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Wranglers, Thunder, Wildcatters Continue To Set Torrid Pace

Published on December 4, 2006 under ECHL (ECHL) News Release


Sweeping its three-game series at Idaho to extend its winning streak to eight games and its road winning streak to seven games, Las Vegas remains atop the ECHL with 31 points (12-1-7), one point ahead of Pacific Division rival Stockton (13-1-4) and three points ahead of American Conference and South Division leader Texas (13-3-2).

The Wranglers, who have set league season highs for consecutive wins and consecutive road wins, play at Stockton on Friday and Saturday. Stockton has won its last three home games and is 5-0-2 on its current nine-game home stand. The Thunder have already equaled the total home wins from their inaugural season in 2005-06 when they were 8-19-9.

Texas, which is 9-1-2 in its last 12 games, will host Charlotte (11-7-0) on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The Wildcatters are 9-3-1 on the road equaling the team record for road wins set in 2004-05 (9-22-5).

In the North Division, Johnstown posted shootout wins against Trenton and Reading on Friday and Saturday to improve to 10-8-1 and move into a tie for first place with Trenton (10-5-1) and Toledo (10-6-1). The Chiefs play at Dayton (7-5-1) on Friday before hosting Reading (7-8-4) on Saturday and Bakersfield on Sunday. The Titans host Bakersfield on Friday and Saturday and play at Reading on Sunday while Toledo plays at Wheeling (8-10-1) on Friday and Sunday while hosting the Nailers on Saturday.

Bakersfield is 5-2-1 in its last eight games and has moved into a tie for third place in the Pacific Division with Fresno (11-7-0).

Idaho continues to lead the West Division with 24 points (11-6-2), two points ahead of Alaska (11-7-0) and four points in front of Phoenix (10-9-0). The Steelheads will host Phoenix on Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday while Alaska returns home to host Fresno on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

Titans' Bertoli Returns, Registers 300th Assist

Registering an assist on a second period goal by Mike Pandolfo on Saturday, Scott Bertoli became the 20th player in league history to reach 300 assists and only the third to reach the milestone with the same team.

After recording two assists on Oct. 27 to reach 450 points (151g-299a) in the regular season, Bertoli was placed on injured reserve on Nov. 3 and was unable to return to the ice until Friday.

Bertoli, who recorded his 200th assist on Mar. 6, 2004 at Cincinnati, has led Trenton in assists each of the team's first seven seasons. He has led the team in scoring each of the last two years as well as in 1999-2000 and 2001-02 and has been the Titans goal leader in 2001-02 and 2004-05.

In his eighth season with the Titans, Bertoli is the team's all-time regular season leader with 451 games, 151 goals, 300 assists and 451 points and is the all-time Kelly Cup Playoffs leader with 62 games, 14 goals, 47 assists and 61 points.

He was named as captain of the American Conference for the 2006 ECHL All-Star Game and was a starter in the 2001 ECHL All-Star Game.

Sellout In Florida, 9,409 In Fresno Move League Closer To One Million

A sellout crowd of 7,406 in Florida and a season-high 9,409 in Fresno on Saturday raised total attendance to 955,625 as the ECHL nears the one million mark for the 17th consecutive season. The league is averaging 4,119 per game compared to 4,121 per game a year ago while returning teams have seen their average increase by 3.6 percent.

Gwinnett leads the league with 6,532 per game which is up 18 percent while Stockton is second at 6,436 per game, an increase from its first season in 2005-06 when it finished first with 6,343 per game.

Bakersfield leads total attendance with 72,504 and is third in average attendance with 6,042 per game while Florida is second in total attendance with 71,543 and fourth in average attendance with 5,962 per game. The Condors are looking to raise their attendance for the fourth straight year and are up 7.8 percent from last season and almost 34 percent from 2003-04 when they joined as an expansion team.

Toledo has seen its average attendance grow 13.2 percent to 4,494 per game while Fresno is up 2.5 percent at 4,577 per game and Alaska has seen its average increase 4.9 percent to 5,124 per game. Dayton's average attendance is up 28.9 percent to 4,453 per game while Utah has seen its average grow 10 percent to 4,232 per game and Texas is averaging 2,383 per game, an increase of 21 percent from 2003-04 when the Wildcatters last played.

The league has raised average attendance each of the last three years, including 2005-06 when it had its largest per-game average since 1999-2000 with 4,372 per game as 13 of 22 returning teams raised attendance.

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ECHL Stories from December 4, 2006


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