Generals Intelligence Report

March 22, 2004 - ECHL (ECHL)
Greensboro Generals News Release


BATTLING FOR POSITIONING: A road series split with the Florida Everblades, has left the Greensboro Generals in a tough battle for the fourth and final playoff spot in the ECHL's Southern Division of the Eastern Conference. At week's end, the Generals (73 points) currently sit one point ahead of the Roanoke Express (72 points). On the flip side, Greensboro trails the Everblades by three points for second place in the divisional standings, where the two teams will face-off in their final match-up of the season on Sunday, March 28th, when the Everblades visit Greensboro. As for third place, Head Coach Rick Adduono's former team (South Carolina), is being challenged by the Generals for positioning in the ECHL playoff race, as Greensboro trails the Stingrays by two points.

LAST WEEK RECAPS

GENERALS 6, EVERBLADES 4

ESTERO, FL--Entering a two-game stretch against the Florida Everblades the Greensboro Generals had the opportunity to gain ground in the divisional standings and at the same time allow themselves to move as close as second place. In the first of the back-to-back affairs, Greensboro did exactly that, winning 6-4 over Florida, moving within one point of the third place Everblades, and two points of a victorius South Carolina Stingrays team that sits in second place.

The Generals (36-26-1) netminder Jamie Hodson frustrated an Everblades (32-24-10) offensive unit that looked to find rhythm in the opening period. Matt Turek kick-started the Generals offense at the 12:45 mark when on a short-handed situation, teammates Kurt Drummond and Geno Parrish found Turek for the game's first goal. The Everblades converted one of 13 shots in the opening frame when Tom Buckley knotted the game at 1-1, on a power-play that came from an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on Greensboro's Mike Bayrack.

The frustration continued in the seond for Florida, as Hodson stonewalled the Everblades 15 shots on goal, allowing none to pass by his glove. It was then that the front line including Bryson Busniuk, Eric Fortier and Matt Chandler rose to the occasion, giving Greensboro the lone goal of the frame, and a 2-1 lead, heading into the third. The frustration set in with Florida as Brandon Coulter fought a one-on-one battle with Generals defenseman Alex Andreyev, helping to set the tone for Greensboro.

Mike Bayrack continued the momentum swing for Greensboro, when just 41 seconds into the third, Greensboro assumed a 3-1 lead off Bayrack's team-leading 33rd goal of the season. Following that goal, Busniuk recorded his second of the game, as Drummond and Fortier paved the way with assists, to give Greensboro a 4-1 advantage. Florida's Brent McDonald attempted to stop the barrage, cutting the deficit in half, on a power-play created by an interference on the Generals Kevin Grimes. Greensboro however would put the game out of reach with a goal by Joel Irwin at the 13:55 mark, and adding an insurance goal off the stick of Matt Chandler, moving within one point of the third place Everblades.

"It was a great overall team effort in a critical point of the season. We capitalized on the forecheck, and used the momentum swing in the Andreyev fight to pick up the pace on the ice," forward Matt Turek said of the team's performance.

EVERBLADES 5, GENERALS 3

ESTERO, FL -- With just over two weeks remaining in the regular season of the ECHL, the Greensboro Generals will face stiff competition for their playoff lives, in their attempt to hold on to the final playoff spot in the Southern Division. A 5-3 loss at the hands of the Florida Everblades now has Greensboro in fourth place, just two points shy of the South Carolina Stingrays.

Center Bryson Busniuk continued his strong play, after returning to Greensboro (36-27-1) for his third game since a stint in the American Hockey League, scoring the games first goal at the 6:29 mark off a pass from Eric Fortier and Matt Chandler. The young line of Busniuk, Fortier and Chandler has proved lethal for the Generals against Florida (33-24-10) as Busniuk has recorded three goals and an assist; Chandler one goal and four assists; and Fortier one goal and three assist while visiting the Sunshine State. Fortier gave Greensboro a 2-0 lead just under three minutes later while in the process netting his 25th goal of the season, off assist from Chandler and Geno Parrish.

In the second Florida's Brian McCullough scored the first of his two goals in the game, just beyond the midpoint of the period to shave the deficit in half to 2-1. Just 16 seconds after the McCullough goal was followed up with a score by center Reggie Berg, knotted the game at 2-2. The Everblades Keith Anderson then gave Florida its first lead of the game, when just 1:57 remaining in the second period, Anderson snuck the puck past Daniel Berthiaume, giving Florida a 3-2 advantage.

McCullough, who entered the game ranked third in the league with 77 points, scored the game winner at the 11:10 mark of the third, in one of 12 shots on goal Florida got against netminder Daniel Berthiaume in the period. Greensboro rallied with a Joel Irwin power-play goal, who on a feed from Kurt Drummond and Matt Chandler, kept Florida within one goal at 4-3 with just over seven minutes remaining. The Everblades however got the insurance they needed, when Matt Pagnutti scored his 10th goal of the season to ice the game at 5-3.

IN THE BARRACKS

"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.



ECHL Stories from March 22, 2004


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