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Stingrays move to top of ECHL standings

Published on November 7, 2011 under ECHL (ECHL) News Release


The South Carolina Stingrays have vaulted to the top spot in the ECHL standings on the heels of a 3-1-0 home stand last week, improving their overall record to 8-2-0 for 16 points. South Carolina has a four-point lead over Gwinnett for first place in the South Division.

South Carolina began last week with a 4-1 win over Florida on Wednesday. Billy Ryan (2g) and Matt Pope (2a) each had two points for the Stingrays while Philipp Grubauer turned aside 24 Everblades' shots to pick up the win in goal.

The Stingrays had their five-game winning streak snapped in a tough 1-0 loss to the Everblades on Friday, but rebounded with a 1-0 win of their win against Toledo on Saturday. In the win over the Walleye, Zach Tarkir scored the game's only goal midway through the second period and Grubauer made sure the tally held up as he turned aside all 26 Toledo shots to record his first professional shutout.

On Sunday, the Stingrays raced out to a 4-0 lead and went on to defeat Reading 5-2. Five different Stingrays scored in the win, with Trent Campbell, Pierre-Luc O'Brien and Johann Kroll each furnishing a goal and an assist. Grubauer once again was solid in goal, stopping 22 Royals' shots.

Grubauer, a fourth-round selection by the Washington Capitals in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, has enjoyed a fine start to his rookie season winning each of his first six starts. The 19-year-old is tied for the league lead with a .946 save percentage, is second with a 1.50 goals-against average and is tied for second with six wins and one shutout.

Pope and O'Brien share the team lead with six goals each, while Pope leads the club, and is tied for second in the league, with 15 points. Rookie Sean Dolan has been a force on the power play for the Stingrays, as he has scored six of his seven points on the man advantage. His six power-play points and three power-play goals are each tied for first among league rookies. Special teams have been a key all around for the Stingrays as South Carolina leads the league on the penalty kill at 89.5 percent (51-for-57) and ranks fourth on the power play at 24.1 percent (14-for-58).

The Stingrays will put their four-game road winning streak on the line as they open a four-game road trip in Greenville on Thursday. South Carolina also visits the Road Warriors on Saturday.

Divisions

ATLANTIC DIVISION

- The Jackals are third in the ECHL at 3.63 goals scored per game.

- Artem Demkov is tied for the lead among rookies with seven goals scored.

- Elmira hosts Gwinnett on Wednesday and Reading on Friday before traveling to Reading for games on Saturday and Sunday.

- Both of the Royals' wins this week were come-from behind victories, and Reading has rallied to overcome a deficit in four of their five wins this season.

- Ryan Cruthers scored a goal, picked up an assist, and scored the shootout game winner on Saturday in Gwinnett. Cruthers is riding a three game point streak (2g-3a).

- Reading is at Trenton on Wednesday and at Elmira on Friday, than they host Elmira for games on Saturday and Sunday.

- Trenton is the fourth least penalized team in the ECHL, averaging 14.33 penalty minutes per game.

- Ryan Hayes, who scored 50 points with Trenton in 2010-11, scored the game winning goal against Elmira on Nov. 4 in his first game with Trenton this season after beginning the year in Greenville.

- The Titans host Reading on Wednesday and are on the road for games at Kalamazoo on Friday and Cincinnati on Saturday.

- Wheeling has outshot the opposition in all seven games this season, registering 30 or more shots on goal in six of their seven contests.

- Patrick Johnson (3g-6a), Matt Lombardi (4g-4a) and Zach Hansen (0g-9a) have all recorded at least one point in six of the team's seven games this season.

- The Nailers are at Florida for games on Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday.

NORTH DIVISION

- The Express won two games against Cincinnati in a shootout this week, becoming the first ECHL team this season to record two shootout victories.

- Tyler Johnson scored his first professional goal on Sunday against Kalamazoo.

- Chicago is at Toledo on Wednesday, hosts Cincinnati on Friday, is at Kalamazoo on Saturday, and is back home to face Gwinnett on Sunday.

- In their home opener on Saturday, Cincinnati drew 6,989 fans, the team's highest for a homer opener since returning to ECHL play in 2006.

- Mathieu Aubin, who recorded a multi-point game Saturday, sits third all-time in assists in Cyclones history.

- The Cyclones are at Chicago on Friday and host Trenton on Saturday.

- The K-Wings are second in the ECHL in scoring, averaging 4.38 goals per game.

- Trent Daavettila, who is on a five-game point and assist streak, earned his 100th career assist on Sunday versus Chicago.

- Kalamazoo hosts Trenton on Friday and Chicago on Saturday.

- Toledo set season highs with five goals and 44 shots in a 5-2 win Sunday.

- Walleye goaltender Thomas McCollum has allowed just five goals in his last three starts.

- Toledo hosts Chicago on Wednesday and Gwinnett on Friday and Saturday.

SOUTH DIVISION

- The Everblades are tied for second in the league with 12 power-play goals.

- John Muse earned his first win of the season, and his first career shutout, in a 1-0 defeat of South Carolina on Nov. 4.

- Florida hosts Wheeling for games on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

- The Road Warriors are second on the power play at 27.0 percent (10-for-37).

- Jeff Prough is second in the ECHL with eight goals.

- Greenville hosts South Carolina for games on Thursday and Saturday.

- Gwinnett is fourth with 2.40 goals-against per game.

- Defenseman Shane Sims is tied for fourth among rookies in plus-minus at +6.

- The Gladiators are at Elmira on Wednesday, at Toledo on Friday and Saturday, and at Chicago on Sunday.

- The Stingrays, who are first overall in the Eastern Conference, are 7-1-0 in their last eight games.

- Matt Pope is fourth in the ECHL with 15 points (6g-9a).

- The Stingrays are at Greenville for games on Thursday and Saturday.

MOUNTAIN DIVISION

- The Aces are first with 1.70 goals-against per game.

- Goaltender Gerald Coleman leads the ECHL in wins (7), minutes played (602), and saves (247).

- Alaska hosts Ontario for games on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

- The Eagles lead the ECHL with 14 third period goals.

- Jon Landry is tied for the league lead in points and goals for defensemen.

- Colorado hosts Utah on Wednesday before traveling to Utah to face the Grizzlies on Friday and Saturday.

- The Steelheads are fourth on the penalty kill at 86.4 percent (55-for-59).

- Chad Klassen is second in the ECHL among rookies with 11 points (4g-7a).

- Idaho is at Las Vegas on Tuesday before traveling to Bakersfield for games on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

- Utah has allowed two goals or less in six of nine games, and three or less in eight-straight games.

- Andrew Engelage leads the ECHL with two shutouts.

- Utah plays at Colorado Wednesday and hosts Colorado Friday and Saturday.

PACIFIC DIVISION

- The Condors have two of the top three rookie scorers in the ECHL in Scott Freeman and Mathew Sisca.

- Mathew Sisca has a goal in four of the last five games.

- Bakersfield is at Ontario on Tuesday before hosting Idaho for games on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.

- Las Vegas is second with 35.09 shots per game.

- Eric Lampe had a five-game scoring streak, collecting 12 points (8g-4a) from Oct. 27 through Nov. 4.

- The Wranglers host Idaho on Tuesday, and Stockton on Saturday and Sunday.

- Ontario recorded its 100th regular-season win Saturday in Colorado.

- Derek Couture is on a three game point streak (3g-3a).

- The Reign host Bakersfield on Tuesday, then travel to Alaska for games on Friday and Saturday.

- Stockton leads the ECHL in attendance with an average of 7,107 fans per game.

- Gabriel Levesque leads the Thunder and is tied for ninth among ECHL rookies with eight points (4g-4a) in seven games.

- The Thunder are at Las Vegas on Saturday and Sunday.

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ECHL Stories from November 7, 2011


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