(Taken from Nashville Predators website)
Second-year pro picks up pair of wins during week
CINCINNATI, Ohio – The Cincinnati Cyclones, ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s Montreal Canadiens and Nashville Predators, have learned that goaltender Mark Dekanich has been named the Reebok Hockey ECHL Goaltender of the Week. He becomes the first Cyclones player this season to earn a Player of the Week honor from the league.
Dekanich, 23, is in his second professional season and prior to this past weekend had every game of his career with Milwaukee (AHL). On Friday night (December 4), he turned aside 24 shots in regulation time and stonewalled Florida through four rounds of the shootout to claim a 2-1 victory in his ECHL debut. Saturday night (December 5), Mark re-routed all 27 Everblades shots in the Cyclones 3-0 win. He was recalled by Milwaukee on Sunday (December 6).
In Milwaukee this season, he is 5-5-2 with a 2.78 goals against average and a .891 save percentage. Mark had a season-high 29 save performance in a 2-1 win against Rockford on October 30. Last season, he was 15-10-2 with a 2.09 goals against average and a .923 save percentage. In 2008-09, he had six games with 30 or more saves—highlighted by a 46 save effort in a 3-2 win at Rockford on March 11. He also had a 27 save shutout at Chicago on February 20
The six-foot-two, 192 pounder from North Vancouver, BC was a fifth round draft pick (number 146 overall) of the Nashville Predators in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft. He played four seasons collegiately at Colgate, where Dekanich turned in a 52-45-16 ledger with eleven shutouts. He had a 2.25 goals against average and a .923 save percentage. Mark holds the Colgate record for career save percentage (.923) and is second in goals against (2.25) and has the third-most wins (52). He holds ten of Colgate’s school records for goaltending.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Sunday, December 6, 2009
CAPS @ EXPRESS HIGHLIGHTS
Here's the highlights of Sunday's 4-1 Cowichan Valley win over the Express at the Bill Copeland Sports Centre Sunday afternoon.
Highlights courtesy of Cary Derksen and Purple Penguin Productions.
Highlights courtesy of Cary Derksen and Purple Penguin Productions.
CAPS PULL EVEN WITH EXPRESS
The Cowichan Valley Capitals pulled even with the Express for the 7th and final Coastal Conference playoff spot with a 4-1 win over the Express Sunday afternoon.
The Express had a chance to open up a 4 point lead on the Caps in the standings, but they let it slip through their hands with a lackluster effort Sunday.
Burnaby's penalty killers rose to the challenge early in the first period with the Express taking 3 straight penalties and killing them all off. Included in that, was a 5 on 3 for the Capitals for 1:20.
The game remained scoreless until the 2nd period when Nick Anderson set up Jackson Garrett on the powerplay for a tap in at the lip of the Express crease.
Buranby had a reply with a powerplay marker of their own, Jimmy Geerin fired a pass up to Kolby Kulhanek who set up Brad Reid who re-directed it home to tie the game at 1.
The goal for Reid was his 3rd in his last 2 games. And he now has 5 goals and 1 assist in his last 5. Jimmy Geerin meanwhile now has 3 goals and 5 assists for 8 points in his last 9 outings.
Cowichan Valley re-stored their lead in the final minute of the 2nd period. Nick Anderson converted a Mike Hammond feed at 19:33.
When these two teams met 3 weeks ago in Cowichan, Laurent Brossoit put on a show in the third period stopping all 20 Express shots to seal a 35 save shutout a 3-0 Caps win.
A similar performance wasn't required Sunday. The 16 year old made the saves when called upon. Not too many of the 25 shots he faced were overly difficult. Brossoit has stopped 59 of 60 Express shots sent his way the last two games.
Cowichan Valley put the game away with goals by Nick Amies and Jackson Garrett's second of the game.
The Caps top line of Jackson Garrett, Mike Hammond and Nick Anderson all finished with 3 points. Garrett (2G, 1A), Anderson (1G, 2A) and Hammond (3A).
The Express and Caps are now even in the Coastal Conference standings with 21 points apiece. But Cowichan has the tie-breaker with 10 wins to 9 for Burnaby.
The Express had a chance to open up a 4 point lead on the Caps in the standings, but they let it slip through their hands with a lackluster effort Sunday.
Burnaby's penalty killers rose to the challenge early in the first period with the Express taking 3 straight penalties and killing them all off. Included in that, was a 5 on 3 for the Capitals for 1:20.
The game remained scoreless until the 2nd period when Nick Anderson set up Jackson Garrett on the powerplay for a tap in at the lip of the Express crease.
Buranby had a reply with a powerplay marker of their own, Jimmy Geerin fired a pass up to Kolby Kulhanek who set up Brad Reid who re-directed it home to tie the game at 1.
The goal for Reid was his 3rd in his last 2 games. And he now has 5 goals and 1 assist in his last 5. Jimmy Geerin meanwhile now has 3 goals and 5 assists for 8 points in his last 9 outings.
Cowichan Valley re-stored their lead in the final minute of the 2nd period. Nick Anderson converted a Mike Hammond feed at 19:33.
When these two teams met 3 weeks ago in Cowichan, Laurent Brossoit put on a show in the third period stopping all 20 Express shots to seal a 35 save shutout a 3-0 Caps win.
A similar performance wasn't required Sunday. The 16 year old made the saves when called upon. Not too many of the 25 shots he faced were overly difficult. Brossoit has stopped 59 of 60 Express shots sent his way the last two games.
Cowichan Valley put the game away with goals by Nick Amies and Jackson Garrett's second of the game.
The Caps top line of Jackson Garrett, Mike Hammond and Nick Anderson all finished with 3 points. Garrett (2G, 1A), Anderson (1G, 2A) and Hammond (3A).
The Express and Caps are now even in the Coastal Conference standings with 21 points apiece. But Cowichan has the tie-breaker with 10 wins to 9 for Burnaby.
Saturday, December 5, 2009
DEKANICH SENT TO ECHL
Former Express and Nashville Predators draft pick Mark Dekanich has been sent from the AHL's Milwaukee Admirals to the ECHL's Cincinatti Cyclones.
Dekanich had a fine first season of pro hockey last year in Milwaukee posting a 15-10-2 record with a 2.09 GAA and a .923 save percentage. But it's been a much different story this season, his numbers are some of the worst he's posted since his BCHL days with the Coquitlam Express. His record is just 5-5-2 with a 2.99 GAA and a save percentage uncharacterisctally below .900 at .891.
Since the demotion, Dekanich has posted a 2-0 record. He stopped 24 shots in a 2-1 win over the Flordia Everblades Friday night. Then in the rematch Saturday, Dekanich did one better stopping all 27 shots to post the shutout in a 3-0 win.
In other Express alumni news from the AHL, Brandon Yip scored his first professional goal in his first professional game with the Lake Erie Monsters this past week. Yip missed the first 22 games of the season with a hand injury suffered in training camp.
Yip is teammates with one of his former mates with the Express, Brock Bradford is 3rd in Lake Erie scoring with 12 points in 23 games. Bradford played with the Express from 02-04. Then went to the USHL to finish his junior career.
From there, Bradford was off to Boston College for 4 seasons. He won a National championship in his 3rd season at BC, and was the team captain last season. Bradford who was drafted by Boston in 2005 never signed with the Bruins after his college career.
Kyle Turris had a pair of assists but it wasn't enough as his San Antonio Rampage fell to the Houston Aeros 3-2 Friday night. He has 5 goals and 11 assists for 16 points in 22 games.
Keith Seabrook scored 1 goal for the Abbotsford Heat as they took care of the Rochester Americans 6-2 Saturday night in the Fraser Valley. This season Seabrook has 6 goals and 6 assists in 28 games.
Paul Crowder has 6 goals and 5 assists in 25 games with the Hartford Wolf Pack. Saturday the Wolf Pack went down 4-1 to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.
CHIEFS @ EXPRESS HIGHLIGHTS
Here's the highlights from Burnaby's 5-4 win over the Langley Chiefs Friday night.
Now, normally I don't do this, but I hope there's some disciplinary action handed down on Brandon Thompson for his headshot on Malcom Mckinney. The puck is off his stick for at last 3/4's of a second before he is layed out. Don't believe me, see the hit at 2:45 mark of the video.
Highlights courtesy of Cary Derksen of Purple Penguin Productions.
Now, normally I don't do this, but I hope there's some disciplinary action handed down on Brandon Thompson for his headshot on Malcom Mckinney. The puck is off his stick for at last 3/4's of a second before he is layed out. Don't believe me, see the hit at 2:45 mark of the video.
Highlights courtesy of Cary Derksen of Purple Penguin Productions.
EXPRESS KNOCK OFF CHIEFS AGAIN
The Express only have 2 wins since the start of November, Both of those "W's" however have come vs. their long time rivals the Langley Chiefs. And both of those wins have come by identical 5-4 scores.
Last night two teams heading in similar directions met up at the Bill Copeland Sports Centre. Both teams riding 5 game losing streaks heading in.
Some of Langley's reasons for their struggles was getting off to bad starts. And the opposition lighting up the Chiefs penalty killing. Heading into Friday's game, the oppostion was 14 for 51 on the powerplay in Langley's last 8 games 27.45%.
The problems would manifest itself for the Chiefs again on this night at the Bill Copeland Sports Centre.
Burnaby found themselves shorthanded in the games opening minute with Jimmy Geerin being sent off for interference just 21 seconds into the game. But it was the Express finding the back of the net.
Rich Manley aggressively forechecking forced a turnover in the Langley zone and stole the puck and fed Brad Reid in the slot who deked and slid the puck past Mark Friesen to open the scoring 90 seconds into the game. The goal was Reid's third shorthanded marker of the season and the 6th shorty of the season for the Express.
Hear Reid's shorthanded goal here.
The Express showed plenty of energy in the games opening 10 minutes buzzing in the Langley zone and opening up an early 9-2 advantage in shots on goal.
Luke Challier nearly extended the Express lead to two as he got behind the Chief defence but was stopped by Friesen on the partial breakaway.
A bad bounce allowed the Chiefs to pull even late in the first period. Josh Meyers cut in the Express zone on the right wing while the Chiefs were on a powerplay and he put the puck towards the net and it went off the skate of Simon Denis handcuffing Harrison May and slid in the net to tie the game.
Langley started the 2nd period on a powerplay with James Bettauer being called for roughing at the 20:00 mark of the first period.
It didn't take long for the Chiefs to take advantage of the powerplay as Colton Beck slid the puck across to Meyers who scored on the 2 on 1 just 7 seconds into the second period to give the Chiefs their first lead of the game.
The Express had a reply on a powerplay of their own just over 4 minutes later as Jimmy Geerin's point shot found its way past Friesen to tie the game with his 2nd of the season.
Hear Geerin's first goal of the game here.
The seasaw battle continued in the second period as a shot from the left wing was kicked out by Harrison May but Mac Roy buried the juicy rebound to restore Langley's lead at 3-2.
The officials played a hand in Langley's 4th goal as a Burnaby clearing attempt hit the linesman who failed to get out of the way. That allowed Colton Beck to turn the play the other way and set up Tim Daly to give Langley a 4-2 lead at 10:19.
A 2 goal disadvantage didn't discourage the Express on this night. Just 2:21 after Daly's tally, Brad Reid cut to the net and jammed home his second of the game on the powerplay to cut the Chiefs lead to one.
Hear Reid's second goal of the game here.
Langley had a great chance to re-store their two goal advantage as Colton Beck was set up at the lip of the crease and somehow couldn't re-direct the pass into the gaping cage instead putting the puck out of play.
The blown opportunity would be just the break that the Express would need.
Moments after Beck's miss, Burnaby tied the game on another powerplay as Jimmy Geerin scored his second of the game firing a shot off the post and in to pull the Express even at 4.
Hear Geerin's 4-4 goal here.
Late in the second, what the officials giveth away, they can also taketh away. The clearing attempt that allowed the Chiefs to score their 4th goal was follwed by a break the other way for the Express, Langley appeared to have a tap into an empty net for what could have been Langley's 5th goal but didn't happen as referee Kam Poirier got in the way of a shot and that was heading in keeping the game even at 4.
After a 6 goal second period, the offence cooled off in the third. Burnaby had their chances to break the deadlock. Garrick Perry was stopped on a 2 on 1 with Brad Reid. Luke Challier rang a shot off the crossbar and it stayed out.
Finally in the final minute the Express broke the deadlock. James Bettauer wired a shot that powered its way through Friesen to give the Express a 5-4 lead with just 19 seconds left.
Burnaby killed the remaning seconds on the clock and held on for the victory. The loss extended Langley's losing streak to 6 games.
The Express got top performances from their best players. Brad Reid (2G, 1A) and Rich Manley (3A) each had 3 points. Jimmy Geerin chipped in with a pair of powerplay goals from the blueline. And James Bettauer also had 1 goal and 1 assist from the Express backend.
Special teams was prominent in the Express attack with 3 powerplay goals and a shorthanded marker to open the scoring.
The win combined with Cowichan Valley's 7-3 loss in Powell River, propelled the Express into the 7th and final playoff spot in the Coastal Conference. Burnaby is now 2 points up on the Caps and the two teams will go head to head in a crucial matchup Sunday afternoon at the Bill Copeland Sports Centre.
Last night two teams heading in similar directions met up at the Bill Copeland Sports Centre. Both teams riding 5 game losing streaks heading in.
Some of Langley's reasons for their struggles was getting off to bad starts. And the opposition lighting up the Chiefs penalty killing. Heading into Friday's game, the oppostion was 14 for 51 on the powerplay in Langley's last 8 games 27.45%.
The problems would manifest itself for the Chiefs again on this night at the Bill Copeland Sports Centre.
Burnaby found themselves shorthanded in the games opening minute with Jimmy Geerin being sent off for interference just 21 seconds into the game. But it was the Express finding the back of the net.
Rich Manley aggressively forechecking forced a turnover in the Langley zone and stole the puck and fed Brad Reid in the slot who deked and slid the puck past Mark Friesen to open the scoring 90 seconds into the game. The goal was Reid's third shorthanded marker of the season and the 6th shorty of the season for the Express.
Hear Reid's shorthanded goal here.
The Express showed plenty of energy in the games opening 10 minutes buzzing in the Langley zone and opening up an early 9-2 advantage in shots on goal.
Luke Challier nearly extended the Express lead to two as he got behind the Chief defence but was stopped by Friesen on the partial breakaway.
A bad bounce allowed the Chiefs to pull even late in the first period. Josh Meyers cut in the Express zone on the right wing while the Chiefs were on a powerplay and he put the puck towards the net and it went off the skate of Simon Denis handcuffing Harrison May and slid in the net to tie the game.
Langley started the 2nd period on a powerplay with James Bettauer being called for roughing at the 20:00 mark of the first period.
It didn't take long for the Chiefs to take advantage of the powerplay as Colton Beck slid the puck across to Meyers who scored on the 2 on 1 just 7 seconds into the second period to give the Chiefs their first lead of the game.
The Express had a reply on a powerplay of their own just over 4 minutes later as Jimmy Geerin's point shot found its way past Friesen to tie the game with his 2nd of the season.
Hear Geerin's first goal of the game here.
The seasaw battle continued in the second period as a shot from the left wing was kicked out by Harrison May but Mac Roy buried the juicy rebound to restore Langley's lead at 3-2.
The officials played a hand in Langley's 4th goal as a Burnaby clearing attempt hit the linesman who failed to get out of the way. That allowed Colton Beck to turn the play the other way and set up Tim Daly to give Langley a 4-2 lead at 10:19.
A 2 goal disadvantage didn't discourage the Express on this night. Just 2:21 after Daly's tally, Brad Reid cut to the net and jammed home his second of the game on the powerplay to cut the Chiefs lead to one.
Hear Reid's second goal of the game here.
Langley had a great chance to re-store their two goal advantage as Colton Beck was set up at the lip of the crease and somehow couldn't re-direct the pass into the gaping cage instead putting the puck out of play.
The blown opportunity would be just the break that the Express would need.
Moments after Beck's miss, Burnaby tied the game on another powerplay as Jimmy Geerin scored his second of the game firing a shot off the post and in to pull the Express even at 4.
Hear Geerin's 4-4 goal here.
Late in the second, what the officials giveth away, they can also taketh away. The clearing attempt that allowed the Chiefs to score their 4th goal was follwed by a break the other way for the Express, Langley appeared to have a tap into an empty net for what could have been Langley's 5th goal but didn't happen as referee Kam Poirier got in the way of a shot and that was heading in keeping the game even at 4.
After a 6 goal second period, the offence cooled off in the third. Burnaby had their chances to break the deadlock. Garrick Perry was stopped on a 2 on 1 with Brad Reid. Luke Challier rang a shot off the crossbar and it stayed out.
Finally in the final minute the Express broke the deadlock. James Bettauer wired a shot that powered its way through Friesen to give the Express a 5-4 lead with just 19 seconds left.
Burnaby killed the remaning seconds on the clock and held on for the victory. The loss extended Langley's losing streak to 6 games.
The Express got top performances from their best players. Brad Reid (2G, 1A) and Rich Manley (3A) each had 3 points. Jimmy Geerin chipped in with a pair of powerplay goals from the blueline. And James Bettauer also had 1 goal and 1 assist from the Express backend.
Special teams was prominent in the Express attack with 3 powerplay goals and a shorthanded marker to open the scoring.
The win combined with Cowichan Valley's 7-3 loss in Powell River, propelled the Express into the 7th and final playoff spot in the Coastal Conference. Burnaby is now 2 points up on the Caps and the two teams will go head to head in a crucial matchup Sunday afternoon at the Bill Copeland Sports Centre.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
EXPRESS APPLY FOR RE-LOCATION
The Burnaby Express are one step closer to returning to their original home in Coquitlam.
They filed their application for re-location to the BCHL Tuesday. The application is for the franchise to return to their original home in Coquitlam for the 10-11 season where the Express called home from 2001-2005.
The application is now in the hands of the BCHL where it will be reviewed then forwarded to the BCHL's board of Governors for a vote during the annual meeting during the All Star Game festivities in Nanaimo in January.
Attendance has steadily declined from an average of 992 in the Express first season in Burnaby in 05-06 their Royal Bank Cup season, to 583 through 13 home games this season. The Express average attendance was 1091 in their final season in Coquitlam in 04-05.
The Coquitlam Sports Centre where the Express called home in Coquitlam is currently under massive renovations that will see the facility dramatically improved from when the Express left in 2005.
Click below to hear my interview with Express President and GM Darcy Rota and Head Coach Dave Mclellan on the application for re-location filed Tuesday.
For more on this story read Dan Olson's article from the Coquitlam Now Newspaper by clicking on the link below.
Click here to read the article
To check out the Coquitlam Sports Centre renovation project website click on the link below.
Click here to visit Coquitlam Sports Centre renovation project website
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)