ECHL: South Division Recap | Week 15

Welcome to this week’s South Division recap! The competition is heating up as teams battle for the top spots. The Florida Everblades lead the division with an impressive 60 points, followed closely by the South Carolina Stingrays with 54 points. The Jacksonville Icemen, Orlando Solar Bears, Atlanta Gladiators, Savannah Ghost Pirates, and Greenville Swamp Rabbits are all in the mix, each striving to climb the standings.

South Division All-Star Selections

Several standout players from the South Division were also selected to the ECHL 2024-2025 Midseason All-Star team, showcasing the incredible talent within the division. Notable selections included Cam Johnson and Carson Gicewicz from the Florida Everblades, Derek Topatigh from the Atlanta Gladiators, Parker Berge from the Greenville Swamp Rabbits, Davis Koch from the Jacksonville Icemen, Aaron Luchuk from the Orlando Solar Bears, Dennis Cesana from the Savannah Ghost Pirates, and Kyler Kupka from the South Carolina Stingrays.

The South Division standings have also seen some significant shifts over the past few weeks. Here’s a snapshot of where each team currently stands and how they’ve moved in the overall league-wide comparison from Week 13 to Week 15.

South Division Standings

1. Florida Everblades: 60 points, 28-8-3-1 record
2. South Carolina Stingrays: 54 points, 25-10-2-2 record
3. Jacksonville Icemen: 51 points, 24-14-2-1 record
4. Orlando Solar Bears: 48 points, 21-18-6-0 record
5. Atlanta Gladiators: 41 points, 18-19-3-2 record
6. Savannah Ghost Pirates: 40 points, 19-18-2-0 record
7. Greenville Swamp Rabbits: 35 points, 15-18-3-2 record

Overall League-Wide Standings

Week 13 to Week 15 League-Wide Comparison:

Career Milestones

The past week has been remarkable for several players in the South Division, with numerous career milestones being achieved. From Atlanta to Orlando and beyond, these accomplishments highlight the dedication and talent of the players. Let’s celebrate these impressive feats and recognize the standout moments that have made this week unforgettable for these teams and their fans.

Eric Neiley – Atlanta Gladiators – 150 Career Goals, 150 Career Assists, 300 Career Points and 300 Games Played

Career Points

Aaron Luchuk – Orlando Solar Bears – 201st Point, Tied Franchise Record

Derek Topatigh – Atlanta Gladiators – 150 Career Points

Career Games Played

Cody Sylvester – Atlanta Gladiators – 600 Professional Games Played

Hat Tricks

Jack Adams and Brayden Low – Orlando Solar Bears

Team Updates

The past week has been eventful for the South Division teams, with each squad experiencing its own highs and lows. From thrilling victories to tough losses, the competition remains fierce as teams strive to improve their standings. Let’s take a closer look at how each team performed and what we may expect in the coming weeks.

Atlanta Gladiators

The Atlanta Gladiators have had a challenging season, securing 18 wins out of 42 games, which translates to a points percentage of 0.488. The team has managed to score 111 goals so far. While their performance at home has been commendable, they have struggled on the road. Recently, Atlanta faced a tough loss to Orlando (5-8) on January 20 but rebounded with a thrilling shootout victory over South Carolina (3-2) on January 25. This mixed performance has resulted in the team dropping from 17th to 19th place in the standings. Despite showing potential in recent games, the Gladiators need to work on their consistency to climb higher in the rankings.

Florida Everblades

Florida is having an impressive season with 28 wins out of 40 games, and they still have 32 games to go. With a points percentage of 0.750, they are leading the division. They’ve scored 134 goals while only allowing 77, showcasing their strong defense. Their home and road records are equally impressive, and they are currently on a hot streak. Last week, Florida saw a mixed performance last week, losing to South Carolina in a shootout (2-3) on January 24 but bouncing back with a 2-0 win against Savannah on January 25 and a dominant 6-0 victory over Savannah on January 26. As a result, Florida would moved up from 2nd to 1st place in the standings. Keep an eye on Florida as they continue to dominate.

Greenville Swamp Rabbits

The Greenville Swamp Rabbits have faced a challenging season, securing 15 wins out of 38 games, resulting in a points percentage of 0.461. The team has scored a total of 98 goals. While their home and road records are fairly balanced, they have struggled significantly in their last ten games. Last week, Greenville suffered two close losses to Reading (2-3 on January 24 and 2-3 in a shootout on January 25), which caused them to drop from 20th to 23rd place in the standings. To improve their ranking, the Swamp Rabbits will need to find consistency and build on their strengths.

Jacksonville Icemen

The Jacksonville Icemen have played 41 games and secured 24 victories, resulting in a points percentage of 0.622. Their home record is particularly impressive, and they have maintained consistency over their last ten games. Recently, Jacksonville faced some challenges, suffering a loss to Reading (3-5) on January 20, but bouncing back with an overtime win against Orlando (5-4) on January 25, followed by a narrow victory over Orlando (2-1) on January 26. As a result, Jacksonville has dropped from 9th to 10th place in the standings. Their ability to perform under pressure will be crucial as the season progresses.

Orlando Solar Bears

Orlando has had a mixed season with 21 wins in 45 games, resulting in a points percentage of 0.533. They have scored 122 goals, and their road performance has been better than their home games. Last week, Orlando beat Atlanta (8-5) on January 20 but had a tough overtime loss to Jacksonville (4-5) on January 25, followed by another close defeat to Jacksonville (1-2) on January 26. Despite these setbacks, Orlando moved up from 16th to 15th place in the standings. To climb higher, the Solar Bears will need to tighten up their defense and keep the pressure on their opponents.

Savannah Ghost Pirates

Savannah has played 39 games and has 19 wins. With a points percentage of 0.513, they are in the middle of the pack within the league. They have scored 127 goals but have allowed 132, indicating a need for stronger defense. Last week, Savannah had a tough time, losing in shutouts to Florida twice (0-2 on January 25 and 0-6 on January 26). Savannah has since moved down from 14th to 17th place in the standings. Savannah’s recent losing streak is a concern, but they have the potential to turn things around.

South Carolina Stingrays

South Carolina is right behind Florida with 25 wins in 39 games. They have a solid points percentage of 0.692 and have scored a whopping 152 goals. Their home record is particularly strong, and they are on a five-game winning streak. Last week, South Carolina had a thrilling shootout win against Florida (3-2) on January 24 and an overtime victory against the Reading Royals (3-2) on January 26. South Carolina moved up from 7th to 4th place in the standings. South Carolina’s balanced performance both at home and on the road continues to make them a formidable contender.

What’s Next?

As the season progresses, each team in the South Division continues to face its own set of challenges and opportunities to climb the standings as we head into the back half of the season. With standout performances and key players making some significant impacts, the race for the top spots remains intense. Fans can look forward to more thrilling games and unexpected twists as these teams strive to improve their standings and secure their positions.

Stay tuned for more updates and exciting hockey action!