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Generals Intelligence Report

February 16, 2004 - ECHL (ECHL)
Greensboro Generals News Release


PAVING THE ROAD: The Greensboro Generals will put approximately 884 miles on the team bus, including a most recent 5-2 victory over the Augusta Lynx, that has moved the Generals to second place in the Southern Division and six points shy of the Columbia Inferno. The current three-game winning streak over Augusta, Atlantic City, and Roanoke has the Generals playing solid hockey, especially considering the physicality and importance of quality wins, as Greensboro makes its playoff push.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK NOMINATIONS

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: MIKE BAYRACK, LEFT WING (3 GP, 5 G; 4 A; 9 PTS.; +6): The Greensboro Generals got a huge offensive punch to the lineup with the return of Left Wing Mike Bayrack, following a stint on the 7-day injured reserve, as he rejoined the team on-ice for Tuesday's game against the Roanoke Express. In a 3-2 overtime victory against the Express, Bayrack led the way with two goals, then first coming with a breakaway goal rebounded in the air against Express netminder Jason Wolfe. Bayrack rebounded his initial shot on goal after deflecting off Wolfe's padding for his 23rd goal of the season, giving Greensboro a 1-0 lead. His second goal came in the second period, when rebounding a pass that was sent behind the goal to Matt Chandler, Bayrack penetrated the goalie for his second goal of the game...vs. Atlantic City In the second period, with Greensboro trailing 0-2 against Atlantic City, Mike Bayrack found Geno Parrish as they passed the puck back-and-forth, ending on the stick of Parrish who sent a slap shot from just beyond the blue line for a 3-2 lead at 12:57 of the frame. Bayrack again proved to be the difference, passing to an open Eric Fortier in front of the net, and with just 26 seconds before intermission tie the game at 3-3. In the third, it became Mike Bayrack's turn to shine, when he deflected a Geno Parrish slapshot from the blue line in goal to give Greensboro a 4-3 lead, their first of the game. Following an icing penalty in the third, Bayrack was placed in the face-off circle, where he sent the shot past a stoned Jake Moreland for a 5-3 advantage. In overtime, looking to redeem himself for an earlier penalty, Matt Elich used his speed to defend off the Boardwalk Bullies defenders and net the game winner at the 3:11 mark...vs. Augusta The Generals (31-20-1) Mike Bayrack registered his fourth goal in the last three games, when taking sending a slapshot top shelf against Lynx netminder Jason Saal, as Geno Parrish and Kurt Drummond continue to produce as offensive defensemen.

GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK: JAMIE HODSON: In a relief role against the Pensacola Ice Pilots, Hodson recorded 25 saves as Greensboro fell short of Pensacola 4-2. Hodson played back-up to Daniel Berthiaume, who was pulled after the Generals got down 4-0 early in the first period...vs. Roanoke In a 3-2 OT victory over the Express, Jamie faced 35 shots on goal, stopping 33 of the Express attempts. In five Express power-plays, Hodson allowed no goals...vs. Atlantic City In a battle of the divisional rivals from last season, Greensboro moved to 2-1-0 in the series this season with the Boardwalk Bullies, as Hodson stepped forward stopping 37 of 42 shots that the Bullies put on goal. In the first period, after facing 19 shots on goal, Greensboro trailed 2-0, however Hodson and the Generals marched on for the overtime victory...vs. Augusta DID NOT PLAY.

LAST WEEK RECAPS

GENERALS 5, LYNX 2

AUGUSTA, GA –The Greensboro Generals won their third consecutive game, following a 5-2 victory over the Augusta Lynx. The win gives Greensboro their second road win in as many games against Augusta, capping off a week with victories over Roanoke, Atlantic City, and now the Lynx.

The Generals (31-20-1) Mike Bayrack registered his fourth goal in the last three games, when taking sending the puck past Jason Saal, as Geno Parrish and Kurt Drummond continue to produce as offensive defensemen. The Lynx would respond with two unanswered goals closing out first period scoring, when Louis Goulet knotted the game at 1-1, just under four minutes after Bayrack gave Greensboro the lead. Augusta's Jarrett Thompson would then give the Lynx a 2-1 advantage, netting a power-play goal following a high-sticking penalty by Bayrack.

Greensboro would respond in the second period, after defensemen Alex Andreyev used himself as a sparkplug earning a fighting major against Stu Pietersma. Joel Irwin would then knot the game for Greensboro a 2-2, receiving a pass from Matt Chandler and Mark Turner.

Chandler would record his fifth goal of the season, coming at an opportune time, as he sent a pass from Joel Irwin and Kurt Drummond past Saal for what proved to be the eventual game winner. It was then Captain Mark Turner's time to shine who scored a pair of goals and added an assist. Turner, who has nine points (five goals,four assists) and is a plus-8 in three games against Augusta.

Netminder Daniel Berthiaume, who had 50 saves in his last game on February 7, turned away 51 shots, including 23 in the second period.

GENERALS 6, BOARDWALK BULLIES 5 (OT)

GREENSBORO—The word of the night in the Greensboro Coliseum was redemption, which is exactly what Matt Elich did, in sending the Generals to a 6-5 overtime victory over the Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies. Elich netted a breakaway winner 1:49 deep in overtime to give the Greensboro Generals a two-game home winning streak, defeating the defending Kelly Cup Champions.

Atlantic City (32-11-4) scored the game's first goal, when at the 4:12 mark, Pierre Luc-Sleigher put the puck back in net following a rebound off the left pad of Generals netminder Jamie Hodson. The Boardwalk Bullies would assume a 2-0 advantage, following a defensive miscue by Greensboro (30-20-1) as Sam Paolini took advantage of a rebound off the stick just four minutes following the opening score.

In the second period Greensboro snapped a five period scoreless streak against the Boardwalk Bullies, when a rebound shot that was lost under the stomach of a face first Joel Irwin, was kicked out to Eric Fortier, sending it past a dazed Bullies goaltender Jake Moreland. The Bullies would answer when Luke Curtin, at the 9:07 mark, was in a one-on-one situation with Hodson, again giving Atlantic City a two goal advantage at 3-1. The Generals would retaliate with two unanswered goals ending second period scoring, as Mike Bayrack and Geno Parrish passed the puck back-and-forth, ending on the stick of Parrish who sent a slap shot from just beyond the blue line for a 3-2 lead at 12:57 of the frame. Bayrack would again find the way, when behind the goal, he would pass to an open Eric Fortier in front of the net, and with just 26 seconds before intermission tie the game at 3-3.

The Generals would carry the momentum of the second period into the third, when Mike Bayrack deflected a Geno Parrish slapshot from the blue line, giving Greensboro a 4-3 lead, their first of the game. Bayrack would again light the lamp, when after winning a face-off, sending the shot past a stoned Moreland for a 5-3 advantage. The Boardwalk Bullies retaliated with a goal of their own, just eight seconds later, when Stefan Rivard took a face-off into the offensive zone and beat Jamie Hodson for a one-on-one, cutting into the lead at 5-4. With Atlantic City pulling Moreland in favor of an extra attacker, combined with a taking advantage of a Generals penalty, allowed Josh Prudden to knot the game at 5-5, sending the game to overtime at 5-5.

In overtime, looking to redeem himself for an earlier penalty, Matt Elich used his speed to defend off the Boardwalk Bullies defenders and net the game winner at the 3:11 mark. The game closed out a two-game homestand for the Generals, with both games extending to overtime, and sends Greensboro on the road to Augusta with a four point difference between themselves and the Columbia Inferno.

GENERALS 3, EXPRESS 2

GREENSBORO—In one of the most heated and defensive battles that the ECHL has to offer, the Greensboro Generals earned a 3-2 home victory over the Roanoke Express. The victory moves Greensboro to a 16-12-0 record in divisional play, and helps the Generals maintain their second place standing in the Southern Division of the Eastern Conference.

The Generals (29-20-1) scored the lone goal of the opening frame, when on a breakaway following a pass down the ice from Kurt Drummond, Mike Bayrack netted his team-high 23rd goal of the season. Bayrack, faced with a one-on-one situation against Express (22-21-6) netminder Jason Wolfe, would rebound his initial shot on goal after deflecting off Wolfe's padding for a 1-0 lead. Meanwhile, Greensboro goaltender Jamie Hodson turned away all 11 Roanoke shots on goal.

Bayrack would again strike gold in the second, when rebounding a pass that was sent behind the goal to Matt Chandler, Bayrack penetrated the goalie for his second goal of the game, putting the Generals up 2-0 at the 2:03 mark. Just over 20 seconds later, following a face-off Roanoke's Bryan Perez cut the deficit in half, in front of the goal, sending a shot past Jamie Hodson. Roanoke would tie the game at 2-2, when Doug Scatchard, on an assist from Kevin Bergin, scored from the right of Hodson sending the shot top shelf at the 18:42 mark.

After a scoreless third period, with each team playing solid defensively, the two teams headed for overtime. It was there, at the 1:51 mark, that Eric Fortier would net the game winner, coming from the right side of Express netminder Jason Wolfe giving the Generals a 3-2 victory. On an assist from Kurt Drummond, who had a hand in all three goals, Fortier would use a Joel Irwin screen that blocked the view of Wolfe, keeping Greensboro in second place.

IN THE BARRACKS

ON THE ROAD AGAIN: Greensboro will again take to the road this week, facing off against two key divisional opponents in the form of the Roanoke Express (Tuesday) and Charlotte Checkers (Saturday).

"Coaches Corner": The Greensboro Generals have announced Head Coach/General Manager Rick Adduono will appear on the "Our Town" radio show (WGOS 1070-AM) each Monday afternoon. The half-hour "Coaches Corner" will air each Monday at 1:00 PM throughout the season.

The "Coaches Corner" segment is part of the WGOS' "Our Town" program that is hosted by "Buffalo" Jack Umlaluf and Ogi Overman weekdays from 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM. The show will feature interviews with Adduono as well as segments with Generals players and their involvement in the community.

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