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Greensboro Generals intelligence report

March 29, 2004 - ECHL (ECHL)
Greensboro Generals News Release


GREENSBORO FINISHES WEEK AT 3-2: The Generals capped off five-game week with games against Charlotte, Greenville, twice on the road where they faced off against the Trenton Titans, and returned home for a Sunday afternoon matinee against the Florida Everblades with a 3-and-2 record in games played. The Generals enter the final week of the ECHL season in battle for playoff positioning with Florida, Roanoke, and South Carolina. Greensboro will not only focus on their games at hand, but also the following contests:

Team (games left) Remaining Opponents

Florida (2) Vs. Augusta (04/02); vs. Augusta (04/03)

Roanoke (2) Vs. Charlotte (04/02); vs. Greenville (04/03)

South Carolina (4) Vs. Augusta (03/30); at Greenville (04/01); vs. Columbia (04/02); vs. Greensboro (04/03)

LAST WEEK RECAPS

GENERALS 4, CHECKERS 1

GREENSBORO -- A return to home ice after a weekend split with the Florida Everblades gave the Greensboro Generals a totally new optimism. On the one hand the game against the Charlotte Checkers marked the return of Pete Gardiner injury, it gave the Generals an opportunity to clinch the Carolina Cup for consecutive seasons, and finally a chance to make a move in the divisional standings. In the end, after a 4-1 victory over the Checkers in front of 3,528 on-hand at the Greensboro Coliseum, proved that all three of those factors would play a major role in the team's success heading down the stretch.

The Generals (37-27-1) kick-started their offense exactly one minute into the game, when Captain Mark Turner scored from the right face-off circle, on an assist from Mike Bayrack and Pete Gardiner. Gardiner's return to the ice marks the first time in four weeks, following a broken bone in his leg. Just over six minutes later Greensboro would again capitalize on an offensive possession, this time coming as Joel Irwin put a shot on goal in front of the net, coming on an assist from Matt Elich and Geno Parrish, marking Parrish's 52nd assist of the season, a team lead. The Generals closed out first period scoring at the 13:41 point of the game when Mark Turner netted his second goal of the game, on a rebound that ricocheted off the glove of Checkers netminder David St. Germain putting the shot on net for his 27th goal of the campaign. The Generals took a 3-0 lead into the second period.

In the second, following a first period that resulted in 17 shots on goal, Charlotte scored the lone goal of the period, when Richard Keyes put a shot top shelf on Generals goaltender Jamie Hodson, for the only Charlotte power-play conversion in six attempts. As for Greensboro, the Generals managed 11 shots on goal to Charlotte's nine, with the score in favor of the home team at 3-1.

A third period full of great saves for Jamie Hodson, Greensboro would add a fourth and final goal when on a power-play created by Jeff State's hooking penalty, Mike Bayrack scored his team leading 34th goal of the season, making the final 4-1 in favor of the Generals.

GENERALS 2, GRRROWL 1

GREENSBORO--The Greensboro Generals moved in front of the idle Florida Everblades into second place in the division, following a 2-1 victory over the Greenville Grrrowl. The Generals, in front of 2,586 on-hand at the Greensboro Coliseum, avenged two prior losses at the hands of the Grrowl with the win.

Greensboro (38-27-1) would again jump on the competition in the opening period, for the second consecutive game registering the opening goal, this time off the stick of Mike Bayrack. On a between the legs backward pass from Joel Irwin, Bayrack recorded his team-high 35th goal of the season, sending Greensboro to a 1-0 advantage at the 1:42 mark of the frame.

Managing 10 shots in the second period, Greenville (14-48-5) was unable to penetrate the stonewall that is known as Jamie Hodson. Hodson, stopping 22 shots on goal through the second period, continuously stepped up for the big plays. The Generals offense managed nine shots on goal, and also remained scoreless in the second period.

In the third, Greensboro continued to create shots on goal, attempting 21 shots on goal in the period, and what proved to be 43 shots on goal in the contest. Greenville scored the first goal of the third period, when Jeremy Kyte netted a short-handed goal following a defensive miscue by Randy Perry, losing the puck between his legs, tying the game at 1-1 at the 12:40 mark. Perry redeemed himself in front of the Greensboro faithful, when just over a minute later, he scored a shot from the face-off circle on an assist from Gardiner and Eric Fortier.

GENERALS 6, TITANS 4

TRENTON -- When heading down the regular season stretch, there are two keys that any team wants to focus on -- winning on the road, and tough defense. The Greensboro Generals managed both in a 6-4 victory against the Trenton Titans at the Sovereign Bank Arena. Not assuming the lead until the third period, Greensboro picked up two key points in the battle for playoff positioning in the ECHL's Southern Division.

The Trenton Titans (35-25-7) assumed a 1-0 lead three minutes into the contest on Greensboro, when a shot by Scott Bertoli trickles past Generals (39-27-1) netminder Jamie Hodson. Hodson was unable to manage the deflection, giving Trenton the early advantage on the scoreboard. At the 13:16 mark, with the Generals skating one man short due to a cross checking penalty, Trenton took a 2-0 lead when the puck went off the stick of Chris Pittman, past Hodson's right side. Greensboro sliced the deficit in half when defenseman Geno Parrish, on an assist from Pete Gardiner and Matt Turek, sent a shot top shelf past Peter Hamerlik for a Generals power-play. The Titans closed out first period scoring with 2:42 remaining in the opening frame, as BJ Kilbourne sent a shot from the left face-off circle past Hodson for a 3-1 advantage and the second power-play conversion that the Titans converted in the period.

In the second, Greensboro started off with familiar offensive flair, when left-winger Matt Turek scored from just inside the blue line, and twelve seconds into the frame cutting the Titan lead to 3-2. Trenton's offense was not to be outdone, answering less than thirty seconds later when Matt Zultek scored to give the Titans a 4-2 lead. With Turek in the penalty box serving time for a cross checking penalty, the Generals turned up the defensive energy, where Mark Turner took advantage of a miscue by the Titans for a one-on-one short-handed goal against Peter Hamerlik, again cutting the lead within a single goal at 4-3. Greensboro would then rely upon its youth, when in a two-on-two situation including Mike Bayrack and Matt Elich with a give-and-go, Elich crossed over Hamerlik from the right side to knot the game at 4-4 heading into the third period.

Greensboro continued to turn the momentum through tough defensive play, and assumed the first lead of the game at the 14:38 mark of the third period when Geno Parrish passed to a trailing Joel Irwin who sent the puck top shelf past Hamerlik. A defensive stand by the Generals Randy Perry, Kurt Drummond, Geno Parrish and Kevin Grimes proved to be the difference down the stretch, as Trenton tried on numerous attempts to tie the game. The Generals however would not buckle, and with Trenton pulling starting goaltender Peter Hamerlik late in the contest in favor of an extra man on the ice, Perry sent home his second goal while in a Generals uniform into the empty net.

TITANS 8, GENERALS 1

TRENTON -- The four-game in five-day stretch caught up with the Greensboro Generals, who dropped their first game of the week, to the Trenton Titans, by an 8-1 final. The Titans, in a playoff battle of their own with Reading, came through with a brilliant defensive performance in keeping the Generals out of their offensive rhythm, en route to the home win.

The opening frame did not get off to the start that the Generals (39-28-1) could have hoped for, following a hat trick by Titans (36-25-7) forward Bryce Cockburn. Cockburn, the second Titan to achieve such a feat in the season (Mathieu Brunelle the other) scored his first goal at the 15:53 mark of the period when he put a rebound off of Generals goaltender Daniel Berthiaume's pad on net for a early 1-0 lead. Just over two minutes later, Cockburn struck with his second goal, this time on a pass from the wall by teammate BJ Kilbourne, where from center ice the Titans lead 2-0. The mad hatter, Cockburn, struck for a third time when at the 6:51 mark of the first, again he put the puck in the back of net complimented by a barrage of hats onto the ice. Trenton assumed a 4-0 advantage at the end of the first period, when in a one-on-one with Berthiaume, Robert Liscak sent the shot between the wickets, effectively ending the frame.

With each team picking up defensive momentum, only one goal would be registered in the second period. At the 8:03 mark, with Greensboro having lost defenseman Kurt Drummond for the game due to an elbowing penalty combined with a game misconduct, compounded with a slashing penalty on forward Matt Turek, Trenton faced a 5-on-3 advantage. It was then that Mathieu Brunelle sent a rebound shot over the shoulder of Berthiaume into the net for a 5-0 Trenton lead. The Titans would also outshoot Greensboro, and lead in shots on goal 25-14 after two periods of play.

Trenton looked to end as strong as they began, and with a Devin Rask goal as he slid down the ice only to poke his stick in the air and deflect the puck off the end of his stick as the Titans assumed a 6-0 lead. Forward Scott Bertoli then got into the action, as he scored from the face-off circle on a cross-ice pass from Rask at the 13:30 mark. Greensboro would end the scoreless streak, as defenseman Geno Parrish sent the puck to the back of net on Allen from the top of the circle on a pass from Eric Fortier and Matt Elich. Trenton would tack on a late and final goal with four seconds remaining, where they would make the final 8-1.

EVERBLADES 3, GENERALS 0

GREENSBORO -- The Greensboro Generals missed out on an opportunity to further solidify playoff positioning following a 3-0 loss to the Florida Everblades. Florida, who now assumes second place in the divisional standings, moved into position with the victory at the Greensboro Coliseum in front of 4,586 on-hand.

In a penalty filled opening frame, with both teams serving a combined 13 penalties, the Everblades managed a 2-0 advantage on the scoreboard. Florida (35-25-10) scored at the 4:13 mark of the period, when from the right hand face-off circle, Jared Newman sent the puck rattling between the pipes and netminder Jamie Hodson's leg pads to give the Everblades a 1-0 lead. Just a shade under one minute later, the Everblades would take a bite of the Greensboro (39-29-1) defense again when from the top of the circle Tom Buckley converted a John McNabb pass from the corner for a second goal. The Generals managed 11 shots on goal against Jeff Maund, Florida's starting goaltender.

A scoreless period for both teams, Greensboro was able to maximize its defensive play, and at the same time minimize the Florida shots on goal. The Everblades were held to just nine shots on goal, as opposed to six for the Generals. Greensboro faced a goal controversy when a Bryson Busniuk goal was disallowed because his hand crossed the crease before the puck.

The defensive battle continued from both teams in the third period, as Maund and Hodson led the way from their respective team's nets. With 4:13 remaining in the third period, and Greensboro missing the offensive spark, Florida managed to take the wind from the Generals sails on a goal by Brent McDonald. McDonald, who came screaming in front the center of the ice, netted his 19th goal of the season.

IN THE BARRACKS

DOWN THE STRETCH: With the Generals entering their final week of the 2003-04 regular season in a tough battle for playoff positioning, Greensboro will have to turn its focus to capitalizing on goal scoring opportunities, minimizing opponent power-play and power-play conversions.

POWER ON: The month of March has not been good to the Greensboro Generals power-play game. For the 2003-04 season, the Generals have converted 69 of 323 power-play opportunities (18.6%). When breaking these numbers down even further, in road games this season the Generals have converted 34 of 157 (18.5%) and while at the confines of the Greensboro Coliseum the team has lit the lamp on 35 of 166 (18.7%) opportunities.

March, however, has spelled troubled times for the power-play. Heading down the stretch in a drive for the playoffs, Greensboro has converted only 5 of 48 power plays (10.4%) and when facing short-handed opportunities the Generals have managed three goals. On the flipside, opponents of the Generals have managed 9 of 51 power-play goals (17.6%) and two shorthanded goals.

"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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