
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.
ECHL Stories from February 2, 2009
- Thunder Stands Five Points Out of First Pla - Stockton Thunder
- Salmon Kings Get Gajic Back - Victoria Salmon Kings
- Sgroi Joins Jackals - Elmira Jackals
- ZOOperstars and Action Figurine Giveaway Highlight Huge Weekend - Bakersfield Condors
- "The Great American Wedding Rink" Coming - Stockton Thunder
- ECHL Transactions February 2nd - ECHL
- Blades get Auffrey back from AHL; Sign D-man Cook - Florida Everblades
- Grizzlies Trade Sgroi To Elmira - Utah Grizzlies
- Everblades Move Into First Place - ECHL
- Dayton Bombers Weekly - Dayton Bombers
- Weekly Arrowhead - Johnstown Chiefs
- Hunt, Paukovich Recalled to Springfield - Stockton Thunder
- Stingrays Week in Review - South Carolina Stingrays
- Goalie Shantz Gets Second Assignment to Dayton by NHL's Panthers - Dayton Bombers
- "Carload Wednesday" Returns This Week - Dayton Bombers
- Gladiators Weekly Update - Atlanta Gladiators
- Phoenix Plays Four Games in Five Nights This Week - Phoenix RoadRunners
- Everblades Weekly - Florida Everblades
- Royals Weekly - Reading Royals
- Sea Wolves Weekly - Mississippi Sea Wolves
- Devils split in Elmira; begin busy February with three games - Trenton Devils
- Cyclones Host Reading Tuesday Night - Cincinnati Cyclones
- Grizzlies Home Wednesday, Friday, Saturday - Utah Grizzlies
- ECHL Today - ECHL
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