It took a week longer than the rest of the league, but the ECHL Central division teams have finally debuted on the ice and it was an action-packed weekend for those seven teams. Most teams opened ECHL play inside the newly formed division, while the Brampton Beast and Missouri Mavericks went outside of their division to open the season. Today, we recap the weekend for each Central Division squad and preview the week ahead. Be sure to check back every Monday for a new ECHL Central Division Weekly Recap.
RAPID CITY RUSH (2-1-0-1, 5 POINTS)
The Rush were the lone division team to start the season last weekend as they split a series with the Colorado Eagles to enter this past weekend with a 1-1-0-0 record. Rapid City officially welcomed the Quad City Mallards to the ECHL on Friday, spoiling their home opener by handing them a 3-0 defeat. The Rush out-shot the Mallards 33-19 while Danny Battochio picked up his second win of the season by way of a shutout. The Rush out-shot the Mallards once again on Saturday night, 40-26, but the Mallards claimed a 4-3 shootout win over the Rush to close out the weekend.
Next up: Rapid City returns home for three games in front of the home crowd, as they look to take on Quad City (1-1-0-0) in a Tuesday night rematch before hosting the Allen Americans (1-1-0-0) for a pair of games on Friday and Saturday.
TULSA OILERS (2-0-0-0, 4 POINTS)
The Oilers wasted no time letting the rest of the league know they have plenty of offensive firepower. Tulsa opened the season on Friday with a 9-6 win at Allen, as seven players posted multiple points on the evening. Jon Booras led the way with 4 assists, while Nathan Lutz and T.J. Caig contributed two goals and an assist each. The Oilers followed up with a 6-5 overtime win at home over the Wichita Thunder on Sunday. Caig added two goals, including a break-away game winner in the extra frame, while Adam Pleskach posted two goals as well. Booras dished out two helpers to put him in a three-way tie for the ECHL assist lead with Kalamazoo’s Sacha Guimond and Curtis Valk. Kevin Carr was credited with both Oilers wins.
Next up: The Oilers make their first trip to Wichita on Wednesday for a rematch with the Thunder (0-1-1-0), before returning home to host the Missouri Mavericks (0-2-2-0) on Friday and Wichita on Sunday.
ALLEN AMERICANS (1-1-0-0, 2 POINTS)
The Americans netted six goals, including a hat-trick from Greger Hanson (3G, 1A), and out-shot the Tulsa Oilers 44-31 on Friday night, but ultimately fell short 9-6 to spoil the home crowd’s banner raising ceremony commemorating Allen’s back-to-back CHL championships. Allen was back to form the following night, as they spoiled Wichita’s home opener behind two goals from Gary Steffes to beat the Thunder 5-3. Chad Costello and Hanson contributed two assists each as Aaron Dell stopped 19-of-22 shots to secure his first win of the season.
Next up: The Americans hit the road for a two-game weekend set at Rapid City (2-1-0-1).
QUAD CITY MALLARDS (1-1-0-0, 2 POINTS)
The Rapid City Rush spoiled the Mallards home opener Friday, handing the flock a 3-0 shutout loss. Quad City battled back the following night, ultimately claiming a 4-3 shootout win over the Rush despite being out-shot 40-26. Goalie Evan Mosher stopped 37-of-40 shots to pick up his first win of the year. Benjamin Dieude-Fauvel (1G, 1A) netted a power play goal at 8:22 of the third period to send the game to overtime. Garrett Vermeersch and Joe Perry then found the net in the shootout, with Perry’s goal being counted as the game-winner.
Next up: The Mallards hit the road for a rematch with the Rapid City Rush (2-1-0-1) on Tuesday night, before returning home for a two-game weekend series with the Cincinnati Cyclones (1-1-0-0).
WICHITA THUNDER (0-1-1-0, 1 POINT)
The Thunder dropped their first two games of the season, but did manage to gain a point after battling back to take the Oilers to overtime on Sunday, before losing 6-5. Wichita dropped its home opener to the Allen Americans on Friday, despite seeing Stephen Schultz, Jared Walker and Erick Lizon all contributing goals. Michael Trebish posted two assists and Tim Boron stopped 22 shots in his return to Wichita as the Thunder fell 5-3. Wichita made things interesting on Sunday afternoon, scoring three unanswered goals after falling behind 4-1 to Tulsa to even the score heading into the third period. Ian Lowe and Theo Peckham picked up two assists each, but the Oilers would claim the win to steal the game’s second point.
Next up: The Thunder get another crack at the Tulsa Oilers (2-0-0-0), as they will host them at Intrust Bank Arena on Wednesday. Wichita then gets its first look at the Missouri Mavericks (0-2-0-0) at home on Saturday, before returning to the BOK Center for another Sunday afternoon matinee with the Oilers.
BRAMPTON BEAST (0-2-0-0, 0 POINTS)
The Beast were officially welcomed to the ECHL on home ice by suffering a pair of losses to the Toledo Walleye. Goaltender Trevor Cann turned aside 41 shots Friday night, but the Walleye proved to be too much for the Beast as they posted a 6-3 win. Tyler Donati scored a goal and added an assist as the beast held a 2-0 lead just over eight minutes into the opening frame on Sunday. Unfortunately for the home crowd, Toledo would go on to score four unanswered goals on their way to a 4-2 win.
Next up: Brampton hits the road for a two-game weekend series against the Elmira Jackals (2-2-0-1) beginning on Friday night.
MISSOURI MAVERICKS (0-2-0-0, 0 POINTS)
The Missouri Mavericks didn’t get off to the start they wanted to, as they dropped a pair of road games to open their season. David Rutherford scored the team’s only goal on Friday night, as the Mavs fell short 5-1 to the Indy Fuel and their former head coach Scott Hillman. Evan Vossen scored a goal and assist while Sebastien Thinel added a goal on Saturday night, but the host Fort Wayne Komets answered the call and then some, handing the Mavs a 6-2 loss.
Next up: The Mavericks remain on the road this weekend as they travel to take on the Tulsa Oilers (2-0-0-0) on Friday night, before rounding out the weekend at the Intrust Bank Arena against the Wichita Thunder (0-1-1-0) on Saturday.
Teams listed in order of ECHL Central Division standings
Contact the writer: john.hall@prohockeynews.com