Winless Chiefs fall on road

Chiefs

Discussion

October 31, 2009

Anonymous The Tribune-Democrat Sat Oct 31, 2009, 11:46 PM EDT

READING — The Johnstown Chiefs season-opening streak of futility continued Saturday afternoon at the Reading Sovereign Center.

Reading built an early two-goal advantage and held off a Chiefs comeback to defeat Johnstown 4-3 in front of 4,602 fans.

The Chiefs remain the only winless team in the ECHL at 0-5-1-0 after suffering their third consecutive one-goal setback.

While the Chiefs’ play apparently continues to improve, the team hasn’t been able to crack the win column while frequently playing comeback.

On Friday night, Johnstown fell behind 3-0 at Trenton before closing within a goal in a 3-2 loss.

“I keep saying I see progress. Our guys battled back,” Chiefs coach Jeff Flanagan said. “We just seem to spot goals early. We play really well in the D zone and then, when a breakdown happens, the other team scores. On the other end of the ice it seems we’re getting the chances, but the puck is bouncing the wrong way and the rebounds aren’t going our way.

“We’re having a little bit of bad luck and we’ve been snake-bitten. But the guys have been working and working. We had three goals here, but it wasn’t quite enough.”

The current Chiefs now have the second longest winless streak in Johnstown history to open an ECHL season. They slipped below the 1993-94 Chiefs, who began 0-4-1 before winning what then was a Chiefs single-season record 37 games.

The 2005-06 Chiefs opened 0-6-4 and didn’t win their first game until Nov. 18. That team eventually finished 30-26-16 and won a playoff series under former coach Frank Anzalone.

New coach Jeff Flanagan’s team has shown promise. The additions of experienced defenseman Trevor Hendrikx and forward Jim McKenzie this week had an immediate impact, and the team is counting on a newly signed working agreement with the NHL’s Minnesota Wild to eventually help bolster the lineup.

A familiar theme continued on Saturday as Reading’s Stefano Giliati and Scott Fletcher scored goals 14 seconds apart in the first period against goaltender Shane Connelly as the Chiefs once again fell in an early hole.

Johnstown bounced back via defenseman Greg Gallagher’s first goal of the season at 10:17 of the first. Dan Collins and Matt Robinson had assists.

The Royals made it 3-1 after Danick Bouchard converted on a power play 13:19 into the second period. But the Chiefs’ Hendrikx tallied his first of the season on the power play a little more than three minutes later. McKenzie and Robinson assisted.

Reading’s McLeod converted what appeared to be a back-breaking power-play goal 12:52 into the third, making it 4-2. But Johnstown’s McKenzie connected 1:03 later to close the gap to 4-3. The goal was unassisted, though Robinson had a hand in creating the opportunity.

The Chiefs pressured Reading goaltender Beau Erickson throughout the third period, posting a 15-6 shots advantage in the final 20 minutes. The Royals outshot the Chiefs 30-29 in the game.

The Chiefs and Royals meet again at 1:05 p.m. today.

Text Only | Photo Reprints

Chiefs

Slapshot Cup expands to 18 teams in second year
The Slapshot Cup Hockey Tournament has expanded for its second year in Johnstown.

September 28, 2011
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.

June 3, 2010 1 Photo
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.

April 4, 2010 6 Photos
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.

April 4, 2010 2 Photos
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.

April 4, 2010 1 Photo
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.

April 3, 2010
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.

April 3, 2010 3 Photos
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.

April 2, 2010
Arena confirms: Wheeling Nailers to play some games in Johnstown next year
April 2, 2010
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.

April 2, 2010 1 Photo
More Chiefs Headlines

Chiefs

Search Results

Discussion

Winless Chiefs fall on road

Do you support Gov. Tom Corbett’s proposed state budget for fiscal year 2012-13?

Contact Us