ECHL ECHL

Elmira Extends Streak To Seven Games

Published on November 2, 2009 under ECHL (ECHL) News Release


Posting back-to-back home wins against Cincinnati and Trenton on Oct. 30 and 31, Elmira improved to 7-0-0 and remains the only undefeated team in the ECHL after three weeks of play.

The longest winning streak to begin the season is eight games by Dayton from Oct. 19-Nov. 4, 1994 and Trenton from Oct. 12-26, 2001. Trenton was 8-2-0 after 10 games and went on to finish 46-16-10 and second in the league with 102 points while Dayton finished 42-17-9 and second in the league with 93 points. Wheeling was 6-0-4 to begin 2008-09 and did not lose in regulation until its 11th game on Nov. 6, 2008 at Dayton. The Nailers start was the best in the ECHL since 2001-02 when Louisiana was 9-0-1 after the first 10 games.

Idaho is 7-0-1 after losing in a shootout at Alaska on Oct. 31 while Kalamazoo is 6-1-0 after losing at home on Saturday. Elmira leads the American Conference with 14 points while Idaho is first in the league with 15 points and Kalamazoo is second in the American Conference and first in the North Division with 12 points.

Going 3-0-2 in its last five games to improve to 4-1-2, Gwinnett is tied for the lead in the South Division with defending Kelly Cup champion South Carolina which has won its last two games to improve to 4-2-1.

Las Vegas has won its last two games to improve to 4-3-0 and move into a tie for first place in the Pacific Division with Bakersfield which is 4-4-0. The Wranglers will host the Condors on Thursday and Friday before traveling to Bakersfield on Saturday. Las Vegas is 34-14-3 all-time against the Condors, who are 17-29-5 all-time against the Wranglers.

Elmira will host Trenton on Friday before traveling to Trenton (2-3-2) on Saturday and Sunday. The Jackals are 1-0-0 against the Devils this season and 15-9-3 all-time against Trenton. Elmira is 10-4-2 at home after their 4-1 win on Oct. 31 and 5-5-1 at Trenton. The Jackals are 4-0-0 at home and 3-0-0 on the road.

Idaho travels to Utah on Wednesday and Friday before hosting the Grizzlies on Saturday. The Steelheads lead the season series 2-0-0 with a pair of wins at Utah and are 19-4-4 all-time against the Grizzlies. Idaho is 3-0-0 at home and 4-0-1 on the road.

Gwinnett will host Florida (3-4-1) on Friday and Kalamazoo on Saturday. The Gladiators, who are 29-19-5 all-time in the regular season against Florida, are tied for the league lead with 14 power-play goals and they are second with a power-play percentage of 29.8 (14-for-47). Gwinnett is fourth in the league on the penalty kill with 87.9 percent (29-for-33) and in scoring with 4.00 goals per game.

South Carolina will play at Wheeling on Friday and at Reading on Saturday and Sunday. The Stingrays are 5-1-0 against Wheeling after a 5-4 win at home on Oct. 16 and are 4-3-0 all-time against Reading which has won its last three games to improve to 4-2-2 and second place in the East Division.

Kalamazoo plays at Toledo on Wednesday, at Gwinnett on Saturday and at Charlotte on Sunday. The Walleye beat the K-Wings 7-5 on Oct. 31. Kalamazoo is second in the league with 4.71 goals per game and tied for third in goals-against average with 2.57. Toledo leads the league on the power play with 30.4 percent (14-for-46) and they are tied for the lead with 14 power-play goals.

Elmira's Tyler Donati and his brother, Justin Donati, are tied for the league lead with 14 points and tied for third with 10 assists. Justin Donati leads league rookies with 10 assists and 14 points while his six power-play points are tied for the rookie lead and his four power-play assists are tied for second.

Chris Holt of the Jackals is 4-0-0 and tied for the league lead in wins while ranking fourth with a save percentage of .938 and fifth with a goals-against average of 1.74.

Gwinnett rookie Drew Paris leads ECHL defensemen with four power-play goals while his five goals tie him for the league lead and his seven points tie him for third among blueliners.

Kalamazoo's Trent Daavettila and Anton Kharin are tied for third among league rookies with nine points. Daavettila is tied for second with five goals while Kharin is tied for second with seven assists.

Elmira is third in the league on the penalty kill with 88.4 percent (38-for-43) and tied for second with three shorthand goals.

Idaho leads the league in goals-against average with 2.25 and is tied for seventh with 3.38 goals per game while Elmira is third in the league with 4.57 goals per game and tied for third in goals-against average with 2.57.

National Conference - Pacific Division

Bakersfield Condors

* Bakersfield scored five power-play goals en route to an 8-3 win over Ontario on Oct. 28.
* Sasha Pokulok leads the Condors and ECHL defensemen with five goals.
* Condors play at Las Vegas on Thursday and Friday before hosting Las Vegas on Saturday.

Las Vegas Wranglers

* Las Vegas won its first two road games of the season at Ontario on Oct. 30 and Nov. 1.
* Michael Ouzas is 4-1-0 and tied for the league lead with four wins.
* Wranglers host Bakersfield on Thursday and Friday before playing at Bakersfield on Saturday.

Ontario Reign
* Ontario is fifth in the league on the power play with 24 percent (12-for-50).
* Adam Henrich is tied for league lead with four power-play goals.
* Reign host Stockton on Wednesday, Victoria on Friday and Saturday and Alaska on Sunday.

Stockton Thunder
* Stockton outscored its opponents 13-3 in three wins this week.
* Chris D'Alvise (5g-4a) is tied for third in rookie scoring with nine points.
* Thunder play at Ontario on Wednesday before hosting Alaska on Friday and Saturday.

National Conference - West Division

Alaska Aces
* Alaska leads the ECHL with five shorthand goals.
* Colin Hemingway has an eight-game point streak (4g-9a).
* Aces play at Stockton on Friday and Saturday and at Ontario on Sunday.

Idaho Steelheads

* Idaho is undefeated in regulation through eight games (7-0-1).
* Tyler Spurgeon (2g-11a) and Mark Derlago (6g-4a) both have a league high eight-game point streak.
* Steelheads play in Utah on Wednesday and Friday before hosting the Grizzlies on Saturday.

Utah Grizzlies
* Utah leads the league in scoring averaging 5.00 goals a game.
* Ryan Kinasewich leads the league with nine goals and three game winners.
* Grizzlies host Idaho on Wednesday and Friday before traveling to Idaho on Saturday.

Victoria Salmon Kings

* Victoria is off to its worst start at 1-7-0.
* Chad Painchaud has three points (1g-2a) in his last three games.
* Salmon Kings play at Ontario on Friday and Saturday.

American Conference - South Division

Charlotte Checkers

* Charlotte has scored a power-play goal in four of its five games.
* Two-time ECHL All-Star (2008 and 2009) Tyler Doig registered his 100th point with an assist against Gwinnett on Nov. 1.
* Checkers host Florida on Wednesday and Thursday.

Florida Everblades

* Florida is 3-1-1 when scoring first.
* Mike Morrison leads ECHL goaltenders with 418 minutes played.
* Everblades play at Charlotte on Wednesday and Thursday before playing at Gwinnett on Friday.

Gwinnett Gladiators
* Gwinnett is second in the league on the power play with 29.8 percent (14-for-47) and fourth on the penalty kill with 87.9 percent (29-for-33).
* Rookie Drew Paris leads all defensemen with five goals.
* Gladiators host Florida on Friday and Kalamazoo on Saturday.

South Carolina Stingrays

* South Carolina is a perfect 13-for-13 on the penalty kill in road games.
* Rookie Nikita Kashirsky leads team with five goals and is tied for the team lead with eight points.
* Stingrays play in Wheeling on Friday before games in Reading on Saturday and Sunday.

American Conference - North Division

Cincinnati Cyclones

* Cincinnati is undefeated (3-0-0) against the North Division.
* Rookie Matt Pierce notched his first career hat trick at Wheeling on Oct. 31 and leads all first-year players with six goals.
* Cyclones host Johnstown on Thursday and Toledo on Friday before playing at Toledo on Saturday.

Kalamazoo Wings

* Kalamazoo's six-game win streak was one victory shy of the club record for best start (7-0-0 in 1990-91).
* Trent Daavettila (5g-4a) and Anton Kharin (2g-7a) are tied for third in rookie scoring.
* K-Wings play road games against Toledo on Wednesday, Gwinnett on Saturday and Charlotte on Sunday.

Toledo Walleye
* Toledo is first in the league on the power play with 30.4 percent (14-for-46).
* Rookie Maxime Tanguay is tied for the league lead with four power-play goals.
* Walleye travel to Cincinnati on Saturday between home games against Kalamazoo on Wednesday and Cincinnati on Sunday.

Wheeling Nailers

* Wheeling picked up three points this week with a shootout win over Trenton on Oct. 28 and a shootout loss to Kalamazoo on Oct. 30.
* Mitch Ganzak leads Wheeling defensemen with six assists and six points.
* Nailers host South Carolina on Friday and Johnstown on Saturday.

American Conference - East Division

Elmira Jackals

* Elmira's seven straight wins tie the club record for longest winning streak (Nov. 17-27, 2007).
* Brothers Justin Donati (4g-10a) and Tyler Donati (4g-10a) are tied with Reading's Stefano Giliati for the league scoring lead.
* Jackals host Trenton on Friday before playing at Trenton on Saturday and Sunday.

Johnstown Chiefs

* Johnstown has averaged 34 shots on goal over its last three games.

* Jim McKenzie has a three-game point streak (2g-2a).

* Chiefs play at Cincinnati on Thursday and at Wheeling on Saturday.

Reading Royals

* Reading has won three straight home games for the first time since 2007-08.
* Stefano Giliati had back-to-back three-point games against Toledo on Oct. 29 and Johnstown on Oct. 31.
* Royals host South Carolina on Saturday and Sunday.

Trenton Devils

* Trenton has allowed only one power-play in the last 18 chances and is second in the league on the penalty kill with 88.9 percent (40-for-45).
* Gerald Coleman won his first start of the season, a 35-save effort against Johnstown on Oct. 30.
* Devils play at Elmira on Friday before hosting the Jackals on Saturday and Sunday.

Premier 'AA' Hockey League Fast Facts
- Watch games live on B2 Networks, the "Official Broadband Broadcast Provider" of the ECHL.
- Watch ECHL games around the clock on ECHL TV on B2CableTV.com.
- The ECHL celebrated its 20th Anniversary in 2007-08 and is the third-longest tenured professional hockey league behind only the National Hockey League and the American Hockey League.
- ECHL began in 1988-89 with five teams in four states and has grown to be a coast-to-coast league with 20 teams in 15 states and British Columbia in 2009-10.
- The league officially changed its name from East Coast Hockey League to ECHL on May 19, 2003.
- 413 players have played in the NHL after playing in the ECHL including a record 52 in 2008-09.
- Six ECHL players have made their NHL debut this season: Gwinnett Gladiators and 2006 ECHL All-Star right wing Guillaume Desbiens (Vancouver on Oct. 11), former Idaho Steelheads center Aaron Gagnon (Dallas on Oct. 16), former Wheeling Nailers right wing David Laliberte (Philadelphia on Nov. 1), former Reading Royals right wing Scott Parse (Los Angeles on Oct. 24), former Johnstown Chiefs defenseman Jay Rosehill (Toronto on Oct. 1) and former Idaho Steelheads left wing Francis Wathier (Dallas on Oct. 21).
- The ECHL has had 221 players reach the NHL since 2002-03 when it changed its focus to become the primary developmental league for the NHL and the AHL. The ECHL had 97 players reach the NHL in its first 10 seasons and 215 in the first 15 years.
- 157 ECHL players have played their first game in the last five seasons for an average of more than 31 per year.
- ECHL had a record 78 players on NHL opening-day rosters, surpassing the 71 from a year ago and marking the seventh year in a row that there have been over 50 former ECHL players on opening-day rosters.
- Every ECHL team has an affiliation with an NHL team and the league has affiliations with 28 of the 30 NHL teams, marking the 13th consecutive season that the league has had affiliations with at least 20 teams in the NHL.
- ECHL had 78 players on National Hockey League opening-day rosters, surpassing the record 71 players in 2008, and marking the seventh season in a row there have been more than 50 former ECHL players on opening-day rosters.
- 26 coaches with an ECHL background are working behind the benches of teams in the NHL including Washington Capitals head coach Bruce Boudreau and New York Islanders head coach Scott Gordon of the New York Islanders while former ECHL player Dan Bylsma is head coach of the Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins. It is the fifth consecutive season that there have been 11 or more coaches with an ECHL background working in the NHL. Boudreau, who coached Mississippi for three seasons winning the Kelly Cup championship in 1999, was named NHL Coach of the Year in 2007-08 becoming the first former ECHL coach to receive the award.
- 20 former ECHL officials are working as part of the NHL officiating team in 2009-10 with referees David Banfield, Francis Charron, Chris Ciamaga, Ghislain Herbert, Marc Joannette, Mike Leggo, Wes McCauley, Dean Morton, Dan O'Rourke, Brian Pochmara, Kevin Pollock, Kyle Rehman, Chris Rooney, Justin St. Pierre and Ian Walsh, and linesmen Steve Barton, Bryan Pancich, Brian Mach, Tim Nowak and Jay Sharrers.
- ECHL was represented for the ninth year in a row on the Stanley Cup champion with Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Dan Bylsma, player Ruslan Fedotenko, equipment managers Dana Heinze and Dave Zeigler, athletic trainers Chris Stewart and Scott Adams and scout Derek Clancey. There were 43 former players and 14 former coaches on 15 of the 16 teams competing in the National Hockey League's Stanley Cup Playoffs, marking the fourth year in a row that there have been at least 30 former ECHL players and the sixth consecutive season that over 25 players with ECHL experience have competed in the NHL postseason.
- Former ECHL and current Boston Bruins goaltender Tim Thomas was the recipient of the Vezina Trophy as the top goaltender in the NHL and was also presented the William Jennings Trophy with teammate Manny Fernandez as the goaltenders finishing the season having surrendered the fewest goals. Thomas was also named First Team All-NHL after registering a career-high 36 wins while leading the NHL with a goals-against average of 2.10 and a save percentage of .933 to help the Bruins finish with the most wins (53) and points (116) since 1971-72.
- ECHL was represented in the 2009 NHL All-Star Game by Mark Streit of the New York Islanders and Tim Thomas of the Boston Bruins while former ECHL players Dan Ellis, Jonathan Quick and Tomas Vokoun were all selected as recipients of the NHL's "Three Stars" award in 2008-09.
- Former ECHL broadcasters working in the National Hockey League include John Ahlers and Steve Carroll of the Anaheim Ducks, Tom Callahan of the Nashville Predators, Dave Goucher of the Boston Bruins, Chris Kerber of the St. Louis Blues, Dave Mishkin of the Tampa Bay Lightning, Bob McElligott and John Michael of the Columbus Blue Jackets and Rob Simpson, who is a producer/host for The NHL Network.
- Ryan Stanzel and Jeremy Zager, who were both recipients of the ECHL Media Relations Director of the Year award, are working in the communications department for the Minnesota Wild and the Los Angeles Kings, respectively. Former ECHL assistant director of communications Joe Siville and Kelly Murray are now with the Philadelphia Flyers and the Washington Capitals, respectively, while former ECHL director of communications Jason Rothwell is the creative director for the Columbus Blue Jackets.
- ECHL has affiliations with 25 of the 29 teams in the American Hockey League and for the past 20 years there has been an ECHL player on the Calder Cup Champion.
- In the last six seasons the ECHL has had more call-ups to the AHL than all other professional leagues combined with over 2,500 call-ups involving more than 1,300 players and in 2008-09 there were 10 times as many call-ups from the ECHL to the AHL than all other professional leagues.
- The ECHL averaged 4,258 fans per game in 2008-09 and is the only minor professional hockey league to increase average attendance each of the last two seasons. It is the fifth consecutive season and the 17th time in the last 19 years that the ECHL has averaged over 4,000 fans and the league drew over 3 million fans for the 16th year in a row and reached the 3 million mark in the fewest number of games since 2005-06.
- There have been more than 74 million fans who have attended almost 17,000 games since the ECHL began in 1988-89 with five teams in three states.
- The Ontario Reign, the City of Ontario and Citizens Business Bank Arena will host the 18th Annual ECHL All-Star Game presented by Reebok Hockey on Jan. 20, 2010 and the 13th Annual All-Star Skills Competition on Jan. 19, 2010.
- Further information on the ECHL is available from its website at ECHL.com.

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