
RoadRunners achieve lofty goal
March 15, 2008 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Topeka Pilots News Release
TOPEKA, KS MAR. 15, 2008: The Topeka RoadRunners hockey club, in their first season, will post the winningest record in Topeka's hockey history.
With Friday nights come-from-behind 3-2 victory over Wichita Falls (TX), the RoadRunners improved to 35-11-7 on the season, a winning percentage of .726. The previous record of .658 was set by the USHL Topeka ScareCrows in the 2002-03 season. That team went 36-17-7 in their final year in Topeka before being sold and relocated to Chesterfield, MO. While the RoadRunners still have 5 games left on their schedule, even the unthinkable would still leave them with the most successful season Topeka has seen.
The original incarnation of hockey in Topeka was the CHL's Topeka ScareCrows, who played a 70 game schedule. After 3 seasons, the USHL ScareCrows played a 60 game season, and a 61 game season before gving way to the CHL's Topeka Tarantulas, who also played 60 games but posted a dismal 16-39-5 (.305) record. With the varying numbers of games played each year, winning percentage is the only true unit of measure for the sake of comparison.
Achieving this goal was a vision of head coach and general manager Scott Langer from the beginning. "We knew that to be a success off the ice, we were going to need to do well on the ice", he said. "I quiet;ly set the goal to be the best team Topeka has seen, and thanks to this incredible group of young men, we've achieved that." However, now is not the time to reflect on milestones. "We haven't accomplished anything yet. This team has the capability of going deep in the postseason, and right now, that is our focus."
A postseason berth for Topeka has already been secured, but opponents and exact dates are yet to be determined because the final seeding is still up in the air. Texas is locked into the #4 slot, but the Top 3 could finish in any order. However it all shakes out, playoffs will begin the first week of April, and anywhere from one to six games may end up being played in the Kansas Expocentre. "Obviously we'll do all we can to secure home ice. Our goal is to bring home a banner to hang here and I think our guys are feeling up to the challenge", Langer said. For more details on the NAHL Playoffs, visit www.nahl.com .
Topeka is led offensively by University of Connecticut recruit Corey Jendras (26 goals, 33 assists), Division I prospect Josh Kamrass (21 goals, 38 assists), and University of Alaska-Fairbanks recruit Aaron Gens (12 goals, 44 assists). In nets, goaltender Bryce Merriam is coming a weekend where he posted back to back shutouts in Texas, has 2 big wins over the Wildcats this week, and is currently ranked 3rd in the NAHL in goals against average (2.18). Lyle Rocker has been exceptional in his role as a backup goaltender, going 12-0-1 with a 2.17 GAA.
Tonight is SCAFFA (State Capitol Area Fire Fighters Association) Night, and the RoadRunners will wear specially designed uniforms that will be auctioned off after the game to benefit the State FireFighters.
Tickets start at just $6.50 and are available at the Expocentre Box Office. For more information, log on to www.topekaroadrunners.com.
North American Hockey League Stories from March 15, 2008
- U.S. National Under-17 Team Settles for Split With St. Louis - U.S. National Team
- Stars fall, 7-2 - Traverse City North Stars
- Phantoms Tounce Traverse City, Secure Second Place in North - Mahoning Valley Phantoms
- NHL Legend Bobby Hull Comes To Springfield Today - Springfield Jr. Blues
- RoadRunners achieve lofty goal - Topeka Pilots
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
