ROAD WARRIORS WEEKLY #5: 11/15/10-11/21/10 

The Greenville Road Warriors protected their house to perfection last weekend with a three-game sweep over the Florida Everblades. The three wins vaulted Greenville into second place in the South Division. This week Greenville will play its first non-divisional opponent and also make its first visit to Charleston to battle the Stingrays.

Record: 7-3-1, 15 pts., 2nd place South Division
Leaders:
Goals – Brendan Connolly: 7
Assists – Mark Voakes/Connor Shields: 8
Points – Mark Voakes: 12
+/- – Julien Brouillette: +8
PIMs – T.J. Reynolds: 34
PPG – Andrew Carroll/Justin Bowers: 3
SHG – Julien Brouillette/Brendan Connolly: 1
Wins – Nic Riopel: 6
GAA – Nic Riopel: 2.65
SVP – Nic Riopel: .918

This Week:
11/16 at South Carolina, 7:05 p.m. – Home (2-1-0), Away (0-0-0)
Greenville’s third away game of the season will renew the Palmetto State Rivalry with the South Carolina Stingrays. The teams last met on October 30 with Greenville skating away with a 5-2 win. That night, Andrew Carroll led the charge for Greenville with two goals and an assist in the winning effort. Carroll has since been loaned to Abbotsford in the American Hockey League so Greenville will be looking for someone to step up in Carroll’s stead. Since then the Road Warriors have won four of six games while the Stingrays have lost five of seven and are stuck in a five-game losing streak. The Stingrays will be playing their first home game after a three-game northern trip that saw them surrender 13 goals. South Carolina is the only team to have beaten the Road Warriors at home in regulation with a 4-2 win on October 24. Tuesday’s game was originally scheduled to be played on October 15 but was moved due to a building conflict at the North Charleston Coliseum.

11/18 and 11/19 vs. Wheeling, 7:05 p.m. each night – Home (2-1-0), Away (0-0-0)
The Wheeling Nailers will be the first non-divisional opponent to visit the BI-LO Center when the puck drops on Thursday night. It is a renewal of acquaintances, of sorts, because the Road Warriors had previously played in the ECHL as the Johnstown Chiefs. Johnstown and Wheeling had the longest standing rivalry in the ECHL with 173 games played between the clubs. Johnstown held an 81-73-19 mark all-time against the Nailers. Wheeling originally began play in the ECHL in 1988 as the Carolina (Winston-Salem, N.C.) Thunderbirds and defeated the Chiefs in game seven in the first ever ECHL championship series. The team relocated from Winston-Salem to Wheeling prior to the start of the 1992-93 season. This season’s incarnation of the Nailers are coached by first-year ECHL coach Stan Drulia and enter action this week with a 7-6-0 record and are in third place in the North Division standings. David Marshall leads the Nailers’ attack with 10 points (6G, 4A) and goalie Patrick Killeen is tied with Nic Riopel and Ryan Nie for the league lead with six wins. Greenville and Wheeling play six times this season including three at the BI-LO Center.

11/18 vs. Gwinnett, 4:05 p.m. – Home (1-0-0), Away (0-2-0)
After suffering 5-3 and 6-1 losses at the hands of the Gladiators in Gwinnett on Nov. 6 and 7, the Road Warriors will be looking to exact a measure of revenge against the South-Division leaders. Depending on how the games leading up to Sunday’s contest play out it could turn into a battle for the top spot in the South Division. Gwinnett will play two games in Charleston against the Stingrays on Nov. 19 and 20 before visiting the Road Warriors. The Gladiators, like the Stingrays, were up north last week and went 1-1-0 with a win against Kalamazoo and a shootout loss to Cincinnati. The Road Warriors handed the Gladiators one of their two regulation losses back on Nov. 5 in a 3-1 win. Brendan Connolly, Justin Bowers, and Marc-Olivier Vallerand had the goals in support of Nic Riopel who made 31 saves.

Day by Day:
Mon. 11/15: Practice at BI-LO Center, 10:00 a.m.
Tues. 11/16: Road Warriors vs. South Carolina, 7:05 p.m.
Wed. 11/17: Practice at BI-LO Center, 10:00 a.m.
Thurs. 11/18: Road Warriors vs. Wheeling, 7:05 p.m.
Fri. 11/19: Road Warriors vs. Wheeling, 7:05 p.m.
Sat. 11/20: Off

Sun. 11/21: Road Warriors vs. Gwinnett, 4:05 p.m.
Broadcast Schedule:
Tues. 11/16: Road Warriors vs. South Carolina, 7:05 p.m.

Thurs. 11/18: Road Warriors vs. Wheeling, 7:05 p.m.
Fri. 11/19: Road Warriors vs. Wheeling, 7:05 p.m.
Sun. 11/21: Road Warriors vs. Gwinnett, 4:05 p.m.
All Road Warriors radio broadcasts can be heard online for free courtesy of America One. Point your browser to www.greenvilleroadwarriors.com and click “Listen Live” to join Ray Schmitt on the broadcasts. Road Warriors fans can also watch Internet TV broadcasts of the games by clicking here. All broadcasts begin 15 minutes prior to face off with the Road Warriors Pregame Show. Fans can also email Radio Ray and have their questions read during the broadcast! Send your questions to grwradioray@gmail.com.

Last Week:

11/11 vs. Florida: W 5-4

The Road Warriors came roaring out of the gate with four first period goals against the Everblades. Julien Brouillette began the onslaught with the team’s first shorthanded goal 7:34 into the game. Twenty six seconds later Marc-Olivier Vallerand scored on a breakaway after leaving the penalty box. Connor Shields and Sean Berkstresser capped off Greenville’s scoring in the first with goals 1:49 apart late in the first. Florida chipped away at the lead with a goal 24 seconds after Berkstresser’s and then notched a second goal 38 seconds into the second period. Greenville bounced back thanks to a Shane Harper goal at 11:28 of the second that made it 5-2. Harper’s goal turned out to be the game winner as Florida tallied twice in the third in a comeback bid. Nic Riopel made 31 saves in picking up the win.

11/12 vs. Florida: W 6-3

Greenville kept its offense in high gear on Friday night in support of Dov Grumet-Morris who made his first start at home for the Road Warriors. Greenville was in a bit of trouble early with Florida earning three consecutive power plays in the first. The Road Warriors, however, survived the surge and Julien Brouillette potted the first goal for the second straight night. His wrist shot from the right wing at 17:43 gave Greenville a 1-0 lead after one. Second period power play goals by Mark Voakes and Justin Bowers gave the Road Warriors some more breathing room heading into what proved to be a wacky third. A quick score by Brendan Connolly stretched the lead to 4-0 before Florida finally pushed one past Grumet-Morris to draw back within three. Brandon Wong’s first pro goal 1:21 later restored the four-goal lead and he was followed up by another tally from Connolly at 11:29. Greenville looked to be comfortable in the drivers’ seat but Florida battled back to within three thanks to a pair of goals in the final 3:28. Grumet-Morris’ 29 saves were more than enough to preserve the win.

11/13 vs. Florida: W 3-0

Greenville’s attack didn’t quite click at the same rate it had been earlier in the weekend, but it ultimately didn’t matter as Nic Riopel denied every Florida shot he faced in picking up his first professional shutout. The offensive support came from Brendan Connolly’s pair of goals and Mark Voakes chipping in his fourth of the season. For Connolly, it became two straight games with a pair of goals as he notched his first shorthanded goal of the season at 9:37 of the first and popped in a second goal a mere 49 seconds into the middle frame. The second year forward from Canmore, Alberta took over the team goal-scoring lead from Julien Brouillette with his sixth and seventh goals of the season. There were no goals scored in the third period and that was quite alright with the guys in navy and white. Riopel saved his best for the third with 13 of his 32 saves to cap off the shutout bid. The win was Riopel’s fifth straight at home.

ONE-TIMERS:
Scoring Streaks:
Goals:

·    A. Carroll, 4 games (6G); 10/22-10/30

·    B. Connolly, 2 games (4G); 11/12-11/13

·    M. Voakes, 2 games (2G); 11/12-11/13

Assists:

·    B. Parlett, 2 games (2A); 11/7-11/11

·    S. Harper, 2 games (4A); 11/12-11/13

·    B. Wong, 2 games (2A); 11/12-11/13

·    M. Vallerand, 3 games (4A); 11/11-11/13

Points:

·    A. Carroll, 4 games (6G, 2A); 10/22-10/30

·    M. Voakes, 2 games (2G, 1A); 11/12-11/13

·    B. Wong, 2 games (1G, 2A); 11/12-11/13

·    S. Harper, 5 games (2G, 5A); 11/6-11/13

·    B. Parlett, 2 games (2A); 11/7-11/11

·    M. Vallerand, 3 games (1G, 4A); 11/11-11/13

·    B. Connolly, 3 games (4G, 1A); 11/11-11/13

Quick Hits:

· Brendan Connolly was nominated for ECHL Player of the Week after racking up four goals and an assist last weekend against Florida. The second-year forward scored two game-winning goals and a shorthanded goal.

· Nic Riopel was nominated for ECHL Goalie of the Week after going 2-0-0 this weekend against Florida. Highlighting the weekend was Riopel’s first pro shutout with a 32-save effort on Saturday night. Riopel was named ECHL Goalie of the week for the week of Oct. 25 – 31.

· Greenville leads the ECHL with six active players averaging better than a point per game.

· Marc-Olivier Vallerand is tied for the ECHL’s rookie lead in points (10) and assists (7). Vallerand has registered seven points (2G, 5A) through six games this month.

· Greenville is tops in the ECHL with seven home wins and has earned victories in each of its last six home games.

Mark your calendars! Don’t forget about these upcoming promotions:
– 11/18 vs. Wheeling, 7:05: Dollar Draught Thursday. For the third time this season the Road Warriors will be offering select fountain drinks and draft beers for just $1! The Road Warriors will also kick off their Thanks for Giving weekend with a winter coat drive to benefit the Salvation Army. Fans who donate a coat to the drive will get a buy-one-get-one coupon for a ticket to the December 14 home game.

– 11/19 vs. Wheeling, 7:05: Friday Family Four-Pack. For just $48 Upstate families can receive four gold-level tickets, four hot dogs, four drinks, four pretzels, and four bags of chips! The Road Warriors will continue the Thanks for Giving weekend with a winter blanket drive to benefit Miracle Hill Ministries. Fans who donate a blanket to the drive will get a buy-one-get-one coupon for a ticket to the December 15 home game.

– 11/21 vs. Gwinnett, 4:05: Thanks for Giving weekend wraps up with a food drive to benefit Loaves and Fishes. The Road Warriors are asking that fans bring canned food and non-perishable food items to donate at Sunday’s game. For fans who donate three items to the food drive will receive a buy-one-get-one coupon good for the December 27 home game.

Please click here for more information on Thanks for Giving Weekend.