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Trax stuck in neutral

February 2, 2004 - SPHL (SPHL)
Macon Trax News Release


RECORD TO DATE: 14-14-5 (33 points) 5th place in WHA2

THIS WEEK:

TUE Feb. 3 Lakeland @ TRAX 7:35 p.m. Macon Centreplex

The Trax look to end their four game home stand with a win. In the first three games the Trax are 1-2 and have dropped to the .500 mark again. After Tuesday's game the Trax hit the road for a 10-game span. The Trax have registered a point in every game this season versus Lakeland. The last time the two teams met in Lakeland the turtles got their first victory against the Trax this season.

Season Series: Macon leads 5-0-1 (Most recent: 5-4 OT loss, Jan. 23 @ LAK)

FRI Feb. 6 Trax @ Alabama 7:05 p.m. (CST)Pelham Civic Complex

SAT Feb. 7 Trax @ Alabama 7:05 p.m. (CST)Pelham Civic Complex

Old rivals meet again. For the second time this season the Trax will head to Alabama for a weekend set. The Slammers and Trax have had some great battles in the WHA2's inaugural season. Six of the seven meetings have been decided by two goals or less, including two contests going to a shootout. Macon heads into the week only six points behind Alabama for the fourth and final playoff spot.

Season Series: Alabama leads 4-2-1 (Most recent: 2-1 loss, Jan. 31 @ MAC)

LAST WEEK:

WED Jan. 28 Trax @ Orlando (3-2 SO loss) 7:05 p.m. TD Waterhouse Centre

The Trax ended a four game road trip on a sour note. For the third time in four games the Trax earned a point, but could not seal the victory in the extra frame.

Trax goaltender Andy Kollar kept his team in the game as he made 34 saves to help preserve the point. The Trax took a 1-0 lead early in the game on a Luke Murphy power play goal.

The Seals remained scoreless until the third period when Jason Elders scored on a two man advantage. Just 1:38 later the Seals pulled ahead on Mike Sanderson's goal.

Trax Player/Assistant Coach John Gurskis became the hero for the moment when he beat Seals' goalie Mike Correia with just over two minutes remaining, knotting the game at one

As usual overtime was fast paced as the team combined for 10 shots in five minutes. The shootout was equally as exciting as it took an extra round to find a winner. Orlando's Sanderson scored his second goal of the game which proved to be the game winner in the sudden death round.

THU Jan. 29 Miami @ TRAX (4-1 loss) 7:35 p.m. Macon Centreplex

Miami came to town well rested and ready to go. With the Trax playing the night before on the road, Miami actually arrived in Macon ahead of the home team.

Things looked good at the start as David Deeves put the Trax ahead 1-0 at the 12:04 mark of the first period. The lead was short lived as Miami's Tom Perry tied the game three minutes later.

Perry's goal was the first of four unanswered tallies for Miami. Kevin Swider scored in the final minute of the first period to give Miami a 2-1 lead after 20 minutes.

The second period proved to be the calm before the storm. Miami found the net two more times in the third period and sealed their 4-1 victory. It was the first time all season the Trax lost in regulation when scoring the game's first goal..

The Trax showed life in the third by way of fisticuffs. Three fights broke out in the final stanza with the most surprising being the battle of 5'9" forwards. The Trax Edan Welch dropped the gloves for the first time this year against Miami's Darren Cain in an entertaining battle.

FRI Jan. 30 Miami @ TRAX (7-2 WIN) 7:35 p.m. Macon Centreplex

The winless streak stopped at six in a total domination of Miami. In just twenty four hours the Trax went from looking sluggish to clicking on all cylinders.

David Deeves stole the show for the "Boys In Black" as he set a WHA2 record with six points in one game. Deeves lit the lamp four times against his old college teammate, Miami goalie Sean Weaver.

Along with the four goals Deeves assisted on two Ryan Rivard goals in the first period. The big game came at a perfect time as Deeves had his mother and step-father in the crowd.

In net Andy Kollar was solid as he turned away 25 Miami shots en route to his fifth victory.

SAT Jan. 31 Alabama @ TRAX (2-1 loss) 7:35 p.m. Macon Centreplex

"Guaranteed Win Night" was not backed up as two rivals hit the ice. Alabama defeated the Trax 2-1 in Macon in one of the best defensive battles of the year.

The loss meant everybody at the game received free tickets to the Tuesday, Feb. 3 game versus Lakeland.

Each period saw one goal as Chad Peck opened the scoring with his seventh goal of the season at the 6:43 mark. Craig Miller tied the game up at 15:28 of the second period with assist from Art Mnatsakanov and Matt Brown.

The game winner came just past the midway point of the final period when Trax killer Ryan Prentice beat Geoff Faulkner. The goal was Prentice's tenth versus Macon in only seven games this season.

TRAX TIDBITS:

The Trax are holding a special screening of the movie "MIRACLE." Join the Trax players and staff Tuesday, February 10 at the AmStar 16 on Zebulon Road in Macon. Trax players will arrive at 6pm for an autograph session with the movie beginning at 7pm.

· "CHUGGIN' WITH THE TRAX" will be Monday, Feb. 2,9,16,23 at the Applebee's on Russell Parkway in Warner Robins. Come by between 6-7pm as Adam Minnick will be joined by Head Coach Tommy Stewart and various Trax players.

TEAM APPEARANCES:

Thursday, Feb. 5—Perry Country Club, 3:00-8:00pm—Team and Staff

TEAM NOTES:

The Trax finished January with a 7-7-3 mark. With strong fan support last month the Trax are now averaging more than 1,500 fans per game. THANK YOU to all our loyal followers!

Luke Murphy is day-to-day with a shoulder injury.

Ryan Rivard is expected to play Tuesday night (neck) after missing Saturday's game.

The Trax are the best in the WHA2 on the penalty kill with an 86.9% success rate.

STANDOUTS:

With a big weekend DAVID DEEVES has moved up to 3rd in the WHA2 scoring list with 50 points (21G, 29A). STEVE ZORYK is seventh in WHA2 scoring with 41 points (22G, 19A). Game winning goals are key for RYAN RIVARD as he is second in the league with 4. ANDY KOLLAR is 4th in the WHA2 with a 3.29 goals against average.

TRAX PLAYER OF THE WEEK:

· DAVID DEEVES—The All-Star started the second half with a bang. In four games this week Deeves had five goals and two assists. On January 29 he set a record with four goals and six points in a single game. The weekend was a perfect time for the Barrie, Ont., Can. native to shine as his parents made their first trip of the season to Macon.

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