Tough down the stretch

Published on March 30, 2005 under International Hockey League 2 (IHL 2) News Release


LAKE ST. LOUIS, MO --- The Motor City Mechanics are finishing strong during their inaugural season in the United Hockey League (UHL). The Mechanics have won 10 of their last 11 games including four consecutive wins this past week. During the last 11 games, the team has had plenty of goal scoring combined with solid defense to out-score their opponents 49-20. Motor City has also won seven straight road games, which currently is tied for the second longest streak in the UHL this season. Several players have contributed to the team's success during their impressive run. Captain Blair Manning dished out 11 assists in four games during the week and has 17 points (1g, 16a) in the last eleven games. Forwards Bryan Smolinski (4g, 14a), Sean Avery (8g, 6a), Jeff Doyle (7g, 5a), and Joe Burton (6g, 5a) have also made significant contributions during that span. Goaltender Rod Branch has played a major role in the team's recent success. Branch was in net for all 10 wins posting a .935 save percentage and a 1.82 goals against average.

HOT WINGS – Kalamazoo clinched a spot in the Colonial Cup Playoffs last week. The K-Wings are riding a six-game winning streak and have a 8-1-1 record in their last ten contests. They are the top road team in the UHL with a 24-10-1 record on opponents' ice and are riding an eight-game win streak away from home.

MALLARDS SURGING – Quad City is looking to secure their place in postseason play after a perfect 3-0-0 week. The Mallards are 7-2-1 in their last ten games and hold a five point lead over Flint for the eighth and final playoff spot. They are four points behind Missouri for the seventh playoff position plus have two more games (8) than Missouri (6) remaining in the regular season.

AROUND THE LEAGUE

Adirondack Frostbite - (2-1-0) – Scott Drevitch is leading or tied for first in several categories among UHL defensemen. He leads all defensemen in points (57), assists (44), and shots on goal (217). He is tied for first in goals (13) and power play goals (7)...Center David Burgess recorded the 100th point of his professional career when he tallied an assist on Friday vs. Motor City...Right wing Frank Bakrlik played in his 100th pro game on Saturday vs. Elmira...The Frostbite are 29-2-0 when leading after two periods... Adirondack had their 13-game home point streak snapped on Friday vs. Motor City.

Danbury Trashers - (1-3-0) – The Trashers are 22 minutes away from breaking the team single season UHL record for penalty minutes...Goaltender Scott Stirling set a personal high on Wednesday vs. Richmond by winning his 34th game of the year...Danbury finished the home portion of their regular season schedule on Sunday compiling a 28-9-3 record. Center Bruce Richardson led the team with 51 points at home (16g, 35a), forward Alex Goupil led the team with 17 goals at home, and defensemen J.F. David led the team with a plus-30 at the Danbury Ice Arena. The Trashers outscored their opponents 147-105 on home ice.

Elmira Jackals - (1-2-0) – Goaltender Greg Hewitt came within 21 seconds of recording a shutout vs. Danbury on Friday. He made 43 saves in the Jackals 3-1 win...With the 5-2 loss vs. Adirondack on Saturday, the Jackals fell to 3-11-2 against the Frostbite this season...Defenseman George Pujacs scored a goal nearly 120 feet away from the net on Sunday vs. Motor City. He lifted a wrist shot from his own blue line that took an odd bounce and slipped past the Motor City netminder.

Flint Generals - (1-2-0) – Right wing Tom Ditzer notched his first multi-point game as a General when he added two assists against Kansas City on Friday...John DiPace recorded his first professional hat trick on Friday vs. Kansas City...Flint's 9-2 victory vs. Kansas City was their highest goal output of the season...Wingers Rob Valicevic (7g, 11a) and Bobby Reynolds (5g, 13a) each have 18 points in their last 13 games...Flint is 10-12-9 vs. their Central Division opponents this season.

Fort Wayne Komets - (2-0-0) - Center Colin Chaulk tallied his 200th Fort Wayne career assist on Saturday vs. Missouri...Chaulk (3g, 4a) and left wing Sean Venedam (2g, 8a) are both riding six-game point streaks...Right wing Chris Grenville appeared in his 400th UHL career game on Friday vs. Rockford...Troy Neumeier leads all UHL defensemen with a plus-43.

Kalamazoo Wings - (3-0-0) – Kalamazoo has won six consecutive games and is unbeaten in regulation in their last nine (8-0-1). They have won eight straight on the road which is a new team record...The K-Wings 45 wins equal their team high they set last season...Right wing Kevin Kotyluk (3g, 2a) is riding a three-game point streak...Kalamazoo will play six of their next seven games against the Western Division and next four games on the road. They are 21-6-2 vs. teams in the West this season.

Kansas City Outlaws - (0-2-1) – The Outlaws play six of their eight remaining games at home. They are 0-4-1 in their last five road games...Goaltender Maxime Gingras has appeared in 17 straight games...Kansas City is 11-0-0 when scoring five or more goals, and are 0-16-0 when allowing more than five goals in a game this season...The Outlaws have lost all three of their games that have gone to a shootout in the month of March...Kansas City has not won a game on a Tuesday (0-2-1) or Thursday (0-2-0) this season.

Missouri River Otters - (2-2-0) – With two shootout wins this week, the Otters improved their season shootout record to 11-6. Two River Otter defensemen shined in the shootout this week. Mike Dombkiewicz scored the shootout game-winner on Wednesday vs. Kansas City and Barret Jackman scored the shootout game-winner on Sunday vs. Port Huron...Forward Jamal Mayers scored two crucial third period goals this week, one to tie the game vs. Kansas City and one to give the Otters the lead vs. Port Huron...Missouri has not scored more than two goals in a game since March 13th when they defeated Port Huron 5-2.

Motor City Mechanics - (4-0-0) – Motor City completed their first perfect week of the season...Right wing Joe Burton (4g, 3a) and center David Bonk (3g, 4a) each had seven points in four games this week...Center Chris Gignac tallied two assists on Sunday vs. Elmira...Opponents have racked up 1,534 penalty minutes vs. the Mechanics this season, which is the second fewest in the league.

Muskegon Fury - (2-2-0) – Muskegon's 47 wins equals their season output of last season. Their current point total of 102 marks the fourth time in the last seven seasons that the team has eclipsed 100 points in the standings...The Fury rank #1 in the UHL in several categories, including goals (257), goals against (178), power play (24.1%), and penalty kill (88.9%)...Left wing Brant Blackned has 20 points (10g, 10a) in his last nine games. His six points (2g, 4a) vs. Richmond on Saturday equaled a team season high... In their last nine games, center Jeff Nelson has 16 points (5g, 11a) and right wing Jason Lawmaster has 15 points (3g, 12a).

Port Huron Beacons - (1-2-1) – Left wing Trevor Edwards (18g, 22a) is tied for 7th in scoring among UHL rookies...Forward Gray Shaneberger has a point (1g, 2a) in three of his first four games as a Beacon since being acquired earlier in the week...The Beacons are 18-14-2 on home ice this season...Left wing David Beauregard leads the UHL with 42 goals...Goaltender Stu Dunn has the fifth best shootout save percentage in the league (.781)

Quad City Mallards - (3-0-0) – Goaltender Robert Gherson recorded his third shutout of the season on Friday vs. Missouri...The Mallards hosted Kansas City for the final time on Saturday winning 6-2 and improving their record to 6-0-0 at home vs. Kansas City...Forward Mike Kompon netted two goals on both Friday and Saturday giving him eight multi-goal games this season...Rookie defenseman Danny Grover played his first professional game on Saturday and recorded his first professional point when he added an assist in the third period...Quad City recorded this largest margin of victory in the 8-0 win vs. Missouri on Friday.

Richmond RiverDogs - (1-2-0) – Left wing David Hymovitz is tied for third in the UHL in scoring (31g, 60a) and is fifth in the league with 60 assists...Left wing Kris Waltze is third in the UHL with 285 penalty minutes...Right wing David Brosseau notched a hat trick in Friday's 4-2 win vs. Muskegon. Jim Duhart and David Hymovitz each had two assists in the victory. It was Richmond's first win in four games this season vs. Muskegon...Brosseau added two more goals on Saturday vs. Muskegon to extend his goal-scoring streak to five games.

Rockford IceHogs - (0-1-2) – The IceHogs seven-game unbeaten streak came to an end with the 6-4 loss to Kalamazoo on Saturday...Rookie center Miguel Lafleche has a point in nine of his last 12 games (2g, 14a)... Rockford set a team record on Friday with their ninth shootout loss of the season...The IceHogs have scored a power play goal in seven straight games, which is their longest streak of the season...Center Olivier Proulx has a point in seven of his last eight games (2g, 8a).

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International Hockey League 2 Stories from March 30, 2005


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