Pee Dee Pride Weekly

January 17, 2005 - ECHL (ECHL)
Myrtle Beach Thunderboltz News Release


LAST WEEK: Pee Dee went 3-1-0 last week with to reach the midway point of the season with a record of 21-13-2 for 44 points. The Pride trail first-place Charlotte by two points, with one game in hand.

Tuesday, January 11 @ Augusta PRIDE 6 Lynx 2

Brian Collins tallied a hat trick to help lead the Pride past the Lynx 6-2. Collins tied the game at 1 3:13 into the first period, just 24 seconds after the Lynx scored the first goal of the night. He added a pair of power-play goals in the second period to aid the Pride to a 5-2 lead through 40 minutes. Jeff Szwez put the capper on the game with his 10th goal of the season at 16:08 of the third period.

Thursday, January 13 v. Texas PRIDE 4 Wildcatters 2

First-period goals by Brian Collins and Kevin Cooper provided the Pride with a 2-0 lead after 20 minutes. Texas scored the only goal of the middle period, off of the stick of Ryan Fultz. Pee Dee seized control of the game on goals by Chad Spurr and Jeff Szwez in the first 4:36 of the third period. Fultz' second of the night at 13:10 of the third set the final. The Pride peppered Texas goaltender Phil Osear with 53 shots on the night.

Friday, January 14 v. Texas PRIDE 6 Wildcatters 3

For the second straight night, the Pride fired off more than 50 shots, this time 59, as they swept a two-game set from the Wildcatters. Trailing 2-1 midway through the second period, the Pride offense fired-up, scoring three times in a span of 1:59 to take a 4-2 lead. Kyle Kidney finished the second period barrage with his second of the night at 18:24. Texas' Lou Dickinson pulled the Wildcatters within two at 8:35, but they would get no closer, and Chad Spurr set the final with an empty-net goal at 19:13.

Saturday, January 15 v. Greenville Grrrowl 6 PRIDE 3

Pee Dee led 3-2 through 40 minutes, but Greenville scored four times over the final 20 minutes to come back and defeat the Pride on Saturday night. Jan Vodrazka, Darryl Green and Jeff Szwez tallied the Pride goals, while Allan Sirois notched two assists as the Pride's three-game winning streak came to an end.

THIS WEEKS' GAMES

Friday, January 21 v. Louisiana 7:30 p.m. at the Lion's Den

Pee Dee and Louisiana meet for the second of four times this season, and for the final time in Florence. The Pride won the first meeting, 4-0, on December 11 in a game that featured 104 penalty minutes. The IceGators are 16-18-3 on the season for 35 points, and are in fifth place in the South Division.

Saturday, January 22 v. Johnstown 7:30 p.m. at the Lion's Den

The Pride and Chiefs meet for the third and final time this season. Pee Dee swept a pair of games earlier this season in Johnstown, winning 3-2 in overtime and 5-4 in a shootout. The Pride are 2-2-0 all-time against Johnstown, with the Chiefs winning the only previous meeting in Florence, 3-1, on October 22, 1999. Johnstown enters the week on a three-game losing streak, and is in sixth place in the North Division with a record of 13-10-9 for 35 points.

PROMOTIONS: The first 2,500 fans in attendance receive Thundersticks courtesy of First Reliance Bank. It's also the second Blades & Grades Night of the season. Pee Dee area students receive free tickets for making the honor roll. Call Brian Davison at (843) 669-7825 for more information.

PRIDE IN THE COMMUNITY

Sunday, February 13

The Pride Booster Club is sponsoring a "Bowl With the Pride" event on Feb. 13th at 3:00 at Southgate Bowling Center. Everyone is invited to bowl with the players, not just booster club members. There is a charge of $25 to bowl 3 games which includes shoes. There will be players on each lane and they will rotate lanes after each game. For more information, contact Beverly Davis at (843) 661-7008 or bdavis@fsd1.org, or stop by the booster club table at the games for more information or to reserve your spot.

Monday, March 14

The Pride and Colortyme Rent-to-Own present the second annual golf tournament to benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. Reserve your foursome today by calling Bob Kogler at (843) 250-1316.

PRIDE NOTES

- Chad Spurr and Allan Sirois both enter the week with nine-game point streaks. Spurr has 17 points (5g, 12a) and Sirois has 16 points (7g, 9a) during the streaks. The duo is tied with Mississippi's Jeff Hutchins for the longest active scoring streak in the league.

- Jeff Szwez has scored a goal in each of the last four games, which is tied with South Carolina's Rich Peverley for the longest active goal streak in the league.

- Pee Dee has scored at least one power-play goal in each of its last nine games, going 15-for-47 (31.9%) on the man advantage over that span. The Pride have moved from 27th in the league to fifth in the league on the power play over the last nine games.

- The Pride have scored the first goal in each of their last nine home games.

- Pee Dee's 59 shots on goal on Friday against Texas is the most in the league this season, and tied the team record set on November 13, 1998 versus Charlotte.

- Entering Saturday's game against Johnstown, Pee Dee has won nine straight games against current North Division teams. The Pride's last loss to a current North Division team was on January 25, 2003 at Trenton.

PRIDE LEADERS

Goals Collins 19

Assists Collins 17

Points Collins 36

+/- Szwez +12

Penalty Minutes Vodrazka 126

Shots Collins 146

Power-Play Goals Collins 6

Shorthanded Goals Collins 3

Game-Winning Goals Collins 4

HOCKEY TONIGHT SIGNS

The Pride's "Hockey Tonight" yard signs are back! If you need a new yard sign, you can pick one up at the Pride office between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, or at the Customer Service Tables during home games. Remember to place your yard signs on game days. The Pride play two home games this week: Friday against the Louisiana IceGators, and Saturday against the Johnstown Chiefs.

PRIDE ON THE AIR

All Pride away games can be heard on WDAR Sunny 105.5 FM and on-line at www.peedeepride.com with the Voice of the Pride, Joe Babik. Each broadcast begins 20 minutes prior to faceoff with the Palmetto Chiropractic Pre-Game Show.

PRIDE TICKETS

Tickets for all Pride home games can be purchased at the Florence Civic Center Box Office (10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on Saturday; through the second period on game nights), all TicketMaster outlets, by phone at (843) 679-9333 or on-line at www.ticketmaster.com. In addition, group tickets are now available for all Pride home games. Groups of 15 or more receive $3 off either 200 or 400 level tickets, have their name announced over the PA system and printed in the game-day program, and are eligible to win prizes in a group-exclusive raffle. For more information, or to purchase your tickets, call the Pride at (843) 669-7825.



ECHL Stories from January 17, 2005


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