Ice cheX
02-20-2007, 01:07 PM
CHECKERS NOTEBOOK
Top scorer Lee returns from Hartford stint (http://www.charlotte.com/mld/charlotte/sports/hockey/echl/charlotte_checkers/16549467.htm)
CLIFF MEHRTENS
cmehrtens@charlotteobserver.com (cmehrtens@charlotteobserver.com)
<!-- begin body-content -->The Charlotte Checkers have their leading scorer back.
Forward Mark Lee, who has 39 points in 27 games, was assigned from Hartford by the New York Rangers on Thursday. He had two goals in eight games with Hartford (American Hockey League) since being recalled in late December.
Lee was picked for the ECHL All-Star game last week, but was replaced by teammate Bruce Graham.
Lee, despite missing 12 games, leads Charlotte in points, assists (27), shorthanded goals (two), power-play assists (16) and power-play points (19).
Briefly
• The Checkers (22-14-1-2) are on a season-best five-game winning streak headed into today's 7 p.m. game at Reading, where they won 3-2 in a shootout last Saturday.
• Checkers Dusty Jamieson, Lee Falardeau, John Donnelly and Hugh Jessiman delivered more than 500 teddy bears to Presbyterian Hemby Children's Hospital on Tuesday. They were donated by fans during a "teddy bear toss" onto the ice during a Nov. 24 game.
• Rookie Mike Ouellette is on a nine-game scoring streak, and has five goals and 11 assists in that span.
• In his past three games, all victories, Goalie Alex Westlund has allowed four goals, and stopped 73-of-77 shots, a .948 save percentage. Chris Holt has won his past two starts in net, and stopped 41-of-45 shots (.911 percent).
• Defenseman Kenny Smith was loaned to Providence (AHL), and defenseman Jake Taylor was recalled by Hartford.
• Defenseman Kirk DeWaele was activated from injured reserve, and winger Nathan Gillies went on 3-day IR.
• The Checkers sold out for the second Friday in a row last week and for the league-leading fourth time with 8,675 on Saturday. It raised average home attendance to 5,603, fifth in the ECHL.
• The ECHL board of governors, at its midseason meetings, announced that the Mississippi Sea Wolves would return in 2007-08.
The team is in its second season of a voluntary suspension after Hurricane Katrina devastated its arena in Biloxi, Miss. in Aug. 2005.
The team reopened offices in December, and has sold 1,170 season tickets.
The league also granted its Myrtle Beach franchise a voluntary extension, as it builds an arena on the Coastal Carolina campus in Conway, S.C. It hopes to play in the 2008-09 season.
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Top scorer Lee returns from Hartford stint (http://www.charlotte.com/mld/charlotte/sports/hockey/echl/charlotte_checkers/16549467.htm)
CLIFF MEHRTENS
cmehrtens@charlotteobserver.com (cmehrtens@charlotteobserver.com)
<!-- begin body-content -->The Charlotte Checkers have their leading scorer back.
Forward Mark Lee, who has 39 points in 27 games, was assigned from Hartford by the New York Rangers on Thursday. He had two goals in eight games with Hartford (American Hockey League) since being recalled in late December.
Lee was picked for the ECHL All-Star game last week, but was replaced by teammate Bruce Graham.
Lee, despite missing 12 games, leads Charlotte in points, assists (27), shorthanded goals (two), power-play assists (16) and power-play points (19).
Briefly
• The Checkers (22-14-1-2) are on a season-best five-game winning streak headed into today's 7 p.m. game at Reading, where they won 3-2 in a shootout last Saturday.
• Checkers Dusty Jamieson, Lee Falardeau, John Donnelly and Hugh Jessiman delivered more than 500 teddy bears to Presbyterian Hemby Children's Hospital on Tuesday. They were donated by fans during a "teddy bear toss" onto the ice during a Nov. 24 game.
• Rookie Mike Ouellette is on a nine-game scoring streak, and has five goals and 11 assists in that span.
• In his past three games, all victories, Goalie Alex Westlund has allowed four goals, and stopped 73-of-77 shots, a .948 save percentage. Chris Holt has won his past two starts in net, and stopped 41-of-45 shots (.911 percent).
• Defenseman Kenny Smith was loaned to Providence (AHL), and defenseman Jake Taylor was recalled by Hartford.
• Defenseman Kirk DeWaele was activated from injured reserve, and winger Nathan Gillies went on 3-day IR.
• The Checkers sold out for the second Friday in a row last week and for the league-leading fourth time with 8,675 on Saturday. It raised average home attendance to 5,603, fifth in the ECHL.
• The ECHL board of governors, at its midseason meetings, announced that the Mississippi Sea Wolves would return in 2007-08.
The team is in its second season of a voluntary suspension after Hurricane Katrina devastated its arena in Biloxi, Miss. in Aug. 2005.
The team reopened offices in December, and has sold 1,170 season tickets.
The league also granted its Myrtle Beach franchise a voluntary extension, as it builds an arena on the Coastal Carolina campus in Conway, S.C. It hopes to play in the 2008-09 season.
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