GREENSBORO, NC – The Greensboro Gargoyles, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes and the AHL’s Chicago Wolves, finished their final road trip of the season, and now look forward to closing the final six games at home in the First Horizon Coliseum.
WHAT HAPPENED LAST WEEK
The Gargoyles were on the road in Allen, TX for three games against the Americans on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, April 2-4. The Americans swept the weekend on the heels of consecutive shutout wins on Friday and Saturday.
The Gargoyles opened their final road weekend of the inaugural season with a high-scoring 8-5 loss to the Americans on Thursday morning at the Credit Union of Texas Event Center. After Allen struck on its first shot, Demetrios Koumontzis evened the game late in the first before Greensboro surged ahead in the second behind goals from Drew Kuzma and David Gagnon, who became the franchise’s leading goal scorer with his 16th of the season. Allen responded to tie the game 3-3 after two periods, then scored twice early in the third to regain control. Kuzma and Gagnon each added their second goals of the game to pull Greensboro even at 5-5, but a late Allen power play goal during a 4-on-3 advantage proved to be the difference before two empty netters sealed the 8-5 final.
The Gargoyles were handed their second loss of the week in Allen as the Americans skated to a 6-0 victory on Friday. Rookie goaltender Brett Mirwald stopped all 25 shots he faced to earn a shutout in his first career start. Allen took control early with two power play goals just four seconds apart in the first period following consecutive delay of game penalties, then extended the lead with two goals 59 seconds apart early in the second and another late in the frame to make it 5-0 after 40 minutes. Lukas Sillinger added a third period goal, and Allen finished the game with a 39-25 edge in shots.
The Gargoyles dropped their sixth straight contest on Saturday night, falling 4-0 to the Americans and being shut out for the third time in four games. Allen scored twice in the first period, with Colby McAuley opening the scoring and Maxim Barbashev adding another three minutes later, before Ty Prefontaine extended the lead in the second. Greensboro pulled Ruslan Khazheyev late in regulation, but Allen added an empty net goal to seal the win, with Brett Mirwald recording his second straight shutout against the Gargoyles. Khazheyev saved 37, facing 70 shots in his two starts on Friday and Saturday.
ON DECK
The Gargoyles return home for the final six games of the season, this week hosting a three game series against the Worcester Railers. Greensboro and Worcester met twice in November, with the Gargoyles taking three points from a win and an overtime loss on the road.
In the first matchup against the Railers on November 22, Ethan Leyh recorded a goal and two assists to extend an eight game point streak and three game goal streak, while Nikita Quapp made 24 saves in his ECHL debut to back a 4-2 win. Trevor Zins, Ryan Richardson, and Anthony Rinaldi also found the scoresheet as Greensboro ended Worcester’s four-game winning streak. The second meeting saw Greensboro battle back to force overtime in a 3-2 loss, highlighted by Colton Leiter’s first goal of the season and a shorthanded equalizer from Wade Murphy, with Leyh adding two more assists to cap a five-point weekend. Ruslan Khazheyev made 29 saves in the overtime effort as the Gargoyles’ penalty kill went a perfect four-for-four, ultimately securing a point as the team climbed into a tie in the North Division standings.
David Gagnon scored twice on Thursday to take the team’s scoring lead with 17 goals this season. Ethan Leyh leads the Gargoyles with 29 points (10G, 19A) in 37 games played. Ruslan Khazheyev made back-to-back starts on Friday and Saturday in Allen, saving 70 shots. He leads the Gargoyles crease with 36 appearances this season. The Gargoyles added a power play goal on Thursday in Allen, but dropped to 14.8% this season on the advantage. Their penalty kill has struggled, allowing nine power play goals, including three 5-on-3 goals, in the past two series against Maine and Allen.
The Railers are sixth in the North Division, 29-30-5-2 this season, 12 points behind the final playoff spot with six games remaining. Anthony Repaci leads the team with 51 points (21G, 30A) in 66 games. Michael Suda leads Railers defensemen with 32 points (5G, 27A) from the blue line. Former Reading Royal Parker Gahagen has 34 starts with a 17-11-4-1 record, the most wins among Railers goaltenders. The Railers have similar special teams statistics as the Gargoyles, 15.5% on the power play this season and 78.2% on the penalty kill.
Friday, the Gargoyles celebrate Healthcare Appreciation Night, welcoming
MARCH ROSTER TRANSACTIONS
Monday, April 6: Nate Hanley released from SPC
Tuesday, April 7: Caleb Brown signed to SPC
PLAYER MILESTONES
With his second two goal performance in a three-game stretch, David Gagnon became the solo leader for franchise goals, adding his 17th of the season in Thursday’s 8-5 loss.
Drew Kuzma netted his first multi-goal game, scoring twice on Thursday in Allen.
UPCOMING GAME PACKAGES:
HEALTHCARE APPRECIATION
Presented by Cone Health, the Gargoyles celebrate all the healthcare workers who keep our community safe and healthy. Enjoy a free ticket with any purchase of one or more tickets to the Gargoyles game on Friday, April 10 against the Worcester Railers.
WHO: All Greensboro Hockey Fans!
WHAT: One (1) free ticket with the purchase of any amount
WHERE: The First Horizon Coliseum, home of the Greensboro Gargoyles.
WHEN: Saturday, April 11 and Sunday, April 12
HOW: Secure now: Monarchs Weekend Offer
MONARCHS WEEKEND
Join us as we hop in the time machine, throwing it back to the 1980s as the Gargoyles turn royal, repping the original Greensboro Monarchs! Celebrate the 1989-90 ECHL Riley Cup Champions with a ticket package you can’t pass up: Two tickets for $19.89.
WHO: All Greensboro Hockey Fans!
WHAT: Two (2) tickets for $19.89
WHERE: The First Horizon Coliseum, home of the Greensboro Gargoyles.
WHEN: Saturday, April 11 and Sunday, April 12
HOW: Secure now: Monarchs Weekend Offer
#CarvedInStone
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