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Greensboro Generals Playoff Intelligence Report

April 14, 2003 - ECHL (ECHL)
Greensboro Generals News Release


UPCOMING WEEK: The Greensboro Generals continue their quest for the Kelly Cup championship this week, as they look to oust the Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies in the Northeast Division Finals. With the Generals splitting the first two games of the best-of-five series in Atlantic City over the weekend, Greensboro has the opportunity to clinch the series with a pair of home victories this week. Game 3 of the series is this Wednesday night at 7:00 at the Greensboro Coliseum. One of the two teams will have a chance to advance to the Northern Conference Finals in Game 4, which will be played this Friday night at 7:30 at the Greensboro Coliseum. Should a deciding Game 5 be necessary, the two clubs will travel back to Atlantic City to square off on Saturday night at 7:35. The winner of the Northeast Division Finals will move on to the final four of the East Coast Hockey League's Kelly Cup Playoffs, where they will face either the Toledo Storm or Cincinnati Cyclones. Cincinnati currently leads that best-of-five series two games to zero. All Generals playoff games can be heard live on WPET AM-950 and online at www.greensborogenerals.com.

LAST WEEK: 4/8 GREENSBORO 5, ROANOKE 3 ¨ The Generals eliminated the Express from the playoffs with a road victory, winning the best-of-five Northeast Division Semi-Final series three games to one. Jay Murphy paced the attack with a pair of goals and an assist, while Bryan Richardson had an equally productive night with a goal and two helpers. Kurt Drummond also chipped in a goal, and David Whitworth got the most critical score of all, breaking a 3-3 tie late in the second period for the game-winning tally. Generals' goaltender Daniel Berthiaume, who played for the Express for the previous five seasons, stopped 33 of 36 Roanoke shots to defeat his former mates.

4/11 GREENSBORO 2, ATLANTIC CITY 3 (OT) ¨ The Generals and Boardwalk Bullies played a thrilling opening game in their best-of-five Northeast Division Finals series, but the result wasn't what Greensboro had hoped. Trailing 1-0 entering the second period, the Generals scored both of their goals less than four minutes apart to leap in front. Matt Turek banged home a loose puck in the crease to tie the game at 1-1 early in the second, then Kevin Grimes staked the Generals to the lead by taking a drop pass from Mike Bayrack and one-timing a wrist shot past Atlantic City goaltender Matt Yeats. Greensboro held the lead late into the third period, but the Boardwalk Bullies managed to tie the game with just three minutes to go in regulation, forcing the first overtime playoff game in Generals history. It only took 4:11 worth of overtime for the Boardwalk Bullies to take Game 1, with J. F. Caudron netting the game-winner.

4/12 GREENSBORO 3, ATLANTIC CITY 2 (OT) ¨ The Generals had to go extra time for the second straight night, but this time they got the victory to even the series at 1-1. All four goals in regulation were scored in the first period. The Bullies took a 1-0 lead on a fluke goal just 1:28 into the game. Greensboro retaliated with a pair of scores less than a minute apart to take a 2-1 lead. Turner tied the game with a slap shot from the left circle that got through the pads of Atlantic City netminder Matt Yeats with 2:31 left in the frame. Jay Murphy then connected from nearly the same place 58 seconds later. The Generals couldn't take the lead into the locker room, however, with J. F. Caudron tying the game with only 15 seconds left in the period. From there, it became a goaltender's battle, but Greensboro's Daniel Berthiaume was the much busier man. Berthiaume denied 37 of 39 shots on the night, giving the Generals the chance to win the game in overtime. Turner did just that with his second goal of the night just 1:13 into overtime, taking a pass from Mike Bayrack on the left side, streaking past their defense and firing a wrist shot from close range through the pads of Yeats.

PRACTICE SCHEDULE:

Monday: 10:00 – 11:00 @ Greensboro Coliseum.

Tuesday: 10:00 – 11:00 @ Greensboro Coliseum.

Wednesday: 10:00 – 10:45 @ Greensboro Coliseum.

Thursday: 10:00 – 11:00 @ Greensboro Coliseum.

Friday: 10:00 – 10:45 @ Greensboro Coliseum.

NOTABLES:

¨ Jay Murphy is tied for the league lead with ten points in the playoffs. He has notched four goals and six assists.

¨ Murphy's next goal will tie him with former Greensboro Monarch Phil Berger for most career playoff goals in the East Coast Hockey League. Murphy currently has 49 all-time post-season scores.

¨ Mike Bayrack is tied for second in the league with seven post-season assists.

¨ Including playoffs, three of the last four games between Greensboro and Atlantic City have gone to overtime, with the Boardwalk Bullies winning two of them. The only game that didn't go to overtime was won by Greensboro, with Geno Parrish scoring the game-winning goal with 3.8 seconds left in the contest.

¨ The Generals have not allowed more than three goals in any of their six playoff games.

¨ After scoring only two goals in the regular season, including only one as a General, Kevin Grimes has notched a pair of goals in the post-season.

THE FRONT LINE: The Generals coaches show The Front Line airs live tonight on WPET 950-AM from 6:00 – 7:00 from Jack Astor's Bar and Grill on High Point Rd. Join Generals head coach Rick Adduono and broadcaster Arley Johnson for a look back at last week's playoff action and a preview of the week ahead. Generals players appear weekly on the show at Jack Astor's, and fans can call in their questions to coach Adduono at (336) 275-9738.

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