ECHL South Division (October 21 – October 27, 2024)

The Florida Everblades are leading the ECHL South Division with a perfect record, earning eight points and a 1.000 points percentage, showcasing their dominance early in the season. Following closely are the Savannah Ghost Pirates, who have started strong with a 3-1-0 record, accumulating six points and a 0.750 points percentage, reflecting significant improvement from last season. The Atlanta Gladiators and Orlando Solar Bears are tied, each with a 2-2-1 record and five points, both holding a 0.500 points percentage. This early season performance only highlights the competitive nature of the division.

With several teams so closely matched, week three promises to be full of action and potential shifts in the standings. Things are still quite fluid, and the upcoming games will be crucial in shaping the division.

Current South Division Standings

1. Florida Everblades: 4-0-0, 8 points, 1.000 PCT
2. Savannah Ghost Pirates: 3-1-0, 6 points, 0.750 PCT
3. Atlanta Gladiators: 2-2-1, 5 points, 0.500 PCT
4. Orlando Solar Bears: 2-2-1, 5 points, 0.500 PCT
5. South Carolina Stingrays: 2-1-0, 4 points, 0.667 PCT
6. Greenville Swamp Rabbits: 1-1-1, 3 points, 0.500 PCT
7. Jacksonville Icemen: 1-1-1, 3 points, 0.500 PCT

ECHL Career Milestones

Ben Freeman Reaches 200-Game Milestone with Greenville Swamp Rabbits

Ben Freeman reached a significant milestone last week by skating in his 200th game with the Swamp Rabbits on October 26, 2024. Throughout his time in Greenville, he has recorded a total of 37 goals and 62 assists, nearing the impressive benchmark of 100 career points. Since joining the Swamp Rabbits in the 2021-22 season, Freeman has emerged as a vital player and a leader for Greenville, taking on the role of team captain. He now has played a total of 207 regular season games to date.

Aaron Luchuk Nears Major Milestone in ECHL Career

Aaron Luchuk, forward for the Orlando Solar Bears, is also approaching a significant milestone in his ECHL career. With his recent performances, Luchuk has now amassed an impressive total of 99 goals and 141 assists, bringing his career points to 240. This remarkable achievement highlights his consistent scoring ability and playmaking skills, solidifying his reputation as one of the league’s top players. As Luchuk continues to excel on the ice, fans and teammates alike celebrate his contributions and look forward to more exciting moments in his career.

Warrior Hockey ECHL Goaltender of the Week

Seth Eisele experienced an outstanding week from October 21-26, earning him the honor of Warrior Hockey ECHL Goaltender of the Week. In his professional debut on October 26, he successfully blocked all 24 shots he faced, achieving a shutout in a 5-0 win against the Greenville Swamp Rabbits.

ECHL South Division Game Scores (October 21 – October 27, 2024)

October 24, 2024

• Jacksonville Icemen 4, Tahoe Knight Monsters 3 (OT)
  • Location: Tahoe Blue Event Center, Stateline, Nevada

October 25, 2024

• South Carolina Stingrays 2, Greenville Swamp Rabbits 3
  • Location: Bon Secours Wellness Arena, Greenville, South Carolina
• Atlanta Gladiators 1, Florida Everblades 3
  • Location: Hertz Arena, Estero, Florida

October 26, 2024

• Greenville Swamp Rabbits 0, South Carolina Stingrays 5
  • Location: North Charleston Coliseum, North Charleston, South Carolina
• Atlanta Gladiators 0, Florida Everblades 6
  • Location: Hertz Arena, Estero, Florida
• Savannah Ghost Pirates 1, Orlando Solar Bears 2
  • Location: Kia Center, Orlando, Florida

October 27, 2024

• Orlando Solar Bears 2, Savannah Ghost Pirates 5
  • Location: Enmarket Arena, Savannah, Georgia

Atlanta Gladiators

• Points Leader: Blake Murray with five points (2 goals, 3 assists)
• Blake Murray has also recorded two assists in his last three games.
• Atlanta holds a 2-0-0 record when in the lead after two periods.
• Upcoming Games: The team heads out on a long road stretch starting with this weekend when they take on Savannah on Saturday, and at South Carolina on Sunday.

The Atlanta Gladiators finished 7th in the South Division last season with a record of 23-45-4. This season, they are showing some signs of improvement, holding a 2-2-1 record, placing them in the middle of the pack. They have been particularly effective when leading after two periods.

Florida Everblades

• Points Leader: Logan Lambdin with eight points (4g, 4a)
• Point Streak: Colton Hargrove is on a three-game point streak (2g-4a).
• Everblades are tied for second with 1.50 goals-against per game.
• Upcoming Games: The Everblades travel next to South Carolina on Friday and Saturday.

The Florida Everblades are leading the South Division with a perfect 4-0-0 record, earning eight points and maintaining a 1.000 points percentage. They have shown exceptional performance, particularly in the second period, where they have outscored their opponents 6-1. Key players like Logan Lambdin and Colton Hargrove certainly are contributing to the team’s strong start.

Greenville Swamp Rabbits

• The win marks the first in the professional head coaching career of Kyle Mountain
• Points Leader: Ben Freeman with four points (1 goal, 3 assists)
• Penalty Kill: Tied for the second fewest shorthanded situations in the league.
• Upcoming Game: Hosting Savannah on Friday.

The Greenville Swamp Rabbits finished 1st in the South Division last season with a record of 44-34-5. This season, they are looking to climb the standings once again. They have maintained disciplined play, with only a few shorthanded situations.

Jacksonville Icemen

• Points Leader: Logan Cockerill: with five points (3 goals, 2 assists)
• Power Play: Third in the league at 30% (3-for-10).
• Upcoming Game: Visiting Orlando on Saturday.

The Jacksonville Icemen finished 2nd in the South Division last season with a record of 42-23-7. This season, they are tied with Greenville with a 1-1-1 record. They have been effective on the power play, converting at 30%, which is a key strength.

Orlando Solar Bears

• Shorthanded Goals: Tied for the league lead with two shorthanded goals.
• Goaltender Ryan Fanti achieved a season-high by stopping 37 shots in the victory against Savannah on October 26.
• Points Leader: Aaron Luchuk with six points (3g, 3a)
• Kohei Sato and Darik Angeli have both made the scoreboard for the first time this season.
• Top Goal Scorer: Tyler Bird (5 points – 5 goals)
• Upcoming Games: Hosting Jacksonville on Saturday.

The Orlando Solar Bears finished 4th in the South Division last season with a record of 38-24-10. Currently they have five points after five games played.

Savannah Ghost Pirates

• Riley Hughes: Recorded his first multi-goal game as a pro in a 5-2 win over Orlando.
• Penalty Kill: Perfect on the penalty kill, going 6-for-6 through three games.
• Upcoming Games: Hosted Orlando on Wednesday, traveling to Greenville on Friday, and hosting Atlanta on Saturday.

Last season, the Savannah Ghost Pirates finished 6th in the South Division with a record of 30-34-8. This season, they have made a strong start, currently sitting in 2nd place with a 3-1-0 record.

South Carolina Stingrays

• Points Leader: Austin Magera with six points (2 goals, 4 assists)
• Austin Magera also recorded two points in each of the Stingrays’ three games.
• Home Performance: Outscored opponents 9-3 in two home games.
• Scoring in the 3rd: Stingrays have scored seven of their 11 goals in this period.
• Points Streak: Micah Miller is on a three-game goal streak (3g).
• Upcoming Games: Hosting Florida on Friday and Saturday, and Atlanta on Sunday.

The South Carolina Stingrays ended last season in 5th place in the South Division with a record of 39-26-7. This season, they are off to a competitive start with a 2-1-0 record. They have been strong at home, outscoring their opponents 9-3. Austin Magera has been a standout player, recording two points in each of the Stingrays’ three games.

Players to Watch

Goaltenders

Here are the top five Goaltenders in the ECHL South Division for the 2024-25 season so far:

1. Drew DeRidder (Atlanta Gladiators) – 3 games played, 1 win, 1.95 GAA, 0.935 SV%
2. Ethan Haider (Atlanta Gladiators) – 2 games played, 1 win, 3.00 GAA, 0.900 SV%
3. Justen Close (Jacksonville Icemen) – 1 game played, 0 wins, 2.07 GAA, 0.946 SV%
4. Matt Vernon (Jacksonville Icemen) – 2 games played, 1 win, 2.82 GAA, 0.903 SV%
5. Garin Bjorklund (South Carolina Stingrays) – 1 game played, 0 wins, 3.13 GAA, 0.909 SV%

Defensemen

Here are the top six Defensemen in the ECHL South Division for the 2024-25 season so far:

1. Robert Calisti (Jacksonville Icemen) – 3 games, 0 goals, 4 assists, 4 points
2. Kris Myllari (Florida Everblades) – 3 games, 1 goal, 3 assists, 4 points
3. Jordan Sambrook and Adrien Bisson (Tied) (Florida Everblades) – 4 games, 0 goals, 3 assists, 3 points
4. Dennis Cesana (Savannah Ghost Pirates) – 4 games, 1 goal, 2 assists, 3 points
5. Derek Topatigh (Atlanta Gladiators) – 4 games, 0 goals, 3 assists, 3 points

Forwards

Here are the updated top five Forwards in the ECHL South Division for the 2024-25 season:

1. Cameron Morrison (Florida Everblades) – 4 games, 5 goals, 4 assists, 9 points
2. Tyler Poulsen (Greenville Swamp Rabbits) – 5 games, 5 goals, 2 assists, 7 points
3. Alec Butcher (Jacksonville Icemen) – 5 games, 5 goals, 1 assist, 6 points
4. Tyler Bird (Orlando Solar Bears) – 5 games, 5 goals, 0 assists, 5 points
5. Cody Sylvester (Atlanta Gladiators) – 5 games, 3 goals, 2 assists, 5 points