Brown making the most of his first pro season

by Justin Felisko
on

Adam Brown - Colorado Eagles

Photo: Colorado Eagles goaltender Adam Brown turned in a mostly solid junior career with the WHL's Kelowna Rockets before turning pro in 2012-13 (courtesy of Terry Sanford/Pro Hockey News)

When he was 12 years old, Adam Brown would constantly pick the brain of former Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Ron Tugnutt. The aspiring goalie and son of then-Blue Jackets assistant coach Newell Brown would mimic how to strap on his pads the same way the 1986 fourth round draft pick of the Quebec Nordiques did.

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2013 ECHL All-Star Game: All-Stars use five-goal outburst to down Eagles, 7-3

by Justin Felisko
on

Ryan Zapolski - ECHL All-Stars

Photo: South Carolina Stingrays' goaltender Ryan Zapolski played shutout hockey during his ECHL All-Star Game stint, helping to lead the ECHL All-Stars to a victory over the Colorado Eagles and earning himself the MVP award (courtesy of Hector Acevedo)

The ECHL All-Stars showed off their talent Wednesday night, tying an ECHL All-Star Game record by scoring five unanswered second period goals to defeat the 2013 ECHL All-Star Game host Colorado Eagles 7-3 at the Budweiser Events Center In Loveland, CO.

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2013 ECHL All-Star Game: Coetzee working his way back to AHL

by Justin Felisko
on

Willie Coetzee - Detroit Red Wings

Photo: Toledo Walleye forward Willie Coetzee, shown here playing in a preseason game for the Detroit Red Wings, is trying to climb back up the ladder in that NHL team's organization (courtesy of Abelimages/Getty Images)

Willie Coetzee refuses to use this year’s earlier NHL lockout as an excuse for currently playing for the ECHL’s Toledo Walleye. There is a reason why the Detroit Red Wings decided to keep the 5'10”, 180-pound forward in the ECHL instead of letting him build off of his 2010 campaign (11 goals, 11 assists) with the team's American Hockey League affiliate in Grand Rapids, MI.

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2013 ECHL All-Star Game: Maylan, Fyten looking to build on productive WHL careers

by Justin Felisko
on

Austin Fyten - Idaho Steelheads

Photo: Idaho Steelheads forward Austin Fyten is getting his first taste of the pro game after a productive career in the WHL (courtesy of Dave Reginek/NHLI via Getty Images)

Take a scan through the 2013 ECHL All-Star Game roster and there me be some odd selections or missing names.

However, the ECHL has purposely made its All-Star Game a showcase of the league’s young and upcoming prospects instead of a game featuring its top performers. By doing so, the ECHL is able to display some of its best talent that may one day crack an NHL roster or play in the American Hockey League.

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2013 ECHL Skills Competition: Eagles top All-Stars in front of hometown crowd

by Justin Felisko
on

2013 ECHL Skills Competition - Skills Winners

Photo: Colorado Eagles' Dylan Hood (L), Issac Smeltzer (C), and Adam Brown (R), and the Wheeling Nailers' Andrew Hotham were the winners at the 2013 ECHL Skills Competition (courtesy of Corinne Ferdinand/The Colorado Eagles)

Dylan Hood and Isaac Smeltzer went into Tuesday night’s ECHL All-Star Skills Competition hoping simply to not fall down on the ice in front of their hometown crowd.

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