ECHL ECHL

Everblades Win Five Straight, Ice Pilots First To Clinch Playoff Berth

March 14, 2005 - ECHL (ECHL) News Release


Back-to-back wins over Mississippi on Friday and Saturday extended Florida's winning streak to five games and strengthened its hold on the third seed in the American Conference at 35-17-8 with 78 points. The Everblades are six points ahead of South Carolina (32-20-8) and Columbia (31-16-10) and eight points ahead of Gwinnett (31-18-8).

Pensacola, which became the first team to clinch a Kelly Cup Playoff berth on Saturday, has the top seed in the conference and sits atop the league at 41-14-5 and 87 points. Going 19-3-1 in its last 22 games, including a team-record 12-game winning streak, the Ice Pilots have set Pensacola team records for wins and road wins (20) and need only two points to tie the team record for points. Pensacola will travel to Augusta on Friday and Saturday. The Ice Pilots are 3-0-1 against the Lynx, losing 3-2 in a shootout on November 26 in the only meeting at Augusta.

Charlotte has the second seed as the East Division leader at 36-20-5 and 77 points. Rounding out the postseason heading into this week's action are Greenville (31-23-5) and Mississippi (31-22-5) at 67 points, eight points ahead of Pee Dee (28-29-3) and 12 points ahead of Augusta (24-28-7).

Florida will host Victoria on Tuesday before traveling to Greenville on Friday and Saturday and Charlotte on Sunday. The Everblades, who are 8-1-1 in their last 10 games, have won four consecutive home games to improve 18-8-5 overall at home. Winning back-to-back road games, Florida is 5-1-1 in its last seven road games and 17-9-3 overall on the road. In the only two meetings with Greenville, Florida lost 5-1 on November 24 and 3-2 on November 26, both games in Estero. The Everblades lost 5-4 in overtime on January 8 and are 0-0-1 at Charlotte and 2-0-1 overall against the Checkers.

Reggie Berg has a six-game scoring streak (4g-6a) and in the last five games is tied with Damian Surma for the team lead with five assists and nine points. Berg, Surma and Kris Vernarsky each have four goals and a game- winning goal in the last five games. During the winning streak, Tyler MacKay is 4-0-0 with a 1.75 goals-against average and Rob Zepp is 1-0-0 with a shutout. MacKay is 6-0-0 with a shutout and a 1.97 goals-against average in his last six starts and is 7-0-2 with a 2.16 goals-against average in his last nine starts.

Charlotte is 5-0-2 in its last seven games, losing 2-1 in a shootout on Saturday against Pensacola and 4-3 in overtime at South Carolina on February 26. The Checkers will host Trenton on Tuesday, Gwinnett on Saturday and Florida on Sunday while traveling to Pee Dee on Friday. Charlotte is 6-0-1 in its last seven home games and 22-7-2 overall at home. The Checkers lost 4-1 to Trenton on November 5 in the only meeting between the two. Charlotte won the last time at Pee Dee to improve to 1-1-2 at Florence and 4-1-2 overall against the Pride. The Checkers are 2-0-0 at home and 3-2-0 overall against Gwinnett and 1-0-0 at home and 1-2-0 overall against Florida. Alex Westlund is 5-0-1 with a shutout and a 1.15 goals-against average in his last six starts for Charlotte.

South Carolina, which has won its last five home games to improve to 21-6-2 at home, will host Gwinnett on Tuesday, Columbia on Friday and Pee Dee on Saturday. The Stingrays lost 6-3 at Gwinnett on Sunday and are 0-1-1 at home and 1-4-1 overall against the Gladiators. South Carolina is 3-1-0 at home and 5-4-0 overall against Columbia and 5-0-0 at home and 6-1-2 overall against Pee Dee. Columbia, which is 8-0-4 in its last 12 home games and 18-4-7 overall at home, will host Greenville on Tuesday and Mississippi on Saturday while traveling to South Carolina on Friday and Gwinnett on Sunday. The Inferno is 3-0-1 at home and 6-0-1 overall against Greenville while it lost 6-5 in a shootout on February 22 at Mississippi in the teams only meeting. Columbia is 1-2-1 at South Carolina and 4-3-2 overall against the Stingrays and 2-2-0 at Gwinnett and 3-2-1 overall against the Gladiators.

Gwinnett travels to South Carolina on Tuesday and Charlotte on Saturday while hosting Mississippi on Friday and Columbia on Sunday. The Gladiators have won the last four meetings to improve to 5-1-0 overall and 2-0-0 on the road against the Stingrays. Gwinnett is 2-1-0 at home and 2-2-2 overall against Mississippi and are 0-2-0 at Charlotte and 2-2-1 overall against the Checkers. The Gladiators are 2-1-1 at home and 3-2-1 overall against Columbia. Sean Fields has gone 3-0-0 with a 1.33 goals-against average in his last three starts and is 7-0-2 with two shootout wins and a 2.15 goals-against average in his last nine starts.

Looking to end a three-game losing skid, Greenville concludes a six-game road trip with a visit to Pee Dee on Thursday before returning home to host Florida on Friday and Saturday. The Grrrowl is 4-0-0 at Pee Dee and 5-3-0 overall against the Pride. Greenville, which has won a team record seven consecutive home games to improve to 16-10-1 at home, is 2-0-0 against Florida, winning 5-1 on November 24 and 3-2 on November 26, both games played on the road.

Mississippi will host Idaho on Tuesday before traveling to Gwinnett on Friday and Columbia on Saturday. The Sea Wolves are 1-1-1 in their last three home games but 6-1-1 in the last eight and 17-11-2 overall at home. Winning the last two meetings, Mississippi is 1-1-1 at Gwinnett and 4-1-1 overall against the Gladiators while winning the only meeting with Columbia, 6-5 in a shootout at home on February 22.

Three Points Separates Five Teams Battling For Four Playoff Spots

Winning three games in three days with back-to-back home wins against Peoria on Friday and Saturday and a win at Johnstown on Sunday, Toledo moved into fourth place in the North Division at 34-22-4 and 72 points. The Storm, however, are only one point ahead of fifth-place Trenton which has played one less game than Toledo.

The two will go head to head on Friday and Saturday in Toledo. Trenton is 2-0-0 at Toledo and 5-1-0 overall against the Storm, whose only victory was 7-5 at Trenton on February 16. Toledo is 20-8-1 at home while Trenton is 0-2-1 in its last three road games and 12-11-5 overall on the road heading Tuesday at Charlotte.

Trenton plays four road games in six days traveling to Charlotte on Tuesday, Toledo on Friday and Saturday and Reading on Sunday. The Titans beat Charlotte 4-1 on November 5 in the only meeting between the two teams. The Titans have lost the last two times at Reading to fall to 2-2-0 and are 5-3-0 overall against the Royals.

Acquired in a seven-player trade with Greenville, Carl Mallette scored seven points (4g-3a) in his first three games with the Storm, giving him 72 points (28g-44a) in 58 games and moving him into a first-place tie for the ECHL scoring lead with NHL All-Star Scott Gomez (11g-61a).

The North Division remains the closest race with three points separating the top five teams. Wheeling (35-21-4) and Atlantic City (33-19-8) are tied for first with 74 points, one point ahead of Reading (34-18-5) which has played three less games than the two teams ahead of it. Peoria is in sixth place at 30-20-7 and 67 points, and it has played two less games than Trenton and three less games than Toledo.

Wheeling, which was 2-2-0 last week including a 5-2 loss at home to Peoria on Sunday, will host Atlantic City on Thursday, Johnstown on Friday and Peoria on Saturday. The Nailers are winless in their last three home games against Atlantic City (0-2-1) and 1-2-1 at home and 4-2-1 overall against the Bullies. Wheeling has won the last five meetings with Johnstown, improving to 5-1-0 overall and 3-0-0 at home against the Chiefs, and is 3-1-0 at home and 4-2-0 overall against Peoria.

Atlantic City, which was 2-1-1, last week following a 4-3 loss at Dayton on Sunday, will play at Dayton on Tuesday and at Wheeling on Thursday before hosting Peoria on Friday and Reading on Saturday. The Bullies are 2-2-0 at Dayton and 6-2-1 overall against the Bombers. Atlantic City has won the last three times at Wheeling to improve to 3-0-1 on the road and 3-0-4 overall against the Nailers. The Bullies are winless in the last five meetings against Peoria, falling to 1-5-0 and 0-2-0 at home against the Rivermen. Atlantic City has won the last two meetings to improve to 3-1-0 at Reading and 5-2-0 overall against the Royals.

Reading will host Peoria on Tuesday, Dayton on Thursday and Trenton on Sunday while traveling to Atlantic City on Saturday. The Royals have lost the last two meetings with Peoria and are 1-0-0 at home and 3-2-0 overall against the Rivermen. Reading is 2-1-0 at home and 5-1-0 overall against Dayton. The Royals have won the last two times at home against Trenton to improve to 2-2-0 at home and 3-4-1 overall against the Titans. Reading is 1-1-1 at Atlantic City and 2-3-2 overall against the Bullies.

Peoria concludes its seven-game road trip visiting Reading on Tuesday, Johnstown on Thursday, Atlantic City on Friday and Wheeling on Saturday. The Rivermen, who are 1-2-0 on the current trip and 11-13-2 overall on the road, have won the last two times against Reading to improve to 2-2-0 at home and 2-3-0 overall against the Royals. Peoria won the last time to improve to 1-2-0 at Johnstown and is 2-2-1 overall against the Chiefs. The Rivermen have won the last five meetings to improve to 5-1-0 against Atlantic City, including a 2-0-0 record on the road. The Rivermen won 5-2 on Sunday to improve to 1-3-0 at Wheeling and 2-3-1 overall against the Nailers.

West's Top Four Unchanged, Steelheads Continue Late-Season Surge

Rebounding from a 3-1 loss at Bakersfield on Friday, Alaska won 4-3 in overtime at Long Beach on Saturday and 2-1 at San Diego on Sunday to improve to 38-16-7 and lead the West Division with 83 points. Bakersfield, which also went 2-1-0 last week, is 36-16-9 with 81 points, three points ahead of third-place Long Beach at 35-18-8. Fresno sits in the fourth and final playoff spot at 34-19-7 and 75 points, six points ahead of Idaho (32-21-5) and seven points ahead of San Diego (31-23-6).

The Aces, who are 11-1-1 in their last 13 road games, will conclude their six-game road trip visiting Fresno on Tuesday and Bakersfield on Friday and Saturday. Alaska is 2-0-0 at Fresno and 3-1-2 overall against the Falcons and 0-2-0 at Bakersfield and 2-3-0 overall against the Condors.

Defending ECHL champion Idaho, which has played two less games than Fresno and three less games than the top three teams, has picked up 24 of a possible 28 points going 11-1-2 in its last 14 games. The Steelheads will play five games in six days when it visits Mississippi on Tuesday, Louisiana on Wednesday and Friday and Texas on Saturday and Sunday. The Steelheads are 2-0-1 on their current eight-game road swing and 15-10-3 overall on the road.

Bakersfield, which is 7-1-1 in its last nine games, travels to Las Vegas on Tuesday before hosting Alaska on Friday and Saturday. The Condors are 1-1-0 at Las Vegas and 4-3-0 overall against the Wranglers and 2-0-0 at home and 3-1-1 overall against the Aces. Yutaka Fukufuji has allowed only one goal in each of his last three starts and he is 7-0-0 with a shutout and a 1.57 goals-against average in his last seven starts.

Winless in its last four games (0-2-2) and 1-4-3 in its last eight games, Long Beach travels to San Diego on Friday. The Ice Dogs are winless in their last four games against the Gulls, dropping to 0-1-1 at San Diego and 1-2-2 overall.

Fresno, which has gone 22-6-4 since January 1, will host Alaska on Tuesday and travels to Las Vegas on Friday. The Falcons are 0-2-0 at home and 3-2-1 overall against Alaska and has won the last six meetings with Las Vegas to improve to 6-1-0 overall and 3-0-0 on the road against the Wranglers. After beginning the season with a 1-5-1 record at home, Fresno has gone 19-3-1 at Save Mart Center.

San Diego will host Long Beach on Friday and Las Vegas on Saturday and Sunday. The Gulls have won the last four meetings with Long Beach, improving to 2-0-0 at home and 4-1-0 overall, and have won the last four meetings with Las Vegas to improve to 2-0-0 at home and 5-1-0 overall.

Tenute Challenges Streak

South Carolina rookie center Joe Tenute has scored a point in each of his last 11 games (5g-15a). The longest scoring streaks in the ECHL this season are 12 games by Mike Harder of Charlotte (18 points from October 22 to November 20) and Brendon Hodge of Wheeling (14 points from January 8 to February 6).

Tenute has had five multiple-point games during his streak, including a career-high five assists and six points in a 7-3 win against Texas on March 6 and his fifth two-goal game of the season in an 8-2 win against Louisiana on Saturday. His five assists and six points both tied the league season highs.

Tenute, who has scored a point in 17 of his last 18 games (11g-17a) and in 20 of his last 22 games (13g-20a), leads ECHL rookies with 35 assists and 62 points and he is tied for the rookie lead with 27 goals and 14 power-play assists in 56 games. He ranks second among rookies with 22 power-play points and his 62 points rank him sixth among all ECHL players.

ECHL Feature Games Of The Week

National Conference - North Division
Trenton at Toledo
Friday at 7:30 p.m. ET
* Titans are one point behind Toledo for the final playoff spot.
* Titans are 5-1-0 and have outscored Toledo 26-16.

American Conference - East Division
Columbia at South Carolina
Friday at 7:05 p.m. ET
* Teams are fourth, fifth seed and would play in the first-round of the playoffs.
* Final meeting between the two clubs; Stingrays lead the season series 5-4-0.

American Conference - South Division
Mississippi at Gwinnett
Friday at 7:35 p.m. CT
* Seventh-seed Sea Wolves are three points behind sixth-seed Gladiators.
* Sea Wolves are 3-2-0 in the last five road games. Gladiators are 7-1-1 in their last nine home games.

National Conference - West Division
Long Beach at San Diego
Friday at 7:05 p.m. PT
* Gulls are seven points out of the final playoff spot.
* Ice Dogs are 0-2-2 in their last four games.

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