Generals Intelligence Report

November 10, 2003 - ECHL (ECHL)
Greensboro Generals News Release


3-for-3: The Greensboro Generals are riding a three-game winning streak into only their fifth road game of the season against the Greenville Grrrowl on Friday, November 14th. Ironically the Generals began hitting this same stride last season, where in 2002-03 they had consecutive victories over Pee Dee and back-to-back home victories over Trenton. Within the last week, Greensboro got home wins over Greenville and Gwinett, as well as capturing a road victory over Charlotte, to move just one point back of the Florida Everblades for first in the ECHL's Eastern Conference, Southern Division standings:

LAST WEEK RECAPS

Generals 4, Grrrowl 2

GREENSBORO—The Greensboro Generals earned their second straight home victory of the season, by defeating the Greenville Grrrowl 4-2 at the Greensboro Coliseum. Greensboro (5-3-0) scored two goals off power-play conversions, and added another off an empty net conversion after the Grrowl (1-5-0) pulled their goal in favor of adding an extra player on the ice.

Greenville opened the game scoring the only goal of the first period at the 9:52 mark, when Rae Metz helped the Grrrowl to take advantage of the first of nine Generals power-play opportunities. In the second, the Generals Tom Reimann sent a top shelf shot over the left shoulder of netminder Michel Robinson, tying the game a 1-1 just 5:51 into the frame. Greensboro then got a lift from newcomer Matt Elrich, who scored his first goal in a Greensboro uniform, giving the Generals a 2-1 advantage heading into the third period.

The third period began in similar fashion to that of the second, as Tom Reimann scored his second goal of the game, catching a feed from teammates Matt Turek and Mike Bayrack, giving Greensboro a 3-1 lead just over two minutes in. The Grrrowl would respond later in the period when Michael Henderson scored the second power-play conversion for Greenville, cutting the deficit to 3-2 at the 15:07 mark. The Generals would rely on the stick of a proven veteran, Sam Ftorek, who gave Greensboro a key insurance goal with just 12 seconds remaining in the game, sending home an empty netter, and making the final 4-2.

Greensboro once again got strong defensive play from netminder Daniel Berthiaume, who made 28 saves, as well as Mike Bayrack, Geno Parrish, Alex Andreyev, and Kurt Drummond making key contributions.

Generals 4, Checkers 3

CHARLOTTE—The Greensboro Generals have now won three of their last four games, with the possibility of having their first three game winning streak of the season, following a 4-3 win over the Charlotte Checkers. Ironically the first time that the Generals won three games in a row during last season was also in November, when with games over the Pee Dee Pride, followed by a home-in-home series with the Trenton Titans, the Generals captured three consecutive wins.

The Checkers made a valiant comeback Friday night but came up one goal short in a 4-3 loss to the Greensboro Generals at Cricket Arena. Greensboro built a 4-1 lead in the second period but the Checkers kept fighting to make it a close game. Charlotte, playing without six of their top players, scored a goal late in the second period and one early in the third but could not get the equalizer.

The two teams traded goals in the first period 8:30 of the contest. Charlotte jumped on the board first as 20 year-old Rory Rawlyk knocked the puck in on a scrum in front of Generals' goalie Daniel Berthiaume at 5:24 for a 1-0 Checkers lead. Greensboro tied it up at 1-1 at 8:30 as Mike Bayrack banged one home from in close. The Generals would take the lead with only seven seconds left in the period on a tally by Bryson Busniuk, for a 2-1 first period advantage.

In the second period the Generals stretched their lead to 4-1, as Drummond scored at 2:59, followed by Sam Ftorek's strike at 14:05. Checkers Head Coach Don MacAdam decided to switch goaltenders, removing starter David St. Germain in favor of Scott Meyer. The Checkers got an important power-play goal late as Blaz Emersic tipped in a shot from the point to cut the Generals lead to 4-2 after two periods.

The Checker cut the lead to 4-3 early in the third period on Lucas Lawson's goal just 2:37 into the period. Charlotte continued to apply the pressure in the third period by out shooting the Generals 13-8, bit they could not get the tying goal past Berthiaume.

The Generals improved to 6-3-0 for 12 points while the Checkers fell to 2-4-2 for six points.

Generals 3, Gladiators 1

GREENSBORO—The Greensboro Generals have their first three-game winning streak of the season, following a 3-1 win over the Gwinnett Gladiators, in front of 3,263 in attendance at the Greensboro Coliseum.

After a scoreless, and physical first period between both teams, the Generals (7-3-0) came out with a renewed fire in the second frame. Rightwinger Matt Elich scored the opening goal at the 3:33 mark, when Mike Bayrack sent a pass across the ice, giving Greensboro a 1-0 lead, marking the only goal of the period.

Gwinett (7-2-1), coming into their third game in as many nights, tied the game with the only power-play conversion, as Jim Jackson creeped the puck past the Generals defense. Greensboro's Sam Ftorek answered with a hard liner past Michael Garnett, scoring what would prove to be the game-winning goal, at the 3:33 mark. With just over one minute remaining in the game, the Gladiators pulled Garnett from net, giving an extra offensive player on the ice. That move proved costly as Generals Captain Mark Turner scored from the Greensboro blue line, making the final 3-1.

Goaltender Daniel Berthiaume (7-2-0) proved to be the Generals Ironman, stopping 33 of 34 shots on net, where he has appeared in all but one game. Berthiaume faced 16 shots in the third, as well as turning away 1 of 3 Gladiator power-play opportunities. Greensboro also got strong defensive play from left winger Mike Bayrack, who registered an assist, as well as a +3 on the +/-.

IN THE BARRACKS

· Mark Turner has scored 13 points this season, and ranks tied for 11th.

· Generals newcomer Matt Elich is tied for 3rd in shooting percentage, scoring 3 goals on 10 shots (30%).

· Netminder Daniel Berthiaume ranks second amongst ECHL goaltenders with seven wins, saves (257) and minutes played (568), trailing only Marc Magliarditi of Las Vegas in with nine wins and 607 minutes played, and in saves Berthiaume trails both Magliarditi (297) and Pensacola's Brian Eklund (258) saves.

· Generals rookie Tom Reimann ranks tied for 8th among rookie scorers with nine points, and second in the ECHL with three power-play goals.

· Three Generals rank in amongst the defensive leaders in the ECHL, Kurt Drummond is fourth with 10 points; while Tom Reimann and Geno Parrish rank eighth with nine points.

· Geno Parrish is tied for fourth in the ECHL with eight assists among defensemen.

· Sam Ftorek has the longest streak in the ECHL to-date with four straight games with a goal, tied with Dayton's Jason Deskins for the lead.

· The Generals rank ninth in the ECHL in road power-play record, where in four games played, Greensboro has had 26 power-play advantages, converting 19.2% of them.

· Greensboro scoring by period:



ECHL Stories from November 10, 2003


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