Weekly Arrowhead

October 20, 2008 - ECHL (ECHL)
Johnstown Chiefs News Release


Johnstown, PA - After a long summer, the puck finally dropped on the Johnstown Chiefs' 21st season of competition in the ECHL last weekend. Johnstown opened the season with an away game for the first time in two years when they played in Trenton on Friday night before returning to the UPMC Health Plan Ice Rink at the Cambria County War Memorial for the home opener against Wheeling on Saturday. With the opening weekend festivities out of the way, the Chiefs will now focus on climbing the ladder in the North Division.

Record: 1-1-0, 2 pts., 4th place North Division

Leaders:

Goals - Ryan Garlock: 2

Assists - Ray Macias/Petr Pohl: 2

Points - Ryan Garlock: 3

+/- - David Schulz: +1

PIMs - Alex Penner: 14

PPG - Ryan Garlock/Randy Rowe/Mark McCutcheon: 1

Wins - Ian Keserich: 1

GAA - Ian Keserich: 2.50

SVP - Ian Keserich: .904

This Week:

10/22 vs. Elmira, 7:05 p.m. (0-0-0)

When the Chiefs host Elmira this Wednesday, a share of first place in the North Division will be up for grabs. The Jackals are off to a 2-0-0 start after upending Trenton on Sunday and toppling Reading to open the season last Friday. The Chiefs will be faced with the task of slowing down Tyler Donati who leads the league with six points (2G, 4A) in two games. Last season, the Chiefs were 1-2-2 against Elmira at the War Memorial. The win was the Chiefs' best offensive game of the 07-08 season as they posted a 9-3 victory. For the Chiefs' Affiliate Night promotion this night anyone wearing the colors of one of the Chiefs' four affiliates will receive a discount at the box office.

10/24 vs. Dayton, 7:05 p.m. (0-0-0)

When the Bombers visit Johnstown this Friday, it will be their first since the Chiefs eliminated them from the 2008 Kelly Cup Playoffs with a 5-0 victory. While neither of the playoff games last season against Dayton were very close, the regular season games in Johnstown were quite different. Four of the five contests were decided by one goal, and three of them went to a shootout, and the only non-nail biter was a 5-1 Johnstown win on January 18. Overall the Chiefs were 3-0-2 against Dayton at the War Memorial last year. The Bombers enter the week with a 1-0-0 record after downing Cincinnati 5-4 last Saturday. Johnstown will be holding a Halloween celebration on Friday and the team will be wearing special Halloween jerseys that will be auctioned off after the game. Also, wear your costume to the arena that night to get a discount on your ticket.

10/25 at Reading, 7:05 p.m. (0-0-0)

The ECHL's version of the battle for the Keystone State resumes this Saturday when the Chiefs travel east to take on the Reading Royals. In 2007-08 the Chiefs played a very up-and-down series with each team ending with an identical 5-4-1 record against the other. The Royals won four of the first five games of the series, but the Chiefs won four straight to close out the season including a 4-1 triumph at the Sovereign Center on April 2. Reading is 1-1-0 after two road games to start the season after losing 5-2 to Elmira in the opener on Friday and beating Trenton 4-2 on Saturday.

Day by Day:

Mon. 10/20: Practice at UPMC Health Plan Ice Rink at CCWM, 10:00 a.m.

Tues. 10/21: Practice at UPMC Health Plan Ice Rink at CCWM, 10:00 a.m.

Wed. 10/22: Chiefs vs. Elmira Jackals, 7:05 p.m. - Affiliate Night promotion

Thurs. 10/23: Practice at UPMC Health Plan Ice Rink at CCWM, 10:00 a.m.

Fri. 10/24: Chiefs vs. Dayton Bombers, 7:05 p.m. - Halloween Celebration night w/special jersey auction

Sat. 10/25: Chiefs at Reading Royals, 7:05 p.m.

Sun. 10/26: Off

Broadcast Schedule:

Wed. 10/22: Chiefs vs. Elmira Jackals, 7:05 p.m. - radio and internet

Fri. 10/24: Chiefs vs. Dayton Bombers, 7:05 p.m. - internet, 9:30 p.m. (or immediately following Bishop McCort football) - radio

Sat. 10/25: Chiefs at Reading, 7:05 p.m. - internet, 11:30 p.m. (or immediately following Penn State football) - radio

All Chiefs radio broadcasts can be heard on 1490 AM WNTJ and AM 990 WNTW, and live streaming audio of every Chiefs game is available courtesy of B2 Networks at www.johnstownchiefs.com. The Chiefs radio network is presented by Dodge.

Last Week: (1-1-0)

10/17 at Trenton: W 2-1

As can sometimes be the case in the early portion of the season, Johnstown's offense took some time to gel in its season opener against Trenton. Chris Poli (1st; 15:50) gave the home team a 1-0 lead with a power play goal in the second period. In the final frame, Johnstown came out desperate for the win. The Chiefs out-shot the Devils 9-4 in the third, and Ryan Garlock (1st; 12:06, 2nd; 14:39) scored twice, once at even strength and once on the power play, to propel the Chiefs to their first win. Petr Pohl had two assists in his Chiefs debut, while Randy Rowe and Ray Macias each had one assist. Ian Keserich made 24 saves in earning the win in net.

10/18 vs. Wheeling: L 4-2

Exactly one year ago the Chiefs held their home opener against Wheeling, and that game produced the same result as this year's contest. David Brown continued to be a puzzle the Chiefs can't solve as he moved his record to 3-0-0 against Johnstown. Mark McCutcheon (1st; 9:26) in the first period and Randy Rowe (1st; 18:23) in the third provided the scoring for the Chiefs, but a three-goal second period by Wheeling proved to be their undoing. Aaron Clarke (2nd; 2:51 pd. 2), Tommy Goebel (1st: 10:15 pd. 2), and Nick Johnson (2nd; 18:28 pd. 2 & 3rd; 10:00 pd. 3) powered Wheeling's attack.

CHIEFS CHOPS:

Scoring Streaks:

Goals:

- None

Assists:

- Ray Macias 10/17-10/18: 2 games (2A)

Points:

- Ray Macias 10/17-10/18: 2 games (2A)

- Randy Rowe 10/17-10/18: 2 games (1G, 1A)

- Ryan Garlock 10/17-10/18: 2 games (2G, 1A)

Doubling Up: With two goals in the season-opening win over Trenton, Ryan Garlock became the first Johnstown player to score multiple goals in the first game of the season in two years. Jean Desrochers was the last Chief to accomplish that feat when he scored a natural hat trick in the first period of a 5-2 win over Pensacola to begin the 2006-07 season. Garlock nearly completed his hat trick, but a diving attempt to slide the puck into an open Trenton net near the end of the game glanced off of the post.

His Cup of Coffee: First year Chiefs goaltender, and Pittsburgh native, Kris Mayotte received a brief call up to the Chiefs' AHL affiliate in Syracuse for their game on Saturday night in Hershey. With regular Crunch starter Dan LaCosta on emergency recall to the big club in Columbus, Mayotte filled in as the backup for starter Sebastian Dahm. Mayotte didn't see any game action as the Crunch lost 7-1, and was returned to Johnstown following the game.

Lending Some Assistance: Chiefs defenseman Ray Macias showed his scoring prowess in his junior days with Kamloops (WHL) by piling up 118 assists, along with 66 goals, in 280 games. He has brought an offensive element to the Chiefs blueline corps as well. In 13 games with Johnstown, seven regular season and three playoff, the Long Beach, Calif. native has 10 assists. Macias started off the 2008-09 season with one assist in each of the Chiefs' first two games.



ECHL Stories from October 20, 2008


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