This divisional recap summarizes the North Division teams in the ECHL, focusing on their standings, recent game results, player milestones, and key statistics. In the final week before the holiday break, fans were treated to many great matchups, including one featuring a goalie fight. Here’s how all seven teams in the North Division faired during week 10 of the ECHL Regular Season.
Wheeling Nailers (18-5-1-0, 37pts, 1st Place)
On Friday Night, the Toledo Walleye would snap the Nailers 16-game point streak with a convincing 4-0 win before the Nailers got their revenge the following night with a 5-2 win. However, the Nailers would head into the break on the wrong side of things after suffering a 2-1 loss to the Wheeling Nailers. The losses on the ice wouldn’t be the only ones they suffered, as they’ve lost their captain, Nick Hutchison, who opted to go play overseas in Germany. Wheeling will head out to Cincinnati to play the Cyclones on Friday night before hosting the Iowa Heartlanders on Saturday and Sunday.
Norfolk Admirals (17-16-3-0, 37pts, 2nd Place)
It would be a rough weekend for the Admirals as it was the second and third-place teams in the North squaring off for a three-game set. Norfolk would lose the first two games of the weekend, including giving up two goals in the third period on Saturday Night as Domenic DiVincentiis lost his first game of the season. Norfolk would be able to bounce back and take the final game of the series on Sunday. Brady Fleurent would continue his hot streak as he has points in his last nine games. Norfolk will hit the road for three nondivisional matchups next week as they take on the Savannah Ghost Pirates on Friday before playing the Atlanta Gladiators on Saturday and Sunday as part of a four-game road trip.
Trois-Rivieres Lions (16-4-3-0, 35pts, 3rd Place)
The Trois-Rivières Lions started the weekend hot with back-to-back wins over the Norfolk Admirals, extending their point streak to 14 games. However, the Lions’ franchise-long winning streak ended on Sunday with a 5-2 loss to Norfolk. Hunter Jones, who picked up the win for the Lions on Saturday Night, has now won his last three starts. The Lions will welcome Adirondack to town on Friday and Maine on Sunday, and they will have a rare Saturday Night off.
Adirondack Thunder (11-11-0-1, 23pts, 4th Place)
The Adirondack Thunder had another weekend series split as they’ve struggled to put together multiple wins in a row in December. Adirondack would open up the weekend on a high note with a 4-1 win in one of the more entertaining games of the year. There would be two fights in the game, including a goalie fight as David Fessenden and Keith Petruzzeli squared off at center ice. Despite riding high and scoring first on Saturday, the Thunder would fall again at home, losing 6-3 to Reading to split the weekend series. Adirondack is now 6-8 at home this season and 1-4 this month. The Thunder will have a rough weekend as they will play a three-in-three on the road as they head to Trois-Rivieres on Friday, Maine on Saturday, before finishing off the weekend in Worcester on Sunday.
Armand Klisivitch’s Friday Night Recap
Armand Klisivitch’s Saturday Night Recap
Worcester Railers (10-15-1-2, 23pts, 5th Place)
Anthony Repaci has had a successful season. Earlier this year, he became the Worcester Hockey leader in goals, and on Sunday, he assisted in the Railers’ 8-5 loss. Over the course of the two games last weekend, the Railers scored 10 goals, winning 5-1 on Saturday Night. Worcester will continue its homestand, playing the Royals on Saturday and the Thunder on Sunday.
Sarah Mahannah’s Weekend Recap
Reading Royals (9-15-4-0, 22pts, 6th Place)
There’s no question the Reading Royals have struggled, but they’ve been especially bad at home, with just two wins on home ice this season. It would continue on Friday Night with a 4-1 loss to the Thunder but would keep their fans entertained as Keith Petruzzeli and David Fessenden dropped the gloves at the end of the first period for a good old-fashioned goalie fight. Reading has just four wins in their last 10 games. However, three of those wins have come against Adirondack as they would be able to salvage the series split as Vinnie Purpura picked up his second win against his former team on Saturday Night in Glens Falls.
Armand Klisivitch’s Friday Night Recap
Armand Klisivitch’s Saturday Night Recap
Maine Mariners (10-12-2-0, 22 pts, 7th Place)
The Maine Mariners continue to work their way out of the North Division as they split the weekend series with the Worcester Railers. On Sunday, Maine scored a season-high eight goals, and Brad Arvanitis, despite giving up five goals, picked up his first win of the season. Brooklyn Kalmikov, who scored a goal and had two assists on Sunday, has four goals in his last four games.
Sarah Mahannah’s Weekend Recap
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