Rankin selected as ECHL All-Star Idol winner
January 23, 2007 - ECHL (ECHL)
Pensacola Ice Pilots News Release
PENSACOLA, FL - The Pensacola Ice Pilots, a proud member of the ECHL, announced today that forward Rob Rankin was selected as the winner of the 2007 Rbk Hockey All-Star Idol contest following an online vote of ECHL fans.
Rankin, a rookie this season with the Ice Pilots, notched two assists for the American Conference. He set up the third and fourth goals during a three goal second period. The American Conference beat the National Conference 6-3 in the game at Quest Arena in Boise, Idaho last Wednesday.
In 39 games this season, Rankin, native of Eagan, Minnesota, has 10 goals and 13 assists for 23 points and 93 penalty minutes. He has scored two power play goals and one shorthanded.
National Conference forward Derek Nesbitt of the Idaho Steelheads finished second followed by American Conference defenseman Mike Jarmuth of the Columbia Inferno and American Conference forward Ryan Lang of the Augusta Lynx.
Sean Collins of the Wheeling Nailers was voted as the winner in 2006 and Jean Desrochers of the Johnstown Chiefs was selected as the inaugural winner in 2005.
Adam Berkhoel of Dayton was named the Most Valuable Player after stopping 10 of 11 shots in the first period for the American Conference. The American Conference also won the Skills Competition on Tuesday, marking the 10th time in 10 years that the winner of the Skills Competition has gone on to win the game. The highlight of the Skills Competition came in the hardest shot competition where Gwinnett's Jon Awe hit 102.2 mph on the radar gun, breaking the ECHL record of 99.3 mph by Jaroslav Obsut in 1999.
Showcasing some of the top prospects in the Premier 'AA' Hockey League, the game had 24 rookies and 38 players played in their first ECHL All-Star Game. Attended by representatives from both the National Hockey League and the American Hockey League, the All-Star Game has produced 38 players who have gone on to play in the NHL including 21 since 2002 when the format was changed to feature younger players.
The game was televised to more than 31 million homes including being shown live for the sixth year in a row and available on The NHL Network, NHL Center Ice and America One.
The Pensacola Ice Pilots return to action this weekend when they travel to Columbia to face the Inferno on Friday and Saturday night. Both games can be heard live on Classic Country AM1620, starting with Ice Pilots Countdown to Face-off at 5:45 pm. The play-by-play follows with Denis J. Puska at 6 pm. The game is also available on the World Wide Web at www.icepilots.com by clicking on the Sportsjuice logo and also in the B2 Networks.
ECHL Stories from January 23, 2007
- Thunder clouding hostile territory - Stockton Thunder
- Falcons Fall to Ice Dogs in Shootout - Fresno Falcons
- Lynx quash Inferno, 4-1 - Augusta Lynx
- Special Super Bowl Jersey Raffle and Auction Saturday - Bakersfield Condors
- Two players loaned, one re-assigned to Aces - Alaska Aces
- ECHL Transactions - ECHL
- Johnson, Saunders return to Lynx in time for tonight's game with Inferno - Augusta Lynx
- Rankin selected as ECHL All-Star Idol winner - Pensacola Ice Pilots
- Fans Choose Rankin As 2007 Rbk Hockey All-Star Idol - ECHL
- Checkers raise over $38,000 for Victory Junction Gang Camp - Charlotte Checkers
- Equipment Problems Postpone Wheeling, Dayton Game - Wheeling Nailers
- Wildcatters' Rosa Named In Glas Co Player Of The Week - ECHL
- 'Catters Rosa Named ECHL Player of the Week - Texas Wildcatters
- Rouleau Returns To AHL San Antonio - Phoenix RoadRunners
- 100k fan hitting turnstiles Friday - Alaska Aces
- Royals Ready for Return to the 'Rama - Reading Royals
- Storm's Brodeur Named RBK Hockey Goalie Of The Week - ECHL
- 'Blades activate McDonald from IR - Florida Everblades
- Brodeur Named RBK Hockey ECHL Goaltender of the Week - Toledo Walleye
- Vicari Headed Back to the AHL - Toledo Walleye
- Two new promos highlight Chiefs weekend - Johnstown Chiefs
- Gladiators Swap Defensemen with Wolves - Atlanta Gladiators
- Bourdase to make Professional Debut Tonight - Fresno Falcons
- Ice Pilots Weekly - Pensacola Ice Pilots
- Checkers to help raise money for Ross Minor Medical Fund - Charlotte Checkers
- ECHL Today - ECHL
- Bakersfield bounces away with rubber match - Victoria Salmon Kings
- Condors Can Salmon Kings 4-2 to Take Sole Possession of First Place in Pacific Division - Bakersfield Condors
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.
