Sports stats



ECHL ECHL

ECHL's 25th Anniversary Season Underway

October 15, 2012 - ECHL (ECHL) News Release


The ECHL's 25th Anniversary season faced off with 20 games last weekend. Four teams enjoyed perfect 2-0-0 weekends as the Elmira Jackals, Florida Everblades, Trenton Titans and Utah Grizzlies all won both of their outings over the weekend.

Elmira won a pair of home games against Reading and Greenville, outscoring its opposition 10-3. The Jackals enjoyed a balanced scoring attack as nine players tallied at least two points over the weekend, with Dustin Gazley, the 2011-12 ECHL Rookie of the Year and leading scorer picking up where he left off last season, recording four points (2g-2a) in the two contests. Jordan Pietrus, one of three players on the club with three points, scored the first goal of the ECHL season in Elmira's 3-2 win against Reading on Friday. Goaltender Marc Cheverie played both games, allowing just three goals and turning aside 60 of 63 shots he faced.

The defending Kelly Cup champion Everblades swept an opening weekend set against their new in-state rival, Orlando. David Rutherford led the way on Friday with a pair of goals, including the game-winning goal 26 seconds into overtime, while John Muse, the Most Valuable Player of the 2012 Kelly Cup Playoffs, found his form of a season ago stopping 43 shots in a 5-4 overtime win. On Saturday, it was Matt Marquardt leading Florida offensively with two goals in a 4-2 win, and Pat Nagle earning the win with 33 saves.

The Trenton Titans opened the season on Friday with a 3-1 home win against Greenville, notching their first season-opening win since the 2007-08 season. Jason Akeson (1g-1a) and Marcel Noebels (2a) each notched two points while Niko Hovinen earned the win in his pro debut with 31 saves. One night later, the Titans spoiled Reading's home opener with a 6-2 win. Jacob Drewiske scored the first two goals of the game, including opening the scoring just 31 seconds into the first period. Another rookie goaltender picked up the win for Trenton, as Scott Wedgewood turned aside 31 Royals' shots.

Out west, Utah is the only team sporting a 2-0-0 record thanks to a pair of wins over Idaho. Riley Armstrong notched a hat trick to lead the way in a 5-3 win at Boise on Friday, while on Saturday in the Grizzlies' home opener, goaltender Andrew Engelage stole the show, stopping 35 Steelheads' shots in a 2-1 win.

Opening Weekend Attendance Shows Big Increase

The ECHL averaged nearly 6,000 fans per game on opening weekend, with a total of 119,285 fans attending the 20 games for an average of 5,964 per game. That is an increase of 18.3% over last season when the league averaged 5,042 fans per game during opening weekend.

Three of the ECHL's four new teams held their home openers over the weekend, each with impressive turnouts. Fort Wayne led the way with a crowd of 10,091 for its first ECHL game on Friday against Kalamazoo. Evansville opened its home schedule against the Komets on Saturday and welcomed 8,886 to Ford Center, while San Francisco had a crowd of 8,277 for its first game at the Cow Palace on Friday against Bakersfield.

Ontario, which has led the ECHL in attendance each of the last three seasons, had the largest home opening crowd in its five-season history with a sell-out crowd of 9,616 on Saturday against Stockton.

Utah had an increase of nearly 40% over last season as the Grizzlies welcomed 7,247 fans to Maverik Center on Saturday against Idaho for their largest home opening crowd since joining the ECHL in 2005-06.

South Carolina, celebrating its 20th season in the ECHL in 2012-13, saw an increase of over 3,000 from last season's opener with a crowd of 6,413 at North Charleston Coliseum on Saturday against Gwinnett.

Florida had its largest home-opening crowd since 2008-09 on Friday as 6,487 fans were at Germain Arena to see the 2012 Kelly Cup championship banner raised to the rafters.

Trenton had its largest crowd in five seasons on Friday with 5,346 for its 3-1 win against Greenville.

Reading had a 30% increase over its opener last season as the Royals welcomed 5,165 to Sovereign Center on Saturday.

The Toledo Walleye had 8,000 fans at Huntington Center on Saturday against Kalamazoo, giving the Walleye sell-out crowds in each of its four home openers in team history.

Colorado had back-to-back sell-outs of 5,289 on Friday and Saturday, extending their minor league hockey record of sell-out streaks to 350 consecutive games.

Six teams host their 2012-13 home openers this weekend. On Friday, Greenville hosts South Carolina, Kalamazoo is home against Fort Wayne, Gwinnett entertains Ontario, Las Vegas hosts Stockton and Alaska is home to Utah. Saturday, the Orlando Solar Bears host their first ECHL game as the Florida Everblades visit Amway Center.

Visit the Tickets Page on ECHL.com to purchase tickets to ECHL games.

This Week in ECHL History

As part of the ECHL's 25th anniversary, each week the League will take a look back at important moments in ECHL history.

Oct. 16, 1992 - In the first game in Birmingham Bulls team history, the Bulls and Hampton Roads Admirals play the longest shootout in ECHL history. Birmingham sent its crowd of 7,680 fans home happy when Brett Barnett scored in the 21st round of the shootout to give Birmingham a 7-6 win.

Oct. 17, 2003 - The Roanoke Express host the Long Beach Ice Dogs on Opening Night of the 2003-04 ECHL season, marking the first-ever regular-season meeting between a former East Coast Hockey League team and a former West Coast Hockey League team. Long Beach won the historic game 5-4.

Divisions

Atlantic Division

- Kevin McCarey had two assists in his pro debut on Saturday against Greenville.

- The Jackals have won their home opener in each of their six seasons in the ECHL.

- Elmira hosts Wheeling on Friday and Saturday.

- Adam Comrie is second among defensemen with 11 shots on goal.

- Reading is league's least-penalized team with 10.50 penalty minutes per game.

- The Royals are at Trenton on Wednesday and host Wheeling on Sunday.

- Niko Hovinen (Friday) and Scott Wedgewood (Saturday) recorded their first wins in their first pro starts.

- Fourteen different players have at least one point through two games.

- Trenton hosts Reading on Wednesday before visiting Evansville on Friday and Cincinnati on Saturday.

- Chris Barton and Paul Crowder each had a goal and an assist in Saturday's season opener at Cincinnati.

- Wheeling did not have its first shootout last season until Dec. 26.

- The Nailers travel to Elmira on Friday and Saturday and Reading on Sunday.

North Division

- Brian Foster is tied for seventh in the league with a 1.85 goals-against average.

- The Cyclones have 12 players on their roster returning from last season.

- Cincinnati travels to Toledo on Friday and hosts Trenton on Saturday.

- Todd Robinson is eight assists shy of 900 in his professional career.

- Tyler Shattock scored Evansville's first ECHL goal on Saturday.

- The IceMen host Trenton on Friday and visit Fort Wayne on Saturday.

- Brandon Marino scored goals in each of Fort Wayne's two games.

- The Komets are 10-for-10 on the penalty kill this season.

- Fort Wayne visits Kalamazoo on Friday and hosts Evansville on Saturday.

- Eric Kattelus had three points (1g-2a) on opening night against Fort Wayne. - Kalamazoo's first nine games are all against North Division opponents.

- The K-Wings host Fort Wayne on Friday and Toledo on Saturday.

- Max Campbell scored twice to lead Toledo Saturday in its season opener.

- The Walleye have sold each of their four home openers.

- Toledo hosts Cincinnati on Friday and visits Kalamazoo on Saturday.

South Division

- Taylor Ellington is tied for the league lead with four assists.

- Dating back to last season, the Everblades have won 15 consecutive home games (including playoffs).

- Florida hosts Orlando on Friday and visits the Solar Bears on Saturday.

- Bretton Cameron was the only Road Warrior to have a point-per-game on opening weekend (1g-1a).

- Greenville started 0-2-0 last year, and went on to finish 41-25-6.

- The Road Warriors host South Carolina on Friday, are at Gwinnett on Saturday and host the Gladiators on Sunday.

- Doug Jones and Casey Pierro-Zabotel each had two assists for Gwinnett on Saturday.

- The Gladiators are third with 24.00 shots-against per game.

- Gwinnett hosts Ontario on Friday and Greenville on Saturday before visiting the Road Warriors on Sunday.

- Nick Petersen and Ryan Cruthers have scored in each of Orlando's first two games.

- Orlando has scored four of its six goals in the third period.

- The Solar Bears are at Florida on Friday and host the Everblades on Saturday.

- Adam Morrison earned his first pro win in his pro debut on Saturday against Gwinnett.

- Tyler McNeeley and Mike Ullrich each had a goal and an assist on Saturday.

- South Carolina is at Greenville on Friday and hosts Ontario on Saturday and Sunday.

Mountain Division

- Joey Crabb and Tommy Mele share the league lead with two power-play goals each.

- The Aces have scored five of their seven goals in the third period.

- Alaska hosts Utah on Friday and Saturday.

- Michael Forney is third in the ECHL with a .667 shooting percentage (2-for-3).

- Adam Brown made 23 saves to record the win in his pro debut on Saturday.

- The Eagles host Idaho on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

- Tristan King is tied for third with 12 shots on goal.

- The Steelheads are tied for third with 38.00 shots per game.

- Idaho is at Colorado on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

- Riley Armstrong is tied for the league lead with three goals.

- Utah is third on the power play at 28.6 percent (2-for-7).

- The Grizzlies are at Alaska on Friday and Saturday.

Pacific Division

- Levi Nelson leads the ECHL with six points (2g-4a).

- The Condors are tied for the league lead with two shorthanded goals.

- Bakersfield hosts San Francisco on Friday and Saturday.

- Adam Hughesman scored his first professional goal on Sunday at Bakersfield.

- Las Vegas was the last team to open its season on Sunday.

- The Wranglers host Stockton on Friday and Saturday.

- This weekend marks Ontario's first-ever road games against Eastern Conference opponents.

- The Reign are second with 23.00 shots-against per game.

- Ontario hosts San Francisco on Wednesday, and are at Gwinnett on Friday and South Carolina on Saturday and Sunday.

- Dean Ouellet scored the team's first-ever goal at 16:01 of the first period on Friday.

- Taylor Nelson recorded his first professional win on Saturday.

- The Bulls are at Ontario on Wednesday and at Bakersfield on Friday and Saturday.

- Tyler Bunz recorded the first win and shutout of his pro career on Saturday at Ontario.

- The Thunder have scored a power play goal in each of their first two games.

- Stockton travels to Las Vegas on Friday and Saturday.

Check out the ECHL Statistics

• Discuss this story on the ECHL message board...

ECHL Stories from October 15, 2012


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