Irbe leads Canes past Caps in his 300th appearance in a Carolina Uniform - 26th of February 2004

The short story is that Erik Cole and Jeff O'Neill had goals to lead the Carolina Hurricanes to a 2-1 win over the Washington Capitals. But for two teams with their playoff hopes on life support, there certainly were a bunch of subplots in Wednesday's game at MCI Center. The Hurricanes' Arturs Irbe won in his 300th career appearance in a Carolina uniform, but first since April 6, 2003. Irbe, who was recalled from Johnstown of the ECHL last Tuesday, made 18 saves to post his first NHL win since Jan. 24, 2003. It was also the first victory for the Hurricanes in six games against the only team below them in the Southeast Division standings this season (1-4-1-0) and gave them points in five straight games (3-0-1-1). Cole opened the scoring in a first period dominated by Carolina. The winger registered a goal in his third straight game, sliding the rebound of a Rod Brind'Amour backhand under Washington backup goalie Sebastien Charpentier at 18:52. Cole's 13th of the year capped off a period that saw the Canes break in Irbe slowly, allowing only three Washington shots while taking 11. "I feel like I have the outside step that was maybe I was missing for a little bit," said Cole. "For some reason, my legs feel better than over the last couple of weeks. Over the season, you can go a month and feel beat up and everything hurts, but you go through spurts when you feel good." "He's been our best player," said Hurricanes head coach Peter Laviolette of Cole. "He's skating. The hardest thing to stop is speed, and when he uses it like that, he's hard to stop." O'Neill's 12th of the year made it 2-0 midway through the second period. The Capitals took four minor penalties in a span of 4:49, giving the Canes two extended 5-on-3 chances. On the first, O'Neill took a Sean Hill saucer pass and blasted it between Charpentier and the near post at 9:03. Washington, held to just five shots on goal in the first 38 minutes, scored on Robert Lang's 29th goal with 37 seconds to play in the second period on a late power play. Lang, who has six goals and five assists in the season series against Carolina, now has a point in his last 13 games. Lang nearly tied the score on a breakaway in the third period, but Irbe thwarted Lang's drive. About 40 seconds later, Lang tried again, but his shot was wide. Irbe snagged another shot by Lang on a power play with just under six minutes to play. "It was a slow game for him [Irbe], but he made the saves when we needed him," said Laviolette. "There was nothing he could have done on the goal scored." Another close game between the two teams -- which have now met three times in the last four weeks -- meant another night of frustration for Kevyn Adams and the rest of the Hurricanes still seething over a series of questionable hits by Washington defenseman Jason Doig. Doig served a two-game suspension as a result of a knee-on-knee hit on Adams in the Jan. 29 game, and triggered a brawl with a hit from behind on Craig Adams in the Feb. 12 game. "We hung on - it's just the way it goes," said Laviolette. "We played a pretty good game but we didn't put them away when we wanted to and we let them hang around." For now, retribution will have to move to the back burner, while the Hurricanes continue to focus their anger on their best stretch of hockey of the season. The Hurricanes next head home for two days of practice before their current disjointed four-game road trip takes them to Montreal and Minnesota this weekend.

"It's coming when it's coming" - 25th of February 2004

TORONTO -- Arturs Irbe's next start will be his 300th with the Carolina Hurricanes. Considering No. 299 came more than 10 months ago, that's quite a jump. It's nothing compared to the other jump he'll be making, from the Johnstown Chiefs of the ECHL back to the NHL, from facing the Wheeling Nailers to facing the Washington Capitals. His ECHL exile over, Irbe is expected to start tonight against the Caps. Irbe says he's ready, and there's no doubt he's excited. "It's coming when it's coming," he said Tuesday. "I don't want to be anxious. I want to be cool and collected." Carolina coach Peter Laviolette is extremely close-mouthed when it comes to his goalie selections, but he wasn't ruling out the possibility of Irbe getting a chance tonight. Irbe last played last Tuesday in the ECHL. With the Canes' next game Saturday at the Montreal Canadiens, that would be an awfully long time between starts. "Anything's possible," Laviolette said. "[Irbe] is waiting for his time and there's a chance. I'm not 100 percent sure at this point." But all indications are Irbe will get the start, and there may not be a better place for him on the entire schedule. Coming off back-to-back solid performances against two of the best teams in the NHL -- a 3-3 tie with the Boston Bruins on Saturday and a stellar all-around 2-1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday -- an appearance by Irbe might be what it takes to shake the Canes out of their doldrums against the Capitals. The Canes haven't won at the MCI Center since Nov. 8, 2001, going 0-8-1-0 since then. And they have beaten the Caps only four times in the past 23 meetings, going 4-12-6-1. Kevin Weekes, meanwhile, has almost single-handedly stymied the powerful Leafs but has been baffled by the woeful Capitals. He has allowed 15 goals on 72 Washington shots this season -- a big reason why the Canes are 0-4-1-0 against Washington. For his career, Irbe is 7-12-5 against Washington, with a 2.72 goals-against average. But for Irbe, any NHL opponent will certainly be different than the others he has faced this season. "You see the difference in the level," Irbe said of his first few days practicing with the Canes. "The good news is I have the experience of 12 years in the league. It was nothing new. Only refreshing memories." Irbe carries with him pleasant memories of his stint in Johnstown, and his feeling is mutual. He met the team in Toledo, Ohio, the night before the Chiefs' opener and bought the entire team dinner at Outback. That was the beginning of a symbiotic relationship between Irbe and his temporary teammates. "I'm just happy for him," Chiefs coach Toby O'Brien said Tuesday. "He'll be a friend of mine now forever. He taught our kids how to be professionals, how to stay after practice and work hard. I have nothing negative to say about Arturs Irbe." The Johnstown newspaper even ran an editorial wishing him well. And since leaving Johnstown, O'Brien said Irbe has called twice to check up on the Chiefs, who will be playing in Trenton, N.J., tonight. O'Brien said he plans to tape the Canes' game and show it to the players on Thursday. "He better play well," O'Brien said. "Or he'll hear about it from the guys."

Canes host Leafs with Irbe back in roster - 19th of February 2004

In a normally tranquil Carolina Hurricanes dressing room, a visit by the Toronto Maple Leafs -- and the countless traveling media that follows the team's every move -- always wratchets up the excitement level a few notches. Combine that with the return of goalie Arturs Irbe, and the atmosphere at RBC Center today downright playoff-like. Irbe, who backstopped Carolina to a 4-2 series win over Toronto in the 2002 Eastern Conference finals propelling the Hurricanes to their first Stanley Cup final, was back in a Hurricanes practice jersey Wednesday, the day after being recalled from the Johnstown Chiefs of the ECHL. With Toronto providing the opposition in two of the next three games, chances are good that Irbe will be in net against the Leafs again soon. After the amazing personal and team success of 2002, Irbe shouldered the much of the blame when the Hurricanes recorded the fewest points in the NHL last season. He has spent this season in the ECHL after splitting last year between Carolina and their AHL affiliate in Lowell, Mass. The Riga, Latvia native had a 7-24-2 record in 34 NHL games last season and a 3.18 goals against average. Irbe was 9-3-1 this season with Johnston with a 1.98 goals against average. His .931 save percentage ranks fourth in that league this season. Irbe, 37, is the Carolina franchise’s all-time goaltending leader in games played (299), wins (125) and shutouts (20), and his 2.49 goals-against average with the Hurricanes ranks third among all franchise netminders. In 2002, Irbe posted a 10-8 record and 2.11 goals-against average while playing in 18 of the Hurricanes’ 23 games en route to the Stanley Cup finals. The Hurricanes reassigned goalie Jamie Storr to Lowell of the AHL. Storr, 28, posted a 0-8-2 record, 2.91 goals-against average and a .878 save percentage in 14 appearances with the Hurricanes since the team signed him as a free agent on Oct. 3. The ever-changing goaltending situation can't faze Carolina, as they try again to build on a solid win. Facing Florida for the first time since Oct. 13, the Hurricanes won at home for the first time since Jan. 8 (0-5-2), holding off the Panthers 3-1 on Monday at RBC Center. "We have to just scratch and claw," said Hurricanes veteran Rod Brind'Amour. "Regardless of our record, regardless of our situation, we just come out and play hard. That's our job, that's what we're about."

Hurricanes recall Irbe to National Hockey League! - 18th of February 2004

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - Carolina is bringing back goalie Arturs Irbe, a hero in the team's run to the Stanley Cup finals in 2002 who got much of the blame when the Hurricanes recorded the fewest points in the NHL last season. Irbe, 37, has spent this season in the low minors with Johnstown after refusing a $1.8 million buyout of his two-year, $5.2 million contract. Jim Rutherford, the Hurricanes' general manager, told The News & Observer on Tuesday night that he expects Irbe to play within the next week. "We want to keep all our options open going forward based on the situation we're in now," Rutherford said. The Hurricanes are 13th in the Eastern Conference, 15 points out of a playoff spot with 24 games remaining. Irbe will back up starting goalie Kevin Weekes. Rutherford said he planned to meet Wednesday with Jamie Storr, the current backup. Since he joined the Hurricanes in October, Storr is 0-8-2 with a 2.91 goals-against average in 14 appearances. "How may more times do I have to say it?" Rutherford said when Storr's signing was announced. "I think Archie can still play in this league, but it was time for us to cut ties with him. Certainly it puts another goalie between him and us." Irbe, a native of Latvia and a former Olympian, was 10-8 in 18 games in 2002 when the Hurricanes made a surprising run to the Stanley Cup finals. Weekes was tapped as the starter the following season, and Irbe split his time between Lowell of the American Hockey League, the Hurricane's top minor league affiliate, and Carolina. He had a 7-24-2 record in 34 NHL games last season and a 3.18 goals-against average. He was 9-3-1 this season and giving up an average of 1.98 goals a game with Johnstown of the East Coast Hockey League. His .931 save percentage ranks fourth in that league this season. He is the Carolina franchise leader in games played by a goalie (299), wins (125) and shutouts (20).

Chiefs defeat Preoria - 18th of February 2004

Johnstown, PA - Steve Hildenbrand's power play goal with 3:20 left in the third period lifted the Johnstown Chiefs to a 5-4 victory over the visiting Peoria Rivermen, Tuesday night at the War Memorial. Chiefs goaltender Arturs Irbe stopped 31 of 35 Rivermen shots for his 10th win of the season. The Chiefs also got goals from Jay Langager, Shawn Mather and Chad Cavanagh. Hildenbrand also has a second period tally. Marty Johnston had a pair of goals for the Rivermen, while Scott Turner and Colin Hemingway also scored. The Chiefs improve to 28-16-6, while the Rivermen fall to 30-13-8.

Chiefs beat Toledo in overtime - Irbe back in goal - 16th of February 2004

Larry Courville scored with 1:19 remaining in overtime to the lead the Johnstown Chiefs to a 4-3 win over the Toledo Storm, Friday night at the Toledo Sports Arena. Chiefs goaltender Arturs Irbe, who was injured for over two months, made his first start since November 28th making 29 saves for his ninth win of the season. P.L. Courchesne led the Chiefs with a pair of goals and an assist. Dominic Forget also scored for Johnstown, while Steve Hildenbrand added a pair of assists. Toledo got a pair of goals from Peter Flache, while Rick Judson also scored. Toledo goaltender Doug Teskey made 38 saves.

Wrist-injured Irbe may miss ECHL all-star game

Johnstown Chiefs goaltender Arturs Irbe is a two-time NHL all-star, but the veteran probably won’t be able to fulfill his role as the starting goalie on the Eastern Conference team in next month’s ECHL All-Star Game in Peoria. Irbe is among three Chiefs selected yesterday to the Eastern Conference squad that also includes Johnstown coach Toby O’Brien as an all-star co-coach. But a wrist injury that required surgery Dec. 11 might keep Irbe out of the lineup for six to eight weeks. “I had a decent run there, but I don’t think I have been in this league long enough to earn my stripes,” Irbe said when reached yesterday in Raleigh, N.C. “Obviously people thought otherwise. It’s an honor. What it looks like now, younger players who are trying to make names for themselves will probably get a chance to play there instead of myself. Nonetheless, it’s still an honor. “At least some other deserving kid will get the nod instead of me,” said Irbe, 36, who is 8-3-1 with a 1.91 goals against average and .933 save percentage. Perhaps Chiefs goaltender Cory Campbell will be that “kid”. Campbell and rookie forward Jason Notermann also were named to the Eastern Conference squad for the Jan. 21 game at Carver Arena. Campbell, 22, leads ECHL goaltenders with a 1.47 GAA. In eight games, he has a 6-1-1 record and two shutouts, he ranks second in the league with a .943 save percentage. “You can’t do anything by yourself,” said Campbell, the Los Angeles Kings’ third-round pick in the 1999 NHL Draft. “In hockey and in life, you need people helping you. Having three guys on our team represented, I think that speaks for the whole team. “I think that shows a lot about our team defense and how well they are playing in front of us. Being that consistent night-in and night-out, both goalies are able to put up the consistent numbers.” “I think it’s the first time ever we’ve had three guys,” O’Brien said. “I know several of our other players received votes as well. It’s a testament to the guys.” Other Eastern Conference starters include forwards Brian McCullough (Florida), Jason Jaffray (Wheeling) and former Chief Dan Carlson (Roanoke), and defensemen Ryan Brindley (Cincinnati) and Jonathan Zion (Reading). ©Tribune Democrat 2004

Bullies rough up Chiefs - 29th of November

The Boardwalk Bullies built a three-goal advantage, then held off a late charge by the Johnstown Chiefs to win a meeting of the top two teams in the ECHL Northern Division, 3-1, last night before 3,627 fans at Cambria County War Memorial Arena. “We’ve got to show some character as a team,” said Chiefs forward Dominic Forget, who scored Johnstown’s goal 5:42 into the final period. “I’m sure all the guys will be ready. We know we can beat these guys. We’ve got to go from there and prove that we are the first-place team.” The 12-5-1 Chiefs (25 points) lost their second straight game. The 12-6-0 Boardwalk Bullies (24) closed within a point of the division lead. “This was more about us getting back to hockey where we’re accustomed to playing, where we’re at our best,” said Bullies goaltender Scott Stirling, who made 36 saves, including 18 in a frantic third period. “It wasn’t as much about first place against second place. Our main goal was our effort, and our effort was there 100 percent the whole game.” The Chiefs had problems solving Atlantic City’s highly touted defensive scheme. The Bullies limited the Chiefs’ quality chances by forming a tight box around the slot, frequently forcing Johnstown to take attempts from the point. Atlantic City blocked many of those shots. “They put a lot of pressure in our zone,” said Chiefs defenseman P.L. Courchesne, who assisted on Forget’s goal. “They dump. They press two guys and have a third one on the pass. They played well. I think we just woke up in the third period and it was too late. The good thing was we finished hard. We’ll have to continue (tonight) like we finished this game.” Atlantic City’s Sam Paolini knocked a Josh Prudden rebound into an open net after Chiefs goalie Arturs Irbe made the first stop. Prudden later scored on a long shot from the left-wing boards through a screen. The Chiefs picked up the pace in the third period, especially while on three power-play opportunities, outshooting the Bullies, 19-2. Forget scored an even-strength goal by slamming his own rebound past Stirling. “He’s a good goalie,” Forget said. “On my goal, I scored low. I just got the rebound. I took a pass from P.L. Courchesne.” “I tried to take around 10 shots during the game, and I always hit a pad or a stick or something else,” Courchesne said. “I figured I would try to find my forward. The first time I do, we scored a goal.” The Chiefs didn’t have a capacity crowd on “Sellout Night” No. 2, falling shy by 371 paying customers. But the large crowd still boosted the team’s average attendance to 2,685. ©Tribune Democrat 2003

Wheeling sends Chiefs home with loss - 28th of November 2003

The Wheeling Nailers took out two weeks of frustration on the visiting Johnstown Chiefs last night. Wheeling scored five second-period goals on the way to a 6-1 victory over Johnstown at WestBanco Arena. "You take 20 minutes off against any team in this league, and you’re probably going to lose," Chiefs coach Toby O’Brien said. “The Northern Division is too good and the teams are too close and competitive to take time off. When you do, bad things are going to happen. Every team in this league is good enough to make you pay. When you’re on the road, these things are going to happen a few times a year. You just pick yourself up and go back to work the next day. That’s what we’re going to do to a man.” The Northern Division-leading Chiefs had won the first three meetings between the teams prior to rivals playing for the fourth time in 13 days. Adding to the Nailers’ motivation was an embarrassing 9-3 loss at Toledo on Saturday night, a game in which the Storm scored five power-play goals. “This happened. Now we go back to work,” O’Brien said.“We have two big games against a very good Atlantic City team. We have to shake this off and go back to work. Atlantic City lost on Tuesday night, and I’m sure they went back to work (yesterday).” Wheeling goaltender Tyler MacKay stopped 27 of 28 shots in the win for the 9-6-1 (19 points) Nailers. Arturs Irbe suffered only his second regulation loss in 11 outings. Neither team scored in the first period. “We came out with a game plan in the first period,” O’Brien said. “We had a solid forecheck and did a good job. The second period, the bottom line is we just did not win the one-on-one battles. The bottom line is things just weren’t going our way. The puck wasn’t going our way. We weren’t winning the battles for the loose pucks. We haven’t played many bad games, but when we do, we do.” Wheeling’s Arpad Mihaly broke the shutout by scoring from point-blank range against Irbe 2:39 into the second period. The Nailers’ Chris McNamara made it a two-goal advantage by scoring at 8:12 of the second. Wheeling forward J.F. Dufour scored in his first game back after an assignment from the AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins at 14:15 after J.C. Ruid, also back from Wilkes-Barre, won a face-off. Dufour tallied again at 16:55, and T.J. Reynolds added a power-play goal 25 seconds later. The man-advantage followed a fight in which Johnstown’s Mike James bloodied Wheeling’s Kamil Kuriplach. Ruid scored from the top of the face-off circle 2:34 into the final period after assists by Dufour and Jason Jaffray. Johnstown defenseman P.L. Courchesne put the Chiefs on the board with a goal from the top of the right-wing circle as the teams skated 4-on-4. Jeff Sullivan and Dominic Forget assisted on the goal at 4:24 of the third. ©Tribune Democrat 2003

First-place Chiefs earn ‘ugly’ win behind Irbe - 22th of November

The Johnstown Chiefs truly played the part of a first-place team last night at Cambria County War Memorial Arena. This certainly wasn’t a flawless effort against the visiting Wheeling Nailers. In fact, Johnstown allowed almost as many shots on goal in the first period as the team had averaged through the first 14 games. But the Chiefs remained atop the ECHL Northern Division by overcoming adversity and capitalizing on scoring chances while getting goals from three lines and a 10th forward in a 4-1 victory over the Nailers. Of course, there also was the play of goaltender Arturs Irbe, who made 46 saves, including a handful of acrobatic stops, and won his eighth game in front of 2,218 fans at the War Memorial. "They came out really hard and Wheeling is a good team," said Irbe, the former NHL all-star who is 8-1-1 with the Chiefs. "They didn't want to lose their third in a row against us. They just kept coming hard at the net and throwing everything they could. There were a lot of bounces. It wasn’t the easiest game to play from the perspective of the amount of shots. We got peppered early in the game. That let me get into it. I didn’t really cool off for much of the game, maybe the first half of the second period and a little of the third. But the boys didn’t lose their minds (despite) the way they were coming. They tried to keep it simple." The 11-3-1 Chiefs (23 points) beat the Nailers for the third straight game and are 3-0-1 in the past four contests, 6-1-1 in the last eight games. Fourth-place Wheeling is 8-5-1 with 17 points. "Was it pretty? No," Chiefs coach Toby O’Brien said. "Was it a win? Yes. In March or April, nobody’s going to remember whether those were pretty or ugly. They’re going to remember whether we got two points for them. I give the guys credit, when things weren’t clicking perfectly, they still found a way to grind out a ‘W.’" Wheeling had 21 first-period shots, but the Chiefs still led, 2-0. Forward Richard Paul poked in a rebound on the left side after defenseman Ian Manzano’s shot from the right point 8:06 into the game for his first goal of the season. "They tell me to go in front of the net, so that’s what I did," said Paul, usually a physical presence who has 60 penalty minutes. "I went to the front, got the rebound and popped her home. It felt great to finally break the barrier and get my first goal. Hopefully there will be more after that." Johnstown’s Jason Notermann one-timed a perfect pass by Brent Kelly, who was positioned behind the net. Kelly’s pass hit Notermann’s stick so quickly that goaltender Andy Chiodo – in his first start after an assignment from AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton – didn’t see the shot. Meanwhile, Irbe made the two-goal lead stand. He poke-checked Jason Jaffrey to divert a breakaway with 12:43 left in the first. Later, Irbe was down on his back after making a save but still swept away the puck with his stick after Chris McNamara’s quick rebound shot from the right side of the crease. The Chiefs had a chance to pad the margin, but Chiodo turned away a Dominic Forget penalty shot with 1:38 left in the opening period. A scoreless second period was followed by an offensive flurry early in the third. The Chiefs’ Shawn Mather tipped in a pass from defenseman Jay Langager, who faked a slapshot, then hit Mather in the slot 23 seconds into the period. But Wheeling’s Steve Crampton broke the shutout at 1:19. Forget countered by skating down the left wing and drilling a shot past Chiodo at 1:39 of the third. "It wasn’t the prettiest game, but that’s what the team is built on," Irbe said. "You make some saves, you score some goals and that’s the difference." Irbe made "some saves" in the third. With 10:56 left, Brandon Doria was alone in front, with Irbe flat on the ice. The goaltender extended his stick to stop the shot. Doria and Brandon Hodge had two quality chances only seconds apart, but Irbe stopped both. "Every guy on the team is paid to win games for you," O’Brien said. "The first period Archie came through and did his part for the team. The second and third periods, we got going and we took advantage of our opportunities. We made plays, and it paid dividends. Still, in the second and third periods when there were must-make saves, Archie came up big." ©Tribune Democrat 2003

Chiefs lose in overtime - 16th of November

It took an overtime period and seven rounds of a shootout to finally slow down the Johnstown Chiefs last night. Even though the Cincinnati Cyclones defeated the Chiefs, 2-1, in the overtime shootout last night at U.S. Bank Arena, Johnstown still took sole possession of first place in the ECHL North Division by picking up a point in the standings. The 9-3-1 Chiefs (19 points) moved a point ahead of idle 9-4-0 Atlantic City. Coach Toby O’Brien’s team will visit the Wheeling Nailers in a rematch of Friday’s 3-1 victory that was played in front of a Chiefs’ single-game record 4,191 fans at Cambria County War Memorial Arena. "This game was kind of like the adrenaline dump after the big fight," O’Brien said. "Obviously the guys played real hard in Atlantic City (on Wednesday) to get their redemption and win 2-0. They came back home knowing that the town and the organization did its part to put a full house in there on Friday. They wanted to play hard and please the fans that supported them. They did so in an admirable fashion. This time, the little things we were trying to do and the little extra jump just wasn’t happening for us." Neither team scored through 40 minutes as Cincinnati goaltender Randy Petruk and Johnstown’s Arturs Irbe dueled. The Chiefs Dmitri Tarabrin scored a power-play goal 6:23 into the third period. Dominic Forget and Steve Hildenbrand assisted on Tarabrin’s fifth goal of the season. But Cincinnati’s Brett Clouthier deflected in a shot at 12:32 to tie the game. Josh Harrold and Derrick Byfuglien each had assists. "Tarabrin had a back-door power-play goal that gave us a 1-0 lead about seven minutes in," O’Brien said. "About five or six minutes later we gave up the equalizer right off the draw, a slapshot from the point, a deflection in front." In the shootout, Petruk blanked the Chiefs through four rounds and the Cyclones had a 1-0 shootout advantage after a second-round goal. But Tarabrin came through in the clutch, scoring on the fifth attempt. Irbe turned away Cincinnati’s shot in the bottom of the fifth to force extra shooters. Johnstown’s Steve Hildenbrand and Chad Cavanagh couldn’t beat Petruk in the sixth and seventh rounds, respectively. Cincinnati’s Jason Norrie scored in the seventh for the win. ©Tribune Democrat 2003

Chiefs earn win in front of the biggest crowd ever - 15th of November

In front of the largest crowd ever to watch an ECHL game at the Cambria County War Memorial Arena, the Johnstown Chiefs picked up their ninth win of the season, with a 3-1 victory over the visiting Wheeling Nailers. The standing room only crowd of 4,191 came to their feet when the Chiefs jumped out to a 2-0 lead with goals by Jason Notermann and Steve Hildenbrand. Shawn Mather added a third period goal. Dan Ennis scored the lone Wheeling goal. Chiefs goaltender Arturs Irbe picked up his seventh win of the season making 17 saves. Wheeling goaltender Tyler MacKay made 26 saves in the contest. Note: We can't find any pics from the last few games, so if you have some, please send them to me.

Irbe loses first game in EHCL - 10th of November

Atlantic City proved that the Johnstown Chiefs and goaltender Arturs Irbe are in fact "human" this ECHL season in a 5-0 shutout yesterday afternoon at Boardwalk Hall. The Boardwalk Bullies scored two short-handed goals and used a three-goal second period to win a battle of teams that began the afternoon tied for first place in the ECHL Northern Division. Atlantic City moved into sole possession of first place with an 8-3 record and 16 points. The Chiefs had a three-game winning streak snapped and slipped to 7-3 overall, with 14 points. Irbe lost for the first time in seven ECHL starts (6-1-0), a night after posting a 3-0 shutout at Trenton. The former NHL all-star also won Friday night at home against Toledo. Atlantic City’s Jon Cullen netted his third goal of the season 6:20 into the first period, capitalizing on a Chiefs’ breakdown on the power play. A Johnstown shot from the blue line was blocked and caromed into open ice, where Cullen had a path to the net. In the second period, Luke Curtin scored his seventh of the season, also short-handed on a 2-on-1 break, with assists by Cullen and former Chiefs forward Kam White at 8:01. That margin would have been more than enough for Stirling, a former ECHL Goaltender of the Year who led Atlantic City to the Kelly Cup last season. But the Bullies piled it on, adding a second-period goal by Preston Mizzi at 10:24. The goal was a result of pinpoint passing. Rivard hit Danny Eberly, who returned a pass to Rivard, who set up Mizzi for a tip-in. The Bullies’ John Sabo scored at 13:29 of the second after a pass from rookie Sam Paolini. In the third period, Rivard deflected a shot past Irbe at 14:47 to set the final. Stirling stopped 25 shots to improve to 6-2-0. Irbe had 29 saves on 34 Bullies shots. The Chiefs power play, which had clicked for four goals in the two wins this weekend, misfired five times and allowed two short-handed goals. Johnstown’s penalty kill successfully thwarted seven Atlantic City power-play attempts. ©Tribune Democrat 2003

Arturs Irbe records first EHCL shutout - 9th of November

Goaltender Arturs Irbe recorded his first ECHL shutout and won his sixth straight game as the Johnstown Chiefs defeated the Trenton Titans, 3-0, last night at Sovereign Bank Arena. Irbe, a former NHL all-star, stopped 29 Titans’ shots. "We’re allowing the second-fewest shots in the league coming into this game and the shots were low in the first period," Chiefs coach Toby O’Brien said. "But I think our bus legs caught up to us in the second period. But that’s when Arturs made several big saves. That’s what the team is about, picking each other up. "With the lead in the third period, we played hard and much of the play was in their end," O’Brien added. "We did what we needed to, including killing off a penalty called with 1:40 left in the game and their goalie pulled. It was a 6-on-4 advantage for them. We preserved the shutout for the team and for Arturs." The Chiefs had goals by Dmitri Tarabrin, Dominic Forget and P.L. Courchesne while improving to 7-2 overall with their third straight win. The Chiefs and Atlantic City are tied for first in the Northern Division with 14 points. Johnstown visits Atlantic City at 2 p.m. on today. "Trenton has always been a tough place for us to win in," O’Brien said. "They have a beautiful building, a good crowd and quality teams. In addition, it’s at the outer edge of our travel in which we leave the day of the game. Trenton and Toledo are the farthest day trips we make. Sometimes we have bus legs. If we can survive the first 10 minutes of the game, we’re usually in for a good game." "In the first period, forward Tarabrin netted a power-play goal at 9:56. Shawn Mather and Brent Bilodeau each had assists. Forget scored 18 seconds later to make it 2-0 against Titans goaltender Andrew Allen. Steve Hildenbrand and Courchesne had assists. At 17:35 of the second period, Courchesne made it 3-0 on the power play. Hildenbrand assisted. "We went 2-for-5 on the power play after going 2-for-6 (on Friday against Toledo)," O’Brien said. "It’s something we worked on this week during practice. It looks like it’s paying off." Trenton was 0-for-8 on the power play. "When faced with a challenge, Irbe was up to the task," O’Brien said. ©Tribune Democrat 2003

Chiefs defeat Dayton - 8th of November

Before each ECHL game, Johnstown Chiefs coach Toby O’Brien goes through a list of team goals. Like most coaches at any level of hockey, O’Brien wants his team to limit the opposition to fewer than 30 shots on goal. This season, the Chiefs have taken that suggestion seriously. The Toledo Storm didn’t register its first shot until 13:36 into the first-period last night. The Chiefs limited the Storm to 17 attempts in a 4-1 victory played before a crowd of 2,783 at Cambria County War Memorial Arena. "After the first weekend, when we lost 4-1 at Toledo, the players got more committed to defense, and that wins games for you,” said Chiefs rookie forward Jason Notermann, who had a goal and two assists. "We’re doing a better job. Everybody’s backing each other up and working hard." The 6-2 Chiefs have won five of six home games while outscoring the opposition by a cumulative 23-10 at the War Memorial. In Johnstown’s six wins this season, the Chiefs have held opponents to fewer than 30 shots each time, including three games with 25 or fewer shots allowed. "We’ve been working on it since Day 1, and I’ll be a little repetitive when I say we’ve really been stressing our defense," O’Brien said. "We want to hold teams to under 30 shots. I give credit to our guys on our blue line for doing their job. But at the same time, they couldn’t be doing what they’re doing if the forwards weren’t coming back to support them. Everyone thinks only defensemen play defense. The whole team plays defense.” Neither team scored in the first period. In fact, the Storm had problems generating any offense. Johnstown’s team defense held Toledo without a shot on goal until Adam Edinger’s attempt from the right side of the cage 13:36 into the game. The Chiefs outshot Toledo, 14-3, in the first period, but couldn’t score against Doug Teskey despite several solid opportunities. "When we did have chances, we didn’t want to shoot," Toledo coach Steve Harrison said. "We tried to make passes. They came down and just took shots. We’re trying to be pretty, and that’s not part of the game. It’s just out of character." In the second period, Notermann flipped a backhanded rebound of Ian Manzano’s shot from the right point past Teskey for a 1-0 advantage at 2:12. "It was just a good play by our defense, they got the puck to the net," Notermann said. "Their goalie was kicking out rebounds. After the first period, everybody realized that. It just happened that I got onto one and chipped it over the goalie." The Chiefs capitalized on an unusual bounce to lead, 2-0, at 16:10 of the second. Notermann dumped the puck deep with the Chiefs skating on a power play. The seemingly harmless pass caromed off the boards and into the slot, where Brent Kelly was in position for his sixth goal of the season. "We talk about in our building that the bounces sometimes are funny,” O’Brien said. “I give B.K. a ton of credit. He was aware, and he punched it in." The Storm pulled within one after Scott Horvath poked his own rebound past Arturs Irbe 7:07 into the final period for his first professional goal. Shawn Mather’s power-play goal at 15:03 of the third reestablished the Chiefs’ two-goal lead, and Chiefs defenseman Jay Langager hit the empty net from his own zone with 1:04 remaining. Irbe, who made 16 saves for the win, assisted. "It was huge," Notermann said of Mather’s goal. "They were making a run at it and coming out hard. It killed their momentum. We got the two-goal lead back and made things a lot easier for us. We settled down and continued to do what we were doing at the beginning of the game." The Chiefs also killed off a 5-on-3 Toledo power play that lasted 44 seconds with the score still at 2-1. ©Tribune Democrat 2003

Irbe improves to 4-0-0 - 2nd of October

The Johnstown Chiefs got back to their winning ways Saturday night when they defeated the visiting Reading Royals 3-1 at the War Memorial. Jason Notermann, Dominic Forget and Steve Hildenbrand (empty net goal) all scored for the Chiefs. Jonathan Zion scored the lone Reading goal. Arturs Irbe posted the win making 23 saves after sitting on the bench on friday night, while Royals goaltender Cody Rudkowsky made 30 saves. The Chiefs were 0 for 8 on the power play while Reading was 1 for 9.

Irbe named goalie of the week - 29th of October 2003

Arturs Irbe has had bigger moments during the course of his 538 National Hockey League games. A two-time NHL all-star who led the Carolina Hurricanes to the 2002 Stanley Cup Finals, Irbe has been in the spotlight plenty of times. But the Johnstown Chiefs goaltender still didn’t expect the ECHL to name him Goaltender of the Week ending Sunday. "I’m surprised. I didn’t know two games would cut it," joked Irbe, who went 2-0-0 with a 1.50 goals against average and .950 save percentage last week. "Don’t expect an acceptance speech." Instead, Irbe credited his new teammates, who have played solid defense as a unit while still putting up an impressive number of goals. The .4-1-0 Chiefs have outscored opponents by a combined 22-9 in five games. "The guys are keeping the shots low," Irbe said after yesterday’s announcement. "It makes it much easier. I’ve been completely accepted here. I’m one of the boys. I’m no different than anybody else, which is important. This is a skilled team with a lot of skilled guys. That makes training that much more fun." Overall, Irbe is 3-0-0, with a league-leading .944 save percentage. His three victories tie for the ECHL lead. His cumulative 1.33 goals against average ranks eighth in the 31-team league. "The bottom line is to win," Irbe said of his adapting to the ECHL after spending his entire career at the NHL or AHL levels. "Since we have a good team, the adjustment has been easy. Winning makes everything easier." Chiefs coach Toby O'Brien said Irbe has fit into the team-first philosophy the small-market organization stresses. "When any guy gets recognized by the league it’s great," O’Brien said. "It’s a reflection of the team and the team chemistry and Arturs being a part of that team. I think he’s brought confidence to the players. He has been one of the guys, nobody special or anything like that. He’s been a professional. Because of that, he is having success. It’s been a good model for our younger players to focus on. I’m happy for him. I’m happy for the team. There are 20 other guys out there."

Irbe wins third game with Johnstown - 25th of October 2003

Jason Notermann scored twice and Arturs Irbe made 28 saves to lead the Johnstown Chiefs to a 6-1 victory over the Dayton Bombers. Notermann broke a 1-1 tie with an unassisted goal 15 seconds into the second period and gave Johnstown a 4-1 advantage 26 seconds into the third. Irbe turned aside all 24 shots he faced over the final two periods to improve to 3-0 since joining the club from the Carolina Hurricanes. Jay Langager and and Dmitri Tarabrin each produced a goal and an assist for the Chiefs, who have won four games in a row. Jason Deskins scored a shorthanded goal in the first period for Dayton, which has allowed 11 goals in losing its first two games of the season. Bujar Amidovski made 25 saves in defeat.

Irbe remains succesful - 23th of October 2003

The Johnstown Chiefs closed out their three game home stand in style, as they picked up their third straight win, a 5-2 victory over the visiting Texas Wildcatters. The Chiefs opened up the scoring in the first period as Johnstown native Josh Piro scored his first professional goal just 0:23 into the game. Steve Hildenbrand scored two 2nd period goals for the Chiefs while Dmitri Tarabrin and Jason Notermann also tallied. Justin Cardwell and Bobby Cunningham scored the Wildcatters goals. Chiefs goaltender Arturs Irbe played strong in goal making 27 saves including 15 in the third period. Texas goaltender Jason Cugnet (23 saves) allowed all five goals in just over one and a half periods of play. Davis Parley came in relief of Cugnet stopping all 7 shots he faced. The Chiefs improve to 3-1-0 on the season, while the Wildcatters fall to 1-3-0. You can download the video highlights of each game at http://www.johnstownchiefs.com/multimedia/video_gallery/video.htm.

Irbe makes his debut with a win - 22th of October 2003

After playing 558 NHL games, making two NHL All-Star Game appearances and leading the Carolina Hurricanes to the 2002 Stanley Cup Finals, Arturs Irbe didn’t know exactly what to make of the ECHL. Didn’t matter. His Johnstown Chiefs teammates made sure that Irbe’s ECHL debut followed a memorable script last night. Brent Kelly scored two goals, Chad Cavanagh and Jason Notermann each had a goal and an assist and Johnstown native Josh Piro tallied two assists as the Chiefs defeated the Long Beach Ice Dogs, 4-1, before a standing-room-only crowd of 4,011 at Cambria County War Memorial Arena. “I’m awfully proud of this bunch of guys,” said Irbe, who was assigned to the Chiefs by the Hurricanes on Thursday and made his first appearance in the home opener. “They showed a lot of poise and a lot of heart and played really well for me. They made it an easy night for a rookie in this league. “I was expecting a little bit more action around the net. The league is more offensive than the AHL or NHL. But our boys definitely did their part defensively. They made it so much easier for me.” Irbe stopped 26 of 27 shots, but didn’t see much action in the first two periods, as the Chiefs (1-1-0) controlled the play. At one point Johnstown held an 11-2 advantage in shots, and the Chiefs outshot the Ice Dogs, 30-16, through 40 minutes. “I wouldn’t say I was nervous, but I didn’t know what to expect,” Irbe said. “I saw the game (Friday) night in Toledo. But that’s one thing. Another thing is to be in net. Actually it was a good feeling to be back on the ice and play. I haven’t had that chance since last May. “It felt good. It’s good to be part of the team and to be wanted.” Irbe, whose role with the Hurricanes diminished last season, was mired in an apparently strained relationship with the organization that waived him in February and reportedly attempted to trade him after he cleared waivers. Irbe finished last season with the AHL Lowell Lock Monsters, but did not fit into the AHL picture this season because both Calgary and Carolina are affiliated with Lowell, and each NHL team sent its top goaltending prospect to the Lock Monsters. That’s in the past, Chiefs coach Toby O’Brien said. Johnstown already has taken a liking to Irbe, who was named the No. 2 star behind Kelly last night. “Arturs made a few big saves when he had to and allowed our boys to turn the energy around and open up the way I think we’re capable of playing,” O’Brien said. “A team effort. A team win.”