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December 29, 2003

GREENSBORO GENERALS INTELLIGENCE REPORT

ON THE HORIZON:
The Greensboro Generals close out the calendar year and maintain an advantage for the Carolina Cup all the same night, when they take on the Charlotte Checkers, taking their show on the road Tuesday night. In just one game against the Checkers, which also took place in Charlotte, Greensboro won 4-3 on November 7th. The Generals will then return home to the friendly confines of the Coliseum on Friday, January 2nd, when they take on the Florence Pride for the first time at home this season. Greensboro last faced the Pride on November 29th on the road. At that time, the Generals were beginning a three game road trip, and captured a 4-2 victory over the Pride. Greensboro closes out the weekend with back-to-back games over divisional opponents Greenville and Roanoke, marking the third time that the Generals have squared off against the Express since December 21st, with the teams splitting the series in that span. As for the Grrrowl, it should prove to be a grudge match, with Greensboro looking to avenge a 3-1 loss at home to Greenville, just one day after Christmas.

LOOKING BACK:
Greensboro The Generals completed the week of December 27th with a 2-1-0 record, over divisional opposition Roanoke and Greenville. On December 21st, when visiting Roanoke, a 42-save performance by Jamie Hodson helped lead the way for a Generals 5-1 victory over the Express. Following a four-day layoff for Christmas, the Generals returned home to take on the Greenville Grrowl, and were not able to penetrate the defensive efforts of Grrrowl netminder Daniel Boisclair, falling short with a 3-1 loss. However, facing off against the Roanoke Express on the following night, Greensboro once again found its offensive rhythm, winning 4-3 in overtime. Goaltender Daniel Berthiaume paced the Generals with 52 saves in net, while Captain Mark Turner added two goals and the game-winning assist to Matt Elich, helping Greensboro move within three points of first place by weeks end.


LAST WEEK RECAPS

GENERALS 4, EXPRESS 3 (OT) GREENSBORO - The Greensboro Generals solidified their spot in third place, and remain just two points behind first place Florida, following a 4-3 overtime victory against the Roanoke Express. The victory in front of 3,239 on-hand at the Greensboro Coliseum, closing out the calendar year for the Generals, moving Greensboro within two points of the first place Everblades and one point shy Columbia Inferno for second place.

Greensboro (18-11-1) came out of the gates with quickness and flash, netting its first goal just 5:43 in, when Geno Parrish sent home a power-play goal. Parrish, on the assist from Matt Elich, scored from just inside the blue line, sending the puck to the left top shelf. Captain Mark Turner scored the games second goal, when on a 360-degree turn around, Turner took advantage of a breakaway to give Greensboro a 2-0 lead, on an assist from Dave LoPresti and Alex Andreyev.

Second period scoring began in the same fashion for Greensboro, when Mark Turner scored the second power-play conversion of the contest, when he sent a laser shot past the glove of Express netminder David Belitski, putting the Generals up 3-0.

With the pressure building, the Express (17-12-1) penetrated the offensive zones of Greensboro for 20 shots on goal in the third period. It was here that Roanoke’s Blair Stayzer ended Generals netminder Daniel Berthiaume’s bid for a shutout at the 8:38 mark. Just under one minute later, Roanoke would again strike, as Joe Dusbabek took advantage of a two-on-one breakaway to cut the Generals lead to 3-2. After Roanoke removed Belitski from goal, giving them a 6-on-5 advantage in the offensive attack, Shawn Limpright scored with 16 seconds from the left side of the crease, sending it to an overtime period. In the overtime frame, Greensboro managed to get its own two-on-one advantage as Mark Turner fed Matt Elich for the game-winner. Berthiaume finished the game by stopping 52 shots on goal. Elich, along with netting the game winner, also recorded two assists.

“I was impressed with the energy level that we supplied early on in the game. It was very, very important, especially with being at home. Our speed tonight was energetic, and I was happy with that aspect of our game. I thought that the (Erik Wendell, Joel Irwin, and Matt Chandler) line were very important, and most of all they were a big factor in the game,” Head Coach/General Manager Rick Adduono said of the Generals performance tonight.


GRRROWL 3, GENERALS 1
GREENSBORO - On just the fourth occasion all season the Greensboro Generals managed just one goal, as they fell to the Greenville Grrrowl 3-1 at the Greensboro Coliseum. In front of 3,052 onlookers, the Generals could manage just one goal late in the third period, moving themselves to a 17-11-1 record on the season.

Greenville (5-20-2) netted the games first goal, when Jeff Zehr scored just 1:12 in, giving the Grrrowl a 1-0 advantage. Zehr sent the puck just past the Generals Berthiaume, catching a feed from Scott Kirton, sending it left top shelf. With strong goaltending from both the Berthiaume and the Grrrowl’s Daniel Bosclair, neither team would score for the remainder of the period. With the game remaining a 1-0 throughout a majority of the second period, Greenville would again penetrate the Generals defensive front as Michael Henderson sent home a wrap around shot to give the Grrrowl a 2-0 lead. Greenville would manage 14 shots in the period, marking the only time of the game that the Grrrowl would outshoot Greensboro, 14-11.

The third period proved to be much of the same, this time with Greensboro scoring a goal at the 19:42 mark. With Berthiaume pulled to give Greensboro an extra man on the ice, combined with a Grrrowl penalty, Center Eric Fortier sent home his team-high 15th goal of the season, in a scramble in front of the net. Greenville would retaliate with a empty net goal, closing out scoring, as Chris Lynch scored with six seconds remaining to make the final 3-1 in favor of the Grrrowl.


GENERALS 5, EXPRESS 1
ROANOKE, VA -- Jamie Hodson recorded at least 40 saves for his third straight start as the Greensboro Generals defeated the Roanoke Express, 5-1. Hodson, who turned away 53 shots in a one-goal loss to the Gwinnett Gladiators on December 19, stopped all 34 shots he faced over the first two periods. Despite surrendering a goal early in the third, the 23-year-old finished with 42 saves in the win. Hodson has posted 140 saves and a save percentage of .959 over his last three appearances.

Eric Fortier had a goal and two assists for Greensboro, which improved to 7-4-1 on the road this season. Dan Carney tallied a power-play goal 4:30 into the final period for Roanoke, which has lost two straight after having a four-game win streak snapped. Jason Wolfe gave up all five goals on 28 shots for the loss.


IN THE BARRACKS
  • With just one game remaining in the month of December, the Generals stand at 5-5-1, marking the first time since February 2003 that the team was .500 for a month. In February, the Generals went 5-5-2 for the month, however helped set the tone for the month of March when they kick started themselves with a seven game winning streak. The best month thus far in the season has been November, where Greensboro was 9-4-0, marked by two four-game winning streaks.
  • Following the month of November that was witness to the Generals netting 51 total goals, 19 which came in the second period, Greensboro found its scoring niche in the third period this month, where the Generals have notched 14 goals in the game’s final frame.
  • Scoring the most goals for the Generals for the month, beating out Mark Turner in December, is Mike Bayrack. In December “Racker” is second on the team with 12 points, six of which came on his goals, where he has converted two power-play goals.
  • Rising to the occasion when his team needs him the most is exactly the qualities that any leader possesses. In Greensboro, Captain Mark Turner has proven to be the cornerstone of the team, leading the way for December, with 13 points and a +/- of 6. Scoring five goals, most recently netting two in a crucial win over the inter-divisional rival Roanoke Express to keep the Generals within three points of new divisional leader Columbia.
  • All-Star selection Tom Reimann (2g, 9a) is tied with Matt Elich (3g, 8a) with 11 points on the team for the month. With Geno Parrish and Kurt Drummond leading the way as defensemen for the Generals, Reimann has continued to improve his defense, which will prove large down the stretch for Greensboro.
  • Protecting the net for the Generals, and logging the most minutes on the ice at his position, is Daniel Berthiaume. Berthiaume recorded 242 saves, stopping 91.3% of the shots on goal, and along with Jamie Hodson has proved to be one of the best goaltender tandems in the ECHL. As for Hodson, who played in four games for the month, with a record of 2-2-0 he has made 172 saves (95.6%).



"Coaches Corner" : The Greensboro Generals have announced Head Coach/General Manager Rick Adduono will appear on the "Our Town" radio show (WGOS 1070-AM) each Monday afternoon. The half-hour "Coaches Corner" will air each Monday at 1:00 PM throughout the season.

The "Coaches Corner" segment is part of the WGOS’ "Our Town" program that is hosted by “Buffalo” Jack Umlaluf and Ogi Overman weekdays from 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM. The show will feature interviews with Adduono as well as segments with Generals players and their involvement in the community.