Ernst Honored For ECHL Referee Career

April 6, 2006 - ECHL (ECHL) News Release

PRINCETON, N.J. - The ECHL announced that referee Joe Ernst will be honored by Commissioner Emeritus Patrick J. Kelly in a ceremony held prior to the Trenton at Wheeling game on Friday.

In his 15th season as an on-ice official, Ernst worked his first ECHL game in Columbus, Ohio in October 1991 with linesman Norm Eberle, who was honored by the league for his 16 years of service and more than 1,200 games, on Apr. 1 at South Carolina.

"Joe Ernst has brought hard work, professionalism, and accountability to the ECHL Officiating Department for 15 years," said ECHL Vice President of Hockey Operations Rod Pasma. "He has the respect of players, coaches and management throughout the League.

"Joe is a most deserving recipient of an award that will honor his dedication and outstanding achievements within the ECHL."

Ernst has worked in both the American Hockey League and the International Hockey League as well as being a member of the National Hockey League officials training program for seven years, working three NHL preseason games.

Ernst has refereed more than 1,000 regular season games and the upcoming Kelly Cup Playoffs will be his 15th consecutive ECHL playoffs. He has worked almost 200 postseason games in the ECHL, including each of the past four Kelly Cup Finals as well as the Riley Cup Finals in 1993, 1994 and 1995, and in 1999 he was the referee for the ECHL All-Star Game.

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

ECHL Stories from April 6, 2006

• Bonk Named Runner-Up for ECHL Player of the Month - Bakersfield Condors
• Falcons vs. Gulls - First Round Kelly Cup Playoffs - Fresno Falcons
• Hurricanes hit Victoria - Victoria Salmon Kings
• Thunder Sets Up For Blade-Beating Weekend - Stockton Thunder
• Playoff Dates For Round One Announced - San Diego Gulls
• Passmore nets runner up honors for Player of the Month - Augusta Lynx
• San Diego Hosts Final Regular Season Home Game At ipayOne Center - San Diego Gulls
• More Honors For Drew - Toledo Walleye
• Chiefs to Auction St. Patty's Day Jerseys - Johnstown Chiefs
• Toledo's MacIntyre RBC Financial Group ECHL Saver Of The Month - ECHL
• Hrdel Reassigned to Chiefs - Johnstown Chiefs
• ECHL Transactions - ECHL
• Checkers to Play at home on April 11th - Charlotte Checkers
• Stepp Called up to AHL Chicago - Atlanta Gladiators
• Grrrowl change time of first playoff game - Greenville Grrrowl
• Lynx to relaunch website - Augusta Lynx
• Saviano receives ECHL Sportsman of the Year Award - Florida Everblades
• Florida's Saviano Wins ECHL Sportsmanship Award - ECHL
• Idaho's McConvey Named CCM TACKS ECHL Player Of The Month - ECHL
• Ernst Honored For ECHL Referee Career - ECHL
• Falcons Sign Goaltender Jeff Van Nynatten - Fresno Falcons
• 2006 CCM Man of the Year Voting Begins - Fresno Falcons
• Royals' Fifth Annual Fans' Choice Awards Banquet A Big Hit - Reading Royals
• NHL Network Game Of The Week Is Greenville At Florida - ECHL
• ECHL Today - ECHL
• MacIntyre Back With Storm - Toledo Walleye
• Aces repel Thunder, 7-5 - Alaska Aces
• Alaska takes season series from Thunder in wild 7-5 loss to Aces - Stockton Thunder
• Surprise: another overtime for Gulls - San Diego Gulls
• Steelheads close out regular season with 4-3 shootout win over Gulls - Idaho Steelheads

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.