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Playoff spots, division titles up for grabs in final week

March 26, 2012 - ECHL (ECHL) News Release


Three playoff spots in the Eastern Conference are up for grabs as the ECHL enters the final week of the 2011-12 regular season.

Wheeling currently sits in sixth place of the conference with 79 points. The Nailers travel to Reading on Wednesday and Trenton on Friday before ending the season with a home game against Elmira on Saturday.

South Carolina is in the seventh spot with 77 points. The Stingrays, who have qualified for the postseason in 17 of their 18 seasons in the ECHL, visit Greenville on Tuesday and Friday before hosting the Road Warriors in the season finale on Saturday.

Reading, Cincinnati and Chicago are tied for the eighth and final playoff spot entering the final week, with Reading owning the final playoff spot based on tiebreakers. The Royals, who have three straight and seven of their last 10 games, host Wheeling on Wednesday, visit Elmira on Friday and host Trenton on Saturday.

The Cyclones and Express have two head-to-head meetings in the final week of the season, meeting in Chicago on Wednesday and in Cincinnati in the season finale on Saturday. On Friday, the Cyclones host Toledo while Chicago entertains Kalamazoo.

In addition to the final four playoff spots in the Eastern Conference being up for grabs, three division titles remain unresolved heading into the week.

In the South Division, Gwinnett has a five-point lead over Greenville, and a magic number of two points to claim its first division title since the 2005-06 season when the Gladiators advanced to the Kelly Cup Finals.

Kalamazoo has a five-point lead over both Cincinnati and Chicago as the K-Wings look to capture their third consecutive division title.

In the Pacific Division, Ontario has a magic number of four points to claim the team's second division title in the past four seasons.

The 2012 Kelly Cup Playoffs begin next week. The conference quarterfinals in both the Eastern and Western Conferences are a best-of-five series with each subsequent round being a best-of-seven series.

ECHL attendance nears 3-million mark

Entering the final week of the regular season, the ECHL is on the verge of reaching the 3-million mark in total attendance for the 19th season in a row. The league has welcomed over 2.9 million fans this season, for an average attendance of 4,237 per game.

Toledo, which leads the league with an average of 6,194, welcomed over 12,000 fans for its two home games last week. The Walleye are looking to lead the league in attendance for the first time in Toledo history after finishing second in the league in 2009-10 and third last season. Toledo has two home games remaining, hosting Kalamazoo on Wednesday and Saturday.

Ontario is second in the league with 6,156 per game after having over 21,000 fans for three games last week. The Reign, who led the league each of the last two seasons and finished second in 2008-09, close out the schedule with home games against Alaska on Friday and Saturday.

Stockton closed out its home schedule last weekend, and had its second-largest crowd of the season with 9,323 on Saturday against Bakersfield. The Thunder are third in the league with 5,916 per game.

Trenton had its sixth crowd in excess of 4,000 this season on Saturday as the Titans welcomed 4,146 fans to Sun National Bank Center. The Titans are averaging 3,000 fans per game, which is the team's best average since the 2007-08 season.

Wheeling had nearly 6,000 fans for its two games last weekend, and has averaged over 3,000 fans for its last seven games at WesBanco Arena.

Visit the Tickets Page on ECHL.com to purchase tickets to ECHL games.

Divisions

ATLANTIC DIVISION

- Dustin Gazley has at least one point in each of Elmira's last 18 road games (7g-22a).

- Elmira's 43 wins and 90 points are new club records.

- The Jackals visit Trenton on Wednesday, host Reading on Friday and are at Wheeling on Saturday.

- Olivier Labelle is tied for the league lead with 13 power-play goals.

- The Royals are the league's fourth-least penalized team with 13.99 penalty minutes per game.

- Reading hosts Wheeling on Wednesday, is at Elmira on Friday and hosts Trenton on Saturday.

- Randy Rowe has reached the 20-goal plateau for the sixth time in his ECHL career.

- The Titans are averaging 3,000 fans per game for their best attendance since the 2007-08 season.

- Trenton hosts Elmira on Wednesday and Wheeling on Friday and visits Reading on Saturday.

- Andrew Hotham is second among rookie defensemen with 41 points (8g-33a).

- Wheeling is first with 34.26 shots per game.

- The Nailers are at Reading on Wednesday and Trenton on Friday before hosting Elmira on Saturday.

NORTH DIVISION

- Scott Wietecha is second among defensemen with 12 goals.

- The Express were not penalized for the first time in team history on Sunday against Toledo.

- Chicago hosts Cincinnati on Wednesday and Kalamazoo on Friday before visiting Cincinnati on Sunday.

- Mathieu Aubin leads the league in plus-minus at +22.

- Cincinnati is fifth with 28.83 shots-against per game.

- The Cyclones travel to Chicago on Wednesday and host Toledo on Friday and Chicago on Saturday.

- Justin Taylor is the only K-Wing to play in all 69 games this season.

- The K-Wings have 14 players with at least 10 goals.

- Kalamazoo is at Toledo on Wednesday and Saturday and Chicago on Friday.

- Derek Brochu has six goals and 10 points in his first 13 professional games.

- Toledo leads the ECHL in attendance with an average of 6,194. - The Walleye host Kalamazoo on Wednesday and Saturday and are at Cincinnati on Friday.

SOUTH DIVISION

- Sebastien Piche has scored a goal in three straight games.

- The Everblades played the 1,000th game in team history on Saturday.

- Florida hosts Gwinnett on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

- Brandon Wong has five goals in his last five games.

- Six of Greenville's last 10 games have been decided by one goal.

- The Road Warriors host South Carolina on Tuesday and Friday and visit the Stingrays on Saturday.

- Doug Jones scored two points in his pro debut on Friday at Greenville.

- The Gladiators have won at least 40 games for the sixth time in their nine seasons.

- Gwinnett is at Florida on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

- Patrick Cullen scored his first two professional goals on Wednesday at Florida.

- Pierre-Luc O'Brien is tied for second in the ECHL with a plus-minus rating of +21.

- The Stingrays are at Greenville on Tuesday and Friday and host the Road Warriors on Saturday.

MOUNTAIN DIVISION

- Gerald Coleman leads the league with a 1.85 goals-against average and is second with a .929 save percentage.

- The Aces 34-7-4 when scoring first.

- Alaska is at Las Vegas on Tuesday, Bakersfield on Wednesday and Ontario on Friday and Saturday.

- Kyle Jones is tied for the league lead with 30 wins.

- Colorado is second on the power play at home at 23.8 percent (34-for-143).

- The Eagles host Ontario on Tuesday and Wednesday and are at Las Vegas on Friday and Saturday.

- Aaron Lewicki has nine goals in 23 games since being acquired in a trade from Reading.

- The Steelheads lead the ECHL in games beyond regulation (21) and shootouts (16).

- Idaho hosts Stockton on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

- Paul McIlveen is fourth with 30 goals.

- Utah is 22-7-6 in one-goal games.

- The Grizzlies are at Bakersfield on Friday and Saturday.

PACIFIC DIVISION

- All three native Californians on the roster, Hans Benson, Parker Stanfield and Alex Hudson, scored in the Condors 6-5 win on Friday.

- The Condors six goals on Friday matched a season high.

- Bakersfield hosts Alaska on Wednesday and Utah on Friday and Saturday.

- Eric Lampe is tied for the league lead with 35 goals.

- Las Vegas is third with 32.90 shots per game.

- The Wranglers host Alaska on Tuesday and Colorado on Friday and Saturday.

- Bill Bagron is tied for the league lead with five shorthanded goals.

- The Reign have trailed after two periods just 17 times in 68 games.

- Ontario visits Colorado on Tuesday and Wednesday and hosts Alaska on Friday and Saturday.

- Olivier Roy is third in the ECHL with a .926 save percentage

- Stockton is 7-4-2 in one-goal games on the road.

- The Thunder are at Idaho on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.


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