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Lynx ready for showcase weekend

March 28, 2007 - ECHL (ECHL)
Augusta Lynx News Release


Augusta, GA - The Augusta Lynx will play four times in a span of five days this week, with each game carrying critical playoff implications and the home portion of the 2006-07 regular season coming to a conclusion Saturday night.

The Columbia Inferno visit Augusta Wednesday night, followed by the South Carolina Stingrays on Friday and Saturday evenings to round out the home schedule for Augusta. All three games start at 7:35 pm. The Lynx will then travel to Charlotte for a matinee effort against the Checkers Sunday at 4 pm.

Both South Carolina and Charlotte are battling with Augusta for the final two playoff spots in the ECHL's South Division. As of Wednesday morning, Charlotte is fourth with 77 points and 65 games played, Augusta sits fifth with 66 games played and 77 points, and South Carolina is on the outside looking in with 67 games played and 77 points. Augusta is technically ahead of South Carolina because they have more wins (37) and a better win percentage (.583) than the Stingrays.

"If we can win all three at home this week it will go a long way towards wrapping up a playoff spot," said Lynx head coach and director of hockey operations Bob Ferguson Monday night on the Lynx Radio Hour at Indigo Joe's. "Our goal is still to finish in third place, and with a solid finish to the season we have a chance to do that."

Augusta would need some help to catch current third place team Gwinnett, as the Gladiators lead the Lynx by six points and have also played 66 games.

"Unfortunately, if we were to catch Gwinnett, we'd need some help from teams that we're battling down the stretch," said Ferguson. "So it's a little bit of a catch-22 situation."

When Columbia visits Augusta on Wednesday night, it will be the first time since December 1 they have skated at the James Brown Arena. Many of the names on the roster have changed as the Inferno looked all season long for ways to pull themselves back into playoff contention, but the team simply never was able to put together a run of any consequence.

Not looking past Columbia will be hard for the Lynx, but Friday and Saturday's twin bill of games against the Stingrays may go a long way to determining each team's playoff status. Heading into Friday, Augusta will still have a game in-hand over the Stingrays, with each team having one game earlier in the week. The two clubs will not meet again in the regular season.

South Carolina has picked up its play at the right time, going 7-1-2 over the last ten games, but has earned just a single point in each of the last two contests. The Lynx, meanwhile, are on a four game win streak and sit 7-3-0 in the last ten games.

Finally, Augusta rounds out the weekend against the Charlotte Checkers on Sunday, the final meeting of the season for the two clubs. Augusta is 5-4-0 against both Charlotte and South Carolina this year, and looks to cap the season series with a much needed victory. Charlotte has missed forward Dusty Jamieson tremendously, as the dynamic forward has appeared in only 17 games due to injury, notching ten goals and 18 points. Also missing substantial time due to injury or recall this year are forwards Adam Nightingale and Lee Falardeau, and goaltender Alex Westlund.

All things considered, and despite the time missed by other clubs' major players, the Lynx find itself without third and fourth leading scorers Sean Blanchard and Shane Hynes for this weekend, as well as number one goaltender Dave McKee.

"Whether we get those guys back sooner or later, we have to concentrate on the game in front of us," said Ferguson. "Every game is so important this time of year that you have to be at your best every single night."

Join the Lynx Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday nights at the James Brown Arena and help cheer them on to the post season! Seats are available through the James Brown Arena box office prior to game time, and by calling the Lynx office at (706) 724-4ICE and via all TicketMaster locations and www.TicketMaster.com. Seats are $18, $15, and $11, with discounts available to students, seniors, and military personnel.

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