ORLANDO, FLA – Now that the month of December has started, most of the teams in the ECHL have either hit or is about to hit the quarter pole. Teams are beginning to figure out their identities which makes for some compelling hockey on the ice.
Manchester Monarchs (13-7-1-1, 28 points)
The Monarchs continued their battle with Adirondack for the top spot, taking over first by virtue of having one more win than the Thunder. Last week, Manchester went 2-1 including a pair of non-conference victories.
The week started on Tuesday with a trip to Glens Falls to take on the Thunder. Goalie Sam Brittain made 31 saves while Jordan LaVallee-Smotherman and Joe Diamond each scored but host Adirondack won the contest 4-2.
On Saturday, the Monarchs hosted the Kalamazoo Wings and returned to their winning ways. Derek Arnold scored twice and Rihards Bukarts and Quentin Shore lit the goal light once in a 4-2 victory. The rematch on Sunday belonged to Bukarts who netted a hat trick and Diamond who posted two goals and an assist as the Monarchs won 6-3. Zac Lynch had the other goal for Manchester.
Next Up: Wednesday – Norfolk, Friday – Norfolk
Adirondack Thunder (12-4-1-3, 28 points)
The Thunder also had a three game week with two out-of-conference games on the schedule. Like Manchester, Adirondack picked up two wins.
Tuesday’s matchup with the Monarchs was a good one for the host Thunder. James Henry had a goal and an assist while Peter MacArthur, Brett Pollock and Ty Loney netted one each in the 4-2 win. Goalie Mason McDonald backstopped the victory with 27 saves.
The Colorado Eagles flew into Glens Falls on Friday for the first of two contests and the host Thunder dominated in claiming a 5-1 victory. Mike Bergin, Brian Ward, Dennis Kravchenko, Henry and MacArthur each scored while netminder Tom McCollum made 21 saves to record the win. In Saturday’s rematch, MacArthur and Kravchenko lit the lamp but Colorado got its revenge with a 6-2 win.
Next Up: Tuesday – Norfolk, Saturday – Norfolk
Reading Royals (12-8-1-1, 26 points)
The Royals continued their attack on the top of the division, winning all three of the games on their schedule.
It started on Wednesday when the Wheeling Nailers paid a visit to Santander Arena. Olivier Labelle, Matt Wilkins, Nick Luukko and Ian Watters took care of the offense with a goal apiece while Mark Dekanich made 29 saves to earn the 4-2 win.
On Friday, Norfolk played host to the Royals in the first of a two-game set. Mike Pereira, Chris McCarthy, Ryan Penny and Michael Pelech each scored and Dekanich stopped 35 of 36 shots in a 4-1 win. The next night, Labelle and Justin Crandall each scored once and Dekanich made 34 saves to post the 2-1 win.
Next Up: Friday – Indy, Saturday – Indy
Wheeling Nailers (11-6-2-0, 24 points)
The Nailers continued their steady play with a 2-1 week, picking up both wins against a non-conference opponent.
Wednesday in Reading, Cody Wydo handled all of the scoring for Wheeling with a pair of goals in a 4-2 loss to the Royals. On Friday, the Utah Grizzlies came to town and put up a fight but the host Nailers came away with a 5-4 win. Derek Army scored twice while Kevin Schulze, Kyle Flemington and Wydo each scored once.
Saturday’s rematch with the Grizzlies went a lot smoother for the home team. Ross McMullan, Nick Sorkin, Brett Stern and Schulze had one goal each and goalie Doug Carr made 27 saves in the 4-1 victory.
Next Up: Friday – at Brampton, Sunday – at Brampton
Brampton Beast (9-7-1-2, 21 points)
The Beast were very busy, having four games on the schedule stretching from Florida to their home rink. Brampton split the contests, winning two and losing two.
The week started on Monday with the final game of a set in Orlando. Connor Crisp and David Pacan each lit the goal light twice but the host Solar Bears won 5-4. Back at home on Thursday against Quad City, Brandon Marino, Chris Leveille, Jordan Henry and David Vallorani all scored and Zach Fucale made 32 saves in a 4-3 win.
Pacan scored the lone goal in Friday’s rematch with the Mallards who won 6-1. On Sunday, Scott Jacklin scored twice in regulation before Vallorani played the hero with the game-winning goal in a 3-2 overtime victory over Elmira.
Next Up: Wednesday – Indy, Friday – Wheeling, Sunday – Wheeling
Elmira Jackals (5-10-4-0, 14 points)
The Jackals were the only team in the division that had a losing record during the week. Elmira won once in three contests.
Kalamazoo visited First Arena on Wednesday and the Jackals put up a fight before losing 4-3 in overtime. Vaclav Karabacek, Justin Kea and Kyle Rankin had the goals for Elmira.
On Friday, Mike Radja, Kenton Miller and Karabacek all netted two goals and Mark Bennett added one of his own in a 7-4 win over the K-Wings. The Jackals headed to Brampton on Sunday and got goals from Sebastien Sylvestre and Matt Lane while goalie Andy Iles made 25 saves but Elmira fell to the Beast 3-2 in overtime.
Next Up: Wednesday – at Florida, Friday – at Florida, Saturday – at Florida
Florida Everblades (13-3-1-2, 29 points)
The Everblades continued to hold reign over the division but the margin is getting smaller. Last week they renewed pleasantries with their rivals from Orlando, splitting a pair of contests.
On Friday night in Orlando, the Everblades fell behind early and never recovered in a 5-2 loss. Newcomers Danny New and Adam Brace – who started the season with the Solar Bears – accounted for the two Florida goals.
One night later, the teams met again but this time it was on the ice at Germain Arena, the Everblades home. In a game that was wild from a scoreboard angle, the Everblades prevailed 8-6. John McCarron scored four goals while Matt Berry, Eric Scheid, Brendan O’Donnell and Evan Bloodoff each tallied once. The turning point in the game came in the second period when Bloodoff and McCarron both scored a short-handed goal on the same penalty kill.
Next Up: Wednesday – Elmira, Friday – Elmira, Saturday – Elmira
Orlando Solar Bears (11-6-2-0, 24 points)
The Solar Bears closed out a highly successful ten-game homestand with a pair of wins before starting a ten-game road trip with a loss to division rival Florida.
The week started on Monday with the final game of a set with Brampton. Led by rookies Tony Cameranesi and Mason Marchment who each scored once, the Solar Bears completed a sweep with a 5-4 win. Denver Manderson, Eric Faille and Chris Crane each lit the goal light once in the contest.
Friday night was Teddy Bear Toss night as the Everblades came calling. Brock Montgomery made it rain stuffed animals with a goal and Manderson scored twice as the Solar Bears won 5-2. Crane and Patrick Watling had the other Orlando goals while goalie Ryan Massa made 25 saves to pass Garret Sparks for most wins during the ECHL franchise era (27). Massa and the Solar Bears were not so lucky on Saturday as the Everblades got revenge with an 8-6 win. Crane and Joe Perry each scored twice while Adam Block and Faille had the other two goals.
Next Up: Tuesday – at Greenville, Thursday – at Greenville, Friday – at Atlanta, Sunday – at Atlanta
Atlanta Gladiators (10-10-2-1, 23 points)
The Gladiators had a quiet week with just one game on the schedule. Unfortunately, the result did not go Atlanta’s way.
On Wednesday night, the Gladiators hosted Greenville in a divisional battle. Brock Higgs scored the line goal for the hosts and goalie Zane McIntyre made 18 saves but it was not near enough as Atlanta fell 4-1.
Next Up: Friday – Orlando, Sunday – Orlando
South Carolina Stingrays (10-8-1-0, 21 points)
The Stingrays had a challenging three-games-in-three days set with in-state rival Greenville. South Carolina was able to come away with wins in two of the three games.
On Wednesday, John Parker led the offense with a goal and an assist while Joe Devin, Rob Flick and Dylan Margonari all scored once. On this night, four was not enough as the Swamp Rabbits came away with a 5-4 win.
The next night, Kelly Zajac broke a tie late in regulation as the Stingrays got revenge with a 3-1 victory. Flick and Patrick Gaul had the other scores for South Carolina while goalie Adam Carlson made 20 saves. In Sunday’s rubber game, Margonari scored early before Alex Gacek scored the game-winner with a minute left in regulation to give the Stingrays a 2-1 win. Goalie Parker Milner backstopped the victory with 25 saves.
Next Up: Friday – Greenville, Saturday – Greenville
Greenville Swamp a Rabbits (9-7-2-0, 20 points)
Facing the first of back-to-back four game weeks, the Swamp Rabbits split them down the middle, winning the first two before finishing the week with two losses.
It all started on Wednesday with a trip to Atlanta to take on the Gladiators. Led by Adam Chapie who netted a pair of goals, Greenville came away with a 4-1 victory. Michael Joly and Matt Johnson picked up the other scores for the Swamp Rabbits while netminder Jeff Malcolm stopped 40 of the 41 shots he faced. Two nights later, Joly picked up two more tallies while Spiro Goulakos, Tommy Thompson and Chad Duchesne each scored once in a 5-4 victory over South Carolina.
The rest of the weekend was not good for the Swamp Rabbits. On Saturday, Angelo Miceli posted the lone goal in a 3-1 loss to the Stingrays. Sunday afternoon was more of the same as Goulakos scored the only goal while Malcolm made 27 saves in a tough 2-1 loss.
Next Up: Tuesday – Orlando, Thursday – Orlando, Friday – at South Carolina, Saturday – at South Carolina
Cincinnati Cyclones (9-9-2-0, 20 points)
The Cyclones played a perfect week, picking up two wins against a pair of Western conference foes.
On Friday night, the Cyclones hit the road to battle the Indy Fuel. Tommy Mele, Colin Mulvey, Peter Leblanc, Seth Ambroz and Dominic Zombo all lit the goal light in a convincing 5-1 win over the Fuel. Goalie Michael Houser was strong in net, making 25 saves.
Back at home on Saturday, Andrew Yogan, Jaynen Rissling and Leblanc each scored in regulation against Missouri but the Mavericks netted three of their own. The game went to a shootout where Yogan and Leblanc hit the back of the net before Mele scored the game-winner in the sixth round to give the Cyclones a 4-3 win.
Next Up: Friday – Quad City, Saturday – Quad City
Norfolk Admirals (2-13-4-0, 8 points)
The week started with the Admirals firing head coach Rod Aldoff and replacing him with former NHL head coach Robbie Ftorek. The change did not help as Norfolk fell twice.
On Friday, the Reading Royals arrived at the Scope in Norfolk for a pair of games. Gabriel Verpaelst scored but it was not enough as the Admirals lost 4-1.
The return match on Saturday was a closer affair with the outcome in doubt until the final buzzer. Nick MacNeil scored the lone goal for the Admirals and goalie Connor Knapp made 32 saves but Norfolk came up on the short end of a 2-1 final.
Next Up: Tuesday – at Adirondack, Wednesday – at Manchester, Friday – at Manchester, Saturday – at Adirondack
Contact the author at don.money@prohockeynews.com
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