Teams and players step up during stretch run

Published on April 3, 2006 under International Hockey League 2 (IHL 2) News Release


LAKE ST. LOUIS, MO --- There are just two weeks and 42 games remaining on the United Hockey League (UHL) schedule and players have been treating the fans with outstanding performances. A pair of goaltenders took the spotlight on Friday evening. Fort Wayne's Kevin St. Pierre stopped all 22 Flint shots for a 4-0 shutout to help the Komets tighten their hold on second place in the Western Division standings. Quad City is chasing Fort Wayne for that spot and was helped by goaltender Jason Tapp when he turned away 30 shots in the 4-0 win vs. Missouri. Tapp also collected an assist on the game-winning goal. Muskegon goaltender Nick Boucher also earned a shutout on Sunday when he stopped all 29 Quad City shots in the 3-0 win.

A battle of the top two teams in the Central Division and overall standings took place on Friday when Kalamazoo visited Muskegon. The Fury jumped out to a 2-0 lead after the first period, but were answered when the K-Wings tallied a pair of goals in the second. Muskegon right wing Robin Bouchard scored his league leading 32nd power play goal of the season late in the second period and the Fury held on for a 3-2 victory. The game wrapped up the season series between the division rivals.

The Adirondack Frostbite gained some ground in the Eastern Division standings when they defeated the Danbury Trashers on back-to-back evenings. Adirondack left wing Hugo Belanger tallied three points (2g, 1a) including the game-winning goal in Saturday's 4-2 victory over Danbury. After trailing 1-0 the next evening, the Frostbite scored three unanswered goals to take a 3-1 win vs. their arch rivals. Adirondack now trails Danbury by six points in the standings and has nine games remaining while the Trashers have just six left on their schedule. The two teams will face each other just one more time before the conclusion of the regular season.

The Rockford IceHogs secured a division title on Saturday when they jumped out with three goals in the first period, including two by winger Jason Ralph, and went on to a 4-1 win vs. Muskegon. It was Rockford's first victory vs. Muskegon in five opportunities this season. The two teams will collide three more times in the final two weeks of the 2005-06 campaign.

ONE SPOT UP FOR GRABS - The Richmond RiverDogs sit just two points behind the Quad City Mallards for the eighth and final spot in the Colonial Cup Playoffs. Richmond has eight games remaining on their schedule while Quad City has six. Motor City leads the Mallards by five points for the seventh spot and Fort Wayne leads the Mallards by six points.

UHL RECORDS IN JEOPARDY - A few UHL records could be broken in the next couple of weeks. The Muskegon Fury currently have six road losses while the Danbury Trashers have seven road losses. The UHL record for fewest road losses in a season is eight (Quad City Mallards 2000-01, Chatham Wheels 1993-94). Muskegon has four road contests remaining and Danbury has five.

Motor City goaltender Rod Branch is 21:15 minutes shy of the single season record for minutes played by a goaltender (3918:20). He is also 100 saves shy of the single season record (1,961). Both marks were set by Sylvain Daigle during the 2003-04 season when he was a member of the Muskegon Fury. Branch is also two games shy of tying the league mark for games by a goaltender which was set by J.F. Rivard of Thunder Bay during the 1997-98 season when he appeared in 69 games.

AROUND THE LEAGUE

Adirondack Frostbite - (3-0-0) - Forwards Hugo Belanger and Greg Koehler both have a goal in each of the last three games...In his last five starts, goaltender Kris Tebbs is 5-0-0 with a 1.40 GAA and a .945 SPCT...The Frostbite rank second in the UHL allowing 28.42 shots per game...The next three games for Adirondack are vs. either Richmond (twice) or Roanoke (once). The Frostbite are a combined 23-0-0 vs. these teams this season.

Danbury Trashers - (1-2-0) - Friday's 5-2 win vs. Elmira gave the Trashers 95 points in the standings which equaled their total from last season...Center David Hymovitz reached the 30-goal plateau for the second consecutive season...Danbury's back-to-back losses this weekend were the first two consecutive regulation losses in almost three months...Center Shawn Collymore ranks fifth in the UHL with a plus-40 rating.

Elmira Jackals - (1-2-0) - Left wing Jarrett Konkle is two goals shy of the team record for goals in a season (36)... Defenseman Brett Angel scored his first professional goal on Friday...Forward Josh Piro netted two goals on Sunday including the game-winner. He registered one goal in his previous 42 games. Two of his three goals this season have been game-winners...Rookie center Craig MacDonald moved back to defense during the week and amassed 40 minutes in penalties.

Flint Generals - (1-2-1) - Right wing Mike Kinnie scored two goals plus added a shootout goal during Wednesday's 3-2 shootout win vs. Kalamazoo...Three of the last five games for the Generals have gone to the shootout...Center Terry Marchant has a point in four of the last five games and ranks tied for ninth in UHL scoring...Goaltender Eric Marvin stopped 33 shots in regulation and three of five in the shootout on Wednesday to earn his first pro victory.

Fort Wayne Komets - (3-1-0) - Fort Wayne has won their last four on home ice...Center Andrew Luciuk is riding a six-game point streak. He netted his 200th career goal on Wednesday...Goaltender Kevin St. Pierre stopped all 22 shots vs. Flint on Friday to record his 6th shutout of the season. He is the UHL all-time career leader with 21 shutouts. It was also his fifth straight victory...Right wing Jamie Milam scored his first professional goal on Saturday.

Kalamazoo Wings - (2-1-1) - Right wing Tyler Willis is riding a nine-game point streak. He is two points shy of 300 for his career...Center Jason Deitsch is on an eight-game point streak...Deitsch set the team record when he netted his 16th power play goal of the season on Friday...The K-Wings lead the UHL with 305 goals (4.36 per game) and have given up the fewest with 172 (2.46 per game)...Right wing Nick Bootland is four points shy of 300 for his career.

Missouri River Otters - (1-3-0) - Goaltender Kevin Reiter made 29 saves in the 3-1 win vs. Rockford on Sunday. It was just his second game in net since being injured on March 4th...With six games remaining in the season, winger Jim Duhart is six goals shy of 500 for his career...The Otters are on a four-game road winless streak. Their next three games on are on the road...Defenseman Tyler Butler has four points (2g, 2a) in his last four games.

Motor City Mechanics - (1-1-1) - Motor City eclipsed the team record by earning 83 points in the standings...With an assist on Saturday, forward Brent Gretzky set the team record for points in a season (77)...Defenseman Kyle Voelker registered his first professional point when he dished out an assist on Sunday...Center Adam Edinger netted two goals on Saturday, including the game-winner, and is one goal shy of 50 for the season.

Muskegon Fury - (3-1-0) - With their 3-0 victory at Quad City on Sunday, the Fury set a team record with their 24th road win of the season. It was the second consecutive shutout in Quad City by goaltender Nick Boucher...Right wing Robin Bouchard netted his 56th goal of the season on Friday, setting a new team season record...Left wing David Wrigley has a goal in four straight games...Wrigley and defenseman Dave Van Drunen have played in all 70 Fury games this season.

Port Huron Flags - (0-2-0) - Forward Steve Dix had his seven-game point streak snapped on Friday...Forward Petr Jelinek scored two goals on Saturday. In 16 games with the Flags this season, he has eight goals. In his previous 48 games with Roanoke Valley, he scored eight goals...Goaltender Scott Hay has made five consecutive starts for the Flags. He is third among UHL goaltenders in minutes played (3014:56).

Quad City Mallards - (2-1-0) - Center Glenn Detulleo registered his 200th career point on Saturday vs. Missouri... Defenseman Steve O'Rourke netted his first goal in a Mallards uniform on Saturday...The Mallards rounded out their season series against Missouri with a 8-1-3 record...Quad City currently sits in the eighth and final playoff spot. Four of their next five games are vs. teams they are closest to in the overall standings (Fort Wayne, Motor City, Richmond).

Richmond RiverDogs - (3-0-0) - With his goal on Friday, center Mike Oliveira became the second UHL player this season to score 50 goals...Forward John DiPace recorded four goals in three games during the week. He has eclipsed career highs this season in goals (26), assists (30), and points (56)...The RiverDogs will play five games in the next six days. They sit two points behind Quad City for the final playoff spot.

Roanoke Valley Vipers - (1-3-0) - Left wing Mike Wiggins had his six-game point streak and four-game goal streak snapped in Sunday's 5-1 loss to Elmira...Left wing Mark Scott had his four-game point streak snapped in the loss...Saturday's 5-2 win vs. Elmira snapped a 14-game road winless streak. Scott (2g), Jonathan Charette (2a), and Jan Jas (1g, 2a) combined for seven points (3g, 4a) in the victory.

Rockford IceHogs - (2-2-0) - The IceHogs tied their mark from last season when they notched their 46th win on Saturday...The IceHogs clinched their first division title in Rockford team history on Saturday...Winger Rob Voltera skated in his 400th career game on Friday...Center Preston Mizzi scored two goals on Friday for his sixth multi-goal game of the season...The IceHogs will play four of their final five games at home...March was the first month the team finished with a record below .500 (6-7-1).

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International Hockey League 2 Stories from April 3, 2006


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