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Starters Announced for 2013 ECHL All-Star Game

Published on January 2, 2013 under ECHL (ECHL) News Release


PRINCETON, N.J. - The ECHL on Wednesday announced the starting lineup for the ECHL All-Stars for the 2013 ECHL All-Star Game presented by University of Colorado Health . The remainder of the ECHL All-Star Team will be announced tomorrow.

The 2013 ECHL All-Star Week, presented by CCM, begins on Tuesday, Jan. 22 with the ECHL All-Star Skills Competition, presented by OtterBox, and continues with the ECHL All-Star Game on Wednesday, Jan. 23. Both events begin at 7:05 p.m. MT at the Budweiser Events Center in Loveland, Colo.

More than 50 players from the ECHL All-Star Game have gone on to play in the National Hockey League, including 39 since 2002 when the lineups began having players who coaches felt were prospects to move up to a higher level.

ECHL All-Star Starters

G - Philipp Grubauer, Reading (24 gp, 18-4-1, 2.28 GAA, .915 save pct.)

D - Denny Urban, Reading (31 gp, 13g, 13a, 26 pts.)

D - Nathan Deck, Stockton (19 gp, 5g, 12a, 17 pts.)

F - Casey Pierro-Zabotel, Gwinnett (34 gp, 9g, 28a, 37 pts.)

F - Justin Dowling, Idaho (31 gp, 11g, 31a, 42 pts.)

F - C.J. Stretch, Ontario (31 gp, 18g, 16a, 34 pts.)

The starting lineup is determined in voting by ECHL coaches, team captains, media directors, broadcasters and media members.

Philipp Grubauer of the Reading Royals leads the ECHL with 18 wins, is third with 1,424 minutes played, fourth with a 2.28 goals-against average and fifth with 561 saves. Under contract to the Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League, Grubauer is 18-1-1 in his last 20 decisions and has allowed two goals or less in 12 of those 20 games. He was ECHL Goaltender of the Month for November after posting a 10-1-0 record with a 2.13 goals-against average and a save percentage of .913 in 12 appearances during the month.

Denny Urban joins his Royals' teammate Grubauer in the starting line-up. The second-year pro leads all ECHL defensemen with 13 goals and 26 points and is tied for first among blue-liners with five power-play goals while ranking second with 91 shots on goal. He also has appeared in two games with Worcester of the American Hockey League, registering two assists.

Nathan Deck of Stockton, who is currently recalled to Oklahoma City of the American Hockey League, has posted 17 points (5g-12a) in 19 games with the Thunder this season, while adding four points (0g-4a) in 12 games with Oklahoma City.

Gwinnett's Casey Pierro-Zabotel is tied for fourth in the ECHL with 28 assists and is tied for sixth with 37 points. He has notched multiple points in 13 games this season and is second on the Gladiators in plus-minus with a +14 rating.

Justin Dowling of Idaho is tied for second in the league with 42 points (11g-31a) and his 31 assists are second overall. Dowling is third with 15 power-play assists and fourth with 19 power-play points. He has at least one point in 11 of his last 13 games.

Rounding out the starting line-up is Ontario's C.J. Stretch, who has 34 points (18g-16a) in 31 games this season. His +17 leads the Reign, and is third overall in the league. Stretch ranks fourth in the league with a 25.4 percent shooting percentage (18-for-71).

The sixth class will be inducted into the ECHL Hall of Fame on Jan. 23, 2013 during a luncheon ceremony presented by BFL Canada at the Embassy Suites Hotel and Conference Center, the official host hotel of the 2013 ECHL All-Star Game. Click here to download the ticket order form.

The past nine ECHL All-Star Games have generated more than $1 million each for the local economy as guests, players, coaches and fans occupy hundreds of hotel rooms and spend three days in the host city.

The game has been available on the NHL Network the last nine years as well as being broadcast on multiple regional networks. The audio broadcast has been carried on XM Satellite Radio as well as being available in all ECHL markets.

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