ORLANDO, FLA – The ECHL’s Christmas break is upon us and all is quiet until Saturday when the schedule picks up with a large slate of games. Week 10 saw one division leadership flip and a few position changes as two teams went unbeaten while four failed to win even one contest.
Manchester Monarchs (18-10-0-1, 37 points)
The Monarchs held on to the division lead for the second straight week thanks to picking up two wins in three games.
On Thursday, The Monarchs headed to Kalamazoo to face the K-Wings and came away with a hard-fought 2-1 overtime win. Matt Leitner scored the lone Manchester goal and regulation while Stefan Legein had the overtime winner. Goalie Cedrick Desjardins made 25 saves to pick up the victory. The next night in Fort Wayne, the Monarchs got two goals and an assist from Danick Paquette as well as scored from Darik Angeli, Maxim Kitsyn and Legein to down the Komets 5-3. Manchester finished out the road trip in Toledo on Sunday and despite 21 saves from Desjardins, the Monarchs fell 2-0.
Next up: Saturday – at Adirondack, Sunday – Adirondack
Elmira Jackals (18-10-0-0, 36 points)
The Jackals stayed right on the heels of Manchester going 2-1 against divisional opponents.
The week started Wednesday with a visit to Glens Falls to take on Adirondack. Allan McPherson scored twice and added an assist to lead the way to a 6-4 win. Justin Kea also netted a pair of goals while Mike Seidel and Colin Jacobs each scored once. On Friday, Elmira pulled into Reading for a pair of contests against the Royals. Jacob MacDonald and Mark Barnett each posted a goal and an assist while Kea, Tyler Currier and Spiro Goulakos netted one apiece in a 5-2 victory. The week ended on Sunday with goalie C.J. Motte stopping 34 of 35 shots but it was not enough as the Royals shut out the Jackals 2-0.
Next up: Saturday – Reading
Adirondack Thunder (16-5-1-1, 34 points)
The Thunder found themselves in third in the division at the end of the week after winning just once in three games.
Gunnar Hughes and Michael Kirkpatrick each had a goal and an assist on Wednesday in a loss to Elmira. Joe Faust and Luke Curadi had the other two goals in the game for the Thunder. Friday went much better as Adirondack traveled south to Norfolk and came away with a 5-3 win. Kirkpatrick, Mitchell Heard and Ben Johnson all had a score and a helper while Greg Wolfe and Hughes each contributed a goal. The rematch with the Admirals on Saturday saw Kirkpatrick score once again and goalie Ken Appleby make 26 saves but host Norfolk came away with a 2-1 victory.
Next up: Saturday – Manchester, Sunday – at Manchester
Reading Royals (13-11-1-2, 29 points)
The Royals had another good week, winning twice in three games.
Robbie Czarnik and Cam Reid each put two goals home while Mike Pereira and Ian Watters had one apiece in a 6-3 victory over host Norfolk. On Friday, the Royals were back at home to face Elmira and got a goal and an assist from both Adam Comrie and Pavel Padakin but the visiting Jackals won 5-2. Watters and Czarnik both got back on the score sheet with a goal apiece in support of Adam Morrison who stopped all 33 shots to post a 2-0 shutout.
Next up: Saturday – at Elmira, Sunday – at Brampton
Norfolk Admirals (10-18-0-1, 21 points)
The Admirals played three games within the division during the week, losing twice before ending on a good note with a win.
On Wednesday, the Admirals played host to Reading. Alexandre Ranger, Steven Whitney and Radoslav Illo all scored but Norfolk fell to the Royals. Friday night Adirondack came to the Scope for the first of two meetings. Jonathan Lessard notched two goals and Jordan Hill added one in a 5-3 loss. The Admirals got revenge on Saturday as Nick Pageau scored twice and netminder Adam Courchaine made 35 saves to beat the Thunder 2-1.
Next up: Saturday – at South Carolina, Sunday – at South Carolina
Toledo Walleye (16-7-1-3, 36 points)
The Walleye regained the top spot in the division with a perfect week, winning all four games they played.
Wednesday against Indy, Zach Nastasiuk scored twice and added an assist to lead the way in a 5-1 win over the Fuel. Kule Bushee, Alden Hirschfeld and Scott Czarnowczan each picked up a goal in support of Jeff Lerg who made 29 saves in net. Toledo headed across the border to Brampton the next night and got goals from Nastasiuk, Hirschfeld and Austin Wuthrich in regulation before Hirshfeld and A.J. Jenks found the back of the net in the shootout to take a 4-3 victory. On Saturday, Hirschfeld and Dominic Zombo each scored and Lerg stopped all 15 shots he faced in a 2-0 shutout over Manchester. The week ended in Indianapolis where Hirschfeld, Zombo, Josh Shalla and Joel Chouinard all scored as the Walleye edged the Fuel 4-3.
Next up: Saturday – Wheeling
Wheeling Nailers (14-10-1-2, 31 points)
The Nailers spent the weekend out in the Midwest for a pair of games, splitting the two.
On Friday against Quad City, Derek Army, Mathew Maione and John McCarron each had a goal and an assist while Zack Torquato added a score in a 4-1 win. Goalie Franky Palazzese was solid in net, making 39 saves. The next night, Riley Brace, McCarron and Jarrett Burton scored but the host Mallards came away with a 5-3 win.
Next up: Saturday – at Toledo, Sunday – Kalamazoo
Kalamazoo Wings (10-15-2-1, 23 points)
The K-Wings did not fare well during the week, losing all three games played but picking up one point for taking one of the contests to overtime.
On Thursday, Lane Scheidl scored the lone K-Wings goal and Joel Martin goalie Joel Martin stopped 34 shots in an overtime loss to Manchester. The Atlanta Gladiators invaded Kalamazoo on Friday for the first of back-to-back games and allowed just a goal by Eric Kattelus as the visitors beat Kalamazoo 3-1. Adam Phillips, Dane Fox and Tanner Sorenson all netted goals on Saturday but the K-Wings fell again to the Gladiators by a 5-3 final.
Next up: Saturday – at Fort Wayne, Sunday – at Wheeling
Brampton Beast (8-15-2-1, 19 points)
The Beast had just two games scheduled for the week. Despite taking one of the contests to a shootout, Brampton fell in both games.
On Thursday, Luke Pither, Jeff Brown and Jordan Henry all lit the goal light in regulation but the contest with Toledo went to a shootout. Scott Howes netted the only score for the Beast in the penalty shot competition but it was not enough to pull out a win. Fort Wayne visited Brampton on Saturday and Howes scored the lone Beast goal in a 5-1 loss.
Next up: Sunday – Reading
Florida Everblades (21-9-0-0, 42 points)
The Everblades continued to control the top spot in the division, the conference and the race for the Brabham Cup with a perfect 3-0 week.
On Wednesday, Florida got two goals from Ethan Werek and one from Evan Bloodoff while goalie Rasmus Tirronen made 27 saves in a 3-2 win over Orlando. Friday night in North Charleston, Matt Marquardt scored in regulation before Kevin Lynch netted the game-winner in overtime as the Everblades beat South Carolina 2-1. Goalie Anthony Peters made 31 saves to post the victory. Saturday night the rematch with the Stingrays went much easier as Ryan Martindale, Werek, Corey Cowick and Bloodoff all scored in a 4-1 win. Once again Tirronen was solid between the pipes, stopping 26 of 27 shots.
Next up: Sunday – at Orlando
Atlanta Gladiators (16-9-1-0, 33 points)
Once again the Gladiators were on the road far from home, hitting Evansville and Kalamazoo. Atlanta won all three games including an overtime thriller.
Wednesday in Evansville, Patrick D’Amico scored twice and Matt Register, Justin Buzzeo and Tyler Murovich added one each before Derek Nesbitt nailed the overtime winner to top the IceMen 6-5. On Friday in Kalamazoo, Register, Nesbitt and J.T. Barnett all lit the lamp in support of Kent Patterson who made 19 saves to beat the K-Wings 3-1. Saturday’s rematch saw D’Amico net two more and add an assist in a 5-3 win. Murovich, Max Everson and Garry Nunn had the other goals for the Gladiators.
Next up: Monday – at Fort Wayne, Saturday – Greenville, Sunday – at Greenville
South Carolina Stingrays (15-10-2-1, 33 points)
The Stingrays had the tough task of hosting the Florida Everblades for a pair of contests. Unfortunately for the home fans, South Carolina lost twice.
On Friday night, Nick Jones had the lone goal while goalie Mark Dekanich made 25 saves but the Stingrays lost 2-1 in overtime. The next night, David Pacan score the only goal for the Stingrays as the Everblades posted a 4-1 win.
Next up: Saturday – Norfolk, Sunday – Norfolk
Greenville Swamp Rabbits (13-12-3-0, 29 points)
The Swamp Rabbits had a pair of divisional games at home against Orlando. Greenville swept both contests, putting up a combined 13 goals in the process.
On Saturday, Justin DaSilva, Jack Combs, Jordan Knackstedt, Bretton Cameron, Zack LaRue and Joey Holka all contributed a goal in a 6-1 rout of the Solar Bears. Sunday afternoon, the Swamp Rabbits spotted Orlando a three goal lead before scoring five unanswered goals and going on to a 7-4 win. Combs had a hat trick in the contest while Holka, Cameron, Richard Nejezchleb and Darian Dziurzynski added one each for the Swamp Rabbits.
Next up: Saturday – at Atlanta, Sunday – at Atlanta
Orlando Solar Bears (10-11-2-3, 25 points)
The Solar Bears finished off a tough six-game road trip, losing three more divisional contests.
Wednesday in Estero, Eric Faille and Brady Vail provided the offense with a goal apiece but it was not enough to beat the red-hot Everblades who won 3-2. Saturday night, the Solar Bears returned to Greenville and were beat 6-1, giving up three late goals to turn a close game into a laugher. Christopher Clapperton scored the lone Orlando goal. On Sunday, Johnny McInnis scored twice while Max Nicastro and Matt Ruppert added one each but too many defensive lapses were the big story as the Solar Bears lost 7-4.
Next up: Sunday – Florida
Contact the author at don.money@prohockeynews.com
Follow the author on Twitter @phnsingleaedit or @prohockeynews
You must be logged in to post a comment.