ECHL North Division Recap | Week 25

This divisional recap summarizes the North Division teams in the ECHL, focusing on their standings, recent game results, player milestones, and key statistics. We have just one week to go as the Trois-Rivieres Lions clinched the Division and the Norfolk Admirals punched their ticket to the Kelly Cup Playoffs last Wednesday. The Reading Royals and Worcester Railers will battle it out for the fourth and final spot in the Kelly Cup Playoffs.

Trois-Rivieres Lions (44-16-6-2, 96pts, 1st Place)

The Trois-Rivieres Lions would go 1-2 during their three-game set vs Maine Mariners. However, their one win would be enough to clinch the top spot in the North Division. Logan Nijhoff would play in his 100th career ECHL Game on Friday Night. It would be a tough weekend for Morgan Adams-Moisan as he would be tossed in Friday and Saturday’s games. Andrew Coxhead continues to prove himself as a valuable piece acquired at the deadline, as he now has three goals and two assists for five points in eight games with the Lions. He had those numbers in 38 games with the Orlando Solar Bears.

Trois-Rivieres will play in Maine on Wednesday before finishing the season with a three-in-three vs Wheeling Nailers.

Wheeling Nailers (41-24-3-1, 86pts, 2nd Place)

The Wheeling Nailers would take two out of three games last weekend vs Reading Royals. Like most teams in the North Division, goaltending would be the topic of discussion this past week. Taylor Gauthier would pick up both of the wins for the Nailers, bringing him to 49 wins as a Nailer, the second most in franchise history. David Jankowski would finish the weekend with two goals and three assists for five points. Both of Jankowski’s four-point games this season have come against Reading. Brent Johnson would pick up his first pro goal in his first pro game on Friday Night. The Nailers now lead the North Division with 24 wins on home ice this season, it’s the fifth time in Nailers history that they’ve recorded 24 wins at WesBanco Arena.

Wheeling will head to Trois-Rivieres for a three-in-three beginning on Friday Night.

Norfolk Admirals (39-23-6-1, 85pts, 3rd Place)

The Admirals would come away with points in all four of their games last weekend. Ian Shane started all four games and didn’t disappoint, including picking up his first pro shutout on Saturday in just his third ECHL game. He became the sixth different goalie to pick up a win this season for the Admirals. The 24-year-old goaltender would be one of three signings by the Admirals last week as they also signed forward Jack O’Leary to an ATO and Defenseman Parker Galvas to a standard contract. O’Leary would pick up his first career point with an assist on Sunday. Josh McDougall had four assists last week, leading all Admiral defensemen in assists (37) and points (43). He is one of three defensemen with six goals this year.

Norfolk will host Reading on Wednesday before welcoming the South Carolina Stingrays to town for a three-in-three beginning on Friday Night.

Worcester Railers (34-29-3-4, 75 points, 4th Place)

The Worcester Railers picked up five of a possible six points against the Adirondack Thunder. Justin Gill stayed hot for the Railers, extending his point streak to six games with an assist on Friday and goals in back-to-back games on Saturday and Sunday. Anthony Repaci picked up two points on Sunday as he now holds the franchise record for points in a single season (63). Michael Bullion would get two of the three starts on the weekend, giving up five goals to Adirondack while earning his team three points in the standings. This comes after Bullion gave up 17 goals to the Thunder in his first three starts against them this season, including giving up five goals on New Year’s Eve in a win.

For the third straight season, it will come down to the final weekend for the Railers. Worcester sits two points ahead of Reading in the standings. The Royals have a game in hand and hold the first tie-breaker. Worcester travels to Reading for two games on Friday and Saturday, which will be must-watch games.

Klisivitch’s Friday Night Recap

Armand Klisivitch’s Saturday Recap

Armand Klisivitch’s Sunday Afternoon Recap

Reading Royals (31-27-9-2, 73pts, 5th Place)

The Reading Royals would go 2-2 in four games last week. Reading’s road PP would once again be on display as they would have a goal in all four of their games last week and now sit seventh in the league (21.6%) on the PP away from Santander Arena. Matt Brown picked up four assists last week and has five assists in his last five games. Gianfranco Cassaro picked up the game-winning goal on Wednesday for his 13th of the season, which leads all Royal defensemen.

Reading will host the Railers on Friday and Saturday for some must-watch hockey this weekend.

Maine Mariners (30-34-4-0, 64pts, 6th Place)

The Maine Mariners went 2-1 last week in their three games against the Trois-Rivieres Lions. Robert Cronin has gotten off to a strong start in his ECHL career, putting up four goals and two assists for six points, including four points last weekend. Sebastian Vidmar has continued to find his game in the second half, putting up three goals and three assists for six points in the last two games of the weekend series. Alex Sheehy returned to the Mariners lineup on Wednesday for the first time in a month and a half, scoring his second goal of the season and first since January 4th. However, Sheehy wouldn’t play in any other games last week for Maine.

Maine will host Trois-Rivieres on Wednesday and Adirondack on Sunday. They will travel to Adirondack for games on Friday and Saturday.

Adirondack Thunder (25-39-3-2, 55pts, 7th Place)

Prior to the weekend series, the Thunder stayed busy adding four new faces to the roster, three of whom made their ECHL debuts during the weekend. The Adirondack Thunder would come away with one win during their three-in-three weekend against the Worcester Railers. Dennis Busby, Dan Ebrahim, and Ian Pierce picked up their first career goals over the weekend. Brian Carrabes would pick up three assists in his first three ECHL games. Jeremy Brodeur made 40 saves in Sunday’s OT victory. It was the second time this season he’s made 40 saves in a game, the first coming in a loss to the Savannah Ghost Pirates in November.

Adirondack will finish their season with a three-in-three against the Maine Mariners, with the first two games coming at home.

Klisivitch’s Friday Night Recap

Armand Klisivitch’s Saturday Night Recap

Armand’s Sunday Afternoon Recap