ECHL ECHL

Everblades Move Into First Place

February 2, 2009 - ECHL (ECHL) News Release


Going 12-1-0 in the last 13 games Florida leads the ECHL with 31 wins, a winning percentage of .762 and 64 points.

Florida won the regular season title in 1999-2000 with a league record 53 wins and 108 points. The 53 wins are now tied for the third most in league history while the 108 points is tied for the sixth-highest total. The Everblades have reached the Kelly Cup Playoffs in every one of their first 10 seasons and advanced to the Finals in 2004 and 2005.

The Everblades host South Carolina on Tuesday and Wednesday and play at South Carolina on Friday and Saturday. The Stingrays are 22-16-5 and in second place in the South Division with a winning percentage of .570. Florida has won the last three meetings at South Carolina and is 4-3-1 overall and 3-0-1 on the road against the Stingrays. South Carolina has won the last three games at Florida and is 3-1-0 on the road and 4-4-0 overall this season against the Everblades.

Rookie David Leggio is 8-0-0 with two shutouts and a goals-against average of 1.50 in his last eight games while Anton Khudobin is 4-1-0 with a goals-against average of 1.78 in his last five games. Leggio is 16-3-1 with a goals-against average of 2.10 and a save percentage of . 925 while Khudobin is 15-6-1 with a goals-against average of 2.51 and a save percentage of .913. Leggio is second in the league with four shutouts while ranking third in goals-against average and wins and fourth in save percentage. Khudobin is tied for third with three shutouts and is eighth in goals-against average.

Florida's Kevin Baker leads the league with a team record 17 power-play goals and is tied for the league lead with 36 goals and 27 power-play points while ranking second with 59 points in 41 games. Peter Metcalf leads ECHL defensemen with 34 assists and 39 points in 31 games while ranking second with 18 power-play assists and 23 power-play points. South Carolina's Travis Morin leads the ECHL with 39 assists and is tied for second with 18 power-play assists while ranking fourth with 52 points in 43 games.

The Everblades lead the ECHL on the power play with 22.3 percent (63-for-283) and are second on the penalty kill with 88.3 percent (249-for-282). Florida is second in scoring with 3.98 goals per game and in goals-against average with 2.38. South Carolina is fifth in the league on the power play with 19.9 percent (44-for-221) while ranking fourth with a goals-against average of 2.65 and sixth with 3.21 goals per game.



American Conference - North Division

Cincinnati Cyclones

* Cyclones power play was 27.8 percent (20-for-72) in January.

* Rookie Mark Van Guilder has a nine-game point streak (5g-11a).

* Cyclones host Reading on Tuesday and play at Mississippi on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Dayton Bombers

* Mike McLean led Dayton in January with 13 assists and 18 points in 15 games.

* Dan Riedel has 13 points (5g-8a) in his last 13 games.
* Bombers host Reading on Wednesday and Johnstown on Saturday and Sunday and play at Wheeling on Friday.

Elmira Jackals

* Chris Korchinski led the Jackals in January with eight goals and 17 points in nine games.

* Jackals are 14-1-0 when leading after two periods.

* Elmira hosts Johnstown on Friday and Trenton on Sunday and plays at Wheeling on Saturday.

Johnstown Chiefs

* Petr Pohl has an eight-game point streak (7g-6a) which is the longest by Chief this season.
* Ryan Del Monte leads the Chiefs in plus-minus rating with +17.
* Chiefs are at Elmira on Friday and at Dayton on Saturday and Monday.

Reading Royals

* Royals are 10-2-0 when allowing two goals or less and 2-1-0 when allowing on goal or less.

* Chris Stevens has a four-game goal streak (4g) and a four-game point streak (4g-3a).

* Royals play at Cincinnati on Tuesday, at Dayton on Wednesday and at Trenton on Friday and Saturday.

Trenton Devils

* Devils are 14-1-0 when scoring four goals or more.

* Ryan Gunderson led ECHL defensemen in January with 13 assists.

* Devils host Reading on Friday and Saturday and play at Elmira on Sunday.

Wheeling Nailers

* Nailers lead the ECHL in scoring with 4.02 goals per game.

* Wheeling native Bryan Ewing leads the ECHL with 60 points (29g-31a).

* Nailers host Dayton on Friday and Elmira on Saturday.

American Conference - South Division

Charlotte Checkers

* Brad Ralph has a six-game point streak (3g-5a).

* Rookies David Rutherford and Mike Taylor are tied for team lead with four game-winning goals.

* Checkers host Gwinnett on Thursday and Florida on Sunday and play at Gwinnett on Saturday.

Florida Everblades

* Everblades lead the league on the power play with 22.3 percent (63-for-283) and are second on the penalty kill with 88.3 percent (249-for-282).

* David Leggio is 8-0-0 with two shutouts and a goals-against average of 1.50 in his last eight games.

* Everblades host South Carolina on Tuesday and Wednesday and play at South Carolina on Friday and Saturday.

Gwinnett Gladiators

* Tom Zanoski has two points (1g-1a) in his first two games since being acquired from Dayton on Jan. 30.

* Joe Fallon set career high with 49 saves in 3-2 overtime win against South Carolina on Jan. 27.

* Gladiators play at Mississippi on Wednesday and at Charlotte on Thursday before hosting Charlotte on Saturday.

Mississippi Sea Wolves

* Sea Wolves host second annual Pink In The Rink game on Saturday.

* Mississippi is 3-3-0 against the North Division this season.

* Sea Wolves host Gwinnett on Wednesday and Cincinnati on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

South Carolina Stingrays

* Stingrays are fourth in the league with a goals-against average of 2.65.

* Brad Farynuk is second among ECHL defensemen with six power-play goals.

* Stingrays play at Florida on Tuesday and Wednesday and host Florida on Friday and Saturday.

National Conference - Pacific Division

Bakersfield Condors

* Condors are seventh in the league with 32.68 shots per game.

* Dave Bonk (5g-1a) and Matt Pope (2g-3a) each have a five-game point streak.

* Condors play at Las Vegas on Monday and host Idaho on Wednesday and Saturday and Alaska on Friday.

Las Vegas Wranglers

* Peter Ferraro has nine goals in his last 10 games.

* Defenseman Dan Spang has six assists in his first five games with the Wranglers.

* Wranglers host Bakersfield on Monday and play at Victoria on Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Ontario Reign

* Reign are seventh in the ECHL with a goals-against average of 2.74.

* John Murray leads the ECHL with four shootout wins.

* Reign play at Phoenix on Tuesday and host Stockton on Friday and Alaska on Saturday.

Stockton Thunder

* Thunder is 10-3-1 under head coach Matt Thomas.

* Rookie Andrew Perugini is 5-0-0 with a shutout and a goals-against average of 1.97 in his last five starts.

* Thunder host Alaska on Wednesday and Sunday and play at Ontario on Friday.

National Conference - West Division

Alaska Aces

* Aces have won their last six home games to improve to 17-5-1 this season at Sullivan Arena.

* Brett Hemingway leads Alaska in the last five games with seven assists and eight points.

* Aces are at Stockton on Wednesday and Sunday, at Bakersfield on Friday and at Ontario on Saturday.

Idaho Steelheads

*Steelheads are 4-1-1 with two shootout wins and two overtime wins in their last six games.

* Rookie Kris Sparre has a three-game point streak (4g-4a).

* Steelheads play at Bakersfield on Wednesday and Saturday and at Stockton on Monday.

Phoenix RoadRunners

* RoadRunners have 13 home wins, two shy of their club record.

* Rookie P.J. Fenton has eight goals and nine points in nine games.

* RoadRunners host Ontario on Tuesday and play at Utah on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

Utah Grizzlies

* Grizzlies are 2-0-7 in their last nine games.

* Tim Verbeek has eight goals and 10 points in his last nine games.
* Grizzlies host Phoenix on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

Victoria Salmon Kings

* Salmon Kings tied team record with 12 home wins in a row from Dec. 9, 2008-Jan. 27, 2009.

* Todd Ford is 10-0-1 with three shutouts and a goals-against average of 1.52 in his last 11 games.

* Salmon Kings host Las Vegas on Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

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Premier 'AA' Hockey League Fast Facts

* 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 21 teams in 16 states and British Columbia in 2008-09.

* The league officially changed its name from East Coast Hockey League to ECHL on May 19, 2003.

* Affiliations with 24 of the 30 teams in the National Hockey League marking 12th consecutive season that the league has had affiliations with at least 20 teams in the NHL.

* 391 former ECHL players have played in NHL.

* 135 have played their first NHL game in the last four seasons.

* 36 former ECHL players have made their NHL debut this season: former Wheeling Nailers and ECHL All-Star defenseman Paul Bissonnette (Pittsburgh on Oct. 4), former Stockton Thunder and ECHL All-Star right wing Troy Bodie (Anaheim on Jan. 16), former Bakersfield Condors center Alexandre Bolduc (Vancouver on Nov. 27), former Florida Everblades defenseman Brett Carson (Carolina on Dec. 7), former South Carolina Stingrays defenseman Sean Collins (Washington on Dec. 6), former Las Vegas Wranglers and Wheeling Nailers goaltender John Curry (Pittsburgh on Nov. 26), former Greenville Grrrowl goaltender Jeff Drouin-Deslauriers (Edmonton on Oct. 17), former Johnstown Chiefs center Andre Deveaux (Toronto on Nov. 27), former Dayton Bombers center Philippe Dupuis (Colorado on Dec. 12), former Gwinnett Gladiators left wing Chris Durno (Colorado on Jan. 18), former Gwinnett Gladiators right wing Pat Dwyer, former Columbus Cottonmouths and Tallahassee Tiger Sharks left wing Mitch Fritz (New York Islanders on Oct. 30), former South Carolina Stingrays right wing Andrew Gordon (Washington on Dec. 23), former Augusta Lynx and Mississippi Sea Wolves goaltender Riku Helenius (Tampa Bay on Jan. 30), former Charlotte Checkers center Dwight Helminen (Carolina on Oct. 28), former Trenton Devils right wing Pierre-Luc Letourneau-Leblond (New Jersey on Oct. 22), former Gwinnett Gladiators defenseman Scott Lehman (Atlanta on Dec. 18), former Charlotte Checkers defenseman Steve MacIntyre (Edmonton on Oct. 15), former Florida Everblades left wing Kenndal McArdle (Florida on Dec. 2), former All-Star and Wheeling Nailers center Kurtis McLean (New York Islanders on Jan. 19), former Phoenix RoadRunners and Wheeling Nailers center Cam Paddock (St. Louis on Nov. 14), former Las Vegas Wranglers defenseman Adam Pardy (Calgary on Oct. 9), former Idaho Steelheads left wing Warren Peters (Calgary on Dec. 7), former Charlotte Checkers defenseman Corey Potter (New York Rangers on Dec. 7), former Augusta Lynx defenseman Kevin Quick (Tampa Bay on Jan. 13), former Charlotte Checkers, Columbia Inferno and Elmira Jackals defenseman Bryan Rodney (Carolina on Dec. 11), former Gwinnett Gladiators center Jared Ross (Philadelphia on Oct. 11), former Alaska Aces goaltender Marek Schwarz (St. Louis on Oct. 25), former Greenville Grrrowl and Stockton Thunder center Tim Sestito (Edmonton on Nov. 26), former Dayton Bombers and Las Vegas Wranglers defenseman Tyler Sloan (Washington on Oct. 21), former Utah Grizzlies and ECHL All-Star center Trevor Smith (New York Islanders on Dec. 31), former Johnstown Chiefs and Mississippi Sea Wolves forward Radek Smolenak (Tampa Bay on Dec. 2), former Augusta Lynx defenseman Brett Skinner (New York Islanders on Oct. 27), former Las Vegas Wranglers and ECHL All-Star defenseman Tyson Strachan (St. Louis on Dec. 18), former Wheeling Nailers right wing Tim Wallace (Pittsburgh on Dec. 10) and former Idaho Steelheads center Tom Wandell (Dallas on Dec. 10).

* There were 72 former ECHL players on NHL opening-day rosters.

* Twenty-six former ECHL players made their NHL debut in 2007-08 including six who played in both the ECHL and the NHL: Chris Beckford-Tseu (Alaska and St. Louis), Adam Berti (Pensacola and Chicago), Joe Jensen (Wheeling and Carolina), Dan LaCosta (Elmira and Columbus), Jonathan Quick (Reading and Los Angeles) and Danny Taylor (Reading and Los Angeles).

* Record 47 former ECHL players played their first NHL game in 2005-06.

* ECHL is represented for the eighth consecutive year on the National Hockey League championship team in 2008 by Aaron Downey of the Detroit Red Wings.

* Former ECHL coaches working as head coaches in the NHL are Bruce Boudreau of the Washington Capitals and Scott Gordon of the New York Islanders. 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. Peter Laviolette, who began his coaching career with the Wheeling Nailers, led Carolina Hurricanes to the Stanley Cup in 2006.

* There are 18 assistant coaches in the NHL who were players or coaches in the ECHL.

* There are 18 former ECHL officials scheduled to work as part of the NHL officiating team in 2008-09 with referees David Banfield, Chris Ciamaga, Ghislain Hebert, 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, Brian Mach, Tim Nowak and Jay Sharrers. Barton, Joannette, Leggo, McCauley, Nowak, Pollock, Rooney and Sharrers all worked the 2008 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

* ECHL has affiliations with 23 of the 29 teams in the American Hockey League and for the past 19 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 2,000 call-ups involving more than 1,000 players since 2002-03.

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

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