Weekly Arrowhead

Published on November 25, 2008 under ECHL (ECHL)
Johnstown Chiefs News Release


Johnstown, Pa. - The Johnstown Chiefs continued their strong play last week with two wins to remain atop the North Division standings. This week will test the team's mettle as a stretch of four games in five days awaits, and includes games against the second-place Wheeling Nailers and South Division leading Florida Everblades.

Record: 12-4-0, 24 pts., 1st place North Division

Leaders:

Goals - Randy Rowe: 7

Assists - Petr Pohl: 11

Points - Petr Pohl/Randy Rowe: 17

+/- - Andrew Sarauer: +9

PIMs - Alex Penner: 59

PPG -Randy Rowe/Jon Landry: 4

Wins - Kris Mayotte: 8

GAA - Kris Mayotte: 2.08

SVP - Kris Mayotte: .922

This Week:

11/26 at Wheeling, 7:05 p.m. - Home (0-1-0), Away (1-0-0)

The Chiefs and Nailers last met on November 1 at WesBanco Arena with the Chiefs prevailing 3-2 in the shootout. It was Johnstown's first victory against their archrivals this season after Wheeling took a 4-2 victory in the Chiefs' home opener on October 18. In the Chiefs' win Petr Pohl and Randy Rowe scored second period power play goals to give Johnstown a 2-1 lead. Rob Sirianni tied the game nine seconds after Rowe's goal to eventually force overtime and the shootout. Pohl and Mike Bartlett scored in the shootout to give the Chiefs the win. This game will be played with first place in the North Division on the line as Wheeling (23) is one point behind Johnstown (24) for the division lead. The Chiefs have won three in a row and six of the last eight at WesBanco dating back to the 2007-08 season. Most of the games have been close, though, as the average margin of victory for both teams is 1.63. Three of those games have gone to overtime and the Chiefs have won each of them.

11/28 vs. Trenton, 7:05 p.m. - Home (2-0-0), Away (1-1-0)

The Chiefs are 3-1-0 against Trenton this season and have won the last two games against them here at the UPMC Health Plan Ice Rink at the War Memorial Arena. In those two home wins the Chiefs outscored the Devils 10-3. Trenton's three wins are the lowest in the league heading into action this week, but their best game of the season came against Johnstown in a 5-2 win on 10/30. Kris Mayotte is 2-0-0 against the Devils this season with a 1.50 goals against average and a .950 save percentage. Also on Friday night the Chiefs will host a Pennsylvania Lottery giveaway where all adults (18 and older) will get a coupon for a free scratch-off lottery ticket.

11/29 vs. Cincinnati, 7:05 p.m. - Home (1-0-0), Away (0-0-0)

The Cyclones were last in town when the Chiefs hosted their second-annual Kid's Day Game on 11/12. It was the first meeting between the teams since the Cyclones swept the Chiefs out of the 2008 Kelly Cup Playoffs, and a wild contest ensued. Each team scored two shorthanded goals and a power play goal, but it was the Chiefs who ended up with the 7-4 win. It was Johnstown's best offensive output of the season, and Andrew Sarauer nearly tied a team record. With six points (2G, 4A) Sarauer came one shy of Tom Sasso's seven-assist game on 3/30/89, and Eric Schneider's three-goal/four-assist effort on 1/6/01.The Chiefs will look to ramp up their offense again as the Cyclones have allowed a league-worst 66 goals so far this season. Chiefs fans will be looking forward to the team's annual Toy Toss sponsored by Cool 101.7. The team is asking that all fans bring a stuffed animal with them to the game to be thrown onto the ice after the Chiefs score their first goal. All of the tossed toys will be donated to Toys For Tots.

11/30 vs. Florida, 7:05 p.m. - Home (0-0-0), Away (0-0-0)

If the Chiefs and Everblades remain in their current positions in the standings Chiefs fans could be treated to a showdown between first place teams this Sunday. Florida is tied with South Carolina for the South Division lead with 21 points. Sunday's game will mark the first meeting all-time between the Chiefs and Everblades. Johnstown will repay Florida for its visit with a three-game visit to Germain Arena in the last week of February. While the 'Blades will be bringing some unfamiliar faces up north, a couple of familiar mugs will be on hand to meet Chiefs fans prior to the game. Local 2008 Summer Olympian Sam Sacksen and former Chiefs enforcer Garrett Burnett will make an appearance at the game and will be signing autographs prior to the 7:05 face off. Please note, this game was originally scheduled for 2:35, but has been moved to 7:05 because of another event being held at the War Memorial that afternoon.

Day by Day:

Mon. 11/24: Practice at UPMC Health Plan Ice Rink at CCWM, 11:00 a.m.

Tues. 11/25: Practice at UPMC Health Plan Ice Rink at CCWM, 11:00 a.m.

Wed. 11/26: Chiefs at Wheeling Nailers, 7:05 p.m.

Thurs. 11/27: Practice at UPMC Health Plan Ice Rink at CCWM, 11:00 a.m.

Fri. 11/28: Chiefs vs. Trenton Devils, 7:05 p.m. - PA Lottery Giveaway

Sat. 11/29: Chiefs vs. Cincinnati Cyclones, 7:05 p.m. - Cool 101.7 Toy Toss

Sun. 11/30: Chiefs vs. Florida Everblades, 7:05 p.m. - Sam Sacksen/Garrett Burnett appearance

Broadcast Schedule:

Wed. 11/26: Chiefs at Wheeling Nailers, 7:05 p.m. - radio and internet

Fri. 11/28: Chiefs vs. Trenton Devils, 7:05 p.m. - internet only

Sat. 11/29: Chiefs vs. Cincinnati Cyclones, 7:05 p.m. - radio and internet

Sun. 11/30: Chiefs vs. Florida Everblades, 7:05 p.m. - internet only

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 or www.echl.com. The Chiefs radio network is presented by Dodge.

Last Week: (2-0-0)

11/21 vs. Reading: W 4-3 SO

Hungry for their first win of the season against the Chiefs, Reading came out and took the early lead on a Shawn Snider goal 5:56 into the game. Johnstown took some time to regroup at intermission, came out for the second period, and took the 2-1 lead on goals by Mike Bartlett (4:22, PP) and Andrew Sarauer (13:01, ES). Sarauer and Bartlett assisted on each other's goals, too, giving both forwards a two-point night. Jason Spence's third-period goal (6:48, ES) gave the Chiefs a 3-1 lead, but power play goals from Luciano Aquino (8:00) and Kirk MacDonald (14:09) allowed Reading to force overtime. The Chiefs dominated for much of the extra frame, out-shooting the Royals 5-1, but strong goaltending by Danny Taylor led the teams to a shootout. Kris Mayotte and Taylor both put on shows in the nine-round shootout, but Mayotte made one more save to earn the win for Johnstown. Petr Pohl scored in the second round for the Chiefs while Jon Landry, the 18th shooter overall, sent the Chiefs' fans home happy. Aquino scored for Reading on its third attempt. The goals by Pohl and Landry were the first shootout goals Taylor allowed this season.

11/22 vs. Trenton: W 4-1

If the Chiefs were emotionally or physically drained from the previous night's game against Reading, it didn't show as they won their second straight against the Devils. Mike Bartlett scored his second goal in as many days at 19:30 of the first to give the Chiefs the lead after 20 minutes. Rookie Sean Berkstresser scored his first goal of the season, and the eventual game winner, on a beautiful wraparound at 9:03 of the second. Codey Burki's first of the year at 8:10 of the third extended the Chiefs' lead to 3-0. David Leaderer finally got Trenton on the board with 4:35 left in regulation, but Johnstown responded quickly as Alex Penner scored one minute and 53 seconds after Leaderer to re-establish the Chiefs' three-goal lead. Kris Mayotte won his eighth game of the year as he made 31 saves.

CHIEFS CHOPS:

Scoring Streaks:

Goals:

- Mike Bartlett; 11/21-11/22: 2 gms (2G)

Assists:

- David Schulz; 11/21-11/22: 2 gms (3A)

- Andrew Sarauer; 11/21-11/22: 2 gms (2A)

- Ray Macias; 10/30-11/2: 3 gms (4A)

Points:

- Mike Bartlett; 11/21-11/22: 2 gms (2G, 1A)

- David Schulz; 11/21-11/22: 2 gms (3A)

- Jason Spence; 11/21-11/22: 2 gms (1G, 1A)

- Codey Burki; 11/21-11/22: 2 gms (1G, 1A)

- Andrew Sarauer; 11/21-11/22: 2 gms (1G, 2A)

- Ray Macias; 10/25-11/2: 4 gms (1G, 4A)

And the Nominees Are: One Johnstown Chiefs player is in the running for a weekly ECHL award. Kris Mayotte has been nominated for the ECHL Goalie of the Week award. Mayotte went 2-0-0 this week to improve his season record to 8-1-0. The Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania native, who signed as a free agent over the summer, ranks among the league leaders in wins (8, 2nd), shootout wins (2, 1st) goals against average (2.08, 5th), and save percentage (.922, 11th). Mayotte was named ECHL Goalie of the Week for the week of 10/27-11/2 as he went 2-0-0 with a 1.92 GAA and a .934 SV.

Home Sweet Home: The Chiefs have found the confines of the War Memorial very friendly in recent weeks. The month of November is the busiest of the season in terms of home games with nine on the slate. So far, so good because Johnstown is 6-0-0 on home ice since November began. During the streak the Chiefs have outscored their opponents 30-16, while Kris Mayotte (5-0-0) and Ian Keserich (1-0-0) have been solid in net. The Chiefs' all-time mark for consecutive home wins is nine, set in the 1991-92 season, and with three home games to close out November after Thanksgiving, that mark is within reach.

Watching the Wire: The Chiefs have been active on the transaction wire over the past week. After being named the ECHL Player of the Week for November 10-16, Ryan Garlock was recalled from his loan to the Syracuse Crunch (AHL). Garlock currently is fourth on the Chiefs in points with 12 points (6G, 6A). Then with Matt Robinson being placed on the 30-day IR, Ian Herbers brought in an addition to the corps of forwards. Former Maine Black Bear, Wes Clark was acquired by the Chiefs from the Charlotte Checkers. A rookie, Clark has three assists in 10 games this season, and as a senior at Maine last year he led the team with 11 goals and 21 points. To compensate for Clark, the Chiefs sent defenseman Brian Deeth to Charlotte. A second-year Chief, Deeth had one goal in five games this season with Johnstown.

Captain's Orders: In his fourth year with the Chiefs, captain Randy Rowe has been steadily producing points and climbing up the team's all-time scoring lists. With 92 assists, Rowe is 12 behind Martin Masa for 10th, and his 74 goals place him two behind Carl Fleury for sixth all-time. Also, two more points will tie Rowe with Brent Bilodeau for ninth on the Chiefs' all-time points list with 168. The Burford, Ontario native began his ECHL career with the Peoria Rivermen and amassed 93 goals and 110 assists in 248 games over four seasons.

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