ORLANDO, FLA – Now that the 2016 portion of the ECHL schedule is over, teams and fans can start to focus on the push for the Kelly Cup playoffs. Before we do that, a quick look back at the final week prior to the calendar turning to 2017 is in order.
Manchester Monarchs (20-8-1-1, 42 points)
The Monarchs maintained their spot atop the division and among the top three in the conference with a win in its only game before the New Year.
On New Year’s Eve, Manchester hosted the Norfolk Admirals and scratched out a 4-3 victory. After the visitors took an early lead, the Monarchs bounced back to go in front only to see Norfolk regain a lead but two goals in the final 1:40 of regulation gave Manchester the win.
Gasper Kopitar, Quentin Shore and Ashton Rome all scored before Jordan LaVallee-Smotherman won it with 36 seconds left in regulation. Goalie Sam Brittain made 34 saves to earn the victory.
Next Up: Tuesday – at Orlando, Wednesday – at Florida, Friday – at Florida, Saturday – at Florida
Brampton Beast (19-9-1-2, 41 points)
The Beast, playing without goalie Zach Fucale who was helping Team Canada win the Spengler Cup, moved to within one point of first place Manchester with two wins in three games during the week.
On the road in Toledo on Friday, Brampton got in front and stayed there, downing the Walleye 2-1. Willie Corrin and Lucas Venuto provided the goals while goalie Andrew D’Agostini stopped 21 of 22 shots. The next night in Kalamazoo, David Pacan, David Vallorani and Corrin each scored but the Beast lost 5-3.
Sunday afternoon in Indianapolis to take on the Fuel, three unanswered goals at the start of the second period boosted Brampton to a 6-3 victory. Chris Auger led the offense with two goals and an assist while Luc-Olivier Blain and Corrin chipped in with a goal and an assist each. Mitch Zion and Mike Folkes also scored for the Beast.
Next Up: Friday – Kalamazoo, Saturday – at Toledo, Sunday – Kalamazoo
Reading Royals (18-11-1-1, 38 points)
The Royals finished 2016 on a hot streak, sweeping a trio of contests before flipping the calendar to the new year.
Elmira paid a visit to Santander Arena on Wednesday and the visitors were no match for the a Royals who won 5-0. Robbie Czarnik had two goals and an assist to pace the offensive attack. Ryan Penny, Olivier Labelle and Florian Iberer netted the other goals in support of goalie Drew Fielding who stopped all 16 shots he faced for the shutout. On Friday, Justin Crandall posted two scores and a helper to lead Reading to a 4-2 win over Wheeling. Chris McCarthy and Czarnik added a goal each and netminder Austin Lotz earned the victory with 26 saves.
The Royals spent New Year’s Eve in Glens Falls taking on Adirondack. McCarthy, Iberer, Czarnik, Labelle and Matt Willows all lit the goal light while Fielding turned away 40 shots in a 5-2 win over the Thunder.
Next Up: Friday – Adirondack, Saturday – Adirondack
Adirondack Thunder (15-8-2-3, 35 points)
The Thunder had a quiet week before welcoming in 2017, playing just once. Unfortunately for them, they were playing a red hot Reading squad.
Ty Loney and Gunner Hughes each scored a goal for Adirondack but it not near enough to slow down the Royals. The Thunder lost 5-2, falling into fourth place in the division.
Next Up: Wednesday – at Norfolk, Friday – at Reading, Saturday – at Reading
Wheeling Nailers (15-12-3-0, 32 points)
The Nailers played three games during the week, losing the first two before rebounding for a big win over Elmira.
The week began on Tuesday in Toledo against the Walleye. Christian Hilbrich, Derek Army and Garrett Meurs handled the offense with a goal apiece but Wheeling came out on the short end of a 4-3 final. Friday in Reading, Army and Michael Webster each scored once but the host Royals came away with a 4-2 win over Wheeling.
Back at home for New Year’s Eve, the Nailers got two goals and an assist from Kevin Schulze in a 5-2 win over the Jackals. Jordan Kwas, Andrew Miller and Army also scored while goalie Sean Maguire made 34 saves to pick up the victory.
Next Up: Friday – Toledo, Saturday – Cincinnati
Elmira Jackals (7-17-5-0, 19 points)
The Jackals finished the 2016 part of their schedule, sandwiching a pair of losses around a win over Norfolk.
Wednesday’s visit to arch rival Reading was not a happy one. The Royals dominated Elmira, coming away with a 5-0 win. Against Norfolk on Friday, the Jackals responded in a big way. Justin Kea had two goals and two assists while Mark Bennett and Benjamin Dieude-Fauvel posted two scores and an assist each in a 7-4 victory over the Admirals. Kyle Rankin had the seventh score for the Jackals.
On Saturday in Wheeling, Sebastien Sylvestre scored twice but his teammates were held scoreless as Elmira lost 5-2 to the Nailers.
Next Up: Friday – at Norfolk, Saturday – at Norfolk
Florida Everblades (20-7-1-2, 43 points)
Florida took over the top spot in the Eastern conference thanks to winning three of four contests during the week.
On Tuesday in Orlando, Brendan O’Donnell broke a 1-1 tie with two late third period goals to down the Solar Bears 3-1. Adam Brace scored the first goal for the Everblades and goalie Daniel Altshuller made 38 saves in the contest. Thursday night in Duluth, a four goal first period was the difference as Florida beat Atlanta 5-2. Mike Ferrantino led the offense with two goals and an assist while O’Donnell, Curt Gogol and Logan Roe each picked up one. Goalie Alex Nedeljkovic stopped 30 of 32 shots for the win.
Friday’s rematch with the Gladiators went much the same way for the Everblades. Danny New, O’Donnell, Brant Harris and Dalton Smith all scored to stake Florida to a lead. Nedeljkovic held the fort with 39 saves and put the game out of reach with his own empty net goal, becoming just the twelfth ECHL netminder to accomplish the fete. Running on fumes, the Everblades visited South Carolina on Saturday, getting just a goal from Harris in a 5-1 loss.
Next Up: Wednesday – Manchester, Friday – Manchester, Saturday – Manchester
Orlando Solar Bears (17-10-4-1, 39 points)
The Solar Bears had a tough week, losing all three games but managing two points thanks to losses in overtime and a shootout.
Tuesday night against Florida, rookie Nik Brouillard opened the scoring and goalie Ryan Massa made 47 saves but it was not as the visiting Everblades won 3-1. Greenville came to town on Friday and Orlando had the lead on three different occasions but lost 5-4 in overtime to the Swamp Rabbits. Patrick Watling, Brenden Miller, Connor Gaarder and Tony Cameranesi had the goals for the Solar Bears.
On Saturday, the rematch with Greenville was another lesson in frustration for the Solar Bears. Despite goals from Miller, Joe Perry and Eric Faille, Orlando fell 4-3 in a shootout. Cameranesi had the only score for the Solar Bears in the deciding skills competition.
Next Up: Tuesday – Manchester, Friday – at Colorado, Saturday – at Colorado, Sunday – at Colorado
Greenville Swamp Rabbits (17-12-2-0, 36 points)
Greenville had a great end to 2016, winning two out of three important divisional matchups.
On Wednesday, the Swamp Rabbits hosted South Carolina and despite scored from Bretton Cameron, Michael Turner and Desmond Bergin, lost 6-3 to their in-state rivals. Friday in Orlando, Justin DaSilva scored twice in regulation and Greenville made three comebacks before Brandon Alderson scored in overtime to defeat the host Solar Beats 5-4. Joe Houk and Trevor Gerling netted the other two Swamp Rabbits goals.
Saturday night, Houk netted a pair of goals and Tommy Thompson scored once in regulation as Greenville took Orlando to a shootout. Alderson and Paul Zanette both scored in the shootout to give the Swamp Rabbits the victory. Goalie Jeff Malcolm made 37 saves in regulation and overtime before denying the Solar Bears twice in the penalty shot session.
Next Up: Friday – at South Carolina, Saturday – South Carolina, Sunday – Tulsa
South Carolina Stingrays (16-11-1-1, 34 points)
The Stingrays had a great week, sweeping all three games they played during the week.
On Tuesday, Steven McParland and Dylan Margonari both tallied two goals and Rob Flick scored the overtime winner as South Carolina downed Atlanta 5-4. The next night in Greenville, Kelly Zajac posted two goals and three assists to lead the Stingrays to a 6-3 win over the Swamp Rabbits. Derek DeBlois chipped in with two goals and two assists of his own while Joe Devin and Olivier Archambault added one each in support of Parker Milner who made 23 saves.
Facing the Florida Everblades on New Year’s Eve, the Stingrays scored the first goals of the game on the way to a 5-1 victory. Devin, DeBlois, Zajac, Flick and Wade Epp each scored once and Milner turned away 26 of 27 shots between the pipes.
Next Up: Tuesday – Tulsa, Friday – Greenville, Saturday – at Greenville, Sunday – at Atlanta
Cincinnati Cyclones (13-13-4-0, 30 points)
The Cyclones were busy, playing four games to close out the calendar year. They won two of the contests and lost two.
It all started on Tuesday when Cincinnati dominated Kalamazoo for a 4-1 win. Brandon McNally led the way with two goals and an assist while Dominic Zombo and Andrew Yogan each scored once. Goalie Michael Houser had 35 saves to get the victory. Thursday night in Fort Wayne, Shawn O’Donnell, Shane Walsh and Seth Ambroz all lit the goal light but the Cyclones lost 4-3 to the Komets.
On Friday, Cincinnati went to Indy for the front end of a home-and-home set. Walsh and Peter Leblanc each had a goal but the Cyclones came up short by a final of 3-2. Back at home on Saturday, Cincinnati rang in the New Year with a 3-2 win of its own. McNally, Jordan Sims and Troy Vance handled the scoring while Houser stopped 25 shots to get the victory.
Next Up: Wednesday – at Wichita, Friday – at Quad City, Sunday – at Wheeling
Atlanta Gladiators (12-15-4-1, 29 points)
The Gladiators had a tough week, picking up just one point (overtime loss) as they lost three times.
The week started on Tuesday against South Carolina. Cason Hohmann scored twice and Thomas Frazee and Brock Higgs added one each but Atlanta lost 5-4 in overtime to the Stingrays.
Florida invaded Duluth on Thursday for a pair of games. Hohmann and Trevor Mingoia both had a goal in Thursday’s contest but the Gladiators finished on the short end of a 5-2 final. Shane Bakker netted two and Mingoia scored for the second straight night but Friday’s rematch also went to the Everblades, this time by a score of 5-3.
Next Up: Thursday – Tulsa, Friday – Tulsa, Sunday – South Carolina
Norfolk Admirals (6-20-4-0, 16 points)
The Admirals ended the 2016 portion of its schedule on a down note, dropping a pair of road contests.
Friday in Elmira, Frankie Simonelli registered two goals while T.J. Foster and John Dunbar added one each but the Jackals ran away with a 7-4 win over the Admirals.
Norfolk finished the year in the Granite state visiting Manchester. Brodie DuPont, Dante Salituro and Alex Pompeo all found the back of the net once but the Admirals fell 4-3 to the Monarchs.
Next Up: Wednesday – Adirondack, Friday – Elmira, Saturday – Elmira
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