0) 7:35 ET
- Nailers were ranked sixth in the ECHL on the power play with 18.3 percent (68-for-371) in 2006-07.
- This will be Elmira's first game in the ECHL.
- Wheeling's Paul Bissonnette had a goal and an assist in a 4-2 win at Johnstown on Thursday.
- Elmira coach Steve Martinson returns to ECHL after winning United Hockey League's last title in 2006-07.



Gwinnett Gladiators (0-0-0) at Pensacola Ice Pilots (0-0-0) 7:05 CT
- Pensacola was 3-2-0 at home against the Gladiators in 2006-07.
- Gladiators led the ECHL in scoring with 289 goals in 2006-07.
- Ice Pilots head coach John Marks returns for an ECHL record 14th season.
- Gladiators' Jon Awe set ECHL record for power-play goals by defenseman with 18 in 2006-07. -



Victoria Salmon Kings (0-0-0) at Idaho Steelheads (0-0-0) 7:10 MT
- Idaho Steelheads will raise their 2007 Kelly Cup Championship banner.
- Victoria opens the season on the road for the fourth consecutive season.
- Steelheads were 5-3-0 against Victoria in 2006-07.
- Salmon Kings were 22-4-1 when leading after the first period in 2006-07.



Stockton Thunder (0-0-0) at Bakersfield Condors (0-0-0) 7:00 PT
- Stockton and Bakersfield opened the season last year as well and Thunder won 6-1 on the road.
- Condors were 20-7-9 at home last season.
- Thunder were 8-2-0 in their last 10 regular season games.
- Bakersfield tied for fourth in the ECHL with 20 shorthand goals in 2006-07.



Utah Grizzlies (0-0-0) at Phoenix RoadRunners (0-0-0) 7:11 PT
- Teams meet in season opener for the third straight year with Phoenix winning two previous match ups.
- Grizzlies were 11-0-2 when leading after the second period in 2006-07.
- RoadRunners made the Kelly Cup Playoffs for the first time last season.
- Utah's Ryan Kinasewich had 10 points (3g-7a) in five games against Phoenix in 2006-07.



Las Vegas Wranglers (0-0-0) at Fresno Falcons (0-0-0) 7:30 PT
- Wranglers have a 13-game regular season game winning streak dating back to Mar. 10.
- Fresno ranked fifth in the ECHL on the penalty kill in 2006-07 with 85.6 percent (405-for-473).
- Las Vegas won the Henry Brabham Cup in 2006-07 after leading the ECHL with 106 points (46-12-14).
- Luke Curtin led Falcons against Las Vegas in 2006-07 with nine assists and 10 points in eight games.



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Premier 'AA' Hockey League Fast Facts

- Affiliations with 26 of the 30 teams in the National Hockey League, marking the 11th consecutive season that the league has had affiliations with at least 20 teams in the NHL.

- 333 former ECHL players have played in NHL.

- There were 69 former ECHL players on NHL opening-day rosters and there have been 188 former ECHL players who have played their first game in the NHL in the past six seasons.

- Twenty-six former ECHL players made their NHL debut in 2006-07, including two who played in both the ECHL and the NHL as goaltender Yutaka Fukufuji played for Reading and Los Angeles while defenseman Bryan Young skated for Stockton and Edmonton. Dave McKee played for Augusta and dressed for five games as the backup goaltender for Stanley Cup champion Anaheim.

- Four former ECHL players have made their NHL debut this season: former Johnstown Chiefs and Fresno Falcons goaltender Dmitri Patzold (San Jose on Oct. 7), former San Diego goaltender Tyler Weiman (Colorado on Oct. 4), former Charlotte right wing Craig Weller (Phoenix on Oct. 4) and former Phoenix RoadRunners center Daniel Winnik (Phoenix Coyotes on Oct. 4).

- Record 51 former ECHL players played their first NHL game in 2005-06.

- ECHL has been represented on last seven Stanley Cup champions.

- 14 Former ECHL coaches on NHL staffs.

- ECHL has been represented on last 18 Calder Cup champions.

- ECHL has affiliations with 26 of the 29 teams in the American Hockey League and for the past 18 years there has been an ECHL player on the Calder Cup Champion.

- The Stockton Thunder and the City of Stockton will host the 16th Annual ECHL All-Star Game at Stockton Arena on Jan. 23, 2008 and the 11th Annual ECHL All-Star Skills Competition on Jan. 22, 2008.

- In the last five seasons the ECHL has had more call-ups to the AHL than all other professional leagues combined with over 2,000 call-ups involving more than 1,000 players since 2002-03.
ECHL and its member teams contributed nearly $3 million for charity and relief funds in 2006-07.

- Further information on the ECHL is available from its website at ECHL.com.

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ECHL Stories from October 19, 2007


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