ECHL ECHL

Season-High Eight Hat Trick Week Includes Record-Tying Six Hat Tricks In One Day

February 16, 2004 - ECHL (ECHL) News Release


There were a season-high eight hat tricks scored last week in the ECHL, including an ECHL record-tying six hat tricks on February 14. The ECHL record for most hat tricks in a day was set on October 23, 1993 and tied on February 26, 1994 and February 23, 1996.

The previous season high for hat tricks in a week was six during the week of December 15-21 while the previous high for hat tricks in a day was three on December 19 and January 31. In the first 776 games of the season, there have been 51 hat tricks, including two four-goal games and a five-goal game, and there have been 12 days with multiple hat tricks. There have been nine days with two hat tricks, two days with three hat tricks and one day with six hat tricks.

Florida's Brian McCullough scored the first hat trick of the week with four goals in the Everblades' 5-3 win against Mississippi on February 13. McCullough, who leads the league with 68 points (33g-35a), recorded a natural hat trick in the second period and added an empty-net goal with six seconds left in the game. It is the second hat trick of the season for McCullough, who scored three goals in a 5-1 win against Florence on December 20. McCullough began the week leading the ECHL in scoring with 68 points (33g-35a) and game-winning goals with nine while ranking second in the league with 33 goals.

Alaska's Jordan Cameron scored the final four goals to rally Alaska to a 6-5 win at Bakersfield on February 14. It is the first professional hat trick for Cameron, who had not had a multiple-goal game and who had seven goals in 44 games entering the contest. The 21-year-old Cameron scored with 49 seconds remaining in the second period and then 82 seconds into the third. He tied the game at 2:22 of the third period and scored the game-winning goal at 7:56.

Reading's Kent Davyduke scored an even-strength goal, a shorthand goal and a power-play goal in the Royals 6-1 win against Johnstown on February 14. Atlantic City's Luke Curtin recorded a hat trick in Atlantic City's 5-2 win against Wheeling on February 14. Curtin gave Atlantic City a 2-0 lead in the first and scored back-to-back goals between the second and third periods. Columbus' Dan Tudin had three goals and an assist in the Cottonmouths 10-0 win against Florence on February 14, and San Diego's Clayton Read scored three goals and added an assist in the Gulls 8-4 win at Texas on February 14. Peoria's Marty Johnstown had three goals and an assist in the Rivermen's 5-2 win against Idaho on February 14.

Columbia's Jesse Schultz had a natural hat trick and four points to lead Columbia to a 5-3 win against Gwinnett on February 15. It is the second hat trick of the season for the 21-year-old Schultz, who scored his first professional hat trick on December 28 in a 9-3 win against Florida.

Trenton's Mathieu Brunelle, who scored his first professional hat trick on December 30 in the Titans 6-1 win against Johnstown, had an ECHL season-high five goals in an 8-5 win against Augusta on January 31.

Bob Cunningham has scored each of his hat tricks against Greensboro, the first while playing for Texas in a 6-5 loss at Greensboro on October 23 and the second while playing with Greenville in the Grrrowl's 7-5 win against the Generals.

Toledo's Alexandre Jacques scored a hat trick in the Storm's 4-2 win against Dayton on November 21, and he tallied his second hat trick on January 13 in a 7-1 win at Greenville. Now with Dayton, Miguel Delisle scored hat tricks in back-to-back games with Idaho in the Steelheads 5-4 wins against Bakersfield on December 17 and 19.

Idaho leads the ECHL with four hat tricks while Florida, Greensboro, Peoria, Reading and Trenton each have three hat tricks. Atlantic City, Augusta, Columbia, Columbus, Charlotte, Fresno, Greenville, Louisiana, Las Vegas, Roanoke, San Diego and Toledo each have two hat tricks while Alaska, Bakersfield, Cincinnati, Florence, Mississippi, Pensacola, South Carolina and Texas all have one hat trick. Dayton, Gwinnett, Johnstown, Long Beach and Wheeling have not had a player score a hat trick.

Atlantic City, Columbus, Las Vegas, Louisiana, Peoria and San Diego have not allowed a hat trick while Bakersfield has allowed a league-high five hat tricks and Fresno and Texas have each allowed four hat tricks. Augusta, Greensboro and Greenville have allowed three hat tricks each while Charlotte, Cincinnati, Florida, Florence, Gwinnett, Johnstown, Long Beach, Mississippi, Trenton and Wheeling have allowed two hat tricks each. Alaska, Columbia, Dayton, Idaho, Pensacola, Reading, Roanoke, South Carolina and Toledo have all allowed one hat trick.


Gulls, Nailers Begin Week Tied For ECHL Lead
San Diego begins the week tied for the ECHL lead and atop the Western Conference and the Pacific Division with 72 points and a 34-11-4 record. Louisiana opens the week leading the Central Division and in second place in the Western Conference with 70 points and a 34-13-2 record.

San Diego was scheduled to play at Louisiana on Monday. Going 8-1-1 in their last 10 games, 13-1-1 in their last 15 games and 25-4-2 in their last 31 games, the Gulls lead the Pacific Division by seven points over Las Vegas (30-16-5) and by nine points over Idaho (29-16-5). Alaska currently has the fourth and final Kelly Cup Playoff spot in the Pacific with 58 points and a 27-17-4 record, 15 points ahead of fifth place Bakersfield (18-24-7).

Louisiana leads the Central Division by four points over Mississippi (30-16-6) and by eight points over Gwinnett (29-18-4). Columbus presently holds the fourth and final Kelly Cup Playoff berth in the Central with 58 points (27-21-4), four points ahead of Pensacola (24-17-6).

Wheeling begins the week tied for the league lead and on top of the Eastern Conference and the Northern Division with 72 points and a 35-13-2 record, two points ahead of Atlantic City (33-12-4) and six points ahead of third place Peoria (29-12-8). Reading is in fourth place with 63 points and a 28-15-7 record while Johnstown currently has the fifth and final Kelly Cup Playoffs berth in the Northern Division with 59 points and a 27-16-5 record, six points ahead of Trenton (24-18-5).

Columbia is the leader in the Southern Division with 69 points and a 32-15-5 record, six points ahead of Greensboro (31-20-1) and eight points ahead of third place Florida (26-19-9). South Carolina presently holds the fourth and final Kelly Cup Playoffs spot in the Southern Division with 59 points and a 28-17-3 record, one point ahead of Charlotte (26-20-6) and seven points ahead of Roanoke (23-23-6).

The 2004 Kelly Cup Playoffs format consists of five of nine teams from the Northern Division and four of eight teams from the Southern Division, and four of seven teams from the Central Division and the Pacific Division.

In the Southern Division and in both the Central Division and the Pacific Division, the four teams with the highest regular season point total in each division will qualify for the playoffs. The Western Conference Division Semifinals will be a best-of-five series with the Division winner meeting the fourth-place finisher and the second-place finisher meeting the third-place finisher.

The Division Semifinals winners advance to the best-of-five Division Finals. The Division Finals winners meet in the best-of-five Western Conference Championship with the winner advancing to the best-of-seven Kelly Cup Finals against the Eastern Conference Champion.

In the Northern Division, the five teams with the highest regular season point total will qualify for the playoffs. The fourth-place finisher will host the fifth-place finisher in a Wild Card Game with the winner advancing to the Division Semifinals.

The Northern Division Semifinals will be a best-of-five series with the Division winner meeting the Wild Card Game winner and the second-place finisher meeting the third-place finisher. The Southern Division Semifinals will be a best-of-five series with the Division winner meeting the fourth-place finisher and the second-place finisher meeting the third-place finisher.

The Division Semifinal winners advance to the best-of-five Division Finals. The Division Finals winners meet in the best-of-five Eastern Conference Championship with the winner advancing to the best-of-seven Kelly Cup Finals against the Western Conference Champion.


San Diego Extends Season-High Home Streak To 13 Games
Before departing on its current three-game road trip, San Diego beat Long Beach 4-3 in a shootout on February 10 and Las Vegas 3-2 on February 13 to increase its ECHL season-high home winning streak to 13 games, dating back to December 30.

The Gulls, who are 22-4-0 at home, play at Louisiana on Monday and at Mississippi on Tuesday before returning home to host Las Vegas on Thursday and Fresno on Saturday. San Diego has won its last two home meetings with Las Vegas to improve to 2-1-0 and the Gulls are 4-2-1 overall against the Wranglers. San Diego is 1-0-0 at home and 2-1-0 overall against Fresno.

The second longest home winning streak is 10 games by Wheeling, dating back to December 31. The Nailers will play at home for the first time since January 31 when they host Cincinnati on Friday. Wheeling is 2-0-0 at home and 4-2-0 overall against the Cyclones in 2003-04. The Nailers are 22-4-2 at home and need five wins to tie the team record for most home wins in a season, 27 in 1994-95. The team record for consecutive home wins is 17 games set from November 24, 1994 to February 5, 1995.

Reading has won a team record nine consecutive home games to improve to 18-1-2 at the Sovereign Center, the best home record in the ECHL. Reading has not lost in regulation at home since losing 2-1 against Wheeling, and the Royals are 17-0-1 in their last 18 games at the Sovereign Center. The 18 home wins are the most in the Royals three seasons, surpassing the 17 wins in 2002-03. Reading will host Atlantic City on Friday, Bakersfield on Saturday and Trenton on Sunday. Reading is 1-3-1 against the Boardwalk Bullies in 2003-04 with all five games played at Atlantic City. The Royals are 3-0-0 at home and 5-1-0 overall against Trenton.

The ECHL record for most consecutive home wins is 18 by South Carolina from December 23, 1994-March 19, 1995. The ECHL record for most home wins in a season is 30 by Louisiana in 2001-02.


ECHL Attendance Continues To Climb
For the seventh consecutive week, the ECHL saw an increase in its average attendance from 3,733 to 3,747, up more than four percent from its average of 3,590 through the first 18 weeks of 2002-03. Alaska has increased its average attendance by more than 64 percent from 2,671 to 4,392 while Johnstown has raised its attendance more than 16 percent from 2,091 to 2,437 and Roanoke has raised its attendance over 10 percent from 2,498 to 2,753.



Northern Division
Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies
 * Luke Curtin is tied for third in the ECHL with 28 goals and ranks third with 64 points.
* Among ECHL rookies, Jon Cullen ranks second with 52 points and is tied for second with 21 goals and 31 assists.
* Bullies host Bakersfield on Wednesday and Sunday while traveling to Reading on Friday.

Cincinnati Cyclones
 * Garrett Prosofsky leads the team with 18 goals, 24 assists and 15 power-play points (7g-8a).
* Cyclones are 0-7-1 and have been outscored 31-15 in eight games in February.
* Cincinnati hosts Idaho on Wednesday and Wheeling on Saturday while traveling to Wheeling on Friday and Toledo on Sunday.

Dayton Bombers
 * Chad Theuer has six points (4g-2a) and is +2 in his last five games.
* Bombers are 8-2-1 when leading after the first period and are 12-6-5 in one-goal games.
* Dayton travels to Peoria on Friday and Johnstown on Sunday.

Johnstown Chiefs
 * Arturs Irbe is 6-1-0 with a 1.43 goals against average in seven home games.
* Chiefs lead the ECHL on the penalty kill with 90.0 percent (188-for-209).
* Johnstown hosts Peoria on Monday and Tuesday, Trenton on Saturday and Dayton on Sunday.

Peoria Rivermen
 * Peoria has a four-game winning streak and has not lost in regulation in the last seven games (6-0-1).
* Scott Crawford has a team record seven-game assist streak (9a) dating back to January 31.
* Rivermen travel to Johnstown on Monday and Tuesday before hosting Dayton on Friday and Wheeling on Sunday.

Reading Royals
 * Royals have not lost in regulation at home since October 31 and have the best home record in the ECHL (18-1-2).
* Peter Hamerlik is 4-0-0 with a 1.25 goals against average in his last four games.
* Reading hosts Atlantic City on Friday, Bakersfield on Saturday and Trenton on Sunday.

Toledo Storm
 * Alexandre Jacques has eight points (4g-4a) in his last five games and leads the team with 44 points (23g-21a).
* Jim Abbott is tied for fourth among ECHL rookies with 20 goals.
* Toledo hosts Idaho on Friday and Saturday and Cincinnati on Sunday.

Trenton Titans

 * Mathieu Brunelle has 15 points (7g-8a) in his last five home games.
* Matt Zultek has a five-game home goal streak (5g) and ranks second in the ECHL with 14 power-play goals.
* Trenton hosts Bakersfield on Tuesday and Friday before traveling to Johnstown on Saturday and Reading on Sunday.

Wheeling Nailers
 * Nick Boucher is 13-2-1 with a 2.21 goals against average and three shutouts in 17 home games.
* Nailers rank second in the ECHL in scoring with 3.74 goals per game.
* Wheeling hosts Cincinnati on Friday before traveling to Cincinnati on Saturday and Peoria on Sunday.


Southern Division
Charlotte Checkers
 * Checkers are 7-2-1 under interim head coach Derek Wilkinson, who took over on January 29.
* Richard Keyes has 15 points (5g-10a) and is +5 in his last 10 games.
* Charlotte hosts Greenville on Tuesday and Greensboro on Saturday.

Columbia Inferno
 * Jesse Schultz tallied his second hat trick of the season in Sunday's 5-3 win against Gwinnett.
* Columbia leads the ECHL in scoring with 3.88 goals per game.
* Columbia hosts Pensacola on Friday, travels to Augusta on Saturday and hosts Florida on Sunday.

Florence Pride
 * Kyle Kidney has 15 points (7g-8a) in the last 10 games, including five multiple-point games.
* Florence averaged 40.67 shots per game in their three wins last week.
* Pride travels to South Carolina on Tuesday and Augusta on Thursday before hosting Florida on Saturday and Pensacola on Sunday.

Florida Everblades
 * Brian McCullough tied a Florida team record with four goals in Friday's 5-3 win against Mississippi, and he leads the ECHL with 68 points (33g-35a) and nine game-winning goals.
* Florida hosts Pensacola on Tuesday before traveling to Augusta on Friday, Florence on Saturday and Columbia on Sunday.

Greensboro Generals
 * Geno Parrish is tied for second in the ECHL with 43 assists and ranks second among defensemen with 50 points.
* Jamie Hodson is 8-6-0 and is second in the ECHL with a .935 save percentage.
* Greensboro travels to Roanoke on Tuesday and to Charlotte on Saturday.

Greenville Grrrowl
 * Playing in his 500th regular season professional game, Scott Kirton scored two points (1g-1a) on Sunday against Florence.
* Michel Robinson is 2-0-1 with a 2.62 goals against average in his last three games.
* Greenville travels to Charlotte on Tuesday before hosting Pensacola on Saturday and Columbus on Sunday.

Roanoke Express
 * Rick Kowalsky leads the team with 15 goals and 15 assists and is +8 in 21 home games.
* Duncan Dalmao ranks fourth among ECHL defensemen with 22 power-play points (4g-18a).
* Roanoke hosts Greensboro on Tuesday and Gwinnett on Friday and Saturday before playing at South Carolina on Sunday.

South Carolina Stingrays
 * Stingrays' road power play ranks second in the ECHL with 23.5 percent (27-for-115).
* Kirk Daubenspeck is 6-2-1 with a 2.54 goals against average and a shutout in his last nine games.
* South Carolina hosts Florence on Tuesday and Roanoke on Sunday while traveling to Columbus on Saturday.


Central Division
Augusta Lynx
 * Jonathan Gagnon has an eight-game home point streak (6g-9a) dating back to January 2.
* Jason Saal is 7-4-2 with a 2.51 goals against average and a shutout in 13 home games.
* Augusta hosts Florence on Thursday, Florida on Friday and Columbia on Saturday.

Columbus Cottonmouths
 * Dan Tessier has a 13-game point streak (6g-17a) dating back to January 16.
* Jason Tapp is 6-2-1 with a 2.29 goals against average and two shutouts in 10 home games.
* Columbus hosts Louisiana on Friday and South Carolina on Saturday before playing at Greenville on Sunday.

Gwinnett Gladiators
 * Brandon Dietrich is tied for second in the ECHL with 43 assists and ranks fourth with 19 power-play assists.
* Kevin Doell has an ECHL season-high nine-game road assist streak (9a) and is tied for second among ECHL rookies with 31 assists.
* Gwinnett travels to Roanoke on Friday and Saturday.

Louisiana IceGators
 * Louisiana's power play leads the ECHL with 24.1 percent (63-for-261).
* Bobby Brown is tied for third in the ECHL with 28 goals and has 14 points (6g-8a) in his last 10 games.
* Louisiana hosts San Diego on Monday before traveling to Columbus on Friday and Texas on Sunday.

Mississippi Sea Wolves
 * Steffon Walby ranks fourth in the ECHL with 62 points and is tied for fifth in the league with 40 assists.
* Greg Gardner is 11-2-2 with a 1.62 goals against average and three shutouts in 15 home games.
* Mississippi hosts San Diego on Tuesday and Texas on Friday and Saturday.

Pensacola Ice Pilots
 * Corey Neilson leads the ECHL with 23 power-play assists and leads ECHL defensemen with 51 points (11g-40a).
* Ice Pilots rank second in the ECHL on the power play with 22.4 percent (53-for-237).
* Pensacola travels to Florida on Tuesday, Columbia on Friday, Greenville on Saturday and Florence on Sunday.

Texas Wildcatters
 * Ashlee Langdone has three goals, seven assists and is +4 in his last five game.
* Cory Morgan leads the team with 26 assists, 38 points and ranks second with 11 power-play-points (3g-8a).
* Texas travels to Mississippi on Friday and Saturday while hosting Louisiana on Sunday.


Pacific Division
Alaska Aces
 * Jordan Cameron's four-goal natural hat trick in Saturday 6-5 win at Bakersfield was Alaska's first hat trick of the season.
* Joe Talbot is third among ECHL rookies with 49 points and is tied for fourth with 20 goals.
* Alaska travels to Fresno on Monday and Las Vegas on Tuesday before returning home to host Long Beach on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Bakersfield Condors
 * Jason Ralph has a four-game goal steak (4g) dating back to February 8.
* Paul Willett has a six-game assist streak (9a) dating back to February 6.
* Bakersfield travels to Trenton on Tuesday and Friday, Atlantic City on Wednesday and Sunday, and Reading on Saturday.

Fresno Falcons
 * Fresno's Boris Protsenko has two goals and five assists in five games in February.
* Kris Porter leads the team with 20 assists, 30 points and 12 power-play points (3g-9a).
* Fresno hosts Alaska on Monday and Las Vegas on Friday before traveling to San Diego on Saturday.

Idaho Steelheads
 * Andrei Vasilyev has a four-game goal streak (4g) dating back to February 4.
* In 23 road games, Jan Kopecky leads the team with 10 goals, 21 points and is +6.
* Idaho travels to Cincinnati on Wednesday and Toledo on Friday and Saturday.

Las Vegas Wranglers
 * Dave Cousineau ranks second among ECHL defensemen with nine power-play goals.
* Wranglers' home power play ranks third in the ECHL with 23.5 percent (31-for-132).
* Las Vegas hosts Alaska on Tuesday before traveling to San Diego on Thursday and to Fresno on Friday.

Long Beach Ice Dogs
 * Jerome Marois has five goals and two assists in his last five games.
* Michel Ouellet has seven points (5g-2a) and is +1 in seven games in February.
* Long Beach travels to Alaska on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

San Diego Gulls
 * Mark Pederson has an ECHL season-high 16-game home point streak (17g-12a) and leads the ECHL with 35 goals.
* Greg Barber leads ECHL rookies with 32 assists and 53 points (21g-32a).
* San Diego travels to Louisiana on Monday and Mississippi on Tuesday before hosting Las Vegas on Thursday and Fresno on Saturday.

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