Analysis and observations from around the league on Oct. 26.
Saturday was another fun-filled night in the ECHL, with 13 games on the slate.
Milestones, slugfests and a scoreless 60 minutes of play were the order of the evening. Here are three observations from the action.
Bird Flies Past A Milestone
Tyler Bird became the Orlando Solar Bears’ all-time leading scorer Saturday night with his 77th goal in an Orlando uniform.
Bird set the mark on his second goal of the night at 16:56 of the second period during Saturday's home game against the Savannah Ghost Pirates to give the Solar Bears a 2-0 lead, with helpers from Brayden Low and Aaron Luchuk.
Earlier in the game, Bird put Orlando on the board first at the 18:18 mark of the opening period, also assisted by Low. The Solar Bears would go on to win 2-1.
Bird picked up right where he left off from Opening Weekend, when he notched a hat trick last Friday in a 5-4 overtime thriller in Greenville against the Swamp Rabbits. He scored Orlando’s final three goals, including the game-winner. He didn’t score in last Saturday’s 4-3 overtime loss to the South Carolina Stingrays, but more than made up for it this Saturday.
Bird’s 77 goals as a Solar Bear surpass the previous mark set by Tristin Langan.
Nailers Spoil Reading’s Home Opener
The Wheeling Nailers got their second victory in three road games Saturday with a thrilling 5-4 triumph over Reading, spoiling the Royals’ home opener at Santander Arena.
Reading goaltender Parker Gahagen was ECHL Goaltender of the Week last week, but was no match for the Nailers’ young guns Saturday, allowing five goals on 36 shot attempts.
Cole Cameron and Logan Pietila each scored the first goals of their professional careers, while fellow rookie Matty De St. Phalle also joined the scoring barrage.
The first period was scoreless, followed by five goals between the two teams in the second. Wheeling took a 3-0 lead before the Royals cut the score to 3-2 heading into the third frame.
The Royals tied the game on a Connor McMenamin one-timer from the bottom of the right circle. But the Nailers quickly went back in front over three minutes later when Sam Houde sent a shot into the open left side of the net.
Pietila added what turned out to be an insurance goal for a 5-3 Nailers lead. Todd Skirving pulled the Royals to within one on a shorthanded goal with 1:05 left in the third, but Wheeling held on for the 5-4 win.
He Shoots… And Finally Scores
On the other end of the spectrum, goals were hard to come by in Cincinnati between the Cyclones and Indy Fuel. In fact, neither team could get the puck in the net in the first 60 minutes, so Cincy fans got some free hockey out of the deal.
Nick Grima scored his first pro goal, and what a time to do it.
Just 39 seconds into overtime, Grima scored with Kyle Maksimovich and Bryan Lemos getting the assists, giving Indy their first win on the young season.
The game wasn’t without excitement, with plenty of pushing and shoving in the first period and four penalties between the two teams. Things settled down in the second, as neither team spent time in the sin bin. The Fuel outshot Cincy 11-2 in the period but couldn’t muster a goal.
Both goalies continued to play lights-out in the third, setting up what would prove to be a short overtime.