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Shots from the Point for October 18, 2013

October 18, 2013 - Central Hockey League (CHL) News Release


Three Things You Need to Know

1.) Opening Weekend- The CHL's 22nd season begins on Friday night with three games including Arizona at Brampton, Rapid City at Wichita and Tulsa at Denver. On Saturday night, St. Charles hosts Missouri, Quad City hosts Rapid City, Wichita hosts Allen and Tulsa and Denver have a re-match. There are two games on Sunday including a Finals re-match between the defending champs, the Allen Americans, and the Wichita Thunder along with Arizona at Brampton. Be sure to catch all of the LIVE action on CHL-TV, powered by America ONE Sports (www.americanonesports.com).

2.) Expansion Fever- The two expansion clubs face-off for the first time this weekend with the Brampton Beast playing the first game of the 2013-14 season and the first Central Hockey League game in Canada on Friday night against the Arizona Sundogs and the St Charles Chill playing their first game on Saturday night against cross-state rivals, the Missouri Mavericks.

3.) Anniversary Seasons- Both the Allen Americans and the Missouri Mavericks are celebrating their fifth anniversary seasons and both have special anniversary logos to commemorate their respective campaigns. The Americans have reached the CHL Finals twice in their five seasons winning the Cup last year while the Mavericks have advanced to the Conference Finals in each of the past two seasons losing in both series' in seven games.

By the Numbers

14: The number of consecutive games that Rapid City forward Jesse Schultz scored at least one point to end the 2012-13 season. Schultz had 20 total points over his 14-game point streak and finished the season with 18 goals and 27 points in 43 games.

One-Timers

-The CHL's top point producer and top goal scorer are both back for the 2013-14 season as Sebastien Thinel returns to the Missouri Mavericks after scoring 96 points (29-67=96) and A.J. Gale returns to the Denver Cutthroats after leading the league with 46 goals.

-The Allen Americans return to home ice on Sunday when they face-off against the Wichita Thunder in a Ray Miron Presidents' Cup Finals rematch. The Americans defeated the Thunder in overtime of Game 7 in last Spring's classic series. The two teams will have already had one under their belt when they meet in Allen on Sunday as they play the night before in Wichita.

-Quad City's Terry Ruskowski and Wichita's Kevin McClelland enter the 2013-14 season as the winningest active coaches in the CHL, both with a .628 win percentage. Ruskowski has a 409-228-69 record (fourth with 409 wins and third with 706 games coached) and McClelland is carrying a 304-171-43 record.

-Rapid City veteran forward Scott Wray is one goal shy of reaching two milestones. With his next strike, Wray will join Joe Burton, Travis Clayton, Jason Duda and Paul Jackson in the 300-goal club and that one goal will give him 100 as a member of the Rush.

-On paper, the most improved team in the CHL has to be the Tulsa Oilers. With an ownership change in the off-season, the Oilers came out blazing signing several upper level free agents such as forwards Thomas Beauregard and Todd Robinson along with defensemen Nathan Lutz and Jarred Mohr. Combined with the high scoring duo of Ryan Menei and Ben Gordon, and the Oilers are as deep as they have been in some time.

-If any player is the favorite to knock Missouri's Sebastien Thinel off his MVP pedestal, it is St. Charles' Chad Costello. The forward won the ECHL MVP a few seasons ago and in his last campaign in the CHL, he scored 84 points (34-50=84) in just 54 games.

-If there is some momentum to be gained from the end of last regular season it goes to the Quad City Mallards. The Flock won each of their last five games outscoring the opposition 22-9 and won their final eight regular season home games. In their final 29 games, the Mallards went 19-8-2. On the other side of the equation are the Tulsa Oilers who lost each of their last five games and finished the season with a 5-12-2 mark in their final 19 contests.

-CHL-TV, powered by America ONE Sports, is back for a second season with monthly and season packages available as well as all games on a given night available for $8.00. Visit www.americaonesports.com for ordering information.

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Central Hockey League Stories from October 18, 2013


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