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South Division title, playoff seedings on the line in final week

Published on March 25, 2013 under ECHL (ECHL) News Release


Entering the final week of the 2012-13 regular season, the 16-team field for the 2013 Kelly Cup Playoffs is set. But, teams still have plenty to play for as one division and playoff seeding is on the line heading into the weekend.

In the Eastern Conference, Reading is locked into the number one seed while Cincinnati is seeded second. The race for the South Division title and the number three seed has come down to Gwinnett and Florida. The Gladiators have 87 points and a six-point lead over the Everblades. Florida has four games remaining, visiting Orlando on Tuesday and Wednesday and hosting the Solar Bears on Friday and Saturday, while the Gladiators have just one game remaining, hosting Greenville on Saturday. Gwinnett has a magic number of two points to claim its second consecutive South Division title.

Click here for a look at the Kelly Cup Playoffs matchups, if the playoffs started today

Elmira sits in fourth place, the final home-ice advantage spot in the first round. The Jackals have 83 points and a two-point lead over Florida and are three ahead of South Carolina and Greenville.

In the Western Conference, the top four seeds are set with Alaska, Ontario, Idaho and Stockton receiving home-ice advantage in the Conference Quarterfinals. Once match-up is also in place as the Aces will take on eighth-seeded San Francisco in the opening round.

Las Vegas currently is in fifth place with 75 points, followed by Colorado with 72 and Utah with 67.

As many as three ECHL teams could reach the 100-point plateau this season. Alaska, which clinched its third consecutive Brabham Cup as regular-season champion on Saturday, surpassed the 100-point mark on Friday against Colorado. The Aces are the first team since Idaho in 2009-10 to record at least 100 points in a season, and are just the 27th team in the ECHL's 25-year history to reach the mark.

Reading has two games remaining and needs two points to reach 100 for the first time in club history while Ontario, which is at Las Vegas on Tuesday and hosts the Aces on Friday and Saturday, is three points shy of the century mark.

The ECHL record for most teams reaching 100 points in a season is five, set in the 2005-06 season when Alaska (113), Las Vegas (112), Gwinnett (107), Florida (100) and Fresno (100) all reached the mark.

There have been two seasons where three teams recorded at least 100 points. In 2007-08, Cincinnati (115), Texas (115) and Las Vegas (106) reached the mark while in 2003-04, San Diego (108), Wheeling (106) and Atlantic City (100) all had at least 100 points.

Watch ECHL Week on YouTube

The 12th episode of ECHL Week, a weekly show dedicated to the ECHL, is now available for viewing .

This episode features an interview with ECHL Commissioner Brian McKenna, a look at the Orlando Solar Bears and their coach, a mascot's birthday party and much more.

Produced by Double S Media and hosted by Barry Schickling, ECHL Week showcases highlights and interviews from around the league and gives fans the latest news and insight from all 23 teams.

Divisions

Atlantic Division

- Jordan Pietrus has set a new club record for shots on goal in a season with 267.

- The Jackals have won 20 or more home games in five of their six ECHL seasons.

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

- Riley Gill recorded his third shutout in 12 starts for the Royals on Sunday in Toledo.

- Reading is on its third winning streak of at least eight games this season.

- The Royals host Trenton on Thursday and Elmira on Saturday.

- Jacob Cepis has 14 points (5g-9a) over the last three games.

- The Titans have outscored their opponents 20-6 over the last three games.

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

- Chris Barton leads the Nailers with 21 goals.

- Wheeling is first on the penalty kill at home at 89.3 percent (109-for-122).

- The Nailers host Elmira on Wednesday, Toledo on Friday and Trenton on Saturday.

North Division

- Michael Houser is fourth among rookies with a 2.47 goals-against average.

- The Cyclones are 27-0-1 when leading after two periods.

- Cincinnati hosts Evansville on Friday and Saturday.

- Daniel Tetrault has eight points (6g-2a) in the last six games.

- Evansville posted a season-high 48 shots on goal on Saturday against Kalamazoo.

- The IceMen are at Kalamazoo on Wednesday and Cincinnati on Friday and Saturday.

- Mathieu Gagnon tallied his first pro point on Friday at Elmira.

- The Komets are tied for fourth with 11 shorthanded goals.

- Fort Wayne hosts Toledo on Wednesday, is at Kalamazoo on Friday and hosts the K-Wings on Saturday.

- Nick Sirota is on a three-game goal streak.

- Kalamazoo has scored three of its seven shorthanded goals against Fort Wayne.

- The K-Wings host Evansville on Wednesday and Fort Wayne on Friday before visiting the Komets on Saturday.

- Kent Simpson is 4-2-0 with one shutout over his last six starts.

- The Walleye set a new single season record with 226,743 fans this season.

- Toledo travels to Fort Wayne on Wednesday and Wheeling on Friday.

South Division

- Mathieu Roy leads the league with 77 points (33g-44a).

- The Everblades lead the league with 16 shorthanded goals.

- Florida is at Orlando on Tuesday and Wednesday and hosts the Solar Bears on Friday and Saturday.

- Marc-Olivier Vallerand is tied for sixth in the league with 44 assists.

- Greenville is tied for third with 32.62 shots per game.

- The Road Warriors host South Carolina on Thursday and Friday and travel to Gwinnett on Saturday.

- Doug Jones is tied for fourth among rookies with 22 goals.

- The Gladiators are fourth with 27.44 shots-against per game.

- Gwinnett hosts Greenville on Saturday.

- Michael Wilson is ninth among defensemen with 34 points (7g-27a).

- Orlando is 12-0-3 at home when scoring at least four goals.

- The Solar Bears host Florida on Tuesday and Wednesday and visit the Everblades on Friday and Saturday.

- Ryan Zapolski is third with 26 wins.

- The Stingrays are second with 2.41 goals-against per game.

- South Carolina is at Greenville on Thursday and Friday.

Mountain Division

- Nick Mazzolini is second with nine game-winning goals.

- The Aces are 33-0-5 when scoring first.

- Alaska is at Ontario on Friday and Saturday.

- Trent Daavettila is fifth with 46 assists.

- Colorado leads the league on the power play at 22.8 percent (78-for-342).

- The Eagles are at Utah on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

- Tyler Gron has five multiple-goal games in 32 games.

- The Steelheads are 30-1-1 when leading after two periods.

- Idaho is at San Francisco on Wednesday and Friday and Stockton on Saturday.

- Nick Tuzzolino is second among defensemen with 22 power-play points (2g-20a). - Utah is second with 33.41 shots per game.

- The Grizzlies host Colorado on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

Pacific Division

- Francis Verreault is tied for sixth among rookies with 47 points (16g-31a).

- The Condors are 11-0-0 when leading after two periods at home.

- Bakersfield visits Las Vegas on Friday and hosts San Francisco on Saturday.

- Chris Francis leads the league with 274 shots on goal.

- Las Vegas is second on the penalty kill at 84.9 percent (236-for-278).

- The Wranglers host Ontario on Tuesday and Bakersfield on Friday.

- Cameron Burt is second among rookie defensemen with 36 points (1g-35a).

- The Reign are 37-2-6 when scoring first.

- Ontario is at Las Vegas on Tuesday and hosts Alaska on Friday and Saturday.

- Nick Czinder has recorded a point in his each of his first three professional games.

- San Francisco is 12-2-4 when leading after two periods.

- The Bulls host Idaho on Wednesday and Friday and are at Bakersfield on Saturday.

- Harrison Reed is fifth with 12 power-play goals.

- The Thunder have outscored their opponents 88-65 in the second period.

- Stockton hosts Idaho on Saturday.

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ECHL Stories from March 25, 2013


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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