ECHL News Archive
June 23, 1998 ---- March 31, 2000
March 31, 2000: Arkansas to Host 2001 ECHL All-Star Game
The East Coast Hockey League has announced that North Little Rock, Arkansas' ALLTEL Arena will host the 2001 ECHL All-Star Game. The ALLTEL Arena is home ice for
the Arkansas RiverBlades.
March 31, 2000: ECHL Defenseman of the Year
Tom Nemeth of the Dayton Bombers has been named the ECHL Defenseman of the Year. Nemeth has tallied 75 points (21 goals, 54 assists) through 64 games.
March 30, 2000: ECHL Rookie of the Year
Hampton Roads Admirals goaltender Jan Lasak has been chosen as the ECHL CCM Rookie of the Year. To date, Lasak has compiled a 34-16-4 record with a .916 save percentage and a 2.56 goals against average for his rookie ECHL season. Zvolen, Slovakia born Lasak is a prospect for the
NHL's Nashville Predators.
March 29, 2000: Sportsmanship Award Goes to Ling
Center Jamie Ling of the Dayton Bombers has been selected as the ECHL's Bauer Sportsmanship Award winner for the second time in his career. He was judged to be the player who exhibits the best mix of sportsmanship, gentlemanly conduct, and overall
playing ability.
March 27, 2000: ECHL Awards (Week Ending 3/26)
Louisiana IceGators right wing Jay Murphy notched eight goals with two assists in three games for the week to be named the C&T Hockey Products Player of the Week. Murphy is second in the ECHL with 55 goals in 67 games. The
Vortex Hockey Goaltender of the Week award went to Pensacola Ice Pilots netminder Scott LaGrand. He posted a 3-0-0 record with a .955 save percentage and a 1.33 goals against average for the week to help secure Pensacola's playoff prospect.
March 20, 2000: ECHL Awards (Week Ending 3/19)
Earning his second Vortex Hockey Goaltender of the Week award of the season is Dayton Bombers netminder Alex Westlund. The Yale graduate posted a 2-1-0 record with a .967 save percentage and a 0.67 goals against average, rebounding from a 2-1 loss
with a pair of back-to-back shutouts. Florida Everblades right wing Tom Buckley is the C&T Hockey Products Player of the Week. In two games last week, he tallied two goals and four assists.
March 13, 2000: ECHL Awards (Week Ending 3/12)
The Vortex Hockey Goaltender of the Week award recipient for the week is Jackson Bandits netminder David Brumby. He posted a 2-0-0 record with a .977 save percentage and a 1.00 goals against average, including a shootout victory in which he
stopped eight of nine attempts that he faced after 50 saves in regulation. Louisiana IceGators right wing Jay Murphy is the C&T Hockey Products Player of the Week. In three games last week, he notched six goals, including a hat trick against
the Birmingham Bulls. Both Brumby and Murphy have earned thier respective honors previously this season.
March 6, 2000: ECHL Awards (Week Ending 3/5)
Trenton Titans netminder Taras Lendzyk has been selected as the Vortex Hockey Goaltender of the Week. He posted a 2-0-0 record with a .944 save percentage and a 1.50 goals against average, including a shootout victory in which he
stopped all three attempts that he faced. Hampton Roads Admirals center John Parco was named the C&T Hockey Products Player of the Week. In three games last week, he tallied four goals and three assists, including a hat trick against
the Toledo Storm.
March 2, 2000: ECHL Plus Performer of the Month - February
Louisiana IceGators defenseman Chris Valicevic was named the Vic Hockey Plus Performer of the Month for February. He posted a +22 rating for twelve games for the month. Valicevic has been named
ECHL Defenseman of the Year four times.
March 2, 2000: ECHL Rookie of the Month - February
The ECHL CCM Rookie of the Month award for February was bestowed upon left wing Adam Calder of the South Carolina Stingrays. He notched 13 goals with 7 assists in 14 games for the month. His performance
included five power play goals, a pair of hat tricks, and two game-winning goals.
March 1, 2000: ECHL Goaltender of the Month - February
Chad Alban of the Mobile Mysticks has been named the Vortex Hockey Goaltender of the Month for February. Alban posted a 7-1-0 record with a .930 save percentage
and a 2.38 goals against average for the month.
March 1, 2000: ECHL Player of the Month - February
The Sher-Wood Player of the Month for January is Louisiana IceGators center and ECHL leading scorer John Spoltore. He notched 6 goals and bagged 17 assists in 13 games
for the month. On the season, defending ECHL scoring king Spoltore has 89 points in 54 games, 10 points ahead of the competition and better than last year's winning pace that finished
with 109 points in 69 games.
February 29, 2000: Bulls Forced to Forfeit 3 Games
In the heat of the playoff battle, the Birmingham Bulls have to forfeit six points in the standings due to a sloppy mistake by their front office. Birmingham violated an ECHL rule that prohibits players from appearing with more than one team of similar ownership during the same issue. Defenseman
Dereck Gosselin played 20 games with the Jacksonville Lizard Kings earlier this season, and was signed by the Bulls after a brief stint with the Mobile Mysticks. The Lizard Kings and Bulls are two of three teams (with the Pensacola Ice Pilots) that share owners.
Birmingham must forfeit the three games that Gosselin played in before the violation was discovered: a 4-3 win over the Baton Rouge Kingfish on
2/25, a 5-3 win against the Augusta Lynx on 2/26, and a 4-3 shootout win over the Kingfish on 2/27. The Bulls will receive a loss for the games while their opponents will be creditted with a victory. Individual statistics will not be affected. The adjustment drops the Bulls to the eleventh and final Southern
Conference playoff seed (by win percentage) and gives Baton Rouge a boost. The gift points also improve Augusta's odds for a last minute attempt at a playoff berth.
February 28, 2000: Williamson Suspended for Five Games
The ECHL's leading goal scorer, Toledo Storm right wing Andrew Williamson has been suspended for five games for his high-stick that broke the nose of Roanoke Express defenseman Steve Sabo last week. Williamson leads the league with 53 goals in 50 games.
February 28, 2000: ECHL Awards (Week Ending 2/27)
The New Orleans Brass picked up the C&T Hockey Products Player of the Week and Vortex Hockey Goaltender of the Week awards this week. Doug Bonner was named Goaltender of the Week after compiling a 4-0-0 record with a .922 save percentage
and a 2.50 goals against average. Teammate right wing Jeff Lazaro was named Player of the Week after netting three goals and ten assists in four games last week.
February 21, 2000: ECHL Awards (Week Ending 2/20)
A pair of New Jersey natives followed Alex Westlund's example from last week by capturing this week's ECHL awards. Greensboro Generals netmnider and Milford, New Jersey native Matt Eisler was named the Vortex Hockey Goaltender of the
Week. He posted a 1-0-1 record with a .931 save percentage and a 2.00 goals against average for the week. Bridgeton, New Jersey native John Spoltore of the Louisiana IceGators was named the C&T Hockey Products Player of the Week. He notched two goals and ten assists
in five games last week, adding to his ECHL leading points total.
February 14, 2000: ECHL Awards (Week Ending 2/13)
The Vortex Hockey Goaltender of the Week is Alex Westlund of the Dayton Bombers. The New Jersey native netminder posted a 3-0-0 record with a 1.67 goals against average and a .934 save percentage for the
week. Meanwhile, Mobile Mysticks left wing Jason Elders has been named the C&T Hockey Products Player of the Week. He tallied four goals and five assists last week to help the Mysticks to four victories.
February 7, 2000: ECHL Awards (Week Ending 2/6)
The newest C&T Hockey Products Player of the Week is center Adam Calder of the South Carolina Stingrays. He notched six goals and two assists to lead the Stingrays to a 4-0 record
for the week. Calder's performance included a hat trick and a pair of game-winners. Teammate Jody Lehman was named the Vortex Hockey Goaltender of the Week. He registered all four wins with a 3.00 goals
against average and a .905 save percentage.
February 2, 2000: ECHL Plus Performer of the Month - January
The Vic Hockey Plus Performer of the Month Award for January was bestowed upon defensemen Mike Martone of the Mississippi Sea Wolves. He went +17 in thirteen games for the month.
February 2, 2000: ECHL Rookie of the Month - January
The ECHL CCM Rookie of the Month award for January went to right wing James Desmarais of the Peoria Rivermen. He notched 7 goals with 11 assists in 12 games for the month.
February 1, 2000: ECHL Goaltender of the Month - January
The Vortex Hockey Goaltender of the Month Award for January has been awarded to Peoria Rivermen netminder Duane Derksen. He compiled a 9-0-1 record for the month with a .915 save percentage
and a 2.50 goals against average.
February 1, 2000: ECHL Player of the Month - January
The Sher-Wood Player of the Month for January is Toledo Storm right wing Andrew Williamson. He notched 14 goals and tallied 9 assists in 11 games for the month. Williamson leads the ECHL with 42 goals and is on the
pace for a 74-goal season.
January 31, 2000: ECHL Awards (Week Ending 1/30)
The latest Vortex Hockey Goaltender of the Week is Scott Bailey of the Charlotte Checkers. He went 2-0-0 record with a .975 save percentage, a 1.00 goals against average, and two assists to earn the award for the second time. Mississippi Sea Wolves center
Dave Paradise was named The C&T Hockey Products Player of the Week. He tallied four goals (including a pair of game-winners) and two assists in two games last week.
January 24, 2000: ECHL Awards (Period Ending 1/23)
Trenton Titans netminder Bujar Amidovski has been named Vortex Hockey Goaltender of the Week for the two-week period around the All-Star break. He posted a 4-0-0 record with a .950 save percentage and a 1.50 goals against average. The C&T Hockey Products
Player of the Week for the two-week period is Peoria Rivermen left wing Trevor Wasyluk. He notched six goals and four assists in five games.
January 19, 2000: Northern All-Stars Defeat South 8-6
The Northern Conference All-Stars triumphed over the Southern Conference All-Stars 8-6 in the 2000 East Coast Hockey League All-Star Game at the BI-LO Center in Greenville, South Carolina. Jeff Mitchell of the Dayton Bombers was named the
Most Valuable Player after notching a pair of goals. Trenton Titans netminder Bujar Amidovski was named Goaltender of the Game for stopping 12 of 13 shots.
January 10, 2000: ECHL Awards (Week Ending 1/9)
The latest Vortex Hockey Goaltender of the Week award recipient is Jan Lasak of the Hampton Roads Admirals (his second of the season). He posted a 3-0-0 record with a .957 save percentage and a 1.33 goals against average for the week. Louisiana IceGator
defenseman Chris Valicevic earned The C&T Hockey Products Player of the Week award for the week. He notched four goals and two assists in two games for the week, including a hat trick against the Jackson Bandits.
January 6, 2000: ECHL All-Stars Announced
The East Coast Hockey League has announced the rosters for the 2000 ECHL All-Star Game. The game will be played on Wednesday, January 19th at the BI-LO Center in Greenville, South Carolina.
January 4, 2000: ECHL Plus Performer of the Month - December
The Vic Hockey Plus Performer of the Month Award for December goes to Richmond Renegades defensemen Darren Wetherill. He netted a +16 rating in nine games for the month.
January 4, 2000: ECHL Rookie of the Month - December
December's ECHL CCM Rookie of the Month award goes to Jeff Maund of the Florida Everblades. He garnished a 6-0-0 record with a .927 save percentage and 2.05 goals against average for the month, including a shutout of the
Arkansas RiverBlades. Maund has a 10-1-0 record, 1.97 goals against average, and a .927 save percentage for the season.
January 3, 2000: ECHL Awards (Week Ending 1/2)
Daniel Berthiaume of the Roanoke Express has been named the Vortex Hockey Goaltender of the Week. He posted a 2-0-0 record with a .957 save percentage and a 1.50 goals against average for the week. The C&T
Hockey Products Player of the Week award goes to Jacksonville Lizard Kings defenseman Ritchie Bronilla. He collected three goals and four assists in three games last week.
January 1, 2000: ECHL Goaltender of the Month - December
The Vortex Hockey Goaltender of the Month Award for December has been bestowed upon Doug Bonner of the New Orleans Brass. He compiled an 8-2-1 record for the month with a .919 save percentage
and a 2.33 goals against average. Bonner's performance included a shutout against the expansion Arkansas RiverBlades.
January 1, 2000: ECHL Player of the Month - December
It came as no big surprise that Richmond Renegades center Ryan Kraft was named the Sher-Wood Player of the Month for December after he snagged back-to-back weekly honors. Kraft notched 9 goals and collected 14 assists in 8 games for the month. His performance featured
three five point games, including a four goal game against the Hampton Roads Admirals.
December 27, 1999: ECHL Awards (Week Ending 12/26)
The C&T Hockey Products Player of the Week award doesn't travel far this week, staying with Richmond Renegades center Ryan Kraft. He tallied four goals and three assists in
two games to earn the award for the second consecutive week. Kraft's performance peaked with a four goal night against the Hampton Roads Admirals. In the nets, the Vortex Hockey
Goaltender of the Week has been awarded to the Mississippi Sea Wolves' Sylvain Daigle. He posted a 2-0-0 record with a .914 save percentage and a 3.00 goals
against average for the week.
December 20, 1999: ECHL Awards (Week Ending 12/19)
The Vortex Hockey Goaltender of the Week has been awarded to Scott Bailey of the Charlotte Checkers. He compiled a 2-0-0 record with a .974 save percentage and a 0.86 goals
against average in three games for the week, posting shutouts in his two starts in goal. The
C&T Hockey Products Player of the Week award goes hands-down to center Ryan Kraft of the Richmond Renegades. He notched four goals and eight assist
in three games for the week, including consecutive five-point performances against the Generals and Bombers.
December 13, 1999: ECHL Awards (Week Ending 12/12)
This week's C&T Hockey Products Player of the Week award goes to center Danny Reja of the Jacksonville Lizard Kings. He registered four goals and an assist
in two games for the week. Meanwhile, Greensboro Generals netminder Matt Eisler has earned the Vortex Hockey Goaltender of the Week award. He posted a 2-0-0 record with a 2.00 goals
against average and a .955 save percentage for the week.
December 10, 1999: ECHL Reprimands the IceGators
Newspaper reports are indicating that the Louisiana IceGators will be fined $75,000 for violation of the ECHL's salary cap. The league reportedly concluded that Frank Milne, Louisiana's former director of hockey operations, paid a
former player an amount in excess of the salary cap. The IceGators fired Milne on November 17th. The team has been punished numerous times recently for league violations.
December 6, 1999: ECHL Awards (Week Ending 12/5)
Augusta Lynx right wing Wes Mason has been honored as the C&T Hockey Products Player of the Week. He collected four goals and five assists in three games last week, including a hat trick and two assists in a game
against the Dayton Bombers. On the mantel beside his Goaltender of the Month award, the Jackson Bandits' David Brumby can place his new
Vortex Hockey Goaltender of the Week award. He turned in a 1-0-1 performance with a 0.50 goals
against average and a .986 save percentage for the week, including his 4th shutout of the season.
December 2, 1999: ECHL Plus Performer of the Month - November
The Vic Hockey Plus Performer of the Month Award for November goes to Birmingham Bulls defensemen Kelly Perreault. He earned a +16 rating for the month to bring his league leading plus/minus to +22.
December 2, 1999: ECHL Rookie of the Month - November
Hampton Roads goaltender Jan Lasak is November's ECHL CCM Rookie of the Month. He compiled an 8-2-1 record with a 2.46 goals against average and a .921 save percentage for the month.
December 1, 1999: ECHL Goaltender of the Month - November
The Vortex Hockey Goaltender of the Month Award for November has been granted to Jackson Bandits' netminder David Brumby. He led the expansion Bandits to a 6-4-1 record for November with a .937 save percentage
and a 2.10 goals against average. On November 13th, he shutout the Louisiana IceGators, stopping 37 shots. His encore the following night was a 28 save shutout of the defending Kelly Cup Champion Mississippi Sea Wolves.
December 1, 1999: ECHL Player of the Month - November
Center Jamie Ling of the Dayton Bombers has been named the Sher-Wood Player of the Month for November. Ling notched 7 goals and tallied 14 assists in 11 games for the month.
November 29, 1999: ECHL Awards (Week Ending 11/28)
The Vortex Hockey Goaltender of the Week award has been awarded to Pascal Gasse of the Wheeling Nailers. He posted a 2-0-0 record with a 1.71 goals
against average and a .947 save percentage for the week. The C&T Hockey Products Player of the Week award went to Louisiana IceGators right wing Jay Murphy. He
registered five goals and three assists in four games for the week.
November 22, 1999: ECHL Awards (Week Ending 11/21)
Center Jamey Hicks of the Birmingham Bulls has been named this week's C&T Hockey Products Player of the Week. He tallied three goals and six assists in
three games for the week. The Vortex Hockey Goaltender of the Week award was bestowed upon Florida Everblades goalie Marc Magliarditi. He went 2-0-0 while posting
a .967 save percentage and 1.00 goals against average for the week.
November 22, 1999: Van Hellemond and The Great One - Kids in the Hall
While the bulk of the attention at the Hockey Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony was on Wayne Gretzky, another "Great One" earned a spot in the Hall: ECHL Senior Vice
President of Hockey Operations Andy Van Hellemond. During his twenty-five years of service as an NHL referee/linesman, Van Hellemond was widely regarded as the best in the
business. He was rated as the top on-ice official for fourteen seasons and was selected for the elite Stanley Cup Finals squad nineteen times. Andy holds the NHL record for
most regular season games (1,475) and post-season games (227) refereed. He has served as an ECHL executive since he hung up the stripes and skates in 1996. In addition to Wayne
Gretzky and Andy Van Hellemond, Hall of Fame President Ian "Scotty" Morrison was also inducted.
November 15, 1999: ECHL Awards (Week Ending 11/14)
Jackson Bandits netminder David Brumby has earned this week's Vortex Hockey Goaltender of the Week award after a flawless performance. He posted back-to-back
shutouts against the Louisiana IceGators and the Mississippi Sea Wolves, stopping a total of 65 shots for a 2-0 record for the week. The
C&T Hockey Products Player of the Week award has been awarded to Toledo Storm right wing Andrew Williamson. He notched a six-pack of goals in two games, including a
four goal (two on the power play) night against the Wheeling Nailers.
November 8, 1999: ECHL Awards (Week Ending 11/7)
The Vortex Hockey Goaltender of the Week award goes to Jan Lasak of the Hampton Roads Admirals. Lasak went 2-0-0 with a .939 save percentage
and a 1.50 goals against average for the week. Arkansas RiverBlades center Jarret Whidden brought home the
C&T Hockey Products Player of the Week award after notching three goals and four assists in two games last week. He recorded a goal and four assists in
a game against the Birmingham Bulls Friday night.
November 3, 1999: ECHL Plus Performer of the Month - October
Johnstown Chiefs center Carl Fleury earned the Vic Hockey Plus Performer of the Month for October. He recorded a league best plus/minus of +11, winning the tie-breaker with the Rivermen's Alexandre Couture and Mystick's Benoit Cotnoir by
having played in more games (9). In his effort, Fleury also tallied four goals and seven assists for the month.
November 3, 1999: ECHL Rookie of the Month - October
Richmond Renegades netminder Sean Matile is the ECHL's CCM Rookie of the Month for October. He posted a 3-0-0 record with a .957 save percentage and a 1.33 goals against average.
November 2, 1999: ECHL Goaltender of the Month - October
The ECHL has named the season's first Vortex Hockey Goaltender of the Month - Dennis Bassett of the Richmond Renegades. He posted an 3-0-0 record with a .964 save percentage and a 1.00 goals against average to
start the season, including a shutout of the Trenton Titans.
November 2, 1999: ECHL Player of the Month - October
The Sher-Wood Player of the Month for October has been selected by the ECHL - Louisiana IceGators center John Spoltore. He registered 6 goals and 12 assists with a +5 plus/minus and 3 power play goals
in 8 games.
November 1, 1999: ECHL Awards (Week Ending 10/31)
The C&T Hockey Products Player of the Week award has been bestowed upon Huntington Blizzard defenseman Jamie Pegg. He
collected two goals and five assists in three games last week, and is the current ECHL scoring leader for defensemen. Scott Roche of the
Birmingham Bulls nabbed the Vortex Hockey Goaltender of the Week award after a 2-0-0 record with a .969 save percentage and a 1.00 goals against average. His
winning performance included a shutout of the Greensboro General.
October 25, 1999: ECHL Awards (Week Ending 10/24)
Greenville Grrrowl right wing Scott Kirton was named C&T Hockey Products Player of the Week. He tallied three goals and four assists in just two games last week, including a hat trick against the Johnstown Chiefs on 10/24. In the nets,
Johnstown Chiefs goaltender Frederic Deschenes earned the Vortex Hockey Goaltender of the Week award. He stood on his head to make 56 saves on 58 shots, earning back-to-back victories Friday against the Pride and Saturday against the Checkers.
October 21, 1999: Flawed Alltel Arena Causes RiverBlades Cancellation
The discovery of additional flaws in North Little Rock, Arkansas' brand new Alltel Arena has caused the cancellation of the Arkansas RiverBlades home debut on Saturday 10/23 against the
New Orleans Brass. Engineers found 'variations' in some of the building's cantilevers that hang over the lower-level seating. This follows the discovery of cracks in the arena's support beams last
week that cancelled an NBA exhibition game. Further inspection revealed flaws in all of the beams that support the upper-level. The engineers working at the arena are confident that they can remedy the flaws,
but do not know how soon the arena will be ready for re-inspection.
October 18, 1999: ECHL Awards (Week Ending 10/17)
The ECHL has announced the awards for the first (partial) week of the 1999/2000 season. The C&T Hockey Products Player of the Week award went to Pee Dee Pride center Dany Bousquet. He notched 4 goals and 3 assists to lead the Pride to
a 3-0 record to start the season. Meanwhile, the Vortex Hockey Goaltender of the Week award went to Sean Matile of the Richmond Renegades. He made 28 saves against the Wheeling Nailers to earn a shutout in his first professional start in the nets.
October 14, 1999: The ECHL Drops the Pucks for Season Twelve!
The East Coast Hockey League began its twelfth season with four games, including the league debut of the Jackson Bandits and Trenton Titans.
August 13, 1999: The Bandits are Coming!
General Manager Brad Ewing announced today that Jackson's ECHL franchise will be known as the Jackson Bandits. The Bandits nickname
was selected from about 2000 entries in a 'Name the Team' contest.
August 6, 1999: Generals Chosen for Greensboro
The Greensboro, North Carolina ECHL expansion team will use the 'Generals' nickname originally used for ice hockey in the area four decades ago. The Greensboro team reached an agreement
with the United Hockey League's Flint Generals to use the same moniker.
August 3, 1999: The 1999/2000 All-Star Game on ESPN2
The ECHL's All-Star Game will be televised by tape delay on ESPN2 for the second consecutive season. The 1999/2000 All-Star Game will take place at 7:00pm (EST) on January 19, 2000 at the BI-LO Center in Greenville, South Carolina. ESPN2 will broadcast
the game nationally at 2:30pm (EST) the following day.
July 28, 1999: Admirals to Gamble in Atlantic City
The East Coast Hockey League's Board of Governors officially approved a plan to relocate the Hampton Roads Admirals' ECHL franchise to Atlantic City, New Jersey. The 1999/2000 season will be the ECHL's final season in Hampton Roads as an expansion team there joins
the American Hockey League for 2000/2001. The ECHL franchise will be inactive for a season before surfacing in Atlantic City for the 2001/2002 season. A renovated Boardwalk Convention Hall will host Atlantic City's ECHL team - New Jersey's second entry in the
league. The team is expected to retain the name 'Admirals'. Check out Titanic for details.
July 7, 1999: Jackson, Mississippi Joins the ECHL
If you thought the addition of Greensboro for the 1999/2000 ECHL season was an eleventh hour deal, at 11:59pm the ECHL Board of Governors approved the transfer of the Chesapeake Icebreakers franchise to an ownership
group in Jackson, Mississippi. The team will resume play in Jackson for the 1999/2000 season, giving the ECHL a net gain of one team after a feared net loss of teams for the new season.
June 30, 1999: ECHL Expansion and Dispersal Drafts
After a two week delay, the East Coast Hockey League held its expansion and dispersal drafts. The Trenton Titans, Arkansas RiverBlades, and the new Greensboro team participated in the expansion draft. Arkansas selected players in 10 rounds and Greensboro selected 9 players while Trenton only
opted to select players in the first 5 rounds. The dispersal draft distributed players from the Columbus Chill and Miami Matadors to the 3 expansion teams and the 7 teams that failed to make the playoffs last season (Pensacola, Wheeling, Greenville, Tallahassee, Johnstown, Huntington, and Charlotte). Players
from the Chesapeake Icebreakers were not dispersed pending the sale of the team which could bring it to Jackson, Mississippi for the 1999/2000 season.
June 24, 1999: Greensboro Officially Joins the ECHL (Again)
A Greensboro, North Carolina team is officially joining the East Coast Hockey League for the 1999/2000 season, helping the league avoid a net loss of one team at the last minute. The team will play at the 20800 seat Greensboro Coliseum now that
the Carolina Hurricane's arena in Raleigh, North Carolina is completed. The Greensboro Coliseum was home to the ECHL's Greensboro Monarchs from 1989/1990 through 1994/1995. The Monarchs won the ECHL's Riley Cup Championship in their
first season and made two additional appearances in the Cup Finals before they became the AHL's Carolina Monarchs. After six winning seasons with steadily increasing attendance in the ECHL, the Monarchs suffered dismal 1995/1996 and
1996/1997 seasons in the AHL before folding. The Coliseum then became the home of the NHL's Carolina Hurricanes (formerly the Hartford Whalers) for 1997/1998 and 1998/1999 while the arena in Raleigh was being built. With the
spacious Coliseum now vacant, the ECHL was more than happy to return to the former successful market. The yet-to-be-named Greensboro teams joins the ECHL with the Trenton Titans and the Arkansas RiverBlades, compensating for the loss of
the Chesapeake Icebreakers, Columbus Chill, and Miami Matadors.
June 23, 1999: Draft Dodger
The East Coast Hockey League has once again postponed the expansion and dispersal drafts. Originally scheduled on June 17th and postponed until today, they have
been tenatively rescheduled for Wednesday, June 30th.
June 23, 1999: Van Hellemond Elected to the Hall of Fame
The East Coast Hockey League's Senior Vice President of Hockey Operations, Andy Van Hellemond, was selected to join Number 99 in the Hockey Hall of Fame's Class of '99. Van Hellemond is entering his fourth season in charge of the
day-to-day operations of the league as well as overseeing on-ice officials. Before joining the ECHL front office, he served as an NHL on-ice official for 25 years, officiating in a record 19 Stanley Cup Finals. In addition to Van Hellemond
and Wayne Gretzky, Ian (Scotty) Morrison was elected in the builder category. The Hall of Fame induction ceremony will take place on November 22nd.
June 17, 1999: ECHL Names Executive of the Year and C.O.B.
Carl Scheer, CEO and Chairman of the Greenville Grrrowl, has been named the 1998/1999 Executive of the Year by the ECHL. Scheer's expansion team drew a league second-best attendance of 9269 fans per game despite
finishing last in the Southeast Division and failing to make the playoffs. The ECHL also selected Johnstown Chiefs President Jim Edwards to be Chairman of the Board of Governors for the 1999/2000 season,
replacing Scheer.
June 16, 1999: ECHL Drafts Delayed
The dispersal and expansion drafts for the East Coast Hockey League that were scheduled for June 17th have been delayed until June 23rd due to late developments at the Board of Governors meetings. A group headed by Art Donaldson and John Horshok is making an eleventh hour
bid to add a Greensboro, North Carolina expansion team to the ECHL lineup for the 1999/2000 season. The team would be able to play at the Greensboro Coliseum where the ECHL's Greensboro Monarchs played before transferring to the American Hockey League. In another development that
could have had a bearing on the situation, it was initially reported that the city of Norfolk, Virginia had declined to renew the Norfolk Scope lease for the Hampton Roads Admirals as an ECHL franchise, saying that they could only play there next season as an AHL franchise. However, later
reports seemed to indicate that the Admirals would be permitted to play as an ECHL franchise.
May 30, 1999: Sea Wolves Capture Kelly Cup!
How dramatic can a championship series get? Kevin Hilton's double-overtime goal in Game Seven handed the Mississippi Sea Wolves their first Kelly Cup Championship! The Richmond Renegades had a 3-1 series advantage with shutouts from Maxime Gingras in
Game One (2-0) and Game Four (1-0), and a 5-3 victory in Game Three. Mississippi had won Game Two by a 5-3 score. The tide began to turn when
the Sea Wolves and goaltender Travis Scott shut out the Renegades 2-0 in Game Five and dominated them with a 7-3 victory in Game Six to tie the series. Richmond skated into the third period of Game Seven with a 3-1 lead, but the Sea Wolves sprung into
action in the third period, outshooting the Renegades 23 to 6 and scoring twice to send the game into overtime. At 10:31 in the second overtime, Hilton notched the game-winner against the ECHL's Goaltender and Rookie of the Year Maxime Gingras to bring the
1998/1999 ECHL season to a close. Mississippi
netminder Travis Scott was named the Kelly Cup Playoffs MVP with a 14-4 record, 2.01 goals against average, and a .934 save percentage.
April 9, 1999: ECHL Coach of the Year for 1998/1999
The ECHL rewarded the Coach of the Year to Bob Ferguson of the Florida Everblades. He led the expansion franchise to the third best record in the ECHL this season: 45-20-5 (second best all-time for an expansion team). This was
Ferguson first season as an ECHL coach; he previously coached the Indianapolis Ice (IHL) for 3 seasons and coached several seasons in the United States Hockey League.
April 8, 1999: ECHL Most Valuable Player for 1998/1999
The ECHL voted Defenseman of the Year Chris Valicevic of the Louisiana IceGators as the league's Most Valuable Player, marking the first time in ECHL history that a
defenseman has captured the honors. He tallied 20 goals and 72 assists in 70 games for third place in the ECHL scoring with a plus/minus rating of +40. He has appeared in every game in Louisiana's franchise history.
April 6, 1999: ECHL Goaltender of the Year for 1998/1999
The ECHL has awarded the Goaltender of the Year to Maxime Gingras of the Richmond Renegades. He posted a 30-13-3 record on the season with a league best/ECHL record .924 save percentage and an league best/ECHL record 2.26 goals against average in 50 appearances, including an ECHL record
7 shutouts. Gingras can place the award on the mantle next to the Rookie of the Year honors he received a few days earlier.
April 6, 1999: ECHL Goaltender of the Month - March/April
The ECHL has crowned the Goaltender of the Month for March/April - Maxime Gingras of the Richmond Renegades. He posted an 10-1-0 record down the final stretch with a .930 save percentage and a 2.13 goals against average.
April 6, 1999: ECHL Rookie of the Month - March/April
The ECHL has announced the CCM Rookie of the Month for March/April - Chesapeake Icebreakers right wing Kaleb Toth. He notched 11 goals and 8 assists in 13 games for March/April, including a
hat trick on 3/20 against the Wheeling Nailers.
April 6, 1999: ECHL Player of the Month - March/April
The ECHL has revealed the Player of the Month for March/April - Pee Dee Pride center Dany Bousquet. He tallied 13 goals and 13 assists in the final 14 games of the regular season, with a +18 plus/minus rating. Bousquet's award winning performance included hat tricks on 3/12 against the
South Carolina Stingrays and on 3/17 against the Jacksonville Lizard Kings.
April 5, 1999: ECHL Awards (Week Ending 4/4)
The ECHL has granted the awards for the week ending April 4th. The Player of the Week award went to Pee Dee Pride left wing Peter Geronazzo. He tallied 3 goals and 3 assists in the Pride's final 2 games after returning from a month-long absence due to injury. In the nets, Travis Scott of the Mississippi
Sea Wolves was named Goaltender of the Week. He posted a 2-0-1 record with a .936 save percentage and a 2.00 goals against average for the final week of the season.
April 2, 1999: ECHL Rookie of the Year for 1998/1999
The ECHL has named the Rookie of the Year - Maxime Gingras of the Richmond Renegades. He posted a 30-13-3 record on the season with a league best/ECHL record .924 save percentage and an league best/ECHL record 2.26 goals against average in 50 appearances, including an ECHL record
7 shutouts. Gingras adds the honor to a long list of awards he collected this season.
April 2, 1999: ECHL Defenseman of the Year for 1998/1999
The ECHL has announced the Defenseman of the Year - Chris Valicevic of the Louisiana IceGators. He notched 20 goals and 72 assists in 70 games for third place in the ECHL scoring (with a plus/minus rating of +40) to earn the award for the 4th consecutive season.
March 29, 1999: ECHL Awards (Week Ending 3/28)
The ECHL has announced the awards for the week ending March 28th. Brian Regan of the Dayton Bombers took home Goaltender of the Week honors. He went 1-0-1 for the week with a 0.00 goals against average and a 1.000 save percentage, stopping all 57 shots he faced in regulation. His performance included a shutout in regulation during a shootout
loss to the Wheeling Nailers on 3/26 and a shutout of the Toledo Storm on 3/27. Player of the Week honors went to Charlotte Checkers right wing J.F. Aube. He registered 3 goals and 4 assists in 4 games for the week.
March 22, 1999: ECHL Awards (Week Ending 3/21)
The ECHL has unveiled the awards for the week ending March 21st. Sandy Allan of the Pee Dee Pride captured Goaltender of the Week honors. He went 2-0-0 with a .960 save percentage and a 1.00 goals against average for the week. The Player of the Week
award went to New Orleans Brass center Darryl Lafrance. He tallied seven goals and two assists in three games last week, including a hat trick on 3/19 at Miami. Lafrance has a 21-game point scoring streak (longest in the league this season) with a 9-game goal scoring
streak (the longest the ECHL has seen in three seasons).
March 15, 1999: ECHL Awards (Week Ending 3/14)
The ECHL announced its awards for the week ending March 14th. Player of the Week honors went to Mobile Mysticks center Russ Guzior. He tallied five goals and five assists last week, including a hat trick against the Tallahassee Tiger Sharks on 3/11. Igor Karpenko of
the Johnstown Chiefs received the Goaltender of the Week award. The Chiefs' new netminder went 2-0-0 with a 1.50 goals against average and a .949 save percentage for his debut week.
March 8, 1999: ECHL Awards (Week Ending 3/7)
The ECHL unleashed the awards for the week ending March 7th. Jordan Willis of the Baton Rouge Kingfish was dubbed Goaltender of the Week. He went 2-1-0 with a 1.52 goals against average and a .956 save percentage for the week including 36 and 32 save performances. The Player
of the Week nod went to Birmingham Bulls center Patrick Nadeau. His performance for the week included 4 goals and two assists in three games.
March 4, 1999: ECHL Goaltender of the Month - February
The ECHL has unveiled the Goaltender of the Month for February - Marc Magliarditi of the Florida Everblades. He compiled an 8-2-0 record for the month with a .952 save percentage and a 1.30 goals against average. His month's performance included shutouts against the
Tallahassee Tiger Sharks, Charlotte Checkers, and Jacksonville Lizard Kings.
March 3, 1999: ECHL Rookie of the Month - February
The ECHL has named the CCM Rookie of the Month for February - South Carolina Stingrays goaltender Jody Lehman. He compiled an 8-1-0 record for the month with a .943 save percentage and a 1.72 goals against average. On the season, Lehman has risen to 4th in the league with a .921 save percentage and
6th in the league with a 2.58 goals against average.
March 2, 1999: ECHL Player of the Month - February
The ECHL has announced the Player of the Month for February - Augusta Lynx center Lars Pettersen. He notched a total off 11 goals and 10 assists in 11 games for the month,
including his record setting 5-goal period on 2/11 against the Birmingham Bulls.
March 1, 1999: ECHL Awards (Week Ending 2/28)
The ECHL has unveiled the awards for the week ending February 28th. Player of the Week honors were granted to left wing Tim Ferguson of the Florida Everblades. He notched 4 goals and three assists in 4 games, including a natural hat trick with the game-winner on 2/27 against the
Charlotte Checkers. Not bad for the head coach's brother. Meanwhile, Jody Lehman of the South Carolina Stingrays captured Goaltender of the Week honors. He compiled a 3-0-0 record for the week with a
1.00 goals against average and a .965 save percentage with his first career shutout coming against the Louisiana IceGators on 2/27.
February 23, 1999: Lizard Kings Forfeit Victory over Pride
The ECHL has tossed out the Jacksonville Lizard King's 2-1 shootout victory over the Pee Dee Pride (2/19) because of too many veterans on Jacksonville's roster. The addition of former NHL center Ron Duguay before Friday's game caused the Kings to pass the
ECHL limit of four veterans on the team roster. In the context of the ECHL's collective bargaining agreement, 'veteran' is defined as any player with 200 or more professional games played. 41-year-old Duguay played in a total of 864 regular season and 89 playoff games in the
NHL from 1977 through 1989 with the Rangers, Red Wings, Penguins, and Kings. The 2-1 Jacksonville victory now becomes a 1-0 Pee Dee Pride victory.
February 22, 1999: ECHL Awards (Week Ending 2/21)
The ECHL has announced the awards for the week ending February 21st, with both honors going to fresh faces. Goaltender of the Week honors went to Christian Soucy of the Baton Rouge Kingfish. He
went 1-0-1 for the week with a .944 save percentage and a 1.67 goals against average. In Friday's game against the Ice Pilots, Soucy stopped 27 shots in regulation, helping his team into the first 1-0 shootout of the season (but Pensacola emerged the victor).
Florida Everblades defenseman Hugh Hamilton nabbed the Player of the Week Award. He collected two goals and three assists for the week with a +5 plus/minus.
February 15, 1999: ECHL Awards (Week Ending 2/14)
The awards for the week ending February 14th have been announced by the ECHL, with both honorees also earning a spot in the league record book. After his historic 5-goal period last Thursday against the Birmingham Bulls,
Augusta Lynx center Lars Pettersen coasted to the Player of the Week Award. He tallied a total of seven goals and two assists for the week. Meanwhile, Goaltender of the Week honors went to Maxime Gingras of the Richmond Renegades
for the third time this season. He compiled a 2-1-0 record while posting a .959 save percentage and a 1.34 goals against average for the week. Gingras earned his spot in the record books by notching his 6th and 7th shutouts of the
season (5 shutouts was the previous record).
February 12, 1999: High-Five for Pettersen
Augusta Lynx center Lars Pettersen had his name etched into the ECHL record book last night when he notched five consecutive goals in the third period against the Birmingham Bulls. Only two ECHL players have scored
more goals in an entire game, nevertheless one period.
February 8, 1999: ECHL Awards (Week Ending 2/7)
The ECHL has announced the awards for the week ending February 7th. Goaltender of the Week honors went to Scott LaGrand of the Tallahassee Tiger Sharks. He went 3-0-0 for the week with a .952 save percentage and a 1.33 goals against average. Charlotte Checkers left wing Shannon Basaraba was named Player of the Week. He scored three goals, including two game-winners, and three assists
in three games for the week.
February 4, 1999: ECHL Goaltender of the Month - January
The ECHL has announced Steve Valiquette of the Hampton Roads Admirals as the Goaltender of the Month for January after he compiled a 5-0-2 record with a 1.84 goals against average and a .952 save percentage. Valiquette also nabbed the Rookie of the Month honors for January, not to mention his two Goaltender of the Week awards.
February 3, 1999: ECHL Rookie of the Month - January
The ECHL has announced the CCM Rookie of the Month for January - Hampton Roads Admirals goaltender Steve Valiquette. He went 5-0-2 for the month with a .952 save percentage and a 1.84 goals against average. Valiquette can place the award on his mantle next to the two Goalie of the Week Awards he has collected this season.
February 2, 1999: ECHL Player of the Month - January
The ECHL has announced the Player of the Month for January - Louisiana IceGators center John Spoltore. He notched 23 assists and 4 goals in 12 games for the month, including at least one assist in every game. Spoltore currently leads the ECHL in assists and points (56, 75)
and is currently third in the league with a +22.
February 1, 1999: ECHL Awards (Week Ending 1/31)
The ECHL has announced the awards for the week ending January 31st. Left wing Don Parsons of the Louisiana IceGators earned his second Player of the Week Award of the season after tallying 4 goals and 4 assists in three games last week. Most of the tally came when he notched
a hat trick and three of the assists in a 9-1 victory over the Mobile Mysticks. Another repeat winner nabbed Goalie of the Week honors - Steve Valiquette of the Hampton Roads Admirals. The rookie posted a 2-0-0 record
with a .960 save percentage and a 1.50 goals against average for the week.
January 28, 1999: One More for the Roads
The AHL has announced that the Hampton Roads Admirals will join their league for the 2000/2001 season as an affiliate of the Chicago Blackhawks,
so they will take to the ice for one more season in the ECHL next year. There is still no decision on what will become of Hampton Road's ECHL franchise once
the move is made to the AHL.
January 25, 1999: ECHL Awards (Week Ending 1/24)
The ECHL has announced the awards for the week ending January 24th. Goaltender of the Week honors were bestowed upon rookie Maxime Gingras of the Richmond Renegades for the second time this season. Gingras went 3-0-0 with a 1.67 goals against
average and a .949 save percentage for the week. He has already tied the ECHL record for shutouts in a season by nabbing his fourth and fifth last week. Meanwhile, Charlotte Checkers center Martin Sychra took home the Player of the Week Award with 5
goals and 4 assists in four games last week. Three of the goals and two of the assists came in a shootout victory over the Louisiana IceGators.
January 18, 1999: ECHL Awards (Week Ending 1/17)
The ECHL has announced the awards for the week ending January 17th. Right wing Cail MacLean of the Jacksonville Lizard Kings earned Player of the Week honors. In five games over the past two weeks, MacLean compiled 9 goals and 7 assists. Mike Tamburro of the Chesapeake Icebreakers
earned the Goaltender of the Week award after posting a 4-1 record with a 1.29 goals against average and a .959 save percentage over the two week span.
January 15, 1999: 2000 ECHL All-Star Game
The East Coast Hockey League has announced that the Greenville Grrrowl will host the 2000 ECHL All-Star Game at their BI-LO Center. Northern Conference All-Stars will seek revenge against their Southern Conference counterparts after the South beat the North 7-4 this year.
January 5, 1999: ECHL Player of the Month - December
The ECHL has announced the Player of the Month for December - Jacksonville Lizard Kings center Xavier Majic. Majic collected 7 goals and 11 assists in 10 games for the month.
January 4, 1999: ECHL Rookie of the Month - December
The ECHL has announced the CCM Rookie of the Month for December - Mississippi Sea Wolves right wing Karol Bartanus. He recorded 10 goals and 10 assists in fourteen games for the month, including a hat trick against the New Orleans Brass.
January 4, 1999: ECHL Goaltender of the Month - December
The ECHL has announced Matt Mullin of the Toledo Storm as the Goaltender of the Month for December. He went 6-0-0 for the month with a 2.00 goals against average and a .947 save percentage. On the season, Mullin is 13-1-2 with a .925 save percentage and a 2.71 goals against average.
January 4, 1999: ECHL Awards (Week Ending 1/3)
The ECHL has announced the awards for the week ending January 3rd. Huntington Blizzard center Jim Bermingham was crowned Player of the Week after notching a pair of goals and five assists in three games last week. Goaltender of the Week honors were bestowed upon Daniel Berthiaume of the Roanoke Express who went 2-0-0 with a .971 save percentage and a 1.00 goals against average for the week.
December 29, 1998: ECHL Awards (Week Ending 12/27)
The ECHL has announced the awards for the week ending December 27th. For the second time in three weeks, Goaltender of the Week honors went to Brent Belecki of the Miami Matadors. He posted a 2-0-1 record with a 1.56 goals against average and a .952 save percentage last week. Player of the Week honors went to Louisiana IceGators center Louis Dumont after he notched 5 goals and an assist in three games last week.
December 22, 1998: 1999 ECHL All-Star Game Players and Coaches Announced
The East Coast Hockey League unveiled the rosters for the 1999 ECHL All-Star Game on January 13th in Biloxi, Mississippi. Each coach in the ECHL was permitted to vote for two players per position for their Conference's team (four for defenseman) to determine the rosters.
December 22, 1998: ECHL Awards (Week Ending 12/20)
The ECHL has announced the awards for the week ending December 20th. Goaltender of the Week honors went to Jeff Salajko of the Columbus Chill who posted a 2-0-0 record with a 1.50 goals against average and a .952 save percentage last week. Mississippi Sea Wolves' right wing Kelly Hurd earned Player of the Week honors after 3 goals and 2 assists in three games plus the shootout game-winner on 12/19 against the New Orleans Brass.
December 15, 1998: ECHL Awards (Week Ending 12/13)
The ECHL has announced the awards for the week ending December 13th. Columbus Chill right wing Bret Myers was named Player of the Week after tallying 4 goals and 2 assists in two games for the week, including a hat trick on 12/12 against the Dayton Bombers. Goaltender of the Week honors went to Brent Belecki of the Miami Matadors who went 2-0-0 with a 1.00 goals against average and a .969 save percentage last week.
December 8, 1998: ECHL Awards (Week Ending 12/6)
The ECHL has announced the awards for the week ending December 6th. Mississippi Sea Wolves defenseman Patrick Rochon nabbed Player of the Week honors with a goal and 6 assists in three games for the week. Rochon has 3 goals and 13 assists in 20 games this season. Kirk Daubenspeck of the Jacksonville Lizard Kings was named Goaltender of the Week with a 2-0-0 record for the week. Daubenspeck compiled a 1.50 goals against average and a .951 save percentage last week.
December 3, 1998: ECHL Rookie of the Month - November
The ECHL has announced the CCM Rookie of the Month for November - Goaltender of the Month winner Bujar Amidovski of the Louisiana IceGators. Amidovski was 6-1-0 for the month with a .938 save percentage and a 1.85 goals against average in seven games, including two shutouts. He is 8-2-2 on the season and leads the ECHL with a 1.94 goals against average and a .929 save percentage.
December 2, 1998: ECHL Player of the Month - November
The ECHL has announced the Player of the Month for November - South Carolina Stingrays center Dave Seitz. Seitz compiled 10 goals and 11 assists in 10 games for the month including a hat trick on 11/27. He was named Player of the Week recently and leads the ECHL with 18 goals this season.
December 2, 1998: ECHL Goaltender of the Month - November
The ECHL has announced the Goaltender of the Month for November - Bujar Amidovski of the Louisiana IceGators. Amidovski was 6-1-0 for the month with a .938 save percentage and a 1.85 goals against average in seven games, including two shutouts. He is 8-2-2 on the season and leads the ECHL with a 1.94 goals against average and a .929 save percentage.
November 30, 1998: ECHL Awards (Week Ending 11/29)
The ECHL has announced the awards for the week ending November 29th. Marc Magliarditi of the Florida Everblades was named Goaltender of the Week after compiling a 2-0-0 record with a 0.50 goals against average and a .979 save percentage for the week. Magliarditi improved his record to 9-2-0 for the season. South Carolina Stingrays center Dave Seitz earned Player of the Week honors by tallying 4 goals and 6 assists in three games for the week, including a hat trick on 11/27 against the Pee Dee Pride. Seitz leads the ECHL with 18 goals.
November 27, 1998: ECHL Suspends McPolin for 35 games
The East Coast Hockey League has thrown the book at Jacksonville Lizard Kings left wing Justin McPolin for 'applying excessive force to' (otherwise known as punching) the face of an official. The incident occurred during a November 20th game against the New Orleans Brass. At the time, McPolin was assessed a game misconduct.
November 23, 1998: ECHL Awards (Week Ending 11/22)
The ECHL has announced the awards for the week ending November 22nd. Dayton Bombers right wing Bobby Brown was named Player of the Week. Brown scored five goals in three games for the week, and currently has a 4-game goal-scoring streak and a 10-game point streak. Blaine Russell of the Huntington Blizzard and Chad Alban of the Mobile Mysticks both went 2-0-0 with a 1.00 goals against average and a .969 save percentage to share Goaltender of the Week honors. Russell is 7-0-0 on the season.
November 16, 1998: ECHL Awards (Week Ending 11/15)
The ECHL has announced the awards for the week ending November 15th. Louisiana IceGators left wing Don Parsons was named Player of the Week, bagging 7 goals and 5 assists in 5 games last week, including a hat trick against the Tallahassee Tiger Sharks. Nick Vitucci of the Greenville Grrrowl was named Goaltender of the Week for going 2-1-1 for the week, despite stopping 121 of 127 shots that he faced. Vitucci posted a 1.50 goals against average with a .953 save percentage.
November 13, 1998: ECHL on ESPN2!
The 1999 East Coast Hockey League All-Star Game in Biloxi, Mississippi will be broadcast via tape delay on January 14th at 2:00pm (EST). This will be the first national television broadcast for the ECHL. The game will also be broadcast live on the debut of ECHL Radio (in conjunction with NHL Radio) beginning at 7:45pm (EST) on January 13th. Both broadcasts will be available in all 30 of the ECHL's markets.
November 9, 1998: ECHL Awards (Week Ending 11/8)
The ECHL has announced the awards for the week ending November 8th. Tallahassee Tiger Sharks right wing Pavel Smirnov was named Player of the Week. Smirnov racked up 5 goals on 6 only shots in 3 games last week, including a hat trick against the New Orleans Brass. Rookie Steve Valiquette of the Hampton Roads Admirals was awarded Goaltender of the Week honors after going 3-0-0 for the week. Valiquette is 6-0-0 on the season with a 2.66 goals against average, and a .922 save percentage.
November 5, 1998: ECHL Rookie of the Month - October
The ECHL has announced the CCM Rookie of the Month for October - Right wing Jonas Solling of the Augusta Lynx. Solling compiled 6 goals and 6 assists for the month.
November 4, 1998: ECHL Goaltender of the Month - October
The ECHL has announced the Goaltender of the Month for October - David Brumby of the Wheeling Nailers. Brumby posted a 4-1-0 record for the month with a .925 save percentage and a 2.41 goals against average.
November 3, 1998: ECHL Player of the Month - October
The ECHL has announced the Player of the Month for October - Toledo Storm right wing Andrew Williamson. Williamson scored 11 goals, including 6 on the power-play, with two assists for the month.
November 2, 1998: ECHL Awards (Week Ending 11/1)
The ECHL has announced the awards for the week ending November 1st. Louisiana IceGators forward John Spoltore was named Player of the Week. Spoltore notched 3 goals (from a Halloween hat trick) and 5 assists last week. Rookie Maxime Gingras of the Richmond Renegades was named Goaltender of the Week after compiling a 2-0-0 record with a shutout, a 0.50 goals against average, and a .985 save percentage.
October 26, 1998: ECHL Awards (Week Ending 10/25)
The ECHL has announced the awards for the week ending October 25th. Charlotte Checkers right wing J.F. Aube was named Player of the Week. Aube notched 4 goals last week. Bujar Amidovski of the Louisiana IceGators was named Goaltender of the Week after compiling a 1-0-1 record with a shutout, a 0.54 goals against average, and a .976 save percentage.
October 19, 1998: ECHL Awards (Week Ending 10/18)
The ECHL has announced the awards for the week ending October 18th. Augusta Lynx defenseman Jaroslav Obsut was named Player of the Week. Obsut had 2 goals, 5 assists, and was +9 in his three games last week. Fred Deschenes of the Birmingham Bulls was named Goaltender of the Week after compiling a 2-0-0 record with a 1.00 goals against average and a .966 save percentage.
August 26, 1998: Columbia Awarded 30th Franchise
The Board of Governors of the East Coast Hockey League has approved an expansion franchise for Columbia, South Carolina. Sports Docs Inc., a group of doctors from Florence, will be working to secure an arena deal for their franchise with hopes of joining league play in the not too distant future.
August 26, 1998: New Playoff Format
A new playoff format has been adopted by the ECHL's Board of Governors to accomodate the different conference sizes. The playoff format remains unchanged for the eleven team Northern Conference with the top eight teams receiving postseason bids. The division winners will be seeded 1 and 2, with the remaining seeds going to the 6 remaining teams in the conference with the highest point totals. The playoff structure for the sixteen team Southern Conference will be more complex with eleven bids available. The division winners receive seeds 1 and 2. The three highest remaining teams in the conference receive seeds 3 through 5. The next six highest teams remaining in the conference will play a wild card round with the winners being re-seeded as 6 through 8 for the conference quarter-finals. The wild card series will be best of 3, conference quarter-finals and semi-finals remain best of 5, and the conference finals and Kelly Cup finals remain best of 7.
June 24, 1998: Expansion Draft Held
The East Coast Hockey League held its 1998 Expansion Draft for the league's newest teams: the Florida Everblades and Greenville Grrrowl. Greenville won the toss for the first selection from the pool comprised of one player from each of the league's 25 teams. Greenville selected the following players: Mike Kolenda (D-Toledo), Jeff Rohlicek (C-Mississippi), Steve Suk (C-Mobile), Tom White (L-Peoria), Jon Dunmar (D-Pensacola), Tim O'Brien (L-New Orleans), Steve Ferranti (C-Miami), Lars Bruggermann (D-Jacksonville), Marty Yewchuk (C-Charlotte), John Blessman (D-South Carolina), Jason Coles (D-Birmingham), and Clint Owen (G-Columbus). Florida selected: Jim Paradise (L-Hampton Roads), Kyle Kirkpatrick (D-Huntington), Matt Johnson (C-Tallahassee), Cory Evans (L-Roanoke), Clint Collins (R-Wheeling), Ronalds Ozolinsh (D-Pee Dee), Petri Gynther (D-Augusta), Ian Kallay (L-Dayton), Scott McKay (R-Louisiana),
Frederick Svensson (L-Johnstown), and Darrin Madeley (G-Richmond).
June 23, 1998: Little Rock Awarded 29th Franchise
The East Coast Hockey League announced that their 29th franchise has been awarded to Little Rock, Arkansas. It is expected that construction of North Little Rock's Alltel Arena will be completed in time for the franchise to debut in the 1999/2000 season with the Trenton Titans.
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