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Greensboro Generals intelligence report

March 15, 2004 - ECHL (ECHL)
Greensboro Generals News Release


NOISE IN THE STANDINGS: Not only do the Greensboro Generals return to the friendly confines of the Greensboro Coliseum this week, if only for one game against the Greenville Grrrowl, but they also have an opportunity to make some major noise in the Southern Division of the Eastern Conference. Greensboro will be looking to improve on an 18-17-0 divisional record, as well as overtake second place in division with two key road games against the Florida Everblades. Florida, second in the divisional standings with 74 points, is 19-8-5 entering the week against divisional opponents including one victory over the Generals. As for Greenville, a 9-24-3 record within the division that includes two wins over the Generals, Greensboro will look to earn an important divisional win in their first of two home games in consecutive weeks against the Grrrowl. Greenville is currently in last place, with just 25 points and a 12-45-5 record.

LAST WEEK RECAPS

GENERALS 3, INFERNO 2

COLUMBIA, SC – The Greensboro Generals maintained focus and helped to set the tone early leading to a 3-2 road shootout victory against the Eastern Conference, Southern Divisional leader Columbia Inferno.

The Generals (34-25-1) Matt Elich scored the decisive shootout goal helping move the Generals to 3-1 on the season in shootout contest. Netminder Jamie Hodson led the way defensively, when he stopped all four Inferno shootout attempts to help the Greensboro Generals the edge on Charlotte in the divisional standings battle moving two points ahead of the Checkers, who fell 8-2 against Louisana. Greensboro now sits just two points shy of the South Carolina Stingrays who also fell to defeat (7-4) on the road in Florence.

Joel Irwin opened the scoring in the first period and Kurt Drummond added a shorthanded goal for Greensboro in the second, which halted a three-game losing streak and improved to 3-1 in shootouts. Jesse Schultz had two points, including the tying goal in the third period for Columbia. Alex Burrows collected two assists to extend his point's streak to 12 games, producing 19 points (seven goals, 12 assists) over that stretch.

Hodson finished with 34 saves for the Generals, including 21 over the final 25 minutes to force the shootout. Josh Blackburn made 18 saves and the Inferno lost for the third time in their last five games.

"This victory gives us two key points in the battle for the playoffs, which is very important. Tomorrow however is another day and we have to go out with the same focus against Gwinnett," Rick Adduono said of the shootout victory.

GENERALS 4, GLADIATORS 3

GWINNETT, GA- For the second consecutive game it took the Greensboro Generals an extra frame to get the task at hand accomplished. Most important for the second consecutive game they accomplished the task, this time coming away with a 4-3 overtime victory over the Gwinnett Gladiators.

Greensboro (35-25-1) moved into a third place tie with the South Carolina Stingrays, who fell short of Louisana 5-2 at home. The Generals netted the first goal of the game, setting a trend of consecutive road games which this occurred, when Kurt Drummond put the puck in net following a pass from Matt Elich, marking the only score of the opening frame.

In the second, Greensboro would assume a 2-0 advantage when on a power-play goal by Eric Fortier, his 24th of the season, at the 5:39 mark. Gwinnett would answer with 2:45 remaining before the close of the period, when Kevin Doell scored an unassisted goal, cutting the Greensboro lead in half, making it a 2-1 advantage.

The Generals hit a roadblock in the third, when Gwinnett's Steve Slonina opened scoring at the 12:28 mark, knotting the game at 2-2. Just over a minute later, Slonina found Chris Durno to give the Gladiators a 3-2 lead with just over five minutes remaining. Greensboro's Geno Parrish then assumed the scoring burden, a defenseman who used his powerful shot, with three minutes remaining in the contest, sending the game into overtime.

In the extra frame, newcomer Randy Perry combined with Joel Irwin to find Matt Turek for the game-winner, sending the Generals to 10 games over the .500 mark. Greensboro now returns to the confines of the Greensboro Coliseum, when they take on the Greenville Grrrowl on March 17th.

IN THE BARRACKS

PARRISH LENDS HELPING HAND: Defenseman Geno Parrish has moved to fourth in the ECHL with 49 assists, just seven behind league leader Eduard Pershin (Wheeling). Ironically amongst his fellow defenseman, Parrish is currently in second, behind only Corey Neilson (Pensacola) who leads the way. Teammate Kurt Drummond has 43 assists for the Generals, leaving him fourth at the position.

POINTS CHAMPIONSHIP: Captain Mark Turner has been in command of the Generals team lead for a majority of the season, a position which he currently holds with (24 g; 42 a) 66 points, which ranks him tied for 15th in the overall landscape of ECHL leaders. A goal-scoring surge by Mike Bayrack has pushed "Racker" to second on the team, and tied for 18th in the ECHL, with 62 points (32 g; 30 a).

STRONG IN NET: Consecutive road victories will do it everytime, but the Greensboro Generals Jamie Hodson and Daniel Berthiaume provide one of the best one-two punches in goaltending in the ECHL. With Berthiaume's 1,302 saves (4th best in the ECHL), and Hodson allowing only 56 goals on 783 shots (93.3%) which ranks him second in the ECHL amongst goaltender save percentage, Greensboro will be primed for the playoff run. Hodson trails only Atlantic City's Scott Stirling (83 g; 1217 svs) who has a 93.6 save percentage.

SECONDS ANYONE?: The Generals will need to take the extra time to make sure that a second period scoring frenzy does not occur by either the Florida Everblades or Greenville Grrrowl. Florida, who has netted 210 total goals this season, has scored 78 goals on 780 shots in the second period, leading the way for goals by period for the Everblades this season. As for Greenville, they also found the net in the second period with best accuracy this season, when they scored 65 goals on 606 SOG.

POWER ON AT HOME: The Generals currently rank ninth in the ECHL having converted 30 of 149 power-play opportunities (20.1%) at home. The San Diego Gulls pace the ECHL with 40 of 156 conversions (25.6%). On the road, Greensboro is seventh in the ECHL with 27 of 138 conversions of the power-play (19.6%). Leading the way for road teams are the South Carolina Stingrays (38-153) converting 24.8% of the chances. Overall, Greensboro ranks seventh as well where on 57 of 287 opportunities (19.9%), the Generals have scored power-play goals. Las Vegas is the model of consistency for the ECHL, where on 76 of 328 power-plays (23.2%), the Wranglers have put the puck in net.

"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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