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March 18, 2002 - ECHL (ECHL)
Macon Whoopee News Release


THE WEEK AHEAD

Tuesday @ Columbus 7:30pm Coverage begins at 7:20pm on Classic Hits Rock 92.3
The Whoopee travels to Columbus for the fifth and final time this season. Macon is 5-2-1 against the Cottonmouths, but 1-2 in the last three, with the final game of the season series slated as the season finale on March 30th. The Whoopee is 2-1-1 in Columbus.

Wednesday vs. Pee Dee 7:35pm Coverage begins at 7:20pm on Classic Hits Rock 92.3
Macon wraps up its season series with the Pride on $5 night. Every seat in the Centreplex is only $5!! Pee Dee enters the week in 3rd place, one point behind 2nd place Columbia, and only three points behind division-leading Greenville. Pride C Dany Bousquet (29-46-75) is 8th in the league scoring race. Macon and Pee Dee have split four games this year, each going 1-1 on home ice.

Friday @ Mobile 8:35pm Coverage begins at 8:20pm on Classic Hits Rock 92.3
The Whoopee makes its only appearance in Mobile. The Mysticks enter the week trailing New Orleans by one point for the fifth and final playoff spot in the Southwest division. The Whoopee is 0-1-1 against Mobile, and hasn't played the Mysticks since 11/23. Mobile is led by RW Tyler Deis (20-36-56). The Mysticks are a solid 18-7-8 at home so far this season, and lead the league in ties with 16.

Saturday @ Pensacola 8:05pm Coverage begins at 7:50pm on Classic Hits Rock 92.3
Macon visits the Ice Pilots for the second time this season. The Whoopee leads the series 2-0. Pensacola is trying to hold off hard-charging Mississippi for 2nd place and home ice for the first round of the playoffs. C Louis Dumont continues to lead the ECHL scoring race, and is only five points shy of 100 for the season (32-63-95). RW Greg Pankiewicz is third in scoring (36-46-82), while he and LW Dean Tiltgen are tied for fourth in goals with 36.

LAST WEEK

The Whoopee went 0-2-1, losing in regulation and in overtime at Arkansas, and being beaten at home by Augusta.

Friday 3/15 Arkansas 5 MACON 1
In Little Rock, the Riverblades scored three goals in a 2:24 span of the second period to break a scoreless tie and take control of the game. Arkansas led 4-0 before RW David Brosseau put Macon on the board with a power play goal in the third period. The Whoopee is now winless in its last nine games (0-7-2).

Saturday 3/16 Arkansas 3 MACON 2 (OT)
Again in Little Rock, the RiverBlades tied the game on an Eric Long power play goal that deflected in off a Whoopee skate with only 2:52 to play, then won it on a Long 2-on-1 goal in overtime. Macon jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first period on goals by Travis Dillabough and Krikor Arman. Russ Guzior cut the lead in half early in the second, setting up Long's heroics at the finish. Whoopee goaltender Evan Lindsay was superb, stopping 38 shots. The tie left Macon with a ten game winless streak (0-7-3).

Sunday 3/17 Augusta 3 MACON 1
In Macon, the winless streak hits 11 (0-8-3) as the Lynx take a 2-0 lead in the second period, then hold off the Whoopee long enough to score an empty netter as time expired. Travis Dillabough's power play goal with 4:49 left gave Macon a chance, but, as has been the case in the winless streak, the tying goal never came. Augusta has beaten Macon three times in the last ten days.

NOTES

THE PLAYOFF PICTURE
Macon begins the week eight points behind 5th place South Carolina for the final playoff spot in the Southeast division. The Whoopee has six games to play. Thus, the magic number is 79 points – that is the most Macon can earn. If the 5th place team hits the 80-point mark (South Carolina currently has 75), then the Whoopee is eliminated. The top three teams in the division get into the playoffs, with teams four and five also making it – but having to play each other in a one-game playoff to determine the fourth seed in the division's first round, best-of-five series.

ATTENDANCE UP
The Whoopee has averaged 3,350 fans in the last eight home games, an increase of 747 fans per game.

SCORING DOWN
The Whoopee has scored two goals or less in seven straight games, and has scored only 23 goals during the 11-game winless streak.

WELCOME HOME, LUKE
C Luke Murphy, traded to New Orleans in January, was waived by the Brass and claimed by the Whoopee last weekend. Murphy tallied an assist in his first weekend back.

ANIKET, WE HARDLY KNEW YE
LW Aniket Dhadphale, acquired at the 2/27 trade deadline from Trenton, was called up to Providence of the American Hockey League on 3/16. Dhadphale scored one goal in his five games with Macon.

NUMBERS

· Macon's last victory was 2/15 over South Carolina, 31 days ago.
· G Chris Madden is now 20-21-7, the first time all season that he has been below .500.

TRANSACTIONS
· C Luke Murphy claimed off waivers 3/11.
· LW Aniket Dhadphale called up to Providence (AHL) 3/16.



ECHL Stories from March 18, 2002


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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