ORLANDO, FLA – Three weeks are now in the books for the 2016-2017 ECHL regular season and already there are some teams that are starting to show their dominance in the South division while the North is a tight race.
Adirondack Thunder (4-0-1-1, 10 points)
The Thunder are back in the driver’s seat in the division thanks to picking up five of a possible six points during the week.
On Tuesday, the Thunder hosted Elmira and the two teams put on a defensive show. Goalie Ken Appleby was nearly perfect, stopping 15 of 16 shots and Brian Ward scored the lone Adirondack goal as the game went to a shootout. The Jackals won the game but the host Thunder took home a point. Adirondack then traveled to Elmira on Friday and got revenge. Phil Lane led the way with two goals, Alex Wall contributed a score and an assists and Greg Wolfe and Stepan Falkovsky chipped in a goal each in a 5-2 win. Netminder Mason McDonald was solid between the pipes, making 13 saves.
The rubber game of the week’s trio with the Jackals saw the Thunder limit the host Jackals to just eight shots in the contest while Mikkel Aagaard posted a goal and an assist as Adirondack won 3-0. Lane and Ward scored the other goals for the Thunder.
Next Up: Tuesday – Manchester, Saturday – at Manchester, Sunday – at Manchester
Manchester Monarchs (4-2-0-1, 9 points)
The Monarchs stayed right on the heels of the Thunder, taking two out of three games against Cincinnati.
On Friday, Manchester exploded on offense as 13 different Monarchs players came away with at least one point in a 7-3 victory. David Kolomatis, Justin Agosta, Quentin Shore and Joe Diamond all collected a goal and an assist while Alexx Privitera, Damir Sharipzyanov and Connor Hardowa each lit the goal light once.
Corey Ward and Diamond both scored a goal in Saturday’s middle game of the set but the Cyclones came away with a 4-2 win, setting up Sunday’s final matchup. In that one, Gasper Kopitar netted a goal and an assist while Ward, Agosta and Diamond all scored once in a 4-2 victory for the host Monarchs. Sam Brittain backstopped the win with a 23-save performance.
Next Up: Tuesday – at Adirondack, Saturday – Adirondack, Sunday – Adirondack
Reading Royals (3-2-0-1, 7 points)
The Royals continued their season opening western swing, losing two of three to Idaho but coming home with three points.
Reading fell down by two in Wednesday’s contest but evened things up on goals by Ryan Penny and Derik Johnson in the second before Mike Pereira netted the game-winner in the third period to give the Royals a 3-2 win. Goalie Martin Ouellette made 32 saves on 34 shots to earn the victory. In Friday’s rematch, Mike Marcou had a goal and an assist while Robbie Czarnik added a score as the Royals took the host Steelheads to a shootout before losing. Netminder Mark Dekanich stopped 41 shots in regulation and overtime to give Reading a chance to win.
In Saturday’s series finale, Florian Iberer scored the lone goal for the Royals in a 3-1 loss.
Next Up: Wednesday – at Colorado, Friday – at Rapid City, Saturday – at Rapid City
Brampton Beast (2-0-1-2, 7 points)
The Beast continued to play some very exciting hockey, splitting a pair of games with the Missouri Mavericks at the Powerade Centre. Both contests went to a shootout before a winner was decided.
In Friday’s game, David Vallorani scored a goal and an assist in regulation and lit the lamp again in the shootout but it was not enough as the Mavericks won 5-4. Tim Billingsley, Brandon Marino and Jordan Henry had the other goals for Brampton.
The Beast were able to earn some revenge on Saturday as Mike Vernace’s penalty shot score was the difference in a 4-3 shootout win. Yannick Veilleux, Scott Jacklin and Reggie Traccitto all scored for Brampton in regulation while goalie Zach Fucale made 29 saves in regulation and overtime before stopping all four Missouri shots in the shootout to get his fist ECHL win.
Next Up: Friday – Kalamazoo, Sunday – Fort Wayne
Wheeling Nailers (2-2-1-0, 5 points)
The Nailers awoke from a tough first couple of weeks to pick up two wins in week three, both coming at the expense of the Kalamazoo wings.
On Friday, goalie Doug Carr was the story as he made 45 saves in regulation and overtime before Ross McMullan scored the game-winner in a 3-2 shootout victory in Kalamazoo. Gage Quinney, Nick Sorkin and Cody Wydo all scored in regulation for the Nailers while Josh Shalla had a tally in the shootout.
Saturday night was much less stressful for Wheeling fans as the Nailers thrashed the K-Wings 8-1 on home ice. Shalla had a big night, netting a hat trick and adding two assists to pace the offense. Derek Army added two goals and two assists while Kevin Schulze chipped in with a score and two helpers and Kenton Miller contributed a goal and an assist. Carr was solid in net again, stopping 22 of 23 shots for the win.
Next Up: Friday – Toledo, Saturday – at Toledo, Sunday – Kalamazoo
Elmira Jackals (2-4-0-0, 4 points)
The Jackals had a rough week, picking up just one win in three games against Adirondack.
On Tuesday, goalie John Muse stole the headlines as he made 39 saves on 40 shots faced through regulation and overtime. Steven Kaunisto had the lone Elimra goal in regulation before Tyson Fawcett scored the deciding goal in a 2-1 shootout victory.
Newcomer Sebastien Sylvestre and Davis Vandane each scored once in Friday night’s meeting but Adirondack had too much firepower as the visiting Thunder won 5-2. Saturday’s series finale in Adirondack was one that the Jackals would rather forget as their offense mustered just eight shots in a 3-0 loss to the Thunder.
Next Up: Thursday – at South Carolina, Friday – at Atlanta, Sunday – at South Carolina
Atlanta Gladiators (4-3-1-1, 10 points)
Atlanta ascended to the top of the South division thanks to a 2-1 week which included two huge road wins over a division opponent.
The Gladiators week started with a Thursday School Day morning game at home against Wichita. Tyler Murovich and A.J. White scored to stake Atlanta to a two-goal lead but Wichita came back to win 4-2.
Friday, the Gladiators arrived in Orlando to face the Solar Bears in a two-game set. Rookie goalie Jay Williams, who had been in Orlando’s training camp before being released, made 49 saves on 52 shots to win his pro debut 5-3. Thomas Frazee led the offense with two goals while Eric Neiley, Derek Nesbitt and Murovich each scored once with Murovich’s tally being the game winner. Saturday’s return matchup was never in doubt as Atlanta scored three times in the first 7:12 of the game and cruised to a 8-2 victory. Nesbitt had two goals and two assists, Trevor Mingoia bagged a pair of goals and Brock Higgs, Frazee, Ben Marshall and Murovich all tallied once.
Next Up: Friday – Elmira, Saturday – Orlando
Florida Everblades (4-0-1-0, 9 points)
The Everblades slid back into second place despite having a solid weekend, picking up three of a possible four points.
Friday’s meeting with division rival South Carolina was a tight, defensive affair. Brendan O’Donnell scored the lone goal for the host Everblades as they lost 2-1 in a shootout.
Saturday’s rematch was more to the liking of the Florida fans. Brant Harris, John McCarron, Levko Koper and O’Donnell all lit the goal light while goalie Anthony Peters was a perfect 22-for-22 in the save department as the Everblades blanked the Stingrays 4-0.
Next Up: Friday – Norfolk, Saturday – Norfolk
Greenville Swamp Rabbits (2-2-0-0, 4 points)
The Swamp Rabbits did not play any games last week but it was not a scheduling quirk that did them in.
A mechanical issue at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena caused the ice surface to be ruined, forcing the team and the league to cancel the scheduled games against Wichita. As of this point, no decision on rescheduling has been made.
Repair work on the issue began last Thursday with hopes of it being completed and the ice redone in time for this weekend’s scheduled games.
Next Up: Thursday – Orlando, Friday – Greenville
Cincinnati Cyclones (2-5-0-0, 4 points)
The Cyclones played a three game set with the North division Manchester Monarchs last week, winning just once.
Friday’s game saw the Monarchs pile on the Cyclones, lighting up Cincinnati goaltending in a 7-3 loss for the visitors. Shawn O’Donnell had a goal and an assist to lead the Cyclones while Jordan Sims and Dominic Zombo had the other Cincinnati goals.
On Saturday, O’Donnell lit the lamp twice while Sims and Andrew Yogan added a goal apiece as Cincinnati got some revenge in the form of a 4-2 victory. Goalie Mark Visentin backstopped the win with 26 saves. Sunday’s finale saw Gabriel Boudreau and Rob DeFulviis each score their first professional goals and goalie Michael Houser make 25 saves but the Cyclones fell again to the Monarchs by a 4-2 score.
Next Up: Wednesday – Fort Wayne, Thursday – Quad City, Sunday – at Quad City
South Carolina Stingrays (1-3-1-0, 3 points)
The Stingrays had a busy week with four games on the schedule. They did not fare well, dropping three of the four contests.
The week started with a home game against Wichita. Despite Patrick Gaul’s goal and goalie Adam Carlson’s 26-save effort, the Stingrays fell 3-1 to the visiting Thunder. On Thursday, South Carolina began a Florida swing in Orlando. Olivier Archambault scored to give the Stingrays a lead after two periods but the host Solar Bears came back in the third to win 2-1. Netminder Parker Milner kept South Carolina in the game with 27 saves.
On Friday, the Stingrays moved south to face the Florida Everblades. Archambault scored twice including the game-winner in overtime as South Carolina came away with a 2-1 win. Carlson played well again in net, making 31 saves on 32 shots faced. Saturday’s rematch was not a good one for the Stingrays as the Everblades shut them out 4-0.
Next Up: Tuesday – Orlando, Thursday – Elmira, Sunday – Elmira
Norfolk Admirals (1-5-1-0, 3 points)
The Admirals continued to sputter, picking up one point in two games against western conference foe Toledo.
Nick MacNeil was the lone bright spot on offense for Norfolk on Friday, scoring both goals in a 3-2 overtime loss to the Walleye. Goalie Eetu Laurikainen was outstanding in defeat, making 39 saves on 42 shots faced.
The next night, the Admirals offense again found the going tough as Dominic Alberga was the only Norfolk player to find the back of the net in a 4-1 loss to Toledo.
Next Up:Friday – at Florida, Saturday – at Florida
Orlando Solar Bears (1-3-0-0, 2 points)
The Solar Bears had a tough three-games-in-three-days set and picked up their first win of the new season against South Carolina but found the going tough against Atlanta.
On Thursday, Brett Findlay and Patrick Watling provided the offense while goalie Ryan Massa made 23 saves as Orlando came from behind to win 2-1. Watling’s game-winner was his second straight deciding goal at home dating back to the final Amway Center game against Florida last April.
Despite two goals from Joe Perry and one by Ethan Werek that tied the game in the third period, the Solar Bears fell to Atlanta on Friday night by a final of 5-3. Saturday’s game featured zombie-themed jerseys but it was the Orlando team itself that looked dead in an 8-2 loss. Perry and captain Eric Baier scored for the host Solar Bears but not until after the Gladiators had tallied the first six in the contest.
Next Up: Tuesday – at South Carolina, Thursday – at Greenville, Friday – at Greenville, Saturday – at Atlanta.
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