This divisional recap summarizes the North Division teams in the ECHL, focusing on their standings, recent game results, player milestones, and key statistics.
Trois-Rivieres Lions (29-9-4-1, 63pts, 1st Place)
The Trois-Rivieres Lions would head down South as they dropped two out of three games, and they would lose to the Savannah Ghost Pirates before splitting the two-game set vs Jacksonville Icemen. The Lions haven’t lost back-to-back games since January 11th and 12th in Reading. Despite giving up five goals on Saturday Night, goaltender Luke Cavalin is fourth in the league with a .924SV%. The Lions will host the Thunder on Wednesday before going down to Adirondack for a three-in-three.
Wheeling Nailers (30-12-2-0, 62pts, 2nd Place)
After dropping two out of three last week, the Nailers would bounce back and pick up a win in their two games on the road as they defeated the Indy Fuel and Reading Royals. Defenseman David Drake moved into fifth in franchise history in games played (218). Wheeling would pick up a powerplay goal in each of their two games over the weekend, as they’ve now 28 of their 44 games. The Nailers will now head down South to play two games as they’ll play the South Carolina Stingrays on Saturday and the Greenville Swamp Rabbits on Sunday.
Norfolk Admirals (28-15-3-0, 59pts, 3rd Place)
Prior to the series, the Admirals would acquire the rights to Grant Hebert from the Royals. The Norfolk Admirals would take two out of three games as they would beat the Reading Royals on the road on Tuesday Morning before splitting the two-game series vs Maine Mariners. Goaltender Kristian Stead, who is quietly putting together a solid season with the Admirals, has allowed two goals or less in seven of his nine appearances this season. Norfolk will have an easy week as they have just one game in Reading on Saturday Night.
Sarah Mahannah’s Weekend Recap
Worcester Railers (20-20-2-4, 46pts, 4th Place)
The Worcester Railers hosted their second and last South Division opponent last week, taking two out of three games against the Atlanta Gladiators, including a buzzer-beating win in OT on Friday Night. Matt Ustaski is starting to find a home in Worcester as he’s put three goals in five games as a member of the Railers. Goaltender Micheal Bullion, who has struggled this year, has given up just two goals in each of his last three starts. Worcester will head out to Allen this weekend for a three-in-three beginning on Friday to kickoff an eight-game road trip.
Karen Zehner’s Friday Night Recap
Reading Royals (17-21-7-1, 42pts, 5th Place)
The Royals had a strong January, but that hasn’t transitioned into February, as the Royals are 0-2-2-0 in their first four games of February and are currently on a five-game losing streak. Goaltender Vinnie Purpura has lost his last three starts and suffered his first regulation loss since November 23rd vs Maine. Reading will have an easy week with just one game on Saturday as they host Norfolk. The Royals would acquire Ryan Foss in a trade with Norfolk, who they flipped to the Idaho Steelheads yesterday for future considerations.
Maine Mariners (17-24-3-0, 37 pts, 6th Place)
Prior to the weekend beginning, the Mariners would swap defensemen in a three-team trade as they sent Jake Stevens to Tahoe and acquired James Marooney from Adirondack. It was a good weekend for the Mariners as they would split their two-game series with the Norfolk Admirals. The Mariners would allow just three goals to the Admirals, a team that is currently leading the lead averaging 3.87 goals per goal. Nolan Maier, who has had a rough year with Maine, would start both games and picked up his third career shutout of the season, the most he’s had in any season in the ECHL. The Mariners will begin a season-long 10-game road trip on Friday Night, playing a three-in-three against the Rapid City Rush at The Monument.
Sarah Mahannah’s Weekend Recap
Adirondack Thunder (16-24-2-1, 35pts 7th Place)
Prior to the start of the series against Tahoe, Adirondack would trade James Marooney to Maine as part of a three-team trade. The Adirondack Thunder had a rough week in Tahoe, dropping all three games. However, they did manage to pick up at least one point as they lost in OT on Saturday night after tying the game up a three in the final minutes of the game. Savva Smirnov and Gustav Muller each picked up their first career goals out west, with Smironv getting his first on Friday and Muller getting his first on Saturday Night. Newly acquired defenseman Adrien Bisson has three points in his first four games in a Thunder uniform. Adirondack’s schedule doesn’t get much as easier as they will play in Trois-Rivieres on Wednesday night before hosting the Lions for a three-in-three beginning on Friday Night in Glens Falls.
Armand Klisivitch’s Thursday Night Recap
Armand Klisivitch’s Friday Night Recap
Armand Klisivitch’s Saturday Night Recap
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