Lynx battle for playoffs continues tonight

March 30, 2007 - ECHL (ECHL)
Augusta Lynx News Release


Augusta, GA - A critical weekend set of games against the South Carolina Stingrays Friday and Saturday followed by a visit to Charlotte to face the Checkers Sunday could very well determine the playoff fates of the Augusta Lynx.

Heading into the weekend, Augusta sits tied for fourth place with Charlotte at 79 points each, with South Carolina out of the playoffs at 77 points after Thursday night's games. Charlotte won its third straight contest with a 6-2 victory over the Pensacola Ice Pilots while the Gwinnett Gladiators downed South Carolina by a 5-3 score, making this weekend even bigger for the Stingrays.

"Every game is a playoff game from here on out," said Lynx head coach and director of hockey operations Bob Ferguson. "We need to earn every single point we can to ensure a berth in the post-season."

Ferguson has done a good job with the Lynx team he took over two years ago, leading the Lynx back to the playoffs for the first time in four seasons in 05-06 and this year tying the franchise record for wins in a year (38) with five games remaining. Augusta has accomplished this despite missing several key players throughout the season, and the team winning its last five games in a row without third leading scorer Sean Blanchard, fourth leading scorer Shane Hynes, and most importantly, goaltender Dave McKee.

Despite losing those players to the American Hockey League's Portland Pirates, the Lynx got a boost when captain and leading scorer Ryan Lang returned from a pro tryout with the Providence Bruins earlier this month. Since his return to the team, Lang has scored twice and added four assists with a +3 rating.

"I think that with the pace of play up there being so much faster I'm still going at that speed," said Lang of his time in the AHL. "It helps because things seem to happen in games now and I can adjust or take advantage."

While Augusta has been a team that has no doubt enjoyed the production it gets from Lang and Louis Goulet, scoring has come from everywhere for this talented club at various times. Aaron Slattengren has exploded in the second half of the season, scoring 17 goals and 18 assists for 35 points in his last 38 games. J.B. Bittner's return to the team from the AHL's Iowa Stars on February 24 restored another scoring threat to the roster, and Garett Bembridge has had a hot stick since returning from Portland March 16, scoring five goals and eight points in six games.

"This is probably the best team, talent-wise, that I've ever had at this level," said Ferguson. "But between call-ups and injuries we haven't been able to get the whole team on the ice at one time since training camp."

With the regular season wrapping up in just five games, the Lynx have again managed to find ways to win when it counts. Augusta has beaten Texas, South Carolina, Charlotte, Pensacola, and Columbia in its last five games, scoring five or more goals three times in that stretch. And with three straight games against the two clubs directly involved in the scuffle for spots four and five in the South Division, the Lynx can determine its own playoff position this weekend.

The Lynx battle the Stingrays Friday and Saturday night at 7:35 pm to round out the home portion of the 2006-07 regular season. Tickets are on sale through the team office by calling (706) 724-4ICE, the James Brown Arena box office, and via all TicketMaster locations and on line at www.TicketMaster.com. Seats are $18, $15, and $11, with discounts available for students, seniors, and military personnel.



ECHL Stories from March 30, 2007


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