Sports stats



Four-Point Weekend for Trax

January 12, 2004 - SPHL (SPHL)
Macon Trax News Release


RECORD TO DATE: 11-10-2 (24 points) 5th place in WHA2

THIS WEEK:

FRI Jan. 16 Jacksonville @ TRAX 7:35 p.m. Macon Centreplex

Will the Trax ever solve the Barracudas? There is only one team the Trax has not yet beaten in the WHA2 and it's the Barracudas. At the half way point of the head-to-head meeting Jacksonville has taken all 12 of the possible points this season. The Trax have managed only one point in the six previous games. Bring a book and help the Boys and Girls Clubs of Macon on "Literacy Night."

Season Series: Jacksonville leads 6-0 (Most recent: 5-2 loss, Jan. 9 @ MAC)

SAT Jan. 17 Jacksonville @ TRAX 7:35 p.m. Macon Centreplex

Same teams, same time, same place. For the second straight night the top team in the league will visit Macon. Saturday night will be "Military Night" in Macon. All military personnel can watch some great hockey action for only $5! Just bring your military ID to the Trax office to get your tickets. After the game the Trax will auction off special game worn military jerseys. As a special treat a professional auctioneer will run the jersey auction.

Season Series: Jacksonville leads 6-0 (Most recent: 5-2 loss, Jan. 9 @ MAC)

SUN Jan. 18 Alabama @ TRAX 4:05 p.m. Macon Centreplex

BLOWOUT SUNDAY BLOWOUT SUNDAY—ALL UPPER LEVEL TICKETS ONLY $5!!!

Another Sunday mean another date with the Slammers. In what has become the best rivalry in the WHA2, the Slammers start the week only five points ahead of the Trax. When all is said and done this could be a huge mid season game between the two toughest teams in the league. Last weekend the Trax broke their two game losing streak against Alabama and hope to rise to a two game winning streak of their own.

Season Series: Macon leads 3-1-1 (Most recent: 4-3 WIN, Jan. 11 @ MAC)

LAST WEEK:

FRI Jan. 9 Jacksonville @ TRAX (5-2 loss) 7:35 p.m. Macon Centreplex

The Trax fell to Jacksonville 5-2 in front of 1,482 fans at the Centreplex. The Barracudas have won all six meetings between the two teams.

The only bright spot of the game was Macon's newest player, rookie Radek Klauda. The Czechoslovakian native scored his first professional goal in his first game with the Trax.

The Barracudas set the pace early in the game netting two first period goals. Jay McCabe scored their first goal of the night two minutes into the game. Jacksonville's second goal came at the 15:32 mark by Derek Toninato.

The Barracudas totally dominated the second period scoring three goals. Andrew Oke scored his fifth goal of the season at the 4:48 mark. Later in the period Chad Gromek and John McCabe lit the lamp for the visitors.

Klauda added to his debut by assisting on the only other Trax goal of the night. Through hard work Benoit Cotnoir put his own rebound past Jacksonville goalie Randy Hevey for his second goal of the season.

SAT Jan. 10 Lakeland @ TRAX (4-1 WIN) 7:35 p.m. Macon Centreplex

The Macon Trax beat the Lakeland Loggerheads 4-1 for the fifth time this year. The Trax (10-10-2, 22 points) got a huge boost from the loudest crowd at the Centreplex this season.

The Trax started the scoring early in the game when Steve Zoryk put the puck in the net just 2:53 into the game. The goal moved Zoryk into sole possession of the WHA2 goal league with 19 this season.

In most games the momentum shifts back and forth, but tonight the Trax really gained momentum early. Ryan Rivard scored his ninth goal of the season with only eight seconds remaining the first period.

Lakeland (3-14-4, 10 points) did cut the lead down to one, 6:41 into the second period when Jim Callahan beat Geoff Faulkner on the power play. That would be the only time he would allow a goal in route to a 27 save performance.

The Trax extended the lead just after the half way mark, when the Trax scored a hard working goal. Rivard carried the puck into the Loggerhead zone, eventually getting a shot off which goalie Tyler Murray stopped. David Deeves was on the door step and buried the rebound for his eleventh goal of the year.

After the second period horn the two teams exchanged a few words as they were skating towards the locker rooms. Near the end of the middle period Matt Brown and Garrett Dionne traded pushes in front of the benches. Neither player dropped the gloves at that moment.

As the players skated off the ice a shouting match began. There was a big pile up as all players tried to get shots at their opponent. Dionne had already gone to the locker and came sprinting back to the ice, trying to get at Brown any way he could. The result was four players sent to the box and the Trax began the third period with a man advantage.

The final period was quiet as the Trax maintained their two goal lead. Lakeland tried to put pressure on Faulkner but the Connecticut native didn't flinch.

Craig Miller scored the only goal of the period. He hit the empty net with under ten seconds to go, his second try at the empty net in the game.

SUN Jan. 11 Alabama @ TRAX (4-3 WIN) 4:05 p.m. Macon Centreplex

Three games in three nights and the Trax went 2-1. The victim tonight was the Alabama Slammers.

Behind a three point night from Ryan Rivard and David Deeves, the Trax skated away with a narrow 4-3 victory. The game certainly had a little bit of everything.

The game started off as your typical Sunday stroll in the park. Macon scored first when Luke Murphy tried to pass across the slot to Steve Zoryk on the power play. Instead of reaching Zoryk, Slammer's captain Ryan Prentice's stick and skidded past goalie Jamie Ronayne.

Jaroslav Kresec tied the game up late in the first period for the Slammers. Everything looked good as both teams finished the first period relatively quiet.

The Trax started the second period on the power play, but were not able to convert. Right past the half way mark of the game, referee Ron Shostak injured his ankle while skating down the ice. Both teams were sent to the locker room as the officials had to figure out what to do.

The Trax came out of the 35 minute break with a short bench. Art Mnatsakanov was kicked out of the game after he was called for an instigation penalty and Andrew Dickson stayed in the locker room due to dehydration.

Alabama proved to be the team that benefited from the break. Less than two minutes after the restart, Doug Lawrence found a streaking Jeff Mead who put the Slammers in the lead. That was the last time the Slammers would see a lead on the night.

Ryan Rivard scored his first of two goals at the 16:49 mark of the second period. With the teams tied at two after 40 minutes, the final 20 minutes would be big.

The Trax took the lead when Andrew Katzberg netted his second goal of the year 7:22 into the final period. Ryan Rivard scored his eleventh goal of the season, which proved to be the game winner. Alabama cut the lead to one when Jaroslav Kresec put a wrist shot past Geoff Faulkner.

TRAX TIDBITS:

BOEING MILITARY NIGHT IS SATURDAY, JAN. 17. All active military members can purchase tickets for $5. Special Military Jerseys will be auctioned after the game.

· SUNDAY, SUNDAY, SUNDAY!! The Trax have announced another "BLOWOUT SUNDAY"

Jan. 18 the Trax are selling ALL upper level seats for ONLY $5! Bring your friends.

· "CHUGGIN' WITH THE TRAX" will be Monday, Jan. 12 at the Applebee's on Riverside Drive in Macon. Come by between 6-7pm as Adam Minnick will be joined by Head Coach Tommy Stewart and various Trax players.

TEAM APPEARANCES:

Monday, Jan. 12—Sacred Heart Catholic School, 1:30-2:30pm—Luke Murphy and David Deeves Wednesday, Jan. 14—Base Enlisted Club-Robins Air Force Base, 6:00-7:30pm—Craig Miller, Ryan Rivard, John Gurskis, Edan Welch, Adam Minnick Thursday, Jan. 15—City Club of Macon, 5:30-7:30pm—Darwin Murray, Geoff Faulkner, Andy Kollar, Benoit Cotnoir, Art Mnatsakanov

TEAM NOTES:

Macon continues to sport the top offense in the WHA2 with 4.13 goals per game.

Macon's penalty kill leads the league with an 85.0% success rate. In the three games this weekend Macon killed off 15 of 16 chances.

EDAN WELCH will be activated for Friday's game against Jacksonville.

JEFF ANTONOVICH has been placed on the 14 day IR. He is expected to be out at least a month.

The Trax have traded BOBBY CLOUSTON and STEVE HOWARD to Miami for future considerations.

STANDOUTS:

STEVE ZORYK owns the WHA2 goal board with 19 goals.

DAVID DEEVES is eighth in WHA2 scoring with 33 points (11G, 22A).

CRAIG MILLER has registered an assist in each of the Trax last four home games.

LUKE MURPHY has taken over the team assist lead with 23.

TRAX PLAYER OF THE WEEK:

· DAVID DEEVES—The All-Star proved how much he deserved his ticket to the Jan. 27 game this past weekend. In three games the fast forward had six points (1G, 5A). His big night came Sunday when he claimed three assists in the Trax 4-3 win over Alabama. This season the Barrie, Ont., Canada native has 33 points in 23 games.

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

SPHL Stories from January 12, 2004


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.

Other Recent Macon Trax Stories



Sports Statistics from the Stats Crew
OurSports Central