Sports stats

Trax Continue Trendy Ways

December 15, 2003 - SPHL (SPHL)
Macon Trax News Release


RECORD TO DATE: 6-5-0 (12 points) 5th place in WHA2

THIS WEEK:

THU Dec. 18 Jacksonville @ TRAX 7:35 p.m. Macon Centreplex

The Trax will try and solve the first place team on "Thirsty Thursday." All fans at the game can enjoy 2-for-1 draughts all night long. The Trax and Barracudas are quickly becoming the fiercest rivals in the WHA2. Both coaches have exchanged verbal blows in the media. Jacksonville Head Coach Ron Duguay has claimed he can come into Macon and control the game with his team. Come to the Centreplex to watch the Trax prove that this is their home ice and they will defend it.

Season Series: Jacksonville leads 3-0 (Most recent: 7-4 loss, Dec. 5 @ MAC)

FRI Dec. 19 Orlando @ TRAX 7:35 p.m. Macon Centreplex

Would a weekend be complete without a game versus the Orlando Seals? For the third time in four weeks the Trax and Seals will hit the ice together. The Trax have won two of the previous three meetings versus the defending champs. Friday will be the last home game in the 2003 calendar year. Come see the Trax before the New Year hits. Of course, Steve McCall will be on hand for the world's best chicken dance.

Season Series: Trax lead 2-1 (2-1 loss Dec. 13 @ MAC)

SAT Dec. 20 Trax @ ALABAMA 8:05 p.m. Pelham Civic Complex

These two teams lock up for only the second time this season. A month ago the Slammers came to town for the Trax home opener. The game had a little bit of everything. The Trax took an early lead, but Alabama came back. The Slammers went ahead late, but the Trax fought back to tie the game late and force overtime. In overtime Macon looked to have won the game but the referee waived off an apparent goal. Eventually the teams took part in the league's first shootout. Is the shootout three rounds or five rounds? Confusion loomed again but in the end the Trax took the game in the sixth round of the shootout. Macon fans may want to take the drive Saturday and watch the first of three straight games versus the Slammers.

Season Series: Trax lead 1-0 (8-7 SO WIN Nov. 22 @ MAC)

LAST WEEK:

FRI Dec. 12 Miami @ TRAX (6-0 WIN) 7:35 p.m. Macon Centreplex

Two goals from Steve Zoryk and twenty saves by Andy Kollar meant a 6-0 win for the Trax over Miami. With the win the Trax sent the Manatees to their fifth straight loss.

WHA2 Player of the Week Steve Zoryk continued his hot streak with two early goals in the first period. Zoryk moves into the team lead with 11 goals on the year and seven goals in his last three games after his stellar performance.

Kollar stood tall between the pipes as he turned away everything that came his way. The shutout was the second of the North Dakota grad's professional career and first of the season.

From the opening puck the Trax were in complete control of the match. Besides all the scoring, the Trax tough man Andrew Katzberg dropped the gloves twice. In the first period he sent Manatee forward Ryan Kiley to the locker room, with a mild concussion.

Besides Zoryk, four other Trax found the back of the net. Craig Miller finished the first period scoring at the 8:21 mark with his seventh goal of the season.

The Trax doubled their total by the end of the second period scoring three goals within four minutes. Ryan Rivard found the back of the net for the sixth time this season. Captain Jeff Antonovich and Edan Welch capped the scoring on the night for the home team.

SAT Dec. 13 Orlando @ TRAX (2-1 loss) 7:35 p.m. Macon Centreplex

A bittersweet night for the fans in Macon. On the ice the Trax fell to the Seals 2-1. It was the first time in three tries Orlando was able to beat the Trax.

Off the ice over a thousand fans brought multiple teddy bears for the annual "Teddy Bear Toss" which littered the ice after the lone Trax goal. Unfortunately one goal was not enough tonight.

After a quiet first period Orlando got on the board eight minutes into the middle period. Mark White took a Thomas Jelinek feed and put it past Trax goaltender Geoff Faulkner.

The rest of the period was spent mostly in the neutral zone. Both teams' defenses were stellar, not allowing much pressure on the goal tenders all night.

The Trax had momentum going into the third period as they began the final frame with a man advantage. Macon won the initial draw and carried the puck into the zone but never got a good shot off.

Later in the period the Trax went back on the power play and bad things began to happen. Steve Zoryk turned the puck over in the neutral zone and Seals' forward Jason Elders jumped on the puck and took it into the Trax zone. Half way into the zone he ripped a shot past Faulkner's glove. The shorthanded goal was the fourth given up by the Trax this season, worst in the WHA2.

Craig Miller tried to get the home team back into the game as he scored a rebound goal at the 12:27 mark. When the red light went on, teddy bears littered the ice as fans donated their stuffed animals to Kids Yule Love.

The Trax had their chances in the final stages of the game. After Faulkner was pulled with just under two minutes remaining Macon kept pressure on Seals' goalie David Goverde. The veteran Goverde was a brick wall and did not allow another puck to get behind him.

The win gives the Seals sole possession of second place with a 7-4-1 (15 points) record, while the Trax fall to 6-5-0 (12 points). The two teams will rematch back in Macon Friday, Dec. 19.

TRAX TIDBITS:

· Listen to Foxie 107 Monday between 12-1 pm when Darwin Murray will join Dangerous D.

· Listen to Foxie 107 Tuesday at 8:15 am when Steve Howard will join Mike Roberts.

· The Trax players will be serving lunch at Applebee's on Riverside Drive Tuesday from 11-1:30 pm. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Macon Department of Family And Child Services.

· Player Appearances:

o Monday, Dec. 15 Medical Center of Central Georgia Children's Hospital 1:00 pm

o Tuesday, Dec. 16 Colonial Grand @ Wesleyan Apartments Meet and Greet 5:00-7:00 pm

TEAM NOTES:

Macon continues to sport the top offense in the WHA2 with goals (53) assists (84) and points (137).

The Trax have not allowed a power play goal in 23 consecutive tries.

On the season Macon has the second best penalty kill with an 84.2% success rate.

Friday's shutout against Miami marked the widest margin for a victory in the WHA2 this season.

STANDOUTS:

STEVE ZORYK was named Player of the Week for 12/8.

ANDREW KATZBERG leads the WHA2 with 9 major penalties.

Nobody is shooting better than CRAIG MILLER who has been successful on 40% of his shots.

BOBBY CLOUSTON leads all WHA2 defenseman with a +9 rating.

TRAX PLAYER OF THE WEEK:

ANDY KOLLAR-Friday night Kollar stoned the Miami Manatees for a 6-0 shutout win. It was the first shutout of the season for the Macon Trax as a team. The 5'8", 165-pounder stopped all 20 shots that came his way. The Winnipeg, Man. native earned his second shutout of his career and improved his save percentage .906, good for second in the league.



SPHL Stories from December 15, 2003


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

Other Recent Macon Trax Stories



Sports Statistics from the Stats Crew
OurSports Central