American Conference Team

ONTARIO, Ca – The 18^th Annual ECHL All-Star Game at Citizens Bank Arena was a great display of talent among the ranks. The crowd of 7,615 came ready to cheer their favorites.   The American Conference team, in orange jerseys, consisted of twelve rookies, while the National Conference, in white jerseys, had ten. The American Conference team was victorious in a shoot out win 10-9.

The first period brought out the puck control with plenty of back and forth ice action. The first goal of the night went to the American’s Sam Roberts (Gwinnett), at 4:53 into the period.  A wrist shot assisted by Jacob Micflikier (Florida) that found the back of the net past the blocker side of David Shantz (Victoria).

The National’s came back at 8:26 with a goal that Judd Blackwater ( Stockton) snuck into the five hole, past Todd Ford ( South Carolina).  The first and only penalty of the first period was a hooking call against National’s Vic Bartley ( Utah) in which Matt Schepke scored a power play goal.

Matt Schepke scores against David Shantz

The National team evened the score again, with a goal by Nick Mazzolini ( Alaska) assisted by A.J. Perry ( Utah) at 13:59.

With less than three minutes left in the period, the American’s, Connor Shields (Johnstown) put a wrist shot into the back of the net, with assist to Maxime Gratchev (Elmira) and Mitch Ganzak (Wheeling).

At the end of the first period, the American team led 3-2.  Ford had seven saves and Shantz had 14 saves.

The second period continued much in the same manner as the first, but the net minding by Timo Pielmeier ( Bakersfield) provided excellent goal tending.  The National team scored the next three goals, within a three minute time frame.  Peter Lenes ( Ontario), Vic Bartley ( Utah) and David Walker ( Ontario) all registered a goal apiece.

Evan Barlow ( Idaho), dropped the puck past net minder Braden Holtby ( South Carolina), at 11:40, assisted by Adam Miller, putting the Nationals up 6-3.

Evan Barlow tips in the puck past Jeremy Smith

The Americans scored two more, to close the gap, with a goal by Schepke, his second and Rick Cleaver ( Kalamazoo).  The last goal of the period came with only seven seconds remaining.  Adam Miller found the back of the net after a rebound.  The goal was assisted by Bartley.  At the end of the second period, the National’s were leading 7-5.  Goaltender Holtby chalked up fifteen saves, while Pielmeier had twelve during the period.

The third period goaltenders were Jeremy Smith ( Cincinnati) for the American’s and Richard Bachman ( Idaho) for the Nationals.

The American team began the scoring with two goals early in the period, by Drew Paris (Gwinnett) and Brandon Buck ( Florida), to tie the teams 7-7 again.  But it wouldn’t last long; the Nationals took the lead again within 15 seconds, with a second goal by Barlow, assisted by Bartley.

Adam Miller of Las Vegas, Goal

At 10:46, Jeff Prough ( Trenton) scored with an assist to A.J. Thelen ( Florida), only to be answered again at 13:25 with Miller’s second goal of the night, assisted by Barlow.  The National’s would maintain the lead again for only a few short minutes.  Shields scored his second goal of the night at 17:24, assisted by Matt Pierce ( Cincinnati) to tie the game 9-9.

In sudden-death overtime, there were no goals scored.  The net minders remained for the rest of the game.  Smith had 7 saves overall, while Bachman had 13.

John Swanson, Idaho

The shoot-out resulted in the win by the American team, with goals by Jacob Mikflikier ( Florida), Mitch Ganzak (Wheeling) and Justin Donati ( Florida). 

Coaching staff for the American’s was Derek Wilkinson ( Charlotte) and Cail MacLean ( South Carolina), while the National’s were coached by Derek Laxdal ( Idaho) and Marty Raymond ( Bakersfield).

Four players, two on either team scored 2 goals each, Barlow and Miller for the Nationals, and Schepke and Shields for the American team.  Miller, Barlow and John Swanson ( Idaho) all finished the game with a plus-four.

MVP - Evan Barlow of Idaho

The Most Valuable Player, selected by members of the media was Evan Barlow ( Idaho) of the National Conference.  The three stars of the game were all from the National’s; Timo Pielmeier, Adam Miller and Evan Barlow.

Contact the writer at shellie.lima@prohockeynews.com

Contact the photographer at jack.lima@prohockeynews.com