The Johnstown Chiefs and South Carolina Stingrays have mirrored each other in recent weeks.
Both teams are streaking, with the Chiefs on a four-game roll and South Carolina outscoring opponents by a combined 16-6 in three straight wins.
The Chiefs’ power play has sprung back to life, going 4-for 14 in three home games. South Carolina had two power-play goals in Wednesday’s 4-1 win at Dayton.
The Stingrays have a league-best 13 short-handed goals. The Rays’ Keith Johnson has had one shorty in each of the past three games. The Chiefs have netted 12 short-handed tallies.
Each team is riding a solid netminder, with reigning ECHL Goaltender of the Week Ian Keserich winning the past four games and former Chief Jon Boutin going 5-2-0 since the Stingrays acquired him.
“South Carolina has some very skilled forwards. They’re strong,” Chiefs coach Ian Herbers said. “Their power play is strong. They had two power-play goals and a short-handed goal at Dayton. They’re a well-rounded team. We need to be ready right from the start and play our game for 60 minutes.”
The Chiefs (30-18-2-0) lead the North Division, while South Carolina (27-19-2-3) is second in the South.
“Right now, points are important,” Herbers said. “Every game is a playoff game.”
Herbers said defenseman David Schulz and right winger Wes Clark each might return from injuries.
“That will give us more options for the lineup,” the coach said.
Johnstown finishes a six-game home stand this weekend. Elmira visits on Saturday and Sunday. Last week, the Chiefs beat Reading (5-2), Trenton (3-2) and Wheeling (5-2). Herbers’ team outscored its North Division rivals by a combined 13-6.
“That’s the way we’ve got to play. We’ve got to go after teams,” Herbers said. “We can’t sit back and play not to make mistakes. We’ve got to be aggressive on our forecheck, play smart and use our speed. We’ve got to wear teams down. Specialty teams need to keep clicking and we need to be physical as well. It’s a good time of the year to get on a roll.”
Chiefs
For Chiefs ‘every game is a playoff game’
- Chiefs
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Slapshot Cup expands to 18 teams in second year
The Slapshot Cup Hockey Tournament has expanded for its second year in Johnstown.
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Former players rally to help ‘Ziggy'
Randy Rowe felt it was so important to wear the specially designed Ziggy’s Fundraiser sweater that he juggled his schedule and planned a 91⁄2-hour drive from Belleville, Ontario, to Richland Township.
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Johnstown sufferes an epic loss
The final seconds ticked down in the Johnstown Chiefs’ ECHL existence on Saturday night, and even though the hometown team trailed by four goals, a standing-room-only crowd began chanting, “Let’s go Chiefs.”
That chant would be nothing out of the ordinary on most nights. But this game was the last game.
Twenty-two ECHL seasons and thousands of memories came to a conclusion when the Chiefs dropped a 5-3 contest to Elmira at Cambria County War Memorial Arena. -
Mike Mastovich: ‘A sad night for Johnstown’
Scott Allen stood on the New York Islanders bench during Saturday’s game against the Ottawa Senators.
Long Island and the NHL is about as far from Johnstown and the ECHL as one gets on a sunny afternoon. -
Joe Gorden: City teams usually on thin ice
A sellout crowd turned out on Saturday to say goodbye to the ECHL’s
Johnstown Chiefs in their last game at Cambria County War Memorial Arena. The irony was obvious. -
Nailers to play 11 games in Johnstown next year
The thought of loyal Johnstown Chiefs fans rooting for the Wheeling Nailers might have been difficult to grasp a few months ago.
But next season, Johnstown’s hockey fans have no other choice. -
Mike Mastovich: 10 Defining moments in Chiefs history
So, this is it.
Twenty-two ECHL seasons and 1,518 regular-season games.
It ends tonight at a sold-out Cambria County War Memorial Arena. -
Chiefs drop final road game
The Johnstown Chiefs dropped the final road game in team history on Friday night, falling behind early and failing to catch up to the Cincinnati Cyclones in a 5-1 loss in front of more than 10,000 fans at U.S. Bank Arena.
- Arena confirms: Wheeling Nailers to play some games in Johnstown next year
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From goalies to grinders to scorers, the Chiefs have seen it all
Nineteen seasons of covering the Johnstown Chiefs have been filled with numerous ups and downs, unexpected twists and more than enough bizarre antics.
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