ECHL officials, schedule announced.

From ECHL.com:

Officials Named For 2010
Kelly Cup Playoffs Conference Finals

PRINCETON, N.J. – The following five referees and nine linesmen have
been
selected to work the Conference Finals in the 2010 Kelly Cup
Playoffs.

Referees: Geno Binda, Jean Hebert, Keith Kaval, Jarrod Ragusin
and
Joe Sullivan

Linesmen: Steven Berry, Mathieu Chenier, Mike Hamilton, Wally
Lacroix, Matt MacPherson, Kyle Mellor, Todd Owen, Paul Reid and Michel
Voyer

American Conference Finals (Best of Seven)
Game 1 – Friday, April 30 at 7:30 p.m. ET at Cincinnati
Game 2 – Saturday, May 1 at 7:30 p.m. ET at Cincinnati
Game 3 – Tuesday, May 4 at 7:05 p.m. ET at Reading
Game 4 – Saturday, May 8 at 7:05 p.m. ET at Reading
Game 5 – Sunday, May 9 at 7:05 p.m. ET at Reading (If Necessary)
Game 6 – Tuesday, May 11 at 7:30 p.m. ET at Cincinnati (If Necessary)

Game 7 – Wednesday, May 12 at 7:30 p.m. ET at Cincinnati (If Necessary)

National Conference Finals (Best of Seven)
Game 1 – Friday, April 30 at 7:10 p.m. MT at Idaho
Game 2 – Saturday, May 1 at 7:10 p.m. MT at Idaho
Game 3 – Wednesday, May 5 at 7 p.m. PT at Stockton
Game 4 – Friday, May 7 at 7:30 p.m. PT at Stockton
Game 5 – Saturday, May 8 at 7:30 p.m. PT at Stockton (If Necessary)
Game 6 – Tuesday, May 11 at 7:10 p.m. MT at Idaho (If Necessary)
Game 7 – Wednesday, May 12 at 7:10 p.m. MT at Idaho (If Necessary)

Lenes headed to Europe.

Peter Lenes appears ready to bequeath his title of “fan favorite.”

The 5-foot-4 forward told the Burlington (VT) Free Press that he has signed with the Graz 99ers, which play in the top league in Austria. The 99ers are coached by Bill Gilligan, whose brother, Mike Gilligan, once coached Lenes’ alma mater, the University of Vermont. Former Reign forward Tony Voce played one season (2008-09) in Graz.

Lenes had 13 goals and 23 points in 58 games in his rookie season with the Reign, but only two goals and one assist after Dec. 12. His ice time rose steeply after Jon Rheault and Geoff Walker were promoted to the AHL in late November, then dropped as his production fell off.

“My numbers went down and I think there were some things the coach and I
maybe didn’t agree on. That’s the way things go sometime, so you keep
working hard and work through those times,” Lenes told the paper. “I don’t truly know
all the things (leading to less time), but if you don’t play a game,
you’ve got to stay positive.”

Here is the full story.

Holloway scores OT winner; Monarchs win.

Former Reign forward Bud Holloway scored yet another game-winning goal in the Calder Cup playoffs on Wednesday, 4:29 into overtime to lift the Manchester
Monarchs to a 3-2 win over the Worcester Sharks. The series is tied at one game apiece.

Holloway, whose five playoff goals have all gone for game-winners, also picked up an assist in the victory. Former Reign forward Dwight King, playing at left wing with Holloway on the right, finished plus-2.

The Reign have a President.

Though it meant more on paper than in terms of day-to-day responsibilities,
Justin Kemp was excited to learn that he is the new President of the Ontario
Reign.

“When I was brought on to the Reign my responsibility was to
run the team, but the title of President is something you earn,” Kemp said. “It
had to be approved by AEG, because they’re 80 percent owners of the team in the
partnership we have. They had to give their blessing to that, which is
certainly flattering.”

The team’s former Executive Vice President of Business
Operations is upgrading his verbose title, but not the responsibilities
that come with managing the day-to-day operations of the team.

“Nothing’s
really going to change as far as my position. It’s more of an aesthetic thing,”
he said.

Kemp’s father, Barry, is the team’s minority owner.

National Conference finals matchup set.

The Stockton Thunder will meet the Idaho Steelheads in the ECHL National Conference Finals, having beaten the Bakersfield Condors 7-4 in Game 5 of their quarterfinal series Saturday.

Stockton was able to clinch its first trip to the conference finals on home ice with goals from seven different players and 31 saves from Andrew Perugini.

The Pacific Division-champion Condors didn’t make it past the second round despite a roster that included two players who had appeared in the NHL this season (Kyle Calder and MacGregor Sharp), and another who dressed for the parent-club Anaheim Ducks (Timo Pielmeier, who briefly served as a backup goalie). Pielmeier allowed six goals on 33 shots in the loss.

AHL playoff update.

Jon Rheault and the Abbotsford Heat will live to see another day.

The former Reign forward contributed a goal to the Heat’s 3-1 win over the Rochester Americans, staving off elimination in the best-of-seven Calder Cup playoff series. Rheault now has two goals and an assist in five games of the series, which the Amerks lead three games to two.

Former Reign center Dusty Collins also avoided elimination Friday, when his Manitoba Moose defeated the Hamilton Bulldogs 5-2. The Bulldogs lead the series three games to two. Collins posted his only point of the series by scoring a goal in Game 4 on Wednesday.

ECHL playoff update.

The Idaho Steelheads eliminated the Utah Grizzlies with a 4-1 win on the road Friday, sweeping the series four games to none to move on to the National Conference finals.

They will face either the Bakersfield Condors or the Stockton Thunder, who pushed their Central Valley rivals to the brink with a 6-2 win Friday night in Stockton. The Thunder lead the best-of-seven series three games to one, with Game 5 set for 7:30 p.m. Saturday night.

Manchester sweeps into round two

Bud Holloway, Dwight King and the Manchester Monarchs are going to the second round of the Calder Cup playoffs after finishing off the Portland Pirates in a four-game sweep Tuesday.

The Monarchs’ 7-2 win was the only blowout of the series. Holloway had a goal and King had an assist. Backup goalie Jeff Zatkoff was the third former Reign player in a Monarchs uniform, but did not appear in a game as Jonathan Bernier handled goaltending duties.

Manchester will play either the Worcester Sharks or Lowell Devils in the second round.

More heroics for Holloway

Former Reign forward Bud Holloway scored his third game-winning goal in as many games for the American Hockey League’s Manchester Monarchs on Monday. His goal two minutes into overtime against the Portland Pirates lifted the Monarchs to a three-games-to-none lead in the best-of-seven playoff series.

With the game tied 1-1 in overtime, former Reign forward Dwight King gathered the puck along the right-wing boards from center Justin Azevedo. King found Holloway streaking toward the net from the left-wing boards. Going down to one knee, Holloway quickly one-timed a shot that beat Pirates netminder Jean-Phillippe Lamoureux on his blocker side.

Holloway’s three game-winners lead the AHL.