Weekly Arrowhead

Published on November 23, 2009 under ECHL (ECHL)
Johnstown Chiefs News Release


Johnstown, Pa. - The Johnstown Chiefs picked up their first win on the road against a South Division foe in nearly two years last week. This week Johnstown will play three of its four games at home at the UPMC Health Plan Ice Rink at the Cambria County War Memorial and look to gain ground on its East Division foes.

Record: 4-8-3, 11 pts., 4th place East Division

Leaders:

Goals - Connor Shields: 8

Assists - Ryan Menei/Jarrett Konkle: 10

Points - Connor Shields: 14

+/- - R.J. Anderson: +4

PIMs - David Schulz: 24

PPG - Connor Shields: 5

Wins - Shane Connelly/Kris Mayotte: 2

GAA - Shane Connelly: 3.39

SVP - Shane Connelly:.882

This Week:

11/25 & 11/28 vs. Reading, 7:05 p.m. & 11/29 at Reading, 5:05 p.m. - Home (1-0-0), Away (0-2-0)

The home team has dominated the season series between the Chiefs and Royals with Reading taking two straight at the Sovereign Center on Oct. 31 and Nov. 1 while the Chiefs came out on top on Nov. 11 in Johnstown. The 6-4 Johnstown win was its eighth in a row on home ice against Reading dating back to Feb. 27, 2008. Meanwhile the Royals have won three in a row at the Sovereign Center against the Johnstown. The Chiefs and Royals have made a habit of playing close games this season as the average margin of victory in their games has been 1.3 goals. Ben Gordon and Stefano Giliati have been hard for the Chiefs to contain so far as each has posted four points (2G, 2A) in three games against the Chiefs. For Johnstown, Connor Shields (4G) and Jim McKenzie (2G, 2A) have been equally tough for the Royals to slow down.

11/27 vs. South Carolina, 7:05 p.m. - Home (0-0-0), Away (1-0-0)

South Carolina is 2-0-0 in its last two trips to the UPMC Health Plan Ice Rink at the Cambria County War Memorial with the most recent victory coming on Feb. 20, 2009 with the final reading 6-3. That night the Chiefs led 3-2 after one but South Carolina came back with four unanswered goals to earn the win. Most recently the Chiefs earned a 7-1 win in South Carolina last Sunday. It was the Chiefs best offensive outing of the season and was led by R.J. Anderson's first career hat trick and five points (3G, 2A). That win was Johnstown's first on the road against the South Division since a 4-2 triumph against Charlotte on Dec. 7, 2007.

Day by Day:

Mon. 11/23: Off

Tues. 11/24: Practice at UPMC Health Plan Ice Rink at CCWM, 10:00 a.m.

Wed. 11/25: Chiefs vs. Reading Royals, 7:05 p.m.

Thurs. 11/26: Practice at Planet Ice or N. Cambria Rec Center, 10:00 a.m.

Fri. 11/27: Chiefs vs. S. Carolina Stingrays, 7:05 p.m.

Sat. 11/28: Chiefs vs. Reading Royals, 7:05 p.m.

Sun. 11/29: Chiefs at Reading Royals, 5:05 p.m.

Broadcast Schedule:

Wed. 11/25: Chiefs vs. Reading Royals, 7:05 p.m.- radio and internet

Fri. 11/27: Chiefs vs. S. Carolina Stingrays, 7:05 p.m. - internet only

Sat. 11/28: Chiefs vs. Reading Royals, 7:05 p.m. - radio and internet

Sun. 11/29: Chiefs at Reading Royals, 5:05 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.

Last Week: (1-2-0)

11/20 at Charlotte: L 4-7

Johnstown's power play was locked in for its first of four meetings with the Checkers last Friday but it wouldn't be enough. Ryan Menei opened the scoring 1:50 into the game and his second of the season gave the Chiefs the early lead. But Johnstown wouldn't lead again in the game as Kenny Roche and Matt Schepke scored back-to-back to take a 2-1 lead. Johnstown would tie the game at 2-2, 3-3, and 4-4 thanks to power play goals by Conner Shield, Jim McKenzie, and Jarrett Konkle and the teams entered the third deadlocked. Charlotte wrested control in the third, though, and Schepke led the way with two goals to complete the hat trick.

11/21 at Charlotte: L 2-6

The Chiefs' offense was held to its lowest output in three weeks while the defense surrendered six goals to the Checkers. Dan Collins' power play goal at 17:24 of the second period kept the Chiefs' streak of games with a power play goal alive at six games and drew the Chiefs within two goals at 3-1. With the Chiefs in penalty trouble, though, at the end of the second Michel Leveille scored a 5-on-3 power play goal with 10 seconds left to re-up the Checker's two-goal lead. Russ Sinkewich cut it back to two with his second of the season 1:35 into the third, but that was as close as Johnstown would get. Kenny Roche and Julien Brouillette added insurance goals and sent the Chiefs to their second straight loss.

11/22 at South Carolina: W 7-1

Johnstown used its best offensive outing of the season to break a seven-game road losing streak against the South Division and a four-game losing streak against the Stingrays. The defending Kelly Cup champions opened the scoring at 6:01 with a Rob Ricci tip-in goal. But that would be all the offense South Carolina would get, and a breakout performance by R.J. Anderson paved Johnstown's route to victory. Anderson collected the first hat trick of his career and added two assists as the Chiefs rolled to the win. Connor Shields (9:51, PP), Mike Bartlett (10:27) and, Troy Schwab (12:07) scored in the first to give the Chiefs a 3-1 lead. Anderson picked up his first assist on Schwab's goal, notched two scores in the second and added a helper on a breakaway goal by Bryan Marshall. 3:11 into the third, Anderson completed the hat trick with a low wrist shot from the center point.

CHIEFS CHOPS:

Scoring Streaks:

Goals:

Assists:

M. Knight; 2 gms (2A); 11/7-11/11

Points:

T. Schwab; 3 gms (1G, 3A), 11/20-11/22 M. Knight; 2 gms (1G, 2A), 11/7-11/11

Quick Hits:

Johnstown has at least one PPG in its last seven games (14-for-40, 35%) and is 3-2-2 in those games. Johnstown's last two wins have come when the opponent has scored the first goal (11/14 at WHL and 11/22 at S.C.) R.J. Anderson's hat trick on 11/22 was the Chiefs' first since Petr Pohl scored three on 1/30/09 vs. the Mississippi Sea Wolves. Chiefs are 7-3-1 against the South Division at home since 2006-07 season. R.J. Anderson is the first Chiefs defenseman to record a hat trick in the last three seasons.

Mark Your Calendar:

11/25: Chiefs vs. Reading at 7:05 p.m. ET - Wendy's Wednesday Family Four Pack.

For just $44 families can get four tickets, four hot dogs, four drinks, and four boxes of popcorn. Orders can be placed through the Chiefs' office or at the War Memorial Box Office the night of the game

11/27: Chiefs vs. S. Carolina at 7:05 p.m. ET - Blackout T-Shirt Giveaway courtesy Auto Palace Nissan and the Tribune Democrat. The first 1,500 fans through the gate will get the free blackout t-shirts. All fans are encouraged to wear black to the game.

11/28: Chiefs vs. Reading Royals at 7:05 p.m. ET - PA Lottery Ticket Giveaway

Free scratch-off lottery tickets will be given away to Chiefs fans 18 years old and older.

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