ORLANDO, FLA – Things are heating up in the ECHL’s Eastern conference as week three begins. Before we get to see a clash of unbeatens, a review of week two is in order.
The first full week of the regular season saw one team that looked unbeatable tumble twice on the road while two others maintained their dominance, some old rivalries started to heat up and a couple of franchises not used to struggling stayed cold coming out of the gates.
Here is how it all played out…
East Division
Adirondack Thunder (4-0-0-0, 8 points) Friday – won 5-4 (OT) at Brampton, Saturday – def. Manchester 4-2, Sunday – won 5-2 at Manchester
The Thunder continued to pack a wallop as the first year ECHL franchise stayed unbeaten with three victories.
Friday night, Rob Bordson scored two goals, including the game winner less than a minute into overtime, and added an assist to lead Adirondack to a win at Brampton. David Shields, Michael Kirkpatrick and Mitchell Heard scored the other goals in regulation for the Thunder. Back home on Saturday, Bordon and Louick Marcotte each had a goal and an assist while Kirkpatrick and James Henry also lit the lamp against the Monarchs. On Sunday, Marcotte netted two scores and Mathieu Brodeur chipped in with a goal and an assist as the Thunder won in Manchester. Joe Faust and Ryan Lomberg contributed a goal apiece in the win.
Next up: Wednesday – Orlando, Friday – at Wheeling
Elmira Jackals (2-2-0-0, 4 points) Friday: lost 5-1 to Reading, Saturday: won 7-2 at Reading
The Jackals renewed their long standing rivalry with the Reading Royals, splitting a home-and-home set of contests.
Friday night was not a game to remember for Elmira. Jacob MacDonald scored the lone goal for the host Jackals as they were trounced. One night later, Elmira got revenge on the road with a lopsided victory. Taylor Stefishen scored twice and Cason Hohmann had two goals and two assists as the Jackals lit the goal light seven times. Josh Chapman, Colin Jacobs and Nathan Oystrick also scored in support of goalie Sam Marotta who made 21 saves.
Next up: Wednesday – at Reading, Friday – Orlando, Saturday – Manchester
Reading Royals (2-2-0-0, 4 points) Friday: won 5-1 at Elmira, Saturday – lost 7-2 to Elmira
Two games against Elmira left the Royals even up as they won big on the road but lost on home ice.
Kevin Sundher was the big story on Friday night as he picked up a hat trick and added an assist to lead the Royals to a big win. Maxim Lamarche and Adam Comrie scored the other goals while netminder Martin Ouellette was solid, making 20 saves to earn the win. Saturday was a completely different story as Robbie Czarnik and Riley Armstrong were the only two Reading players to score in a bad 7-2 loss.
Next up: Wednesday – Elmira, Saturday – Orlando
Manchester Monarchs (1-2-0-0, 2 points) Saturday: lost 4-2 at Adirondack, Sunday: lost 5-2 to Adirondack
Following a solid opening night showing, the Monarchs did not fare as well in week two, falling twice to Adirondack.
Joe Diamond and Josh Brown each scored a goal on Saturday night but it was not enough as the host Thunder doubled up on the Monarchs. The two teams headed back to New Hampshire on Sunday but it was more of the same as only Zac Larraza could light the lamp for host Manchester with a pair of tallies.
Next up: Saturday – at Elmira
Norfolk Admirals (1-4-0-0, 2 points) Wednesday: lost 6-1 at Florida, Thursday: lost 6-3 at Orlando, Saturday: lost 6-3 at Orlando
The Admirals took a swing through Florida for three games but even the warm sunshine could not heat up Norfolk’s win total.
Charles-Olivier Roussel scored the game’s first goal against Florida on Wednesday but the proved to be the lone bright spot in a 6-1 loss. The next night it was on to Orlando where Greg Chase, Michael Pelech and Gabriel Verpaelst all scored to keep things interesting before the host Solar Bears pulled away in the third period. On Saturday, a return trip to the Amway Center did not provide a victory as Josh Currie scored twice and Chase added his second tally in two games but the Admirals still lost.
Next up: Friday – Quad City
North Division
Wheeling Nailers (3-1-0-0, 6 points) Saturday: def. Brampton 5-1, Sunday: won 4-3 at Brampton
The Nailers continued their hot start to the season with a pair of victories over Brampton.
Saturday night’s home contest against the Beast went very well for the host Nailers. Derek Army led the offense with a goal and two assists while Connor Leen, Jarrett Burton, Sahir Gill and Clark Seymour all chipped in with goals. Goalie Franky Palazzese made 22 saves to get the win. On Sunday north of the border, Army again notched a score and two helpers to pace Wheeling. Cody Wydo, Seymour and John McCarron each added goals as the Nailers pulled out a victory.
Next up: Friday – Adirondack, Saturday – Quad City
Toledo Walleye (2-1-0-1, 5 points) Friday: won 5-2 at Kalamazoo, Saturday: won 3-1 at Evansville
The Walleye had a tough opening weekend but made up for it with two road victories.
On Friday night, Toledo visited Kalamazoo to take on the rival K-Wings and came away with its first win of the season. Alden Hirschfeld and Marek Tvrdon were the big stars as each picked up two goals and an assist while Tyler Sikura added a goal and an assist of his own. Goalie Jeff Lerg collected 18 saves in the win. On Saturday, Tvrdon and Josh Shalla each scored and netminder Jake Paterson made 38 saves as the Walleye collected a hard-fought 2-1 victory.
Next up: Friday – at Brampton, Sunday – at Brampton
Brampton Beast (0-4-1-0, 2 points) Friday: lost 5-4 (OT) to Adirondack, Saturday: Lost 5-1 at Wheeling, Sunday: lost 4-3 to Wheeling
The Beast had a rough weekend, losing three games including a heartbreaking overtime contest.
Friday night against the Adirondack Thunder, Brampton gave its home fans a show by staying with the undefeated Thunder until losing in overtime. Josiah Didier led the offense with a goal and an assist while Angelo Miceli, Bryan McGregor and Travis Brown each added a tally. Tim Billingsley was the lone scorer for the Beast on Saturday as Brampton took a hard loss on the road at Wheeling. The two teams returned to Brampton on Sunday where Brandon Marino scored twice and Mathew Malone picked up a goal but is was not enough to topple the visiting Nailers.
Next up: Friday – Toledo, Sunday – Toledo
Kalamazoo Wings (0-4-0-0, 0 points) Friday: lost 5-2 to Toledo, Saturday: lost 4-1 at Cincinnati
The K-Wings continued to look for their first win of the season but did not find it as they lost twice.
On Friday night, Kalamazoo got goals from Tyler Shattock and Alex Mallet but it was not near enough as the K-Wings fell to visiting Toledo. On the road Saturday in Cincinnati, Justin Kovacs put the K-Wings on the scoreboard but that was all Kalamazoo could muster in a road loss to the Cyclones.
Next up: Tuesday – Indy, Friday – Cincinnati
South Division
Florida Everblades (4-2-0-0, 8 points) Wednesday: def. Norfolk 6-1, Friday: lost 4-2 at Atlanta, Saturday: won 4-1 at Atlanta, Sunday: lost 3-2 at Greenville
The Everblades had a busy week, playing four games including three on the road. The workload caught up with them as they fell from the ranks of the unbeaten.
Wednesday at home against Norfolk, the Everblades got two goals and an assist from Matt Marquardt and two scores from Brant Harris in a 6-1 victory. Ethan Werek and Kevin Lynch each contributed a goal in support of goalie Daniel Altshuller who made 27 saves. Friday night on the road in Duluth, Georgia against the Atlanta Gladiators was a different story. Lynch and Mike Aviani lit the goal light but the host Gladiators came away with the victory. Florida got revenge on Saturday as Marquardt had a goal and an assist while Evan Bloodoff, Corey Syvret and Kevin Montgomery all scored in a win. The trip ended with a Sunday game in Greenville where Corey Cowick netted two goals but the host Swamp Rabbits won 3-2.
Next up: Wednesday – South Carolina, Friday – South Carolina, Sunday – at Greenville
Orlando Solar Bears (3-0-0-0, 6 points) Thursday: def. Norfolk 6-3, Saturday: def. Norfolk 6-3
The Solar Bears stayed red hot, picking up two wins to run their streak to three straight at home.
Orlando’s high-powered offense and special teams continued to dominate Thursday as the Solar Bears doubled up on Norfolk. Eric Faille led the way with two goals and an assist while Patrick Watling and TJ Foster each picked up a score and a helper. Brett Findlay and Chris Clapperton also scored in the win. On Saturday it was more of the same as Brady Vail picked up two goals and two assists to go along with Findlay’s two goals and a helper. Jack Rodewald scored his first professional goal and added three assists while Faille had his third goal in two games. Goalie Ryan Massa got his first professional win by making 38 saves.
Next up: Wednesday – at Adirondack, Friday – at Elmira, Saturday – at Reading
Greenville Swamp Rabbits (3-1-0-0, 6 points) Friday: def. South Carolina 5-3, Saturday: won 3-2 (OT) at South Carolina, Sunday: def. Florida 3-2
The Swamp Rabbits played three games in three days, including two at home, and won all three.
Friday’s home opener was a huge success as five different Swamp Rabbits scored on the way to a win. Josh Nichols, Jack Combs, Bretton Cameron, Ryan Rashid and Emerson Clark all had goals to lead the charge. On Saturday, Cameron scored twice, including the game winner in overtime as Greenville toppled South Carolina on the road. Back at home on Sunday, Nichols led the way with two goals and Clark scored the deciding tally late in the third to upend Florida.
Next up: Friday – Atlanta, Saturday – Evansville, Sunday – Florida
Atlanta Gladiators (2-2-1-0, 5 points)
The Gladiators also had a tough stretch of three games in three days and came up a winner in two of the contests.
After losing twice to Florida the previous weekend, revenge was on the minds of the Gladiators on Friday at home. Led by Derek Nesbitt and Garry Nunn who each tallied a goal and an assist, Atlanta knocked off the Everblades. Kevin Albers and Todd Fiddler scored the other Atlanta goals in the win. Things did not go as well on Saturday as Nesbitt scored the lone Gladiators goal in a loss to Florida. On Sunday, Tyler Shiplo, Nathan Condon, Thomas Frazee, Brad Navin and Nesbitt all lit the lamp in a 5-3 road victory at South Carolina.
Next up: Friday – at Greenville
South Carolina Stingrays (1-3-1-0, 3 points) Friday: lost 5-3 at Greenville, Saturday: lost 3-2 (OT) to Greenville, Sunday: lost 5-3 to Atlanta
The Stingrays had a lost weekend, losing all three games including an overtime thriller.
Joe Devin and Max Sauve each picked up a goal and an assist and recently re-acquired Stephan Vigier netted a score but it was not enough to take down the Swamp Rabbits Friday night in Greenville. Back home on Saturday, Andrew Johnston and Kyle Kraemer both lit the goal light in a hard fought overtime loss. Back home on Sunday, Vigier had a score and a helper while Bobby Shea and Johnston each added a goal but Atlanta was too much for the Stingrays to handle.
Next up: Wednesday – at Florida, Friday – at Florida, Sunday – Evansville
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