ORLANDO, FLA – When week three of the ECHL regular season began, two teams were undefeated, several more were starting to get hot and others were still trying to find themselves.
As week four begins, there is only one unbeaten team left in the entire league and it resides in the eastern conference. Add to that some squads who are on a roll and you have got what looks to be an interesting month of November coming up.
Before we move ahead, we should take a look back at the final week of October.
East Division
Adirondack Thunder (6-0-0-0, 12 points) Wednesday: def. Orlando 4-2, Friday: won 4-1 at Wheeling
The Thunder continued its mastery of the ECHL east, running its winning streak to six to start the season while taking down the only other unbeaten team this side of the Mississippi in the process.
Last Wednesday, Adirondack hosted Orlando in the battle of the two undefeated squads in the east. Ryan Lomberg scored two goals including the game-winner as the Thunder won the contest 4-2. Michael Kirkpatrick and Rob Bordson scored the other two Adirondack goals while goalie Kent Simpson stopped 25 of 27 shots. Two nights later, Bordson notched two more scores and Gunnar Hughes and Mitchell Heard also lit the goal light in a 4-1 victory at Wheeling. Ken Appleby was outstanding between the pipes, fending off 31 of the 32 shots he faced.
Next up: Wednesday – at Kalamazoo, Friday – at Cincinnati, Saturday – at Toldeo
Reading Royals (3-3-0-0, 6 points) Wednesday: def. Elmira 8-3, Saturday: lost 5-2 to Orlando
The Royals split a pair of games during the week. On Wednesday, Mike Pereira notched two goals and added two assists to lead the way in a 8-3 drubbing of Elmira. Adam Comrie picked up a pair of goals while Justin Crandall, Geoff Walker, Maxim Lemarche and Ian Watters added one apiece. Saturday night Reading hosted Orlando and fell to the visiting Solar Bears 5-2. Joe Rehkamp and Cam Reid had the two goals for the host Royals.
Next up: Saturday – Greenville, Sunday – Greenville
Elmira Jackals (3-4-0-0, 6 points) Wednesday: lost 8-3 at Reading, Friday: def. Orlando 4-3 (OT), Saturday: lost 4-2 to Manchester
The Jackals played three games in four days and did not fare well, losing two of the three contests.
Wednesday saw the Jackals take an 8-3 loss at the hands of Reading. Scott Jacklin, Mike Seidel and Colin Jacobs all lit the lamp for the visitors. On Friday night, Jacobs was the hero, scoring a short-handed goal in overtime to give host Elmira a 4-3 win over Orlando. Seidel, Cason Hohmann and former Solar Bear Tyler Currier scored the other goals in the win. Manchester invaded the First Arena on Saturday and the visitors came away with a 4-2 win. Spiro Goulakos and Currier each scored once for the Jackals.
Next up: Friday – at South Carolina, Saturday – at South Carolina
Manchester Monarchs (2-2-0-0, 4 points) Saturday: won 4-2 at Elmira
The Monarchs only played once but the extra practice time paid off in a solid win.
Matt Leitner and Stefan Legein each put up a goal and an assist as the Monarchs defeated the host Jackals 4-2. Alex Roach and Maxim Kitsyn had the other tallies in support of goalie Michael Houser who made 38 saves to record the win.
Next up: Friday – at Brampton, Saturday – at Brampton, Sunday – at Brampton
Norfolk Admirals (2-4-0-0, 4 points) Friday: def. Quad City 3-2 (SO)
Like the Monarchs, Norfolk played just one game during the week but it was a thriller against a western conference visitor.
Friday night at The Scope, Alexis Loiseau was the star of the night as the Admirals defeated Quad City 3-2 in a shootout. Loiseau scored both Norfolk goals in regulation and then notched the clincher in the shootout. Steven Whitney also scored in the shootout for the Admirals. Goalie Ty Rimmer was stellar between the pipes, making 37 saves through overtime and two more in the skills competition.
Next up: Friday – Greenville, Saturday – Wheeling, Sunday – at South Carolina
North Division
Wheeling Nailers (4-2-0-0, 8 points) Friday: lost 4-1 at Adirondack, Saturday: def. Quad City 2-1
The Nailers headed to the top of the division despite splitting a pair of contests during the week.
On Friday night, the Nailers got a goal from Patrick McGrath but it was not nearly enough as the host Adirondack Thunder took down Wheeling 4-1. The next night, Quad City visited Wheeling and the host Nailers came away with a 2-1 victory. Sahir Gill and Riley Brace scored the goals for the Nailers who also got a 23-save performance from goalie Brian Foster.
Next up: Friday – Kalamazoo, Saturday – at Norfolk
Toledo Walleye (3-2-0-1, 7 points) Friday: won 4-1 at Brampton, Sunday: lost 5-2 at Brampton
The Walleye managed a split of two games across the border in Canada against Brampton.
On Friday night, Tyler Sikura posted a goal and an assist to lead the Walleye to a 4-1 win over the Beast. Michael Leone, Marek Tvrdon and Kyle Bonis each added a score while goalie Jeff Lerg posted 35 saves for the win. Shane Berschbach was the lone Toledo player to find the back of the net on Sunday, scoring twice as the Beast got revenge with a 5-2 victory.
Next up: Wednesday – at Cincinnati, Friday – at Fort Wayne, Saturday – Adirondack
Kalamazoo Wings (2-4-0-0, 4 points) Tuesday: def. Indy 4-3, Friday: def. Cincinnati 3-1
The K-Wings had a very successful week, coming away with a pair of victories at home.
On Tuesday, the Indy Fuel visited Kalamazoo but it was Darren Archibald who had the gifts, scoring two goals in a Kalamazoo victory. Alex Mallet and Lane Scheidl also scored for the K-Wings. Three days later, the Cincinnati Cyclones blew into town but again the host Wings had all the answers. Scheidl, Adam Phillips and Justin Taylor all scored in the 3-1 win as goalie Joel Martin stopped 33 of the 34 shots he faced to earn the win.
Next up: Wednesday – Adirondack, Friday – at Wheeling, Saturday – at Fort Wayne, Sunday – Fort Wayne
Brampton Beast (1-5-1-0, 3 points) Friday: lost 4-1 to Toledo, Sunday: def. Toledo 5-2
The Beast finally got into the win column on Sunday as they split a pair of contests with Toledo.
On Friday night, Luke Pither was the lone goal scorer for Brampton in a tough loss at home. Looking for revenge two days later, the Beast found it as Scott Howes scored two gals and added an assist in the team’s first win of the year. Angleo Miceli and Brandon Marino each tallied a goal and an assist while Chris Aguer chipped in with a goal.
Next up: Friday – Manchester, Saturday – Manchester, Sunday – Manchester
South Division
Florida Everblades (6-3-0-0, 12 points) Wednesday: lost 4-2 to South Carolina, Friday: def. South Carolina 2-0, Sunday: won 7-0 at Greenville
The Everblades stumbled to start the week but finished up strong with a pair of shutout victories.
On Wednesday, the South Carolina Stingrays visited southwest Florida and held the Everblades in check. Maxime St. Cyr and Brant Harris scored for the Everblades but it was not enough to get a win. Two nights later, goalie Anthony Peters pitched a 22-save shutout at the Stingrays to get Florida back into the win column. Justin Agosta and Matt Marquardt both lit the goal light for the host Everblades. Florida then capped with week with another whitewashing, this time taking down Greenville. Daniel Altshuller stopped all 31 shots he faced and Mike Aviani and Matt Willows each scored two goals in the win. Evan Bloodoff, Kevin Lynch and Agosta each added goals.
Next up: Saturday at Orlando, Sunday – at Orlando
Orlando Solar Bears (4-1-1-0, 9 points) Wednesday: lost 4-2 at Adirondack, Friday: lost 4-3 (OT) at Elmira, Saturday: won 5-2 at Reading
The Solar Bears started the week off undefeated and on the road for the first time this season.
On Wednesday, Orlando visited unbeated Adirondack looking to knock off the top dog in the conference. Johnny McInnis and Patrick Watling each scored but it was not enough to come away with a win. On Friday in Elmira, McInnis, Eric Faille and Lindsay Sparks helped the Solar Bears get a two goal lead but the host Jackals came back to win 4-3 in overtime. Orlando finished off the week in Reading and came away with a win as Brady Vail scored twice to go with goals from McInnis, Brett Findlay and Saprks.
Next up: Saturday – Florida, Sunday – Florida
Atlanta Gladiators (3-2-1-0, 7 points) Friday: won 3-2 at Greenville
The Gladiators had just one game during the week but it turned out to be a successful one.
On Friday, Atlanta traveled to Greenville to take on the Swamp Rabbits. Derek Nesbitt scored twice on the power play while Zach Yuen added a man-advantage goal of his own in a 3-2 win. Goalie Matt Ginn made 32 saves to post the victory.
Next up: Wednesday – at Idaho, Friday – at Idaho, Saturday – at Idaho
South Carolina Stingrays (3-4-1-0, 7 points) Wednesday: won 4-2 at Florida, Friday: lost 2-0 at Florida, Sunday: def. Evansville 5-2
The Stingrays finally started to get hot, winning two of the three games the team played last week.
On Wednesday, Joey Leach, Derek DeBlois, Kyle Kraemer and Austin Fyten all scored in a 4-2 win at Florida. The rematch on Friday did not go as well as the Stingrays were shutout. On Sunday, Joe Devin notched two goals and an assist to lead South Carolina to a win over Evansville. Brett Cameron, DeBlois and Kraemer had the other goals for the Stingrays.
Next up: Tuesday – Florida, Friday – Elmira, Saturday – Elmira, Sunday – Norfolk
Greenville Swamp Rabbits (3-4-0-0, 6 points) Friday: lost to Atlanta 3-2, Saturday: lost 3-2 to Evansville, Sunday: lost 7-0 to Florida
The Swamp Rabbits had a difficult week, dropping all three games over last weekend.
Ryan Rashid and Brian Hart each scored goals for Greenville on Friday but the visiting Gladiators won the game. The same thing happened on Saturday as Jack Combs and Hart tallied scores for the Swamp Rabbits but they came up one goal short to the IceMen. Sunday was not a good day at all as the visiting Everblades blanked Greenville easily.
Next up: Friday – at Norfolk, Saturday – at Reading, Sunday – at Reading
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