ECHL ECHL

Strong Opening Weekend For ECHL

Published on October 19, 2009 under ECHL (ECHL) News Release


The ECHL had a triumphant return to Toledo as more than 20,000 fans turned out to watch the Walleye in their first three games.

The Walleye had back-to-back sellouts at the new 7,431-seat Lucas County Arena with 8,000 on Friday and 7,467 on Saturday before wrapping up the weekend with 5,197 on Sunday. The 6,888 per game average is up more than 75 percent from 2006-07 when the team played its last season in the Toledo Sports Arena.

The ECHL drew almost 100,000 and averaged 4,742 per game for its opening weekend.

To purchase tickets for any ECHL game go to ECHL.com/Tickets.shtml.

Elmira had a standing-room-only crowd of 4,128 for its opener on Friday while South Carolina had a sellout crowd of 6,812 to watch the Stingrays raise their record third Kelly Cup championship banner on Friday.

Las Vegas had 6,383 for its season opener on Friday while Bakersfield and Alaska are both averaging over 5,000 after their first two home games on Friday and Saturday. Gwinnett had 6,551 for its home opener while Reading is averaging 4,626 per game after two contests.

Looking to increase its attendance for the fifth year in a row, Victoria will host Bakersfield for its home opener on Wednesday.

Four more teams play their home openers on Friday including Stockton hosting Ontario in a rematch of the Pacific Division Semifinals and Florida hosting Charlotte. Stockton has led the league in attendance its first four seasons, including 6,218 per game in 2008-09, becoming the first team to lead in attendance four years in a row since Florida set the league record with five straight years from 2000-05. The Everblades have finished in the top three in attendance the last 10 years after finishing fourth in their first year.

Cincinnati, which has raised its attendance by 68 percent from 2006-07, will host Wheeling on Friday while Utah will host Idaho.

The newest member of the ECHL, the Kalamazoo Wings, will host Reading in their home opener on Saturday while Wheeling, which raised its attendance over three percent in 2008-09, will host Cincinnati.

The third-longest tenured professional hockey league behind only the National Hockey League and the American Hockey League, the ECHL is the only minor professional hockey league to increase average attendance each of the last two seasons. The ECHL averaged 4,258 per game in 2008-09 which is the highest average since 2005-06 and the second-highest average in the last eight years. It is the fifth consecutive season and the 17th time in the last 19 years that the ECHL has averaged over 4,000 fans and the league drew over 3 million fans for the 16th year in a row and reached the 3 million mark in the fewest number of games since 2005-06.

National Conference - Pacific Division

Bakersfield Condors

* Bakersfield recorded its third shutout in a season opener beating Ontario 5-0 on Oct. 16.

* Defenseman Sasha Pokulok recorded two goals in the season opener.

* Condors will play at Victoria on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

Las Vegas Wranglers

* Wranglers are sixth in the league at home on the power play with 16.7 percent (1-for-6).

* Rookie defenseman Robbie Bina picked up an assist opening night against Utah on Friday.

* Wranglers host Alaska on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

Ontario Reign

* Ontario is third in the league on the power play with 25 percent (3-for-12).

* Greg Hogeboom recorded a hat trick and an assist in 8-2 win on Oct. 17 at Bakersfield.

* Reign will play Friday and Saturday at Stockton.

Stockton Thunder

* Stockton needs 64,360 fans to reach 1,000,000 in club history.

* Craig Valette is five games away from 400 in his professional career.

* Thunder will host Ontario on Friday and Saturday.

National Conference - West Division

Alaska Aces

* Alaska has killed off all nine power plays it has faced this season.

* Rookie forward Jack Combs is tied for the team lead with a goal, two assists and three points.

* Aces host Victoria on Monday before games in Las Vegas on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

Idaho Steelheads

* Idaho went 3-0-0 at home to start the season.

* Richard Bachman stopped 26 of 28 shots against Stockton on Oct. 18 to earn his first career win in his first professional start.

* Steelheads face Utah on the road on Friday and Saturday.

Utah Grizzlies

* Utah is first in the league on the power play with 43 percent (3-for-7).

* Ryan Kinasewich had three goals and an assist in Utah's season opener at Las Vegas on Oct. 16.

* Grizzlies will host Idaho on Friday and Saturday.

Victoria Salmon Kings

* Victoria is 1-4 in home openers with its only win a 5-2 victory over Stockton in 2005-06.

* Wes Goldie will play in his 600th professional game on Wednesday.

* Salmon Kings play in Alaska on Monday before hosting Bakersfield on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.



American Conference - North Division

Cincinnati Cyclones

* After this weekend's home-and-home with Wheeling, Cyclones will have played in four home openers.

* Rookie goaltender Jeremy Smith posted a 22-save shutout Saturday at Johnstown in his professional debut.

* Cyclones play at Wheeling on Friday before hosting the Nailers on Saturday.

Kalamazoo Wings

* Kalamazoo has won its first three ECHL games with a victory at Reading on Oct. 15 and wins at Trenton on Oct. 17 and 18.

* Center Rick Cleaver is tied for the league with five points (1g-4a).

* K-Wings host Reading on Saturday and Sunday.

Toledo Walleye

* Standing-room only crowd of 8,000 packed Lucas County Arena for opening night on Oct. 16.

* Jamie Milam leads ECHL defensemen with five points and is tied for lead with two goals and three assists.

* Walleye will host Reading on Friday and Trenton on Saturday.

Wheeling Nailers

* Wheeling has allowed only one even-strength goal in its last two games.

* Jordan Parise, the older brother of New Jersey Devils forward Zach Parise, made 33 saves to record his first win with the Nailers.

* Nailers will play their home opener against Cincinnati on Friday before playing in Cincinnati on Saturday and home against Elmira on Sunday.

American Conference - South Division

Charlotte Checkers

* Charlotte won its season opener for the third time in the last four seasons beating South Carolina 3-1 on Oct. 17.

* Two-time ECHL All-Star Tyler Doig scored the game-winning goal and added an assist in come-from-behind victory at South Carolina.

* Checkers will play on the road against Florida on Friday and Saturday.

Florida Everblades

* Florida has outshot its opponents in each of its three games.

* Jacob Micflikier leads the Everblades with four points (1g-3a) in three games.

* Everblades host Charlotte on Friday and Saturday.

Gwinnett Gladiators

* Gwinnett is seventh in the league on both the power play with 20 percent (3-for-15) and on the penalty kill at 90 percent (9-for-10).

* Forward Tom Zanoski is tied for second in the league with four points (2g-2a) in two games.

* Gladiators are on the road at South Carolina on Tuesday, Friday and Saturday.

South Carolina Stingrays

* Sellout crowd of 6,812 watched South Carolina raise its record third Kelly Cup banner before its home opener against Wheeling on Oct. 16.

* Goaltender Todd Ford is fourth in the league with 61 saves.

* Stingrays play at home against Gwinnett on Tuesday, Friday and Saturday.

American Conference - East Division

Elmira Jackals

* Elmira went 2-0-0 and has won five straight regular season games dating back to 2008-09.

* Chanse Fitzpatrick leads the Jackals with three goals and is tied for the team lead with four points.

* Jackals will host Johnstown on Friday before traveling to Johnstown on Saturday and Wheeling on Sunday.

Johnstown Chiefs

* Johnstown visits Trenton Wednesday, marking the fourth straight year that Chiefs' road opener has been against the Devils.

* Kris Mayotte made 24 saves in his season debut against Cincinnati on Oct. 17.

* Chiefs host Trenton on Wednesday and play at Elmira on Saturday.

Reading Royals

* Royals opened at home for only the second time in history when they hosted Kalamazoo on Oct. 15.

* Scott Langdon scored the first goal of his professional career on Saturday against Elmira.

* Royals play at Toledo on Friday and at Kalamazoo on Saturday and Sunday.

Trenton Devils
* Trenton is 85.7 percent (12-for-14) on the penalty kill through two games.

* Trevor Kell (1g-1a) and rookie Kyle Kucharski (1g-1a) are tied for the team lead with two points.

* Devils will host Johnstown on Wednesday and travel to Toledo on Sunday.

Premier 'AA' Hockey League Fast Facts
- Watch games live on B2 Networks, the "Official Broadband Broadcast Provider" of the ECHL.
- Watch ECHL games around the clock on ECHL TV on B2CableTV.com.
- The ECHL celebrated its 20th Anniversary in 2007-08 and is the third-longest tenured professional hockey league behind only the National Hockey League and the American Hockey League.
- ECHL began in 1988-89 with five teams in four states and has grown to be a coast-to-coast league with 20 teams in 15 states and British Columbia in 2009-10.
- The league officially changed its name from East Coast Hockey League to ECHL on May 19, 2003.
- 410 players have played in the NHL after playing in the ECHL including a record 52 in 2008-09.
- ECHL players who have made their NHL debut this season are former Gwinnett Gladiators and 2006 ECHL All-Star right wing Guillaume Desbiens (Vancouver on Oct. 11), former Idaho Steelheads center Aaron Gagnon (Dallas on Oct. 16) and former Johnstown Chiefs defenseman Jay Rosehill (Toronto on Oct. 1).
- The ECHL has had 218 players reach the NHL since 2002-03 when it changed its focus to become the primary developmental league for the NHL and the AHL. The ECHL had 97 players reach the NHL in its first 10 seasons and 215 in the first 15 years.
- 154 ECHL players who have played their first game in the last five seasons for an average of more than 30 per year.
- ECHL had a record 78 players on NHL opening-day rosters, surpassing the 71 from a year ago and marking the seventh year in a row that there have been over 50 former ECHL players on opening-day rosters.
- ECHL has affiliations with 27 of those, marking the 13th consecutive season that the league has had affiliations with at least 20 teams in the NHL.
- ECHL had 78 players on National Hockey League opening-day rosters, surpassing the record 71 players in 2008, and marking the seventh season in a row there have been more than 50 former ECHL players on opening-day rosters.
- 26 coaches with an ECHL background are working behind the benches of teams in the NHL including Washington Capitals head coach Bruce Boudreau and New York Islanders head coach Scott Gordon of the New York Islanders while former ECHL player Dan Bylsma is head coach of the Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins. It is the fifth consecutive season that there have been 11 or more coaches with an ECHL background working in the NHL. Boudreau, who coached Mississippi for three seasons winning the Kelly Cup championship in 1999, was named NHL Coach of the Year in 2007-08 becoming the first former ECHL coach to receive the award.
- 20 former ECHL officials are working as part of the NHL officiating team in 2009-10 with referees David Banfield, Francis Charron, Chris Ciamaga, Ghislain Herbert, Marc Joannette, Mike Leggo, Wes McCauley, Dean Morton, Dan O'Rourke, Brian Pochmara, Kevin Pollock, Kyle Rehman, Chris Rooney, Justin St. Pierre and Ian Walsh, and linesmen Steve Barton, Bryan Pancich, Brian Mach, Tim Nowak and Jay Sharrers.
- ECHL was represented for the ninth year in a row on the Stanley Cup champion with Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Dan Bylsma, player Ruslan Fedotenko, equipment managers Dana Heinze and Dave Zeigler, athletic trainers Chris Stewart and Scott Adams and scout Derek Clancey. There were 43 former players and 14 former coaches on 15 of the 16 teams competing in the National Hockey League's Stanley Cup Playoffs, marking the fourth year in a row that there have been at least 30 former ECHL players and the sixth consecutive season that over 25 players with ECHL experience have competed in the NHL postseason.
- Former ECHL and current Boston Bruins goaltender Tim Thomas was the recipient of the Vezina Trophy as the top goaltender in the NHL and was also presented the William Jennings Trophy with teammate Manny Fernandez as the goaltenders finishing the season having surrendered the fewest goals. Thomas was also named First Team All-NHL after registering a career-high 36 wins while leading the NHL with a goals-against average of 2.10 and a save percentage of .933 to help the Bruins finish with the most wins (53) and points (116) since 1971-72.
- ECHL was represented in the 2009 NHL All-Star Game by Mark Streit of the New York Islanders and Tim Thomas of the Boston Bruins while former ECHL players Dan Ellis, Jonathan Quick and Tomas Vokoun were all selected as recipients of the NHL's "Three Stars" award in 2008-09.
- Former ECHL broadcasters working in the National Hockey League include John Ahlers and Steve Carroll of the Anaheim Ducks, Tom Callahan of the Nashville Predators, Dave Goucher of the Boston Bruins, Chris Kerber of the St. Louis Blues, Dave Mishkin of the Tampa Bay Lightning, Bob McElligott and John Michael of the Columbus Blue Jackets and Rob Simpson, who is a producer/host for The NHL Network.
- Ryan Stanzel and Jeremy Zager, who were both recipients of the ECHL Media Relations Director of the Year award, are working in the communications department for the Minnesota Wild and the Los Angeles Kings, respectively. Former ECHL assistant director of communications Joe Siville and Kelly Murray are now with the Philadelphia Flyers and the Washington Capitals, respectively, while former ECHL director of communications Jason Rothwell is the creative director for the Columbus Blue Jackets.
- ECHL has affiliations with 25 of the 29 teams in the American Hockey League and for the past 20 years there has been an ECHL player on the Calder Cup Champion.
- In the last six seasons the ECHL has had more call-ups to the AHL than all other professional leagues combined with over 2,500 call-ups involving more than 1,300 players and in 2008-09 there were 10 times as many call-ups from the ECHL to the AHL than all other professional leagues.
- The ECHL averaged 4,258 fans per game in 2008-09 and is the only minor professional hockey league to increase average attendance each of the last two seasons. It is the fifth consecutive season and the 17th time in the last 19 years that the ECHL has averaged over 4,000 fans and the league drew over 3 million fans for the 16th year in a row and reached the 3 million mark in the fewest number of games since 2005-06.
- There have been more than 74 million fans who have attended almost 17,000 games since the ECHL began in 1988-89 with five teams in three states.
- The Ontario Reign, the City of Ontario and Citizens Business Bank Arena will host the 18th Annual ECHL All-Star Game presented by Reebok Hockey on Jan. 20, 2010 and the 13th Annual All-Star Skills Competition on Jan. 19, 2010.
- Further information on the ECHL is available from its website at ECHL.com.

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ECHL Stories from October 19, 2009


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