ECHL Preseason Schedule

[talkingcanes]

ECHL Announces 29-Game Preseason Schedule
October 6, 2004

PRINCETON, N.J. – The ECHL on Wednesday announced its composite preseason schedule, consisting of 29 games beginning on Monday. The Premier “AA” Hockey League, the ECHL will open its 17th season on October 22 with 28 teams in 16 states and one Canadian province as it welcomes the Victoria Salmon Kings, who become first ECHL team outside of the United States playing in Victoria, British Columbia.

ECHL players report for physicals on Thursday and teams are allowed to begin on-ice sessions on Friday. Training camp rosters for all teams will be posted on echl.com, the league web site.

The preseason opens with the first-ever meeting between an ECHL team and an American Hockey League team when the Trenton Titans host the Philadelphia Phantoms at the Sovereign Bank Arena. Trenton and Philadelphia have had a working relationship since the Titans inception in 1999 and the partnership has produced NHL players Todd Fedoruk of the Philadelphia Flyers, Jesse Boulerice of the Carolina Hurricanes and Ruslan Fedotenko of the Stanley Cup Champion Tampa Bay Lightning. In 2003-04, Trenton had 21 call-ups to the Phantoms, who led the AHL with 46 regular season wins en route to their fourth division title and the Eastern Division Finals.

Kelly Cup Champion Idaho and league newcomer Victoria will play two preseason games in British Columbia, the first-ever ECHL games played outside the United States. The Steelheads and Salmon Kings play on October 15 at Prospera Centre in Chilliwack, British Columbia and on October 16 at Cowichan Community Centre in Duncan, British Columbia.

Greenville will travel to Anchorage where the Alaska Aces will host the Grrrowl in preseason games on October 14 and 15 at Sullivan Arena. Last season the Aces hosted Trenton in two preseason games. Johnstown and Wheeling will play a preseason game at 7 p.m. on October 14 at Bladerunners Rink in Harmarville, Pa., a portion of the proceeds will benefit flood victims in the Greater Pittsburgh region.

2004 ECHL Preseason Schedule

October 11
Philadelphia Phantoms at Trenton, 7 p.m.

October 13
Greenville at Alaska, 7:15 p.m.

October 14
Wheeling vs. Johnstown at Bladerunners Rink (Harmarville, Pa.), 7 p.m.
Greenville at Alaska, 7:15 p.m.

October 15
Gwinnett at Pensacola, 7 p.m.
Bakersfield at Fresno, 7 p.m.
San Diego vs. Long Beach at Glacial Gardens Skating Center (Lakewood, Calif.), 7:30 p.m.
Toledo at Peoria, 7:30 p.m.
Atlantic City at Las Vegas, 7:05 p.m.
Charlotte vs. Augusta at Augusta Ice Sports Center, 7 p.m.
Reading vs. Trenton at Wall (N.J.) Sports Arena, 7 p.m.
Mississippi at Florida, 7:30 p.m.
Pee Dee at Columbia, 7:30 p.m.
Idaho vs. Victoria at Prospera Centre (Chilliwack, British Columbia), 7:30 p.m.

October 16
Dayton at Toledo, 7:30 p.m.
Johnstown at Wheeling, 7:30 p.m.
South Carolina at Pee Dee, 7:30 p.m.
Mississippi at Florida, 7:30 p.m.
Trenton at Reading, 7:05 p.m.
Augusta at Charlotte, 7 p.m.
Atlantic City at Las Vegas, 7:05 p.m.
Gwinnett at Pensacola, 7 p.m.
Fresno at Bakersfield, 7 p.m.
Louisiana at Texas, 6:05 p.m.
Idaho vs. Victoria at Cowichan Community Centre (Duncan, British Columbia), 7:30 p.m.

October 17
Long Beach vs. San Diego at San Diego Ice Arena, 5 p.m.
Columbia vs. South Carolina, (Carolina Ice Palace), 3 p.m.
Toledo vs. Dayton at Kettering (Ohio) Recreation Center, 2 p.m.

October 19
Dayton vs. Wheeling at Ice-O-Plex (Canonsburgh, Pa.), 7 p.m.

[talkingcanes]

ECHL Announces 29-Game Preseason Schedule
October 6, 2004

PRINCETON, N.J. – The ECHL on Wednesday announced its composite preseason schedule, consisting of 29 games beginning on Monday. The Premier “AA” Hockey League, the ECHL will open its 17th season on October 22 with 28 teams in 16 states and one Canadian province as it welcomes the Victoria Salmon Kings, who become first ECHL team outside of the United States playing in Victoria, British Columbia.

ECHL players report for physicals on Thursday and teams are allowed to begin on-ice sessions on Friday. Training camp rosters for all teams will be posted on echl.com, the league web site.

The preseason opens with the first-ever meeting between an ECHL team and an American Hockey League team when the Trenton Titans host the Philadelphia Phantoms at the Sovereign Bank Arena. Trenton and Philadelphia have had a working relationship since the Titans inception in 1999 and the partnership has produced NHL players Todd Fedoruk of the Philadelphia Flyers, Jesse Boulerice of the Carolina Hurricanes and Ruslan Fedotenko of the Stanley Cup Champion Tampa Bay Lightning. In 2003-04, Trenton had 21 call-ups to the Phantoms, who led the AHL with 46 regular season wins en route to their fourth division title and the Eastern Division Finals.

Kelly Cup Champion Idaho and league newcomer Victoria will play two preseason games in British Columbia, the first-ever ECHL games played outside the United States. The Steelheads and Salmon Kings play on October 15 at Prospera Centre in Chilliwack, British Columbia and on October 16 at Cowichan Community Centre in Duncan, British Columbia.

Greenville will travel to Anchorage where the Alaska Aces will host the Grrrowl in preseason games on October 14 and 15 at Sullivan Arena. Last season the Aces hosted Trenton in two preseason games. Johnstown and Wheeling will play a preseason game at 7 p.m. on October 14 at Bladerunners Rink in Harmarville, Pa., a portion of the proceeds will benefit flood victims in the Greater Pittsburgh region.

2004 ECHL Preseason Schedule

October 11
Philadelphia Phantoms at Trenton, 7 p.m.

October 13
Greenville at Alaska, 7:15 p.m.

October 14
Wheeling vs. Johnstown at Bladerunners Rink (Harmarville, Pa.), 7 p.m.
Greenville at Alaska, 7:15 p.m.

October 15
Gwinnett at Pensacola, 7 p.m.
Bakersfield at Fresno, 7 p.m.
San Diego vs. Long Beach at Glacial Gardens Skating Center (Lakewood, Calif.), 7:30 p.m.
Toledo at Peoria, 7:30 p.m.
Atlantic City at Las Vegas, 7:05 p.m.
Charlotte vs. Augusta at Augusta Ice Sports Center, 7 p.m.
Reading vs. Trenton at Wall (N.J.) Sports Arena, 7 p.m.
Mississippi at Florida, 7:30 p.m.
Pee Dee at Columbia, 7:30 p.m.
Idaho vs. Victoria at Prospera Centre (Chilliwack, British Columbia), 7:30 p.m.

October 16
Dayton at Toledo, 7:30 p.m.
Johnstown at Wheeling, 7:30 p.m.
South Carolina at Pee Dee, 7:30 p.m.
Mississippi at Florida, 7:30 p.m.
Trenton at Reading, 7:05 p.m.
Augusta at Charlotte, 7 p.m.
Atlantic City at Las Vegas, 7:05 p.m.
Gwinnett at Pensacola, 7 p.m.
Fresno at Bakersfield, 7 p.m.
Louisiana at Texas, 6:05 p.m.
Idaho vs. Victoria at Cowichan Community Centre (Duncan, British Columbia), 7:30 p.m.

October 17
Long Beach vs. San Diego at San Diego Ice Arena, 5 p.m.
Columbia vs. South Carolina, (Carolina Ice Palace), 3 p.m.
Toledo vs. Dayton at Kettering (Ohio) Recreation Center, 2 p.m.

October 19
Dayton vs. Wheeling at Ice-O-Plex (Canonsburgh, Pa.), 7 p.m.

[talkingcanes]

this just made me laugh remembering the pronunciations of his name at the draft and the man at the podium saying "thanks LA" :lol:

Japanese Goaltender Returns To ECHL
October 7, 2004

ECHL.com Note - Yutaka Fukufuji became the first Japanese-born goaltender to play in ECHL on February 7, 2003, posting a 3-2 shootout win for Cincinnati in his North American debut at Johnstown.


By Mike Griffith
Californian Staff Writer
October 7, 2004
Copyright © The Bakersfield Californian

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. - Yutaka Fukufuji became only the second Japanese player ever selected in a National Hockey League draft when the Los Angles Kings picked the goaltender up in the eighth round of the 2004 Entry Draft.

Wednesday, he became a member of the Bakersfield Condors via a two-way contract with Manchester (N.H), the Kings' American Hockey League affiliate.

That means the top two goaltender prospects for the Condors as they prepare to open training camp on Friday are rookies. Bakersfield signed former Boston University goaltender Sean Fields earlier this summer.

"The Kings feel (Fukufuji) has potential and they want him to play. They want to make sure he gets into some games," said Condors head coach Marty Raymond.

Fukufuji, 22, was a member of the Japanese National Team in the IIHF World Championships last spring in the Czech Republic. In five games (three losses and two ties) he stopped 150 of 168 shots for a .892 save percentage.

The pro scouting report on Fukufuji is that he's quick and shifty, fast on his skates with great lateral movement across the crease.

And the Kings want to see how he fares against North American competition.

He played seven games in the ECHL in 2002-03, going 4-3-0 with a 3.13 goals against and .915 save percentage.

Last season, he had a 1.67 GAA and .945 save percentage in seven games with Kokudo in the Japanese Ice Hockey League. He also played seven games for Kokudo in the Asia League where he had a 1.96 GAA and .916 save percentage.

He became available due to the goaltender glut caused in part by the lockout of NHL players. The Kings recently signed veteran goaltender Mathieu Garon and assigned him to Manchester, leaving the Monarchs with five goaltenders.

The Condors also will have plenty of goaltenders in camp as Jean-Francois Laniel (a third-round pick by the Florida Panthers in 1999) is already in town and veteran Philippe DeRouville is expected.

Raymond and Bob Bartlett, who is serving a director of player personnel for the Condors this year, have been working to get some alignments with NHL teams and Raymond said the deal with the Kings is a step in the right direction.

"This is the start of a little bit of a relationship with (the Kings)," Raymond said. "We want to work with them and they're sending us another young guy, Mike Lukajic."

Lukajic, a forward, was not drafted but had a stellar college career at the University of Oswego in New York where he scored 91 goals in 120 games at the Division III level. He had 59 goals in 64 games over is last two seasons.

"He's a big kid (6-4, 225) and we want to see how he does in camp," Raymond said."

[talkingcanes]

this just made me laugh remembering the pronunciations of his name at the draft and the man at the podium saying "thanks LA" :lol:

Japanese Goaltender Returns To ECHL
October 7, 2004

ECHL.com Note - Yutaka Fukufuji became the first Japanese-born goaltender to play in ECHL on February 7, 2003, posting a 3-2 shootout win for Cincinnati in his North American debut at Johnstown.


By Mike Griffith
Californian Staff Writer
October 7, 2004
Copyright © The Bakersfield Californian

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. - Yutaka Fukufuji became only the second Japanese player ever selected in a National Hockey League draft when the Los Angles Kings picked the goaltender up in the eighth round of the 2004 Entry Draft.

Wednesday, he became a member of the Bakersfield Condors via a two-way contract with Manchester (N.H), the Kings' American Hockey League affiliate.

That means the top two goaltender prospects for the Condors as they prepare to open training camp on Friday are rookies. Bakersfield signed former Boston University goaltender Sean Fields earlier this summer.

"The Kings feel (Fukufuji) has potential and they want him to play. They want to make sure he gets into some games," said Condors head coach Marty Raymond.

Fukufuji, 22, was a member of the Japanese National Team in the IIHF World Championships last spring in the Czech Republic. In five games (three losses and two ties) he stopped 150 of 168 shots for a .892 save percentage.

The pro scouting report on Fukufuji is that he's quick and shifty, fast on his skates with great lateral movement across the crease.

And the Kings want to see how he fares against North American competition.

He played seven games in the ECHL in 2002-03, going 4-3-0 with a 3.13 goals against and .915 save percentage.

Last season, he had a 1.67 GAA and .945 save percentage in seven games with Kokudo in the Japanese Ice Hockey League. He also played seven games for Kokudo in the Asia League where he had a 1.96 GAA and .916 save percentage.

He became available due to the goaltender glut caused in part by the lockout of NHL players. The Kings recently signed veteran goaltender Mathieu Garon and assigned him to Manchester, leaving the Monarchs with five goaltenders.

The Condors also will have plenty of goaltenders in camp as Jean-Francois Laniel (a third-round pick by the Florida Panthers in 1999) is already in town and veteran Philippe DeRouville is expected.

Raymond and Bob Bartlett, who is serving a director of player personnel for the Condors this year, have been working to get some alignments with NHL teams and Raymond said the deal with the Kings is a step in the right direction.

"This is the start of a little bit of a relationship with (the Kings)," Raymond said. "We want to work with them and they're sending us another young guy, Mike Lukajic."

Lukajic, a forward, was not drafted but had a stellar college career at the University of Oswego in New York where he scored 91 goals in 120 games at the Division III level. He had 59 goals in 64 games over is last two seasons.

"He's a big kid (6-4, 225) and we want to see how he does in camp," Raymond said."