This is the first of what will be a weekly recap of Western Conference action. We delayed our first recap for a week to allow all Western Conference teams to have at least one game played so we could report on their progress. Check in with Pro Hockey News each Tuesday for the latest weekly recap.
There has certainly been plenty of action in the first two weeks of the ECHL season, but first, let’s get up to speed with a few changes that were made in the off-season:
New Conference Alignment
With the departure of the Evansville IceMen following the 2015-16 season, the ECHL made a few changes in the conference. New to the Western Conference are the Kalamazoo Wings and the 2015-16 Eastern Conference regular season champion Toledo Walleye. Moving to the Eastern Conference are the Cincinnati Cyclones. The Eastern Conference will play the season with 13 teams, while the Western Conference will play with 14 teams.
New Divisions
The ECHL has divided the 14 Western Conference teams into two divisions of seven teams. The Central includes Fort Wayne, Kalamazoo, Indy, Tulsa, Toledo, Wichita and Quad City. The Mountain Division is made up of Allen, Utah, Colorado, Alaska, Rapid City, Idaho and Missouri.
Playoff Format
The top four teams in each division will qualify for the Kelly Cup Playoffs. The first two rounds will take place within each division with the division winner playing the fourth-place finisher and second-place finisher playing the third-place finisher in the opening round. Following a second round series, the winner of the Central Division will face the winner of the Mountain Division. The winner of that series will then move on to face the Eastern Conference champion in the Kelly Cup Finals. Each playoff series will be a best-of-seven format.
MOUNTAIN DIVISION
Allen Americans (3-2-0-0, 6 points)
The two-time defending Kelly Cup champs opened the season strong with a pair of home wins over the Missouri Mavericks. On October 15 the Americans raised their newest banner and celebrated with a 6-3 victory, before following up the next night with a 4-0 shutout courtesy of goalie Jamie Murray. This past week Allen split a pair of home games with the Atlanta Gladiators, losing 3-2 on on Wednesday and winning 3-1 on Friday. They closed out with a 3-2 road loss at Tulsa on Tuesday night in a game that saw them fall behind 2-0 in the first 2:26. The Americans attempted to chip away at the lead, but were unable to tie the game, despite placing 44 shots on goal.
Chad Costello paces the squad with six points (1 G, 5 A), while Chris Crane and Greger Hanson sit in second on the score sheet with three goals and two assists each. Riley Gill is a perfect 2-0 in net on the young season.
Next Up: Friday at Fort Wayne, Saturday at Indy, Sunday at Kalamazoo.
Utah Grizzlies (3-1-0-0, 6 points)
The Grizzlies are looking forward to some new opponents after taking on their closest rivals, the Idaho Steelheads, in their first four games. Utah opened the year with a pair of home wins over Idaho, during which they outscored the Steelheads a combined score of 7-1. Last weekend they traveled to Boise where they split a pair of games with Idaho. Following a 8-4 loss on Friday night, the Grizzlies answered on Saturday with a 6-5 win in overtime. After taking a 4-1 win into the third period, Utah allowed three unanswered Idaho goals to force the extra frame, where C.J. Eick netted the winning goal.
On the offensive side of things for the Grizzlies Jon Puskar and Jordan Samuels-Thomas lead the charge with three goals and three assists each. Ryan Faragher is a perfect 2-0 while maintaining a .915 save percentage.
Next Up: Friday & Saturday – Home vs. Colorado.
Colorado Eagles (3-1-0-0, 6 points)
The Eagles opened the season with three-straight wins, before finally suffering their first loss last Saturday. Colorado picked up a 4-2 at Rapid City on opening night, before claiming a 6-4 home opener win against the Rush the following night to secure the home-and-home sweep. Kent Simpson made 26 saves last Friday as the Eagles shutout the visiting Alaska Aces 2-0. The Aces responded the following night, handing the Eagles their first loss, by a score of 5-2.
Casey Pierro-Zabotel leads the team with seven points (2 G, 5 A), while Matt Garbowsky is in second place on the team leader board with two goals and two assists. Luke Salazar rounds out the top three with one goal and three assists. Simpson boasts a 2-1 record with a .933 save percentage, while Nathan Lieuwen is 1-0 with 29 saves.
Next Up: Friday & Saturday – at Utah.
Idaho Steelheads (1-2-1-0, 3 points)
The Steelheads have had a rough go of things, dropping three of four games to the Utah Grizzlies to start the season. Idaho lost 4-1 at Utah on opening night, followed by a 3-0 loss the following night. In their home opener last Friday, the Steelheads roared back, handing the Grizzlies an 8-4 defeat. Eight different players scored goals in the game, while five posted multiple-points on the night. Idaho salvaged one point on Saturday after battling back from a three-goal deficit to send the game to overtime. However, they would surrender a Grizzlies goal in overtime and fall 6-5.
Jefferson Dahl is atop the team leader board for Idaho with five points (1 G, 4 A), while Joe Faust (2 G, 2 A) and Kyle Jean (2 G) are the only Steelheads players to score multiple goals so far. Landon Bow is 1-1-1 in net for Idaho.
Next Up: Wednesday, Friday & Saturday – Home vs. Reading.
Alaska Aces (1-1-0-0, 2 points)
The Aces were the last Western Conference team to open the season after they were idle on opening weekend. They opened their season at Colorado last weekend where they earned a split during a two-game set. Friday night saw the Aces get shutout 2-0, despite out-shooting the Eagles 26-24. Tim Coffman scored twice, while Stephen Perfetto added a pair of goals and an assist in a 5-2 win over the Eagles on Saturday. Peter Sivak has a goal and assist through two games, while Cody Kunyk (2 A) and Tim Wallace (2 A) round out the top five scorers for the Aces.
Next Up: Friday, Saturday & Sunday – Home vs. Rapid City.
Missouri Mavericks (1-3-0-0, 2 points)
Following a league-leading season a year ago, the Mavericks are off to a bit of a slow start. Missouri dropped its first three games of the season, all on the road, before picking up win number one last Saturday. Radoslav Illo scored twice on opening night, but it would not be enough, as the Mavs would fall 6-3 to the Allen Americans. Allen followed up with a 4-0 shutout the following night, before the Mavericks dropped a 4-1 decision at Wichita last Friday. Missouri finally got into the win column in their home opener on Saturday night, posting a 2-1 victory over the Indy Fuel.
Darren Nowick (2 G, 1 A) leads the team in scoring, while Illo (2 G), Bryce Aneloski (2 A) and Jesse Graham (2 A) round out the top four.
Next Up: Wednesday – at Quad City, Friday & Sunday – at Brampton.
Rapid City Rush (0-4-0-0, 0 points)
The Rush are one of just two teams without a point and one of three without a win. Rapid City dropped a home-and-home series to the Colorado Eagles on opening weekend, falling 4-2 at home on opening night and 6-4 at Colorado the following night. The Rush followed that up with a pair of home losses last weekend to the Quad City Mallards. With the game tied mid-way through the third on Friday night, Rapid City allowed a late Quad City goal that would send them to a 3-2 loss. A shorthanded goal from Lindsay Sparks 26-seconds into the third period Saturday night was the only bright spot for the Rush in a 4-1 loss to the Mallards.
Sparks (3 G, 2 A) holds the scoring lead for the team, while Hunter Fejes (3 G) and Ryan Walters (3 A) are tied for second on the leader board.
Next Up: Friday, Saturday & Sunday – at Alaska.
CENTRAL DIVISION
Tulsa Oilers (5-0-0-0, 10 points)
The Oilers are off to their hottest start in recent memory, as they are riding a season-opening five game winning streak. Opening weekend saw Tulsa pick up 4-3 road win at Wichita behind a pair of goals from rookie Darcy Murphy. The Oilers then rode the momentum from that win to a 6-1 win over the Indy Fuel last Friday in their home opener. Saturday saw Tulsa squeak out a 5-4 win over visiting Atlanta in a shootout. Tulsa displayed heart and determination on Sunday, battling back from a two-goal deficit in the final 6:14 minutes and posting a 4-3 win over the Gladiators in overtime. They then finished off their home-stand on Tuesday, scoring 10-seconds into the game and going on to defeat the Allen Americans 3-2.
ECHL Player of the Week, Emerson Clark (4 G, 4 A), holds the team points lead. Dan DeSalvo (3 G, 4 A), Murphy (4 G, 2 A), Wes Cunningham (6 A) and Adam Pleskach (4 G, 1 A) round out the top five. Rookie Jamie Phillips is 5-0 in net, posting a 2.53 Goals Against Average and a save percentage of .912.
Next Up: Friday – at Indy, Saturday – at Quad City.
Toledo Walleye (4-1-0-0, 8 points)
The Walleye picked up a split at Atlanta on opening weekend, with a 4-1 loss on opening night and a 7-4 win the following night behind a Kyle Bonis hat trick. Toledo followed up with a 5-0 shutout at Cincinnati last Tuesday behind a 39-save effort from goalie Jake Paterson. Last weekend saw the Walleye claim a 6-5 win at Brampton on Friday, followed by a 6-5 home loss to Brampton on Saturday.
Bonis (5 G, 3 A) and Tyson Spink (4 G, 3 A) lead the scoring race for Toledo, while Paterson is 2-1 with a .906 save percentage and Cal Heeter is a perfect 2-0 with a save percentage of .849.
Next Up: Friday & Saturday – at Norfolk.
Kalamazoo Wings (3-1-0-0, 6 points)
The K-Wings jumped out to a perfect start on opening weekend with a pair of wins at Norfolk. Joel Martin stopped 32-shots in a 3-1 opening night win and Nick Riopel made 20 saves the following night in a 3-0 shutout win. Kalamazoo then dropped their home opener to the Fort Wayne Komets by a score of 2-1 last Friday. The Wings redeemed themselves on Saturday night in a 4-1 win at Fort Wayne that saw Riopel stop 41 shots while Tyler Biggs contributed a goal and assist.
Justin Taylor (1 G, 5 A) leads the Wings in scoring, with Michael Trebish (1 G, 2 A), Charlie Vasaturo (1 G, 2 A) and Austin Wuthrich (3 A) tied for second place. Riopel is 2-0, with a 0.50 Goals Against Average and .984 Save Percentage on the young season.
Next Up: Friday – Home vs. Wheeling, Saturday – at Wheeling, Sunday – Home vs. Allen.
Fort Wayne Komets (3-1-0-0, 6 points)
The Komets enjoyed a perfect opening weekend, following wins in a home-and-home set with the Quad City Mallards. Jamie Schaafsma led the way with two goals on opening night, as the Komets dropped the Mallards 6-2 on the road in a game that saw Fort Wayne score four second-period goals. Brady Vail scored twice the following night in the Komets’ 3-1 home-opening win. Fort Wayne kept things rolling last Friday, as Pat Nagle posted 33-saves in a 2-1 road win in Kalamazoo. The Komets suffered the only blemish on their record to date the following night, as they fell 4-1 to the Wings on home ice.
Mike Cazzola (1 G, 4 A) holds the top spot on Fort Wayne’s leader board, while three Komets – Schaafsma (2 G, 2 A), Vail (2 G, 1 A) and David Friedmann (2 G) all have two goals on the year. Nagle is a perfect 3-0 with a 1.33 Goals Against Average and a save percentage of .953.
Next Up: Friday – Home vs. Allen.
Wichita Thunder (2-1-0-0, 4 points)
Wichita has had a light schedule to start the season, but will catch up in the number of games played during their current Eastern Conference road swing. The Thunder dropped their home opener to their rival Tulsa Oilers 4-3. That game saw Wichita fall behind 3-1 before scoring twice in the third period to make things interesting. They responded with a 4-1 win over the Missouri Mavericks last Friday night behind a 39-save performance from Scott Greenham. The Thunder posted another win Tuesday night at South Carolina. Alex Krushelnyski and Alexis Loiseau each had a goal and assist, as Drew Owsley posted 32-saves to claim a 3-1 win over the Stingrays.
Krushelnyski holds the team points lead with two goals and three assists, while Jack Rodewald (2 G, 2 A) and Loiseau (1 G, 2 A) round out the top three. Greenham leads the team with 76 saves, while Owsley has a save percentage of .970.
Next Up: Thursday – at Atlanta, Friday & Sunday – at Greenville.
Quad City Mallards (2-2-0-0, 4 points)
The Mallards dropped a home-and-home series with the Fort Wayne Komets opening weekend, losing 6-2 in their home opener and 3-1 on the road the following night. They fared better last weekend in a two-game road set at Rapid City. Three different Mallards scored, while Adam Vay stopped 26-shots, en route to a 3-2 win Friday night over the Rush. Justin Kovacs scored twice and added an assist, while C.J. Motte stopped 26-shots, as the Mallards cruised to a 4-1 win on Saturday.
Kovacs’ three goals and three assists has him in a tie with Sam Warning (2 G, 4 A) on the team leader board. Alex Petan (1 G, 3 A) and Mike Monfredo (1G, 2 A) round out the top four. Both Motte and Vay hold a 1-1 record, with 61 and 51 saves, respectively.
Next Up: Wednesday – Home vs. Missouri, Saturday – Home vs. Tulsa.
Indy Fuel (2-2-0-0, 4 points)
The Fuel got off to a hot start on opening weekend, claiming two wins during a home-and-home series with the Cincinnati Cyclones. Indy picked up a 3-1 home win on opening night, behind two goals from Alex Wideman and a 33-save effort from Jake Hildebrand. Wideman scored the game-winner the following night, as Indy claimed a 2-1 win at Cincinnati. Tyler Currier’s first period goal last Friday night would be the only one of the night for the Fuel, as they went on to lose 6-1 in their first visit to Tulsa. A late third period goal from Matt Stanisz on Saturday would prove to be too little, too late as Indy would drop a 2-1 decision at Missouri.
With two goals and two assists, Currier is atop the leader board for the Fuel. Wideman holds the team lead in goals with three, while Kevin Lynch is the assist leader with three helpers. Hildebrand is 2-1 on the season, with a .910 Save Percentage.
Next Up: Friday – Home vs. Tulsa, Saturday – Home vs. Allen.
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