PRINCETON, N.J. � The ECHL announced on Thursday its All-ECHL Teams for 2003-04. The All-ECHL Teams were determined in a vote of ECHL coaches, who were each asked to select a goaltender, two defensemen and three forwards.
2003-04 All-ECHL First Team
G - Scott Stirling, Atlantic City (31-13-5, 1.91 GAA, .933 save pct.)
D - Corey Neilson, Pensacola (69 gp, 19g, 58a, 77 pts, +1)
D - Ben Storey, Louisiana (61 gp, 18g, 38a, 56 pts, +10)
F - Tim Smith, Columbia (67 gp, 32g, 60a, 92 pts, +38)
F - Luke Curtin, Atlantic City (64 gp, 33g, 45a, 78 pts, +17)
F - Steffon Walby, Mississippi (57 gp, 32g, 55a, 87 pts, +33)
2003-04 All-ECHL Second Team
G - Derek Gustafson, Louisiana (27-13-0, 2.04 GAA, .928 save pct.)
D - Jim Baxter, Mississippi (60 gp, 16g, 49a, 65 pts, +24)
D - Jason McBain, Las Vegas (70 gp, 11g, 43a, 54 pts, +30)
F - Mark Pederson, San Diego (69 gp, 44g, 37a, 81 pts, +16)
F - Brian McCullough, Florida (70 gp, 40g, 44a, 84 pts, +9)
F - Jason Jaffray, Wheeling (54 gp, 37g, 37a, 74 pts, +20)
Named to the All-ECHL First Team for the second time in his career is Atlantic City goaltender Scott Stirling, who was named to the All-ECHL First Team as a rookie with Trenton in 2000-01. Stirling and Luke Curtin become the first players in Boardwalk Bullies history to be named All-ECHL. Under contract to and currently on a call-up with Bridgeport of the American Hockey League, Stirling is 31-13-5 with four shutouts, a goals against average of 1.91 and a save percentage of .933 in 49 games for Atlantic City. He has also played with Portland in the AHL in 2003-04 and is 1-0-0 with a goals against average of 0.00 and a save percentage of 1.000. Stirling has surpassed his team record of 24 wins set in 2001-02 while tying the team record for shutouts. His current goals against average would surpass his team record of 2.74 set in 2001-02 while tying him for second in the league record book for the lowest goals against average. His current save percentage would break his team record of .918 set in 2001-02 and would tie him for third in the league record book for the best save percentage. Stirling won 32 games with Trenton as a rookie and becomes only the third goaltender in league history, and the first since 1998-99, to win 30 games in more than one season. Named to replace injured Arturs Irbe as the starter for the Eastern Conference in the 2004 ECHL All-Star Game, Stirling holds the record for most ECHL All-Star Game appearances and starts by a goaltender. He was named the MVP in 2003 after making 11 saves in the first period of an 8-2 win.
Making his third straight appearance on the All-ECHL First Team is Mississippi right wing Steffon Walby, who was the first player in team history to earn First Team honors in 2001-02. Named as a starter in each of the last two ECHL All-Star Games, the 6-1 and 190-pound Walby ranks second in the league in scoring with 87 points (32g-55a) in 57 games. He leads Mississippi with 55 assists and 87 points (32g-55a) and is tied for the team lead with 32 goals, 11 power-play goals and three shorthand assists. He ranks second on the Sea Wolves in plus-minus rating with +33 and power-play points with 32 (11g-21a), and he is tied for second in power-play assists with 21.
Corey Neilson is the first Pensacola defenseman to be named All-ECHL. Neilson is the second player in team history to be named to the All-ECHL First Team and the third overall to be named All-ECHL. In 2001-02, Louis Dumont was named All-ECHL First Team at right wing and Greg Pankewicz was named All-ECHL Second Team at right wing. Selected in the third round (53rd overall) by Edmonton in the 1994 NHL Entry Draft, Neilson leads ECHL defensemen and ranks ninth overall in scoring with 77 points (19g-58a) while leading the ECHL with 34 power-play assists and 43 power-play points (9g-34a) in 69 games. Voted as a starter for the Western Conference for the 2004 ECHL All-Star Game, the 6-5 and 225-pound Neilson leads defensemen with 19 goals while he leads defensemen and is tied for second overall in assists with 58.
Ben Storey is the first Louisiana defenseman since Chris Valicevic in 1999-2000 and only the second in team history to be named to the All-ECHL First Team. Valicevic was named to the All-ECHL First Team five times from 1995-2000. Storey is under contract and currently on a call-up to Houston of the AHL where he has scored two points (0g-2a) in seven games. The 6-2 and 205-pound Storey leads ECHL defensemen with 14 power-play goals and ranks second among defensemen with 18 goals. Voted as a starter for the Western Conference in the 2004 ECHL All-Star Game, Storey ranks second among defensemen and overall with 39 power-play points while ranking third among defensemen and tied for third overall with 25 power-play assists. Under contract to Houston of the AHL, Storey leads the team with 25 power-play assists and 39 power-play points while his 14 power-play goals tie him for the team lead. Selected in the fourth round (98th overall) by Colorado in the 1996 NHL Entry Draft, Storey ranks third on the team and fifth among league defensemen with 56 points (18g-38a) in 61 games.
Tim Smith is the first Columbia player to be named to the All-ECHL First Team. Columbia goaltender Patrick Couture and center Rejean Stringer were both named All-ECHL Second Team in 2002-03. Selected in the ninth round (272nd overall) by Vancouver in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft and under contract to Vancouver, the 22-year-old Smith leads the ECHL in assists with a team-record 60, points with 92 (32g-60a) and plus-minus rating with +38 while appearing in 67 games for the Inferno. The 5-9 and 165-pound Smith leads the team with 32 goals, 17 power-play assists and 24 power-play points (7g-17a) and is tied for second on the team with seven power-play goals. He has also played one game in the AHL with Manitoba in 2003-04.
Luke Curtin and goaltender Scott Stirling are the first players for Atlantic City to be named All-ECHL. Currently on call-up to Bridgeport of the AHL where he has scored two points (0g-2a) in four games, Curtin is second in the league with five shorthand goals while ranking fourth with 34 power-play points (12g-22a) and ranking eighth in scoring with 78 points (33g-45a) in 64 games. Selected in the fifth round (134th overall) by Colorado in the 1996 NHL Entry Draft, Curtin leads Atlantic City with 33 goals, 78 points (33g-45a), 12 power-play goals, 22 power-play assists, and 34 power-play points (12g-22a) and he is tied for the team lead with five shorthand goals and six game-winning goals while ranking second with 45 assists.
Derek Gustafson becomes the second Louisiana goaltender to be named to the All-ECHL Team joining Frederic Cloutier, who was named as a rookie in 2001-02. The 5-11 and 185-pound Gustafson is 27-13-0 with a goals against average of 2.04 and a save percentage of .928. He is tied for the league lead with five shutouts while ranking second in goals against average and tied for fourth in save percentage. His current goals against average would rank fourth in the league record book for the lowest goals against average.
Making his second straight appearance on the All-ECHL Team is Mississippi defenseman Jim Baxter, who was named to the First Team in 2002-03. The 6-3 and 192-pound Baxter ranks second among ECHL defensemen with 65 points (16g-49a) in 60 games. The 24-year-old Baxter leads all defensemen with five game-winning goals and ranks second among defensemen and second overall in power-play assists with 29. Selected in the seventh round (180th overall) by Boston in the 1997 National Hockey League Entry Draft and in the seventh round (202nd) overall by Carolina in the 1999 NHL Entry Draft, Baxter ranks third among defensemen and third overall in power-play points with 36. Among league defensemen, he is tied for third in assists with 49 and is fourth in goals with 16. Baxter has also played two games with Grand Rapids of the AHL scoring one point (1g-0a).
Defenseman Jason McBain becomes the first player in Las Vegas history to earn All-ECHL honors. Selected in the fourth round (81st overall) by Hartford in the 1992 NHL Entry Draft, the 6-3 and 210-pound McBain is tied for third among ECHL defensemen with a plus-minus rating of +30 and ranks sixth with 54 points (11g-43a) in 70 games. He leads Las Vegas with 18 power-play assists and 21 power-play points while ranking second on the team in assists with 43 and fourth in scoring with 54 points (11g-43a).
Mark Pederson becomes the first San Diego player to earn All-ECHL honors. Selected in the first round (15th overall) by Montreal in the 1986 National Hockey League Entry Draft, Pederson leads the ECHL with 44 goals and 18 power-play goals in 69 games while ranking fourth in scoring with 81 points (44g-37a). He is tied for fourth in the league with eight game-winning goals and is tied for fifth with 32 power-play points (18g-14a). The 6-2 and 210-pound Pederson leads the team with 81 points (44g-37a), power-play points with 32 (18g-14a), game-winning goals with eight and is tied for the team lead in plus-minus rating with +16.
Brian McCullough becomes the second Florida player to earn All-ECHL honors, joining Andy McIntyre, who was named to the First Team in 1999-2000. Under contract to Lowell of the AHL, McCullough leads the ECHL with 11 game-winning goals while ranking second in goals with 40 and third in scoring with 84 points (40g-44a) in 70 games. Voted as a starter in the 2004 ECHL All-Star Game, McCullough leads the Everblades with 40 goals, 11 power-play goals, 44 assists, 84 points (40g-44a) and 26 power-play points (11g-15a). McCullough has already broken the team record for goals (36 by McIntyre in 1999-2000) and game-winning goals and he is three points shy of the team record for points (87 by Tom Buckley in 1999-2000).
Making his second straight appearance on the All-ECHL Team is Wheeling forward Jason Jaffray, who was named to the All-ECHL First Team and the All-Rookie Team in 2002-03 with Roanoke. Jaffray is under contract to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the AHL and has scored one point (0g-1a) in five games with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in 2003-04. Jaffray becomes the first Wheeling player to be named All-ECHL since Keli Corpse, who was named to the Second Team and was also named All-Rookie in 1995-96. Voted as a starter in the ECHL All-Star Game each of his first two seasons, the 22-year-old Jaffray is third in the ECHL with 37 goals and is tied for 13th in scoring with 74 points (37g-37a) in 54 games. Jaffray leads Wheeling with 37 goals, 13 power-play goals and 28 power-play points (13g-15a) and is tied for the team lead with 74 points and six game-winning goals.
The ECHL will announce the ECHL Sportsmanship Award recipient for 2003-04 on Friday, April 2.
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