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Trax are Trendiest Team in WHA2

December 8, 2003 - SPHL (SPHL)
Macon Trax News Release


RECORD TO DATE: 5-4-0 (10 points) 5th place in WHA2

THIS WEEK:

FRI Dec. 12 Miami @ TRAX 7:35 p.m. Macon Centreplex

For the first time in their history the Miami Manatees will travel up to Macon for a showdown. The two have not met since Nov. 8. The Manatees outscored the Trax 10-6 in the Miami Arena that night. The Trax will look to beat Miami who has lost their last four games in a row.

Season Series: Miami leads 1-0 (Most recent: 10-6, Nov. 8 @ MIA)

SAT Dec. 13 Orlando @ TRAX 7:35 p.m. Macon Centreplex

What a difference a year makes, so far. Last season Orlando was the only team that took the season series from the Trax. So far this year Macon is perfect in two games versus the defending champs. Saturday will mark the return of the annual "Teddy Bear Toss" All fans who bring a teddy bear will receive $1 off their game ticket. Trax broadcaster Adam Minnick has publicly challenged the fans. He put the mark at 8,000 bears. Can the Trax fans live up to his challenge? Come to the Centreplex Saturday, with a bear, to make it happen. All the bears collected will be given to Kids Yule Love.

Season Series: Trax lead 2-0 (4-2 Nov. 28 @ MAC)

LAST WEEK:

FRI Dec. 5 Jacksonville @ TRAX (7-4 loss) 7:35 p.m. Macon Centreplex

For the third time this season the Macon Trax fell to the Jacksonville Barracudas. Two late empty net goals made the final tally 7-4.

Before the game both coaches exchanged some verbal banter in the press, and Ron Duguay was the coach who ended up with another win under his belt.

In the previous two meetings Jacksonville got on the board first, tonight the same thing happened. Chris Hackett scored his second goal of the season 6:14 into the game.

The Trax tied it up halfway through the first period when Steve Zoryk scored the first of his two goals on the night. Just 31 seconds later the ‘Cudas took the lead back when Chris Harper beat goalie Geoff Faulkner.

The Trax tied the game up late in the first on the prettiest goal of the night. David Deeves took the puck into the zone and got two veteran defenseman to run into each other. Right before Deeves took the hit he gave the puck to a streaking Edan Welch who walked in all alone and buried his third goal of the season.

The second period was owned by the Barracudas. They scored three unanswered goals and never looked back the rest of the game.

The Trax tried their best to come back late in the game. Back to back power play goals by Craig Miller and Zoryk drew the Trax to within one goal.

Coach Tommy Stewart called a timeout with just under two minutes remaining in regulation. When the Trax came back to the ice, Stewart pulled his goalie in favor of an extra attacker.

With the net open the Barracudas took advantage of the opportunity. Mike Johnson and Klage Kaebel added the empty net insurance goals to seal the victory.

SAT Dec. 6 Lakeland @ TRAX (5-4 WIN) 7:35 p.m. Macon Centreplex

Trends continue in the WHA2 for the Macon Trax. In the second meeting between the two teams this season, Macon won 5-4 Saturday night.

Steve Zoryk stole the show offensively as he recorded a hat trick. Zoryk's three goals gave the Trax their second hat trick on home ice in a week.

Zoryk started his scoring onslaught at the 1:53 mark of the first period on a feed from Luke Murphy and John Gurskis. Two minutes later Lakeland tied the game from a Garrett Dionne unassisted goal.

The see-saw battle continued throughout the game. Déjà vu occurred half way through the first period as Zoryk once again took a feed from Murphy to put the Trax back ahead.

Lakeland answered quickly as Jimmy Callahan found the back of the net at the 11:15 mark. Before the first period ended, Jeff Antonovich found a streaking Steve Howard who buried his fifth goal on the year from the high slot.

Macon looked to take control of the game in the second period as Zoryk finished the hat trick with his team leading ninth goal of the season at 5:36 of the second period. For the first time in the game the Trax took a two goal lead.

Late in the second period, Lakeland crawled back into the game when Chris Migliore scored his fourth goal of the year. Late in the period Jeff Antonovich was called for a head butting penalty that put the Trax shorthanded for five minutes. His teammates successfully killed off the major power play.

The Trax began the third period shorthanded. Eventually it ended up as a five-on-three for Lakeland. The Loggerheads were not given much space in the zone as the Trax defense was stellar.

With the game still at 4-3, Andy Kollar made the saves of the game. Migliore and Callahan had three chances to tie the game up from the top of the goal crease. Kollar stood up to all three shots and kept the Trax ahead.

Late in the period Ryan Rivard gave the Trax a much needed insurance goal. With the goal Rivard set a career high with his fifth goal of the season. The Loggerheads once again made things interesting with just over two minutes to go in regulation. Callahan scored for the second time in the game, but that was the closest the Loggerheads would come.

TRAX TIDBITS:

· Happy Birthday to Player/Assistant Coach John Gurskis. He celebrated his 28th birthday Monday.

· The annual Teddy Bear Toss will be Saturday, Dec. 13. $1 off tickets with a bear.

TEAM NOTES:

Macon leads the league with 46 goals.

The Trax are finally clicking on the power play. After a solid weekend the Trax have risen to the middle of the WHA2 with an 18% success rate.

Macon has been called for the least number of minor penalties in the league.

STANDOUTS:

STEVE ZORYK is 3rd in the WHA2 with nine goals. EDAN WELCH continues to lead the Trax in assists with 14 and is 2nd overall in the WHA2.

Trax goalie ANDY KOLLAR is 4th in the WHA2 with a .895 save percentage

STEVE HOWARD leads all league defenseman with 5 goals.

TRAX PLAYER OF THE WEEK:

STEVE ZORYK-If there is ever a player who can be considered on fire it is ZORYK. The Ottawa, Ont. native scored five goals in two games this weekend. He jumped up to third in the league with nine goals on the season. If that was not enough the left wing has found the net in four straight games (7 goals). He also has recorded eight points in his last five games.

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