BY: Ray Schmitt, Voice of the Greenville Road Warriors

The Greenville Road Warriors lived up to their nickname last week as they claimed three consecutive road victories over the Florida Everblades and reached a season-high five straight wins overall. They’ll try to keep the momentum rolling this week with a pair of games against the Gwinnett Gladiators in Duluth, Georgia.

Record: 26-16-2, 54 pts., 2nd place South Division

Leaders:
Goals – Marc-Olivier Vallerand: 23
Assists – Justin Bowers: 43
Points – Justin Bowers: 57
+/- – #Brendan Connolly; T.J. Reynolds: +9; +8
PIMs – T.J. Reynolds: 148
PPG – Marc-Olivier Vallerand: 9
SHG – Brendan Connolly/Marc-Olivier Vallerand/Jeremy Gouchie: 1
Wins – Nic Riopel: 13
GAA – Nic Riopel: 2.93
SVP – Nic Riopel: .910

# = Not on active roster.

Previewing the Upcoming Week:

2/3 & 2/4 at Gwinnett – 7:35 p.m. & 7:05 p.m., Home vs. GWT 5-0-0, Away vs. GWT 1-3-0

This week the Greenville Road Warriors will try to accomplish something no other ECHL team has been able to in 2012; beat the Gwinnett Gladiators at home. The Road Warriors‘ divisional rivals have been lights out at the Arena at Gwinnett Center this year and have reeled off eight straight victories dating back to January 6, 2012. Their last home loss was to Florida on December 30, 2011 and prior to that they had won three in a row at home. The Road Warriors have plenty of momentum in their favor, too, as they have won five in a row including three straight on the road.

Day-by-Day Schedule:

1/30/12 – Off

               “Between the Pipes” radio show at Ford’s Oyster House and Cajun Kitchen, 5:45 p.m.

1/31/12 – Off

                Players and Rowdy at Fried Green Tomatoes on Congaree Rd. from 5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

2/1/12 – * Practice at The Pavilion, 8:00 a.m.

2/2/12 – * Practice at The Pavilion, 8:30 a.m.

2/3/12 – * Pre-game skate at The Pavilion, Time TBD

                Road Warriors at Gwinnett, 7:35 p.m.

2/4/12 – * Pre-game skate at The Pavilion, Time TBD

                Road Warriors at Gwinnett, 7:05 p.m.

2/5/12 – Off

* Denotes an appearance/event that is not open to the general public. Media members, however, are welcome to attend these events to report on the Road Warriors and their community involvement.

Road Warriors Broadcast Information

All Greenville Road Warriors games are broadcast live online courtesy of America One. You can listen to every game for free by clicking on the “Listen Live” link located on the Road Warriors’ home page –  www.greenvilleroadwarriors.com. The Road Warriors Pre-Game Show kicks off every broadcast 15 minutes prior to faceoff.

Recapping Last Week:

1/25 at Florida: W 6-3

Box Score

Brandon Wong tied the Road Warriors’ team record with four points (1G, 3A) and helped lead a potent offensive attack in Greenville’s win to start last week’s road trip. Wong assisted on each of Greenville’s first three goals as the Road Warriors built a 3-0 lead before the second period was three minutes old. Greenville held a 4-1 lead heading into the third, but Florida started the frame on a furious rally. The Everblades scored once before the period was a minute old then tacked on another just 3:28 later to draw within one. But Greenville righted the ship from there and reclaimed the two-goal lead with Jeff Prough chipping one home at 9:44 of the third. Wong’s goal was into an empty net to salt away the win.

1/26 at Florida: SOW 4-3

Box Score

On Thursday the Road Warriors showed their flare for the dramatic as they pulled off the biggest third period comeback in team history to pave the way for their shootout win. Trailing 3-0 heading into the final 20 minutes, the Road Warriors’ rally was sparked by Marc-Olivier Vallerand’s power play goal at 4:22. Brett Robinson followed just over a minute past the midway point of the period and set the table for the final push. Goalie Jason Missiaen was pulled with just over a minute left to play, and with the extra skater advantage the tying goal was tipped in by Brandon Wong after Vallerand let a wrist shot fly from the high slot. After a scoreless overtime, Greenville won the shootout 2-0 with four saves from Missiaen and goals from Wong and Vallerand.

1/28 at Florida: W 3-2

Box Score

The Road Warriors had held the third-period upper hand throughout the series with Florida and Saturday night was no different as Greenville broke a 1-1 tie during the third and held off a late Everblades rally. Greenville grabbed a 1-0 lead on a late first period marker from Justin Bowers but Florida answered back in the second. All it took, though, was a stretch of 1:47 of play in the third for Greenville to take control. Jeff Prough sniped a wrist shot at 7:42 to put Greenville ahead and Bowers followed with what proved to be the game winner. Matt Beca gave Florida life with a power play goal at 12:14, but some big saves by Nic Riopel down the stretch squelched Florida’s comeback attempt.

Quick Hits:

* Justin Bowers is nominated for ECHL Player of the Month and Player of the Week honors. He had 28 points (10G, 18A) in 15 games in the month of January and capped the month with nine points (3G, 6A) in three games during the final week. He currently leads the ECHL with 43 assists.

* Road Warriors forward Sean Berkstresser reached 100 points for his ECHL career with his second assist in Greenville’s 6-3 win over Florida on January 25. Ninety-eight of the 100 points he has scored have come as a member of the Johnstown Chiefs/Greenville Road Warriors.

* The Road Warriors are in the midst of a stretch where they play 13 straight games against South Division opponents. After 10 games of that span they are 7-3-0 with a perfect 4-0-0 mark at home and a .500 record on the road. For the season the Road Warriors are 13-2-1 at home against the South and 6-6-0 on the road.

* Greenville has been locking it down on the penalty kill over the last two weeks. They are 23-for-27 (85.2 percent) on the PK dating back to January 16 in Gwinnett. That includes going 8-for-9 (89 percent) in three games last week against Florida – the ECHL’s third best power play.

* The Road Warriors’ 52 third-period goals are the most of any team in the ECHL, and their 41 goals given up are seventh fewest in the league. Only Las Vegas (+18), South Carolina (+16), and Gwinnett (+13) have a third period goal differential better than Greenville’s +11.

Upcoming Events:

Thursday, Feb. 9: Road Warriors vs. Kalamazoo Wings, 7:35 p.m. – Throwback Thursday. Come join the Road Warriors for $2 draft beers, fountain drinks, hot dogs, and pretzels! Also, college students can get in for just $6 with a valid college ID. Throwback Thursdays are sponsored by WSSL 100.5, The Greenville News, and New Rock 93.3.

Saturday, Feb. 11: Road Warriors vs. Kalamazoo Wings, 7:05 p.m. – Scout Night. Calling all Scouts in the Upstate! The Road Warriors are offering special group prices and a cool Road Warriors Scout Patch for those who come out to the game against Kalamazoo.

Sunday, Feb. 12: Road Warriors vs. Chicago Express, 4:05 p.m. – Family Fun Day. All children 12 and under can get a ticket for just $5. Stick around after the game to Skate With the Road Warriors. Anyone with a ticket can attend the post-game skate and if you don’t have your own skates you can rent a pair for $3.

The post ROAD WARRIORS WEEKLY RELEASE: 1/30 – 2/5/12 first appeared on Howlings.

BY: Ray Schmitt, Voice of the Greenville Road Warriors

The Greenville Road Warriors capped off a sweep of the Florida Everblades on Saturday night with a 3-2 win at Germain Arena. The win improved Greenville to 26-16-2 on the season and, coupled with an Elmira loss, moved Greenville into the top spot in the Eastern Conference.

Click here for tonight’s box score.

Justin Bowers had a big hand in Greenville’s early success in the week’s series against the Everblades. He had a goal and two assists on Wednesday and followed that with three assists on Thursday. His hot streak continued with his 13th goal of the season that came with only 53 seconds left in the period. Bowers collected his 25th point of the month with a goal that was set up by T.J. Reynolds and Jeff Prough. Greenville had a 39 second 5-on-3 power play earlier in the period but wasn’t able to convert. Florida also had two power play chances, but five saves by Nic Riopel let Greenville go into the break with the lead.

In the second, Florida’s defense did a better job of limiting the Road Warriors’ chances and notched the only goal of the frame to tie the score. Scott Pitt took a lead pass from David Rutherford on the left wing and sent a wrist shot past Riopel at the 8:20 mark of the second. That was one of 10 shots that Riopel faced in the frame. His counterpart, Pat Nagle, saw six shots from the Road Warriors and stopped each one.

As they had the first two games of the series, the Road Warriors owned the third period on Saturday night and rode a pair of goals to the victory. They came less than two minutes apart from Prough (1G, 2A) and Bowers (2G, 1A) who each earned three points in the game. Prough put the Road Warriors ahead by one at 7:42 with a wrist shot from an impossible angle that beat Nagle. Bowers followed by finishing off an odd-man rush at 9:29 with the eventual game winner. Matt Beca drew Florida within one at 12:14, but Riopel shut the door from there and sealed the victory.

In all Riopel turned in 19 saves in the winning effort. The Road Warriors were 0-for-2 on the power play and 3-for-4 on the penalty kill.

Mark your calendars! The Road Warriors return home on Thursday, February 9, 2012 to take on the Kalamazoo Wings. Join us for a Throwback Thursday presented by WSSL 100.5, The Greenville News and New Rock 93.3. Throwback Thursday feature select draft beers, fountain drinks, hot dogs, and pretzels for just $2, and college students can get in for just $6 with a valid ID. Your group of 10 or more can also get a discount off the box office price and preferred seating based on availability by booking in advance. Call 864-674-PUCK to book your group outing with the Road Warriors.

The post BLADES DULLED BY WARRIOR GOALS first appeared on Howlings.

BY: Ray Schmitt, Voice of the Greenville Road Warriors

Tonight the Greenville Road Warriors close out their three-game series against the Florida Everblades at Germain Arena. It will be the final meeting of the season between the South Division rivals.

The Road Warriors (25-16-2, 52 pts.) visit Florida (21-18-4, 46 pts.) today for the 11th and final meeting of the season between the clubs. Fans can follow the action by watching live on America One or listening at Greenvilleroadwarriors.com. The Road Warriors are 6-3-1 this season against the Everblades and 16-5-4 overall in their history against Florida. Thursday night’s win gave Greenville its third four-game winning streak of the season. A win tonight would give Greenville its longest win streak of the season and put the Road Warriors two back of the team-record seven-game win streak from November 24 to December 5, 2010. Florida, meanwhile, is trying to put the brakes on a five-game losing streak on which all five losses have come against South Division teams; two to Greenville, one to Gwinnett, and two to South Carolina.

Who: Greenville Road Warriors at Florida Everblades
What: Away Game #22, Season Game #44
When: 7:00 p.m.
Where: Germain Arena, 11000 Everblades Parkway, Estero, FL 33928

NOTEWORTHY:

Brandon Wong leads the Road Warriors with 13 points (6G, 7A) in nine games against Florida. That accounts for over half of his goals and 48 percent of his points this season.

Greenville’s 18 wins against the South are the most among division teams while Florida’s 10 are the fewest.

Greenville’s three-goal third period comeback on Thursday was the largest in the team’s history. It was the second time this season they have won (both in shootouts) when trailing after two.

Greenville is 60-for-67 on the penalty kill (89.5%) in its last 15 games. The Road Warriors are 35-for-45 against Florida on the penalty kill this season, but are 5-for-5 this series.

Road Warriors captain T.J. Reynolds is the team’s active +/- leader at +7. Even though he was a -1 Thursday night he has been even or better in 31 of the 42 games he has played this season.

Click here for Game Notes Page 1
Click here for Game Notes Page 2
Click here for Road Warriors player info
Click here for Everblades player info

Mark your calendars! The Road Warriors return home on Thursday, February 9, 2012 to take on the Kalamazoo Wings. Join us for a Throwback Thursday presented by WSSL 100.5, The Greenville News and New Rock 93.3. Throwback Thursday feature select draft beers, fountain drinks, hot dogs, and pretzels for just $2, and college students can get in for just $6 with a valid ID. Your group of 10 or more can also get a discount off the box office price and preferred seating based on availability by booking in advance. Call 864-674-PUCK to book your group outing with the Road Warriors.

The post SUNNY FLORIDA AGAIN FOR THE WARRIORS first appeared on Howlings.

     VERSUS          

BY: Ray Schmitt, Voice of the Greenville Road Warriors

The Greenville Road Warriors erased a three-goal third period deficit to claim a 4-3 shootout victory over the Florida Everblades at Germain Arena on Thursday night. The win improved Greenville to 25-16-2 on the season.

Click here for tonight’s box score.

In the opening frame the Road Warriors generated a number of good scoring chances and out-shot Florida 12-8 but was unable to find the back of the net. Brandon Wong hit the pipe with a deflection of Wes Cunningham‘s point shot, but it hit the post and bounced through the crease behind goalie Pat Nagle. A bit later, Brett Robinson swatted a loose puck on the right side of the net out of mid-air and right across the open goal mouth. That shot could have tied the game because Florida grabbed the 1-0 lead on a 2-on-1 goal by Brayden Irwin. Jason Missiaen made seven stops in the period for the Road Warriors.

The second period belonged to the Everblades, as well, as they took advantage of a pair of Greenville turnovers to widen their lead to three. The first came at 14:10 when Deron Cousens sprung Scott Pitt on a breakaway after stealing a Greenville head-man pass. Pitt’s wrist shot snuck past Missiaen on the blocker side to double Florida’s lead. The Everblades’ second of the frame came with 14 seconds left on the clock after a breakout pass missed Jeremy Gouchie in the middle of the zone. Matt Beca took a pass low on the left wing and one-timed it past Missiaen. Greenville managed 10 shots in the period, but none got behind Nagle.

The Road Warriors only won one of the three periods in regulation, but they won the third period in a big way and gave themselves a chance to pick up the win. The comeback began in earnest when Marc-Olivier Vallerand scored a power play goal at 4:22. Justin Bowers continued his torrid month with his 23rd point in January with the lone assist. Bowers then set up Brett Robinson’s 15th of the campaign at 11:07 as the Road Warriors drew within one. They never let up the pressure, but time started to work against them late in the frame. So with just over a minute to go Missiaen was pulled for the extra attacker and it was Vallerand who found the back of the net for the tying goal with 38 seconds to play. That goal forced overtime, but the Road Warriors were far from out of the woods.

At the end of regulation Greenville was whistled for a too many men on the ice minor and began overtime shorthanded. They were able to kill off the ‘Blades power play but once back at 4-on-4 they couldn’t find the winning goal despite a handful of shots. It took a shootout to decide the winner and the Road Warriors had a brick wall on their side. Missiaen stopped all four Florida shooters while Brandon Wong and Vallerand notched goals for Greenville to win the breakaway contest.

Missiaen stopped 26 shots in his eighth win of the season. Greenville was 2-for-2 on the penalty kill and 1-for-3 on the power play.

Mark your calendars! The Road Warriors return home on Thursday, February 9, 2012 to take on the Kalamazoo Wings. Join us for a Throwback Thursday presented by WSSL 100.5, The Greenville News and New Rock 93.3. Throwback Thursday feature select draft beers, fountain drinks, hot dogs, and pretzels for just $2, and college students can get in for just $6 with a valid ID. Your group of 10 or more can also get a discount off the box office price and preferred seating based on availability by booking in advance. Call 864-674-PUCK to book your group outing with the Road Warriors.

The post EVERBLADES DULLED BY ROAD WARRIORS first appeared on Howlings.

BY: Ray Schmitt, Voice of the Greenville Road Warriors

Tonight the Greenville Road Warriors continue their three-game series at Germain Arena against the Florida Everblades. The Road Warriors will try to build on last night’s 6-3 win that snapped a four-game road losing streak.

The Road Warriors (24-16-2, 50 pts.) visit Florida (21-18-3, 45 pts.) today for the 10th of 11 scheduled meetings between the clubs. Fans can follow the action by watching live on America One or listening at greenvilleroadwarriors.com. The Road Warriors are 5-3-1 this season against the Everblades and 15-5-4 overall in their history against Florida. Last night’s victory was the Road Warriors’ third straight and a win tonight would match their longest winning streak of the season at four. They have reached that mark twice earlier this season; October 22 to November 3 and November 10 to November 18. Florida, meanwhile, is trying to put the brakes on a four-game losing streak on which all four losses have come against South Division teams; one to Greenville, one to Gwinnett, and two to South Carolina.

Who: Greenville Road Warriors at Florida Everblades
What: Away Game #21, Season Game #43
When: 7:30 p.m.
Where: Germain Arena, 11000 Everblades Parkway, Estero, FL 33928

NOTEWORTHY:

Brandon Wong leads the Road Warriors with 12 points (5G, 7A) in eight games against Florida. That accounts for half of his goals and 46 percent of his points this season.

Greenville’s 17 wins against the South are the most among division teams while Florida’s 10 are the fewest.

Greenville’s six goals last night were its most in a road game this season and most since a 7-4 win over Florida on Oct. 28. Road Warriors are averaging 3.67 goals per game in Florida this season.

Greenville is 58-for-65 on the penalty kill (89.2%) in its last 14 games. The Road Warriors are 33-for-43 against Florida on the penalty kill this season.

Road Warriors captain T.J. Reynolds is the team’s active +/- leader at +8. After earning a +1 rating last night he has been even or better in 31 of the 41 games he has played this season.

Click here for Game Notes Page 1
Click here for Game Notes Page 2
Click here for Road Warriors player info
Click here for Everblades player info

Mark your calendars! The Road Warriors return home on Thursday, February 9, 2012 to take on the Kalamazoo Wings. Join us for a Throwback Thursday presented by WSSL 100.5, The Greenville News and New Rock 93.3. Throwback Thursday feature select draft beers, fountain drinks, hot dogs, and pretzels for just $2, and college students can get in for just $6 with a valid ID. Your group of 10 or more can also get a discount off the box office price and preferred seating based on availability by booking in advance. Call 864-674-PUCK to book your group outing with the Road Warriors.

The post GOING FOR TWO IN FLORIDA first appeared on Howlings.

BY: Ray Schmitt, Voice of the Greenville Road Warriors

The Greenville Road Warriors rode a six goal outburst to a victory over the Florida Everblades on Wednesday night and earned a share of first place in the South Division. The 6-3 win improved Greenville to 24-16-2 on the season.

Click here for tonight’s box score.

In an effort to put their recent road struggles behind them, the Road Warriors raced out to a 2-0 first period lead. Justin Bowers pounced on a rebound of a Brandon Wong shot to put Greenville on the board at 1:05 of the first period. Lee Baldwin was next up a 6:43 to stretch Greenville’s lead. Bowers hit Baldwin trailing a rush in the high slot and his wrist shot beat Pat Nagle cleanly. The goal chased Nagle from the net and he was replaced by Billy Sauer. Nic Riopel was challenged by 16 Florida shots in the opening frame, but was able to turn away each one he faced.

The intermission break did nothing to cool down the Road Warriors’ offense in the second period. Just under three minutes in Connor Shields found the back of the net for the 10th time this season. The power play goal came on Greenville’s first chance of the game. Florida was able to respond with Mike Ratchuk scoring in his Everblades’ debut with four minutes left to play in the period. Greenville wasted no time in responding with Jyri Niemi wristing a shot past Sauer 28 seconds after Ratchuk’s goal. Bretton Cameron earned an assist to grab a point in his Road Warriors debut.

Florida made a serious bid for a comeback in the first few minutes of the third period. It started with a goal off of a rush by Cedric Lalonde-McNicoll 33 seconds into the frame and continued with Brayden Irwin snapping a shot past Riopel at 4:01. Greenville stopped the bleeding there, though, and Jeff Prough restored the two-goal lead with 9:44 gone by. The Road Warriors then dug in their heels for the rest of Florida’s rally. The most tense moments came on a Florida power play that began with 3:14 left to play. There were two rebound opportunities that had some yawning net for Florida to shoot for, but acrobatic saves by Riopel turned away each chance. Once back at full strength, the Road Warriors got an empty-net goal from Brandon Wong to seal the win.

Riopel earned his 12th win of the season with 43 saves. The Road Warriors were 1-for-2 on the power play and 3-for-3 on the penalty kill.

Mark your calendars! The Road Warriors return home on Thursday, February 9, 2012 to take on the Kalamazoo Wings. Join us for a Throwback Thursday presented by WSSL 100.5, The Greenville News and New Rock 93.3. Throwback Thursday feature select draft beers, fountain drinks, hot dogs, and pretzels for just $2, and college students can get in for just $6 with a valid ID. Your group of 10 or more can also get a discount off the box office price and preferred seating based on availability by booking in advance. Call 864-674-PUCK to book your group outing with the Road Warriors.

The post DOUBLE TIME IN FLORIDA first appeared on Howlings.

BY: Ray Schmitt, Voice of the Greenville Road Warriors

Tonight the Greenville Road Warriors face the Florida Everblades in the first of a three-game series at Germain Arena. It is Greenville’s first time back in Florida since November 19.

The Road Warriors (23-16-2, 48 pts.) visit Florida (21-17-3, 45 pts.) today for the ninth of 11 scheduled meetings between the clubs. Fans can follow the action by watching live on America One or listening at greenvilleroadwarriors.com. The Road Warriors are 4-3-1 this season against the Everblades and 14-5-4 overall in their history against Florida. Tonight the Road Warriors will be going for their first victory away from the BI-LO Center since topping the Walleye in Toledo on January 7. They have had success at Germain Arena in their history with six wins in 10 games (6-2-2). Greenville will take on a Florida team that has lost three straight games, but each was on the road. Florida has a five-game home winning streak that dates back to December 22.

Who: Greenville Road Warriors at Florida Everblades
What: Away Game #20, Season Game #42
When: 7:30 p.m.
Where: Germain Arena, 11000 Everblades Parkway, Estero, FL 33928

NOTEWORTHY:

Marc-Olivier Vallerand has scored 16 goals in 22 games since Dec. 2, 2011. He is Greenville’s all-time leader with 50 goals scored and is second in games played with 109.

Greenville’s 16 wins against the South are the most among division teams while Florida’s 10 are the fewest.

Greenville’s current four-game road losing streak is tied for the longest in their history. It happened twice last season from Dec. 31, 2010 to Jan. 22, 2011 and Feb. 12, 2011 to Feb. 25, 2011.

Greenville is 55-for-62 on the penalty kill (89%) in its last 13 games. The Road Warriors are 30-for-40 against Florida on the penalty kill this season.

Jeff Prough snapped a career-long 10-game goal drought with a power play marker against Gwinnett on Jan. 21. He is tied with Marc-Olivier Vallerand for the team lead with eight PPG.

Click here for Game Notes Page 1
Click here for Game Notes Page 2
Click here for Road Warriors player info
Click here for Everblades player info

Mark your calendars! The Road Warriors return home on Thursday, February 9, 2012 to take on the Kalamazoo Wings. Join us for a Throwback Thursday presented by WSSL 100.5, The Greenville News and New Rock 93.3. Throwback Thursday feature select draft beers, fountain drinks, hot dogs, and pretzels for just $2, and college students can get in for just $6 with a valid ID. Your group of 10 or more can also get a discount off the box office price and preferred seating based on availability by booking in advance. Call 864-674-PUCK to book your group outing with the Road Warriors.

####

The post ROAD WARRIORING IN FLORIDA first appeared on Howlings.

BY: Ray Schmitt, Voice of the Greenville Road Warriors

The Greenville Road Warriors announced today two changes to the second half of their 2011-12 schedule. One change involves a home game and the other an away game.

The Road Warriors have moved their home game originally scheduled for Thursday, March 1, 2012 to Saturday, March 3, 2012. The game against the Trenton Titans will get under way at 7:05 p.m. at the BI-LO Center. Fans who had purchased tickets for Thursday, March 1 and cannot attend on March 3 should take their tickets to the point of purchase where they may be exchanged or refunded. The Road Warriors will host a Faith and Family Night on March 3 with special discounted tickets for church groups! Contact the Road Warriors at 864-674-PUCK (7825) to get your group booked for Faith and Family Night.

Also, the Road Warriors have had their game at Florida originally scheduled for Friday, January 27, 2012 moved to Thursday, January 26, 2012 due to a concert at Germain Arena. The game will face off at 7:30 p.m. & fans can follow the action by watching online through America One or listening to the online radio broadcast at greenvilleroadwarriors.com.

Mark your calendars! The Road Warriors return home on Thursday, February 9, 2012 to take on the Kalamazoo

Wings. Join us for a Throwback Thursday presented by WSSL 100.5, The Greenville News and New Rock 93.3. Throwback Thursday feature select draft beers, fountain drinks, hot dogs, and pretzels for just $2, and college students can get in for just $6 with a valid ID. Your group of 10 or more can also get a discount off the box office price and preferred seating based on availability by booking in advance. Call 864-674-PUCK (7825) to book your group outing with the Road Warriors.

The post GREENVILLE ROAD WARRIORS ANNOUNCE SCHEDULE CHANGES first appeared on Howlings.

BY: Ray Schmitt, Voice of the Greenville Road Warriors

The Greenville Road Warriors played through a busy week last week with four games in five days. This week won’t give much reprieve with Greenville heading to southwest Florida for three games in four days against the Florida Everblades.

Record: 23-16-2, 48 pts., 3rd place South Division

Leaders:
Goals – Marc-Olivier Vallerand: 22
Assists – Justin Bowers: 37
Points – Justin Bowers: 48
+/- – #Brendan Connolly; T.J. Reynolds: +9; +7
PIMs – T.J. Reynolds: 144
PPG – Jeff Prough/Marc-Olivier Vallerand: 8
SHG – Brendan Connolly/Marc-Olivier Vallerand/Jeremy Gouchie: 1
Wins – Nic Riopel: 11
GAA – Bryan Hince: 1.59
SVP – Bryan Hince: .940

# = Not on active roster.

Previewing the Upcoming Week:

1/25, 1/26, & 1/28 at Florida – 7:30 p.m. 7:30 p.m., & 7:00 p.m.

Home vs. FLA 3-2-1, Away vs. FLA 1-1-0

This week’s road trip to Estero will finish the season series between the Road Warriors and Everblades. With 11 games between the clubs, the Everblades are the Road Warriors’ least common divisional opponent. Greenville hasn’t been to Florida since a pair of games on November 18 and 19 which were split with a 5-2 Greenville win (11/18) and a 5-0 Florida triumph (11/19). Historically, the Road Warriors have had success at Germain Arena and have a 6-2-2 record there since joining the league for the 2010-11 season. The Everblades enter the week having lost three straight games, all on the road, against South Division opponents. At Germain, though, they have won five straight dating back to December 22. On the flip side, the Road Warriors have won two in a row entering the week, but have lost four in a row on the road since beating the Walleye in Toledo on January 7.

Day-by-Day Schedule:

1/23/12 – Off

“Between the Pipes” radio show at Ford’s Oyster House and Cajun Kitchen, 7:00 p.m.

Team departs for Florida, 11:00 p.m.

1/24/12

Practice at Germain Arena, 11:30 a.m.

1/25/12

Pre-game skate at Germain Arena, 11:00 a.m.

Road Warriors at Florida, 7:30 p.m.

1/26/12

Pre-game skate at Germain Arena, 11:00 a.m.

Road Warriors at Florida, 7:30 p.m.

1/27/12

Practice TBD

1/28/12

Pre-game skate at Germain Arena, 11:00 a.m.

Road Warriors at Florida, 7:00 p.m.

1/29/12 – Off

^ = Game rescheduled from January 27 due to concert at Germain Arena on that date.

* Denotes an appearance/event that is not open to the general public.

Road Warriors Broadcast Information

All Greenville Road Warriors games are broadcast live online courtesy of America One. You can listen to every game for free by clicking on the “Listen Live” link located on the Road Warriors’ home page – greenvilleroadwarriors.com. The Road Warriors Pre-Game Show kicks off every broadcast 15 minutes prior to faceoff.

Recapping Last Week:

1/16 at Gwinnett: L 2-3

Box Score

Facing a 3-0 deficit after the third period was 14 seconds old, the Greenville Road Warriors mounted a furious comeback effort against the Gladiators on Monday. Jyri Niemi netted his second goal of the season 3:01 after Gwinnett had stretched its lead to three, then Marc-Olivier Vallerand followed with a goal 3:04 after Niemi’s and pulled Greenville within one. The Road Warriors had three straight power plays after Vallerand’s goal but could not send home the tying score and the Gladiators claimed the one-goal victory.

1/20 at South Carolina: L 1-4

Box Score

Nic Riopel made his first start for Greenville since December, 29 but he couldn’t stem the Stingrays’ attack that provided two goals in each the first and third periods. The Road Warriors offense was limited to 24 shots in the game, but did manage a number of quality chances against goalie Daren Machesney. Justin Bowers had tied the game at one at 12:13 of the first period and nearly gave the Road Warriors a lead on the power play minutes later, but his shot missed an open net over the crossbar. David de Kastrozza scored shorthanded just over two minutes after Bowers’ goal and it proved to be the game winner.

1/21 vs. Gwinnett: W 4-2

Box Score

Greenville’s power play was in full effect on Saturday night as a 3-for-7 effort with the advantage paved the way to the win. Justin Bowers had a huge night with two power play goals and an assist on Jeff Prough’s power play strike that iced the game just over halfway through the third. Gwinnett kept things tight by tying the game at one in the second and drawing within one in the third, but the Road Warriors did not relent on the attack. Along with Bowers, Jeff Prough (1G, 1A) and Marc-Olivier Vallerand (2A) had multi-point efforts.

1/22 vs. Gwinnett: W(OT) 5-4

Box Score

After Sean Berkstresser had given the Road Warriors a 4-2 lead with 4:26 left in the third period it looked like they would skate away with another regulation. Gwinnett had other ideas, though, and scored twice in the final 4:18 of regulation to force overtime. Fifty-seven seconds in Cullen Eddy was whistled for a penalty and Gwinnett had a golden chance to end it. Greenville, though, generated the best scoring chances with a breakaway by Jyri Niemi and a penalty shot from Marc-Olivier Vallerand. Vallerand, who was trying to complete a hat trick, had his shot blockered away by goalie Jeff Jakaitis and overtime marched on. Once back at full strength, the Road Warriors’ third breakaway of overtime produced the winner. Connor Shields took an outlet pass from Jeff Prough, raced in behind the defense, and lifted a wrist shot past Jakaitis with 25 seconds left in the extra session.

Quick Hits:

* Justin Bowers is nominated for ECHL Player of the Week honors. He had three goals and three assists, including two power play goals and a game-winning goal, this week to take over the Road Warriors’ point lead with 48. He leads the ECHL with 37 assists.

* Goalie Nic Riopel has earned a 9-2-2 career record against the Everblades. He is 3-1-0 against Florida this season but lost his most recent start against the ‘Blades, a 3-1 setback, on December 29, 2011. For his career, Riopel is 4-1-1 at Germain Arena and has won his lone start there this season on November 18, 2011.

* The Road Warriors are in the midst of a stretch where they play 13 straight games against South Division opponents. After seven games of that span they are 4-3-0 with all four wins coming at home and the three losses on the road. For the season the Road Warriors are 13-2-1 at home against the South and 3-6-0 on the road.

* Greenville enters this week with the best road power play in the ECHL at 23.6 percent, and third best power play overall at 21.4 percent. Greenville is 5-for-29 on the power play in its last five road games. The Road Warriors will go up against a Florida penalty kill that ranks 16th (79.7 percent) overall and 16th (79.7 percent) at home.

* Forward Jeff Prough snapped a 10-game goal drought with his power play score on January 21 vs. Gwinnett. It was the longest such stretch of his career in the ECHL. Prough did have four assists over that 10-game stretch and is currently working on a four-game assist streak (7A).

Upcoming Events:

Thursday, Feb. 9: Road Warriors vs. Kalamazoo Wings, 7:35 p.m. – Throwback Thursday. Come join the Road Warriors for $2 draft beers, fountain drinks, hot dogs, and pretzels! Also, college students can get in for just $6 with a valid college ID. Throwback Thursdays are sponsored by WSSL 100.5, The Greenville News, and New Rock 93.3.

Saturday, Feb. 11: Road Warriors vs. Kalamazoo Wings, 7:05 p.m. – Scout Night. Calling all Scouts in the Upstate! The Road Warriors are offering special group prices and a cool Road Warriors Scout Patch for those who come out to the game against Kalamazoo.

Sunday, Feb. 12: Road Warriors vs. Chicago Express, 4:05 p.m. – Family Fun Day. All children 12 and under can get a ticket for just $5. Stick around after the game to Skate With the Road Warriors. Anyone with a ticket can attend the post-game skate and if you don’t have your own skates you can rent a pair for $3.

The post ROAD WARRIORS WEEKLY RELEASE: 1/23 TO 1/29/12 first appeared on Howlings.

NEW YORK RANGERS vs. FLORIDA PANTHERS

TOMORROW’S GAME:

The Rangers will face-off against the Florida Panthers tomorrow at Madison Square Garden (7:00 p.m.), to begin a back-to-back set. The Blueshirts currently sit atop the Eastern Conference standings, and rank first in the league overall, with a record of 24-9-4 (52 pts). The Rangers enter the contest having defeated the Philadelphia Flyers, 3-2, on Monday in the 2012 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, and have won seven of their last eight games. New York has posted a record of 21-6-2 since Oct. 29, after beginning the season with a 3-3-2 mark. The Panthers enter the contest with a 20-12-7 (47 pts) record to rank third in the Eastern Conference, and have lost each of their last four road games. This will be the second meeting in six days between the Rangers and Panthers, with New York having defeated Florida, 4-1, on Friday at BankAtlantic Center to take a 2-1-0 series lead. Following tomorrow’s contest, the Rangers will face-off against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday, Jan. 6, at CONSOL Energy Center (7:00 p.m.), to conclude their back-to-back set.

BROADCAST INFORMATION:

* TV: MSG Network
6:30 p.m. – Rangers Pre-Game Show with Al Trautwig and Brian Leetch
7:00 p.m. – Rangers vs. Panthers
Broadcasters: Sam Rosen (Play-By-Play), Joe Micheletti (Analyst), John Giannone (In-Game Reporter)

* Radio: 1050 ESPN Radio and NewYorkRangers.com
6:30 p.m. – Rangers Pre-Game Show
7:00 p.m. – Rangers vs. Panthers
Broadcaster: Kenny Albert (Play-By-Play), Dave Maloney (Analyst)

RANGERS vs. PANTHERS:

* All-Time: 40-26-6-4 overall (20-13-4-0 at home; 20-13-2-4 on the road)

* 2011-12: Tonight is the fourth and final meeting this season, and the second of two at Madison Square Garden. New York is 2-1-0 overall and 1-0-0 at home. The Rangers have out-scored the Panthers, 11-4, in the series. The Blueshirts are 2-8 (25.0%) on the power play and 14-15 (93.3%) on the penalty kill in three games. Derek Stepan leads all skaters with three goals and four points in the season series, while Ryan McDonagh has tallied a series-high, three assists. Henrik Lundqvist is 2-1-0 with a 1.34 GAA and .954 Sv% in three games.

* Last Season: New York was 2-2-0 overall, with a 1-1-0 mark at home. Three of their four meetings resulted in a shutout, including two for the Rangers. New York’s power play tallied two goals in nine attempts (22.2%) in the season series. Brandon Prust and Derek Stepan each notched a team-high, two goals, while Henrik Lundqvist posted a record of 2-1-0 with a 1.35 GAA, .949 Sv% and two shutouts in three appearances.

* The Rangers have won seven of their last 10 games against the Panthers, having out-scored Florida, 28-14, over the span

* New York ranks 14th with an 11-3-2 (24 pts) record at home; Florida ranks eighth with a 10-8-2 (22 pts) mark on the road

* The Rangers have posted an 8-2-1 record vs. Southeast Division opponents; the Panthers are 5-4-1 vs. the Atlantic Division

* Henrik Lundqvist has posted a 14-7-1 record with a 1.74 GAA and five shutouts in 22 career regular season contests vs. Florida; Martin Biron is 7-12-1-0 with a 2.68 GAA in 21 career regular season games vs. the Panthers

* Brad Richards leads the Rangers with 16 goals, 27 assists and 43 points in 49 career regular season contests vs. Florida; Derek Stepan has tallied five goals and six points in seven career regular season games vs. the Panthers

* New York lists one former Panther on their roster: Steve Eminger (2008-09)

* Florida lists one former Ranger on their roster: Mikael Samuelsson (2001-02 – 2002-03)

SPECIAL TEAMS:

The Rangers rank seventh in the NHL with a plus-five rating on special teams [(PPG+SHG)-(PPGA+SHGA)]. New York is 12-65 (18.5%) with the man advantage in the last 19 games. The Blueshirts’ penalty kill has held their opponent scoreless in each of their last four games (11-11, 100.0%), and are 36-40 (90.0%) with four shorthanded goals in the last 13 contests. The Rangers are tied for third in the NHL with five shorthanded goals. The Blueshirts have posted a record of 14-1-2 in games when tallying a power play goal, and are 16-4-2 when holding their opponent scoreless on the power play.

* Power Play: The Rangers did not tally a goal in one power play attempt (0:49) on Monday at Philadelphia. New York is tied for 21st overall (21-139, 15.1%) and ninth at home (14-70, 20.0%). The Rangers are 2-12 (8:51) in five-on-three situations (last – 12/23 vs. PHI), and 0-4 (3:46) when four-on-three (last – 11/3 vs. ANA). Shorthanded goals allowed (3): 12/5 vs. TOR (Steckel); 12/8 vs. TBL (Moore); 12/17 at PHX (Korpikoski).

* Penalty Killing: The Blueshirts held the Flyers scoreless in two shorthanded situations (2:49) on Monday at Philadelphia. New York ranks sixth overall (113-131, 86.3%) and seventh at home (47-54, 87.0%). The Rangers are 5-6 (3:26) in three-on-five situations (last – 12/17 at PHX), and 0-1 (1:17) when three-on-four (last – 10/7 at LAK). Shorthanded goals for (5): 10/20 at CGY (Prust); 12/8 vs. TBL (Anisimov); 12/10 at BUF (Hagelin); 12/10 at BUF (Callahan); 12/20 at NJD (Hagelin).

* Four-on-Four: New York did not tally/yield a goal in two four-on-four situations (2:17) on Monday at Philadelphia. The Rangers are plus-three in 38 four-on-four situations (65:53), and even in one three-on-three situation (0:01). Four-on-four goals for (3): 10/18 at VAN (Gaborik); 10/20 at CGY (McDonagh); 10/27 vs. TOR (Girardi). Four-on-four goals allowed (0).

BACK-TO-BACKS:

The Rangers will begin their sixth of 14 back-to-back sets this season tonight vs. Florida at Madison Square Garden. New York has posted a record of 4-0-1 (2-0-0 at home, 2-0-1 on the road) in the first game of the set, and are 4-0-1 (4-0-0 at home, 0-0-1 on the road) in the second game. Since 2009-10, New York is 25-8-3 in the second game of back-to-back sets, with a 13-3-1 mark at MSG and 12-5-2 on the road over the span. Henrik Lundqvist has started on consecutive days 56 times in his career, posting a record of 35-14-7 with a 1.82 GAA, .935 Sv% and six shutouts in the second game. The Rangers will complete the back-to-back set tomorrow at Pittsburgh.

PLACE IN HISTORY:

The Rangers’ .703 winning percentage (24-9-4) is the team’s best start through 37 games since their 1993-94 Stanley Cup Championship season (26-8-3, .743 win%), and is tied for fourth best start in franchise history. *courtesy of the Elias Sports Bureau

HOME SWEET HOME:

The Blueshirts’ 11-3-2 (24 pts) mark at MSG is their best start at home through 16 games since 1995-96 (12-2-2, 26 pts).

WORLD JUNIOR UPDATE:

Rangers’ prospects J.T. Miller (USA) and Peter Ceresnak (Slovakia) are currently competing at the 2012 IIHF World Junior Championship in Alberta, Canada.

* Miller is tied for eighth on USA in scoring with four points (two goals, two assists), fifth with a plus-three rating and ranks sixth with 16 shots on goal. Team USA defeated Latvia, 12-2, on Tuesday, and will complete their tournament play against Switzerland in a relegation round match-up today.

* Ceresnak has registered two shots on goal in five contests with Slovakia, who was defeated by Finland, 8-5, in a Quarterfinal match-up on Monday. Slovakia will face-off against the Czech Republic in the Fifth Place game today.

MEASURING UP:

The Rangers rank among the league leaders in several statistical categories, including:

* T-1st in points (52)
* 1st in win% (.703)
* T-2nd in wins (24)
* T-2nd in regulation/overtime wins (23)
* 1st in fewest regulation losses (nine)
* 2nd in fewest goals against (76)
* 2nd in GAA (2.05)
* 3rd in hits (1,010)
* 7th in blocked shots (598)
* 3rd in +/- rating (plus-30)
* 4th in goal differential (plus-31)

QUICK HITS:

* The last time the Rangers sat atop the Eastern Conference standings this late into the season was Mar. 15, 1996 (game #68). *courtesy of the Elias Sports Bureau

* New York has registered at least one point in 23 of their last 29 games (21-6-2), dating back to Oct. 29, after beginning the season with a 3-3-2 mark; The Rangers have out-scored their opponent, 94-61, during the stretch

* New York is 7-1-1 when leading after the first period and 15-0-2 when leading after the second

* The Rangers lead the league with a .300 win% when trailing after two periods (3-6-1), and their three third period comeback victories are tied for sixth in the NHL

* New York leads the NHL with a .786 win% when out-shooting their opponent (11-3-0)

* The Rangers lead the league when scoring first, posting an 18-1-1 mark (.900 win%) in those contests; Their 18 wins rank third in the NHL

INDIVIDUAL NOTES:

* Henrik Lundqvist enters the contest with a five-game winning streak, posting a 1.20 GAA, .962 Sv% and one shutout over the span

* Lundqvist has held opponents to two or fewer goals in 19 games this season, and is 15-4-1 with a 1.74 GAA, .942 Sv% and two shutouts over the last two months (20 games)

* Lundqvist ranks third in the NHL in GAA (1.92), fourth in Sv% (.937) and is tied for fifth in wins (17) and shutouts (three)

* Martin Biron has held opponents to two or fewer goals in six of his nine starts this season

* Marian Gaborik has tallied eight points (seven goals, one assist) and a plus-seven rating in the last eight games

* Gaborik is tied for second in the NHL with 22 goals

* Michael Del Zotto has tallied 16 points (three goals, 13 assists) in the last 18 games, including six points (two goals, four assists) in the last six contests

* Del Zotto leads all NHL defensemen and ranks second in the league overall with a plus-25 rating

* Ryan Callahan enters the contest with a five-game point streak (one goal, five assists over the span), including a four-game assist streak (five assists)

* Callahan has recorded 18 points (five goals, 13 assists) in the last 19 games

* Brandon Dubinsky enters the contest with a three-game point streak (two goals, one assist over the span), and has tallied six points (three goals, three assists) in the last six games

* Brad Richards has notched the game-winning goal in two straight games entering tonight’s contest, and now ranks second in the NHL with six game-winning goals

* Marc Staal made his season debut in the 2012 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia on Monday after missing the first 36 games of the season with a concussion suffered last season

* Carl Hagelin has tallied four points (three goals, one assist) in the last four games, and four goals in the last seven contests

* Stu Bickel has tallied four assists in seven games since being recalled on Dec. 18

* Anton Stralman has tallied four assists in the last six games, has posted a plus-nine rating in the last seven and has logged 20:00+ of ice time in six of the last nine contests

MILESTONES IN SIGHT:

* Brandon Dubinsky: 2 points from 200th NHL career
* Marian Gaborik: 1 assist from 300th NHL career
* Dan Girardi: 3 assists from 100th NHL career

MILESTONES RECENTLY ACHIEVED:

* Artem Anisimov: 200th career NHL game (12/30 at FLA)

INJURIES:

* Wojtek Wolski (groin, 11/3) – 26
* Michael Sauer (concussion, 12/5) – 13
* Steve Eminger (shoulder, 12/17) – 7
Total Man-Games Lost: 118

RECENT TRANSACTIONS:

* Dec. 28 – Assigned defenseman Tim Erixon to Connecticut (AHL)
* Dec. 31 – Assigned forward Sean Avery to Connecticut (AHL)

The post FROM WINTER CLASSIC TO FLORIDA ROUTINE first appeared on Howlings.