Trax ride perfect weekend

March 8, 2004 - SPHL (SPHL)
Macon Trax News Release


RECORD TO DATE: 22-18-6 (50 points) 4th place in WHA2

THIS WEEK:

THU Mar. 11 Manatees @ TRAX 7:35 p.m. Macon Centreplex

Macon will host the Manatees for only their second home game in the last five weeks. It is a special night as the Trax will honor all city employees, firefighters, and police officers in the Heart of Georgia. If you are one of these civic employees or know of anyone who is, make sure to come to the Trax game for only $5.

Also it's an "ALL AGES THIRSTY THURSDAY." All fountain and draft beverages will be 2-for-1 all night long.

Season Series: Series Tied 2-2-1 (Most recent: 7-2 WIN, Jan. 30 @ MAC)

FRI Mar. 12 Jacksonville @ TRAX 7:35 p.m. Macon Centreplex

**ARTIC CONSTRUCTION ST. PATRICK'S JERSEY NIGHT**

The first place team will travel to Macon looking to pad their lead towards home ice advantage in the WHA2 playoffs. The Trax are looking to slow down the league's best team and continue their push towards the playoffs. Jacksonville's bench may be short as they are waiting for the league to hand down suspensions after their incident with Orlando this past Friday night.

Season Series: Jacksonville 9-2-0 (Most recent: 3-0 loss, Feb. 26 @ JAX)

SUN Mar. 14 Manatees @ TRAX 4:05 p.m. Macon Centreplex

For the second time in four nights the Manatees and Trax will skate in Macon. The Manatees are coming off a tumultuous week. The confusion has been settled and the Manatees will finish the season as charter members of the WHA2. Expect them to play for their lives as they are in a battle with Orlando, Alabama, and Macon for the playoffs.

Season Series: Series Tied 2-2-1 (Most recent: 7-2 WIN, Jan. 30 @ MAC)

LAST WEEK:

THU Mar. 4 TRAX @ Orlando (5-4 WIN ) 7:35 p.m. TD Waterhouse Centre

The Macon Trax continued their winning ways in Orlando this season. The Trax defeated Orlando 5-4 in Florida Thursday evening. The win improved Macon to 4-0-1 when playing in the TD Waterhouse Centre this year.

The Trax came out on fire. Macon was rolling along with an early four goal lead only 8:30 into the game.

The scoring started early as David Deeves got his first of two goals only 1:24 into the game. Less than two minutes later Steve Zoryk got his second point of the game when he netted a power play goal from just inside the blue line.

That was still not enough for the Trax who faced Seals goalie David Goverde who was back on the ice after a month on injured reserve. Luke Murphy scored on the power play that came from a nice feed from Edan Welch from behind the net. For good measure Zoryk added his team high 28th goal of the season at the 8:30 mark.

Orlando did get on the board shortly after the half way mark of the opening frame. Mike Sanderson scored with assists from Jerry Keefe and Ridvan Sadiki.

Macon answered 9:47 into the second period when Deeves scored from an Art Mnatsakanov feed. It would be the final time on the night the Trax would score.

Orlando's Sanderson led a late charge to try and get the Seals back into contention. At the 13:40 mark and again at the 14:12 mark of the middle period, Sanderson got his hat trick with Mike Fournier assisting on both goals.

As Macon held on to a two goal lead in the third period, they started to play conservative and it hurt. Seals captain Brad Federenko drew Orlando to within one goal when he lit the lamp at the 14:29 mark.

SUN Mar. 7 TRAX @ Lakeland (6-5 OT WIN) 4:05 p.m. Lakeland Center

For whatever reason the Trax have trouble putting the Loggerheads away in the Lakeland Center. The two teams played a see saw game the entire night. The lead was never bigger than one for the Trax or Loggerheads.

The Trax fought and clawed the whole night and eventually won when David Deeves netted his second game winning goal in a week in overtime. A week ago Deeves scored the game winner in a shootout, on Sunday night, he made sure the game finished in overtime with his power play goal.

Lakeland scored the first goal of the night and had the lead three different times, but the Trax came back, something unusual for them this season. Macon put out a solid effort as Lakeland would just not go away.

Benoit Cotnoir gave the Trax a 5-4 lead late in the third period and things looked good near the end. The pesky turtles tied the game up with just a few minutes remaining on the game clock.

With the win the Trax improved to 4-0-1 in the Lakeland Center. The Trax will return for one final visit to Lakeland this season on Mar. 21.

TRAX TIDBITS:

· "CHUGGIN' WITH THE TRAX" is changing to Tuesdays for the month of March. Join Adam Minnick, Tommy Stewart and Trax Players Tuesdays in March at the TOM HILL SR. APPLEBEE'S Grill & Bar Location. The show is live 6-7pm. David Deeves is scheduled to join Adam and Tommy Mar. 9. The show is replayed on www.irn.fm from 9-10 pm the same night.

· Mar. 11—"CITY EMPLOYEE NIGHT"—If you work for any city or county in the Middle Georgia Region bring you ID for $5 tickets.

· Mar. 11—"GUNS ‘N' HOSES NIGHT"—The Trax are honoring all the Firefighters and Police officers with a $5 ticket special. The Trax will also be looking for all the "Guns N Hoses" members to participate in the intermission fun.

· Mar. 11—"THIRSTY THURSDAY"—For the first time the Trax are having an ALL AGES THIRSTY THURSDAY. The usual special is 2-for-1 draft beer; ALSO all fountain soda will be 2-for-1 as well.

· Mar. 12—"ARTIC CONSTRUCTION ST. PATRICK'S DAY BASH"—The Trax will be wearing a special St. Patrick's Day jersey that will be auctioned off after the game. All fans can help us celebrate by wearing green to the game.

· Mar. 14—"BLOWOUT SUNDAY"—All upper level tickets for $5. Come see the Trax as the ride towards the playoffs.

· Mar. 14—"Healthcare Professionals"—All healthcare professional in the Heart of Georgia will receive $3 off their game ticket.

· MAR. 18—The second and final "SEASON TICKET REDEMPTION NIGHT"—Any unused tickets can be exchanged for a ticket to the Mar. 18 game versus Orlando.

· MAR. 18—"LAW NIGHT"—The Trax invite all law professionals to enjoy an exciting Thursday night game. Anyone who works in the law profession can have a $5 ticket.

· MAR. 18—"THIRSTY THURSDAY"—Come to the Centreplex as the Trax will have their final "Thirsty Thursday" of the season. 2-for-1 drinks for all!!

TEAM APPEARANCES:

Tuesday—Mar. 9, Macon City Hall—??—Geoff Faulkner, Darwin Murray, Benoit Cotnoir, Matt Brown

Tuesday—Mar. 9, Applebee's on Tom Hill Sr.—6pm—David Deeves, Tommy Stewart, Adam Minnick

Wednesday—Mar. 10, EAGLE 92.3 FM—4 pm—Ryan Rivard

Wednesday—Mar. 10, Westfield Schools, Perry, Ga.—12pm—Steve Zoryk, David Deeves

TEAM NOTES:

The Trax have won 6 of their last 10 games. In head-to-head series, the Trax lead or tie all teams except against Jacksonville. The Trax have swept through Central Florida (Lakeland, Orlando) with an 8-0-1 record. The Trax have one more trip to each city Macon's penalty kill is far ahead of the rest of the league. The Trax have an 86.4% success rate, more than 7% better than any other team. STANDOUTS:

DAVID DEEVES leads the league with 30 goals and is third in points with 67. The Trax have seven of the top 18 leading scorers in the WHA2 (DAVID DEEVES, STEVE ZORYK, JOHN GURSKIS, LUKE MURPHY, EDAN WELCH.). ANDY KOLLAR is third with a 3.15 goals against average while GEOFF FAULKNER is seventh with a 3.75 GAA. CRAIG MILLER had a great month of Feb. scoring five goals, four assists and posted a team high +5 rating. BENOIT COTNOIR is tenth in defensemen scoring with 23 points (4G, 19A).

TRAX PLAYER OF THE WEEK:

· DAVID DEEVES—Deeves has come to love Central Florida. In two games at Lakeland and one at Orlando Deeves totaled 10 points. The Barrie, Ont., Can. native netted seven goals and three assists. The WHA2's top goal scorer lit the lamp at the right times as he scored the game winning goal in all three games, one in regulation, one in overtime, and one in a shootout.



SPHL Stories from March 8, 2004


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