CHL Central Hockey League

06-07 CHL Expansion Club Announces Name, Logo

Published on December 13, 2005 under Central Hockey League (CHL) News Release


One of two new Central Hockey League expansion clubs preparing for their first season of play now has an identity, as the Prescott Valley, Arizona based Arizona Sundogs were today introduced to local media, fans and corporate partners at a press conference at a packed Buffalo Wild Wings location in Prescott Valley. Those in attendance for the announcement included Arizona Sundogs President Hayne Ellis, owner and governor Eric Lacroix, owner Shawn Fowler, coach Marco Pietroniro, CHL President Brad Treliving, and Dan Price, President of Denver's Adrenalin Design Group, who developed the Sundogs logo, featuring the colors of black, red, rust and silver.

"This is a major step towards bringing our dream to reality," said Lacroix. "There has been a lot of hard work done to bring us to where we are today, and this team is going to be an exciting new addition to the Central Hockey League."

The name was selected through a name the team contest, featuring five other semi- finalists, including Ambush, Dust Devils, Outlaws, Pronghorns and Vipers. A sundog is defined as a relatively common atmospheric optical phenomenon associated with the reflection/refraction of sunlight by the numerous small ice crystals that make up cirrus or cirrostratus clouds. In simpler terms, Sundogs typically appear as a bright and sometimes colorful spot to the left or right of the sun.

"The Arizona Sundogs organization is pleased to present a name that is both fun and unique," said Ellis. "We are grateful to the hockey fans in Northern Arizona who pointed us in the right direction and whose input brought us to where we are today."

Also announced during the press conference was the team website, located at www.arizonasundogs.com . For more information, please visit the Sundogs online or call 928-772-5555.

The Sundogs will begin CHL play in the 2006-2007 season in the Prescott Valley Convention and Events Center, currently under construction with a projected capacity of 5,100 for ice hockey. Joining the Sundogs next season in the CHL will be teams in Broomfield, Colorado and Rio Rancho, New Mexico. The Broomfield franchise is expected to announce their name and logo in early January and will play out of the currently under construction Broomfield Event Center, while the New Mexico Scorpions will return from a one year hiatus and play at another new facility, the also currently under construction Rio Rancho Events Center.

Central Hockey League Standings - Through 12-12-05

Northwest Division GP W L OTL PTS Northeast Division GP W L OTL PTS

Colorado 22 17 5 0 34 Bossier-Shreveport 20 9 9 2 20

Wichita 20 13 4 3 29 Youngstown 22 9 12 1 19

Oklahoma City 21 11 10 0 22 Fort Worth 21 8 11 2 18

Tulsa 20 9 9 2 20 Memphis 18 7 10 1 15

Southwest Division GP W L OTL PTS Southeast Division GP W L OTL PTS Odessa 22 12 7 3 27 Laredo 23 14 7 2 30

Lubbock 23 12 10 1 25 Rio Grande Valley 21 10 10 1 21

Amarillo 19 7 10 2 16 Corpus Christi 20 9 10 1 19

Austin 20 9 11 0 18

CHL Team By Team Notes

AMARILLO GORILLAS
Season Record: 7-10-2, 16 points
This Week: Fri. vs ODE, Sat. vs COL

The Gorillas woke up over the weekend with a pair of wins, scoring 10 goals against Youngstown on Friday and squeaking out a third period 2-1 victory on Saturday against Odessa for their third win in a row. Amarillo also made a few moves off the ice acquiring D Trevor Read and RW Joe Guenther from Austin and Tulsa, respectively. Derek Hahn has 12 points in his last four games (5g,7a) and Scott Wray has 15 in seven games.

AUSTIN ICE BATS
Season Record: 9-11-0, 18 points
This Week: Thu. @ CRP, Fri. @ LAR, Sat. vs CRP

Austin played only two games last week after having their mid-week game in Fort Worth postponed due to inclement weather. The Ice Bats escaped with a 2-1 victory over the Mudbugs on Friday before falling 5-1 to Rio Grande Valley and snapping goaltender Miroslav Korpiva's winning streak at five games. Austin has been outscored 16-3 in their last two games against the Killer Bees and is 5-6-0 in the SE Division.

BOSSIER-SHREVEPORT MUDBUGS
Season Record: 9-9-2, 20 points
This Week: Fri. vs FTW, Sat. vs FTW

The Mudbugs have dropped their last three games, including a 4-1 loss to League-leading Colorado on Thursday and a 2-1 decision at Austin on Saturday. Bossier-Shreveport is second in the CHL in shots with 36+ per game and leads the league in shots against, allowing just over 27 each night with a record of 8-7-1 when they outshoot the opposition. The team is 4-3-2 in one-goal games this year, but only 1-5 in two goal games.

COLORADO EAGLES
Season Record: 17-5-0, 34 points
This Week: Wed. vs OKC, Fri. vs YNG, Sat. @ AMA

Colorado appears to have hit their stride, especially on the road where they have won eight straight, two shy of the CHL record. C Riley Nelson scored a pair of game winners against the RiverKings, one in overtime for a 5-4 win on Friday and the other the second of two goals in a one-minute span in the second period of a 2-1 win on Saturday. Greg Pankewicz and Les Borsheim are tied for the League lead in PIM's with 132.

CORPUS CHRISTI RAYZ
Season Record: 9-10-1, 19 points
This Week: Thu. vs AUS, Fri. @ RGV, Sat. @ AUS

The Rayz knocked off Odessa 4-2 on Friday before dropping a pair of 3-2 games to the Jackalopes on Saturday and the Cotton Kings (in OT) on Sunday. Corpus Christi has been making it difficult on All-Star goalie Scott Reid giving up close to 40 shots per game, the most in the League this season. The Rayz have not lost when leading after two periods (6-0-0), but have not come back to win when trailing after two (0-8-1).

FORT WORTH BRAHMAS
Season Record: 8-11-2, 18 points
This Week: Tue. vs YNG, Fri. @ BOS, Sat. @ BOS

The Brahmas had a rough weekend away from home falling 6-1 at Oklahoma City and 5-4 the next night in Wichita. Goaltender Larry Sterling continues to stand out sitting third in the League with 502 saves. Fort Worth is 6-3-0 when tallying the first goal and is 2-8-2 when allowing the first goal against and the club is below .500 against every division in the CHL except for the Southeast where they are 3-1-0.

LAREDO BUCKS
Season Record: 14-7-2, 30 points
This Week: Fri. vs AUS, Sat. vs RGV, Sun. @ RGV

Laredo went 1-1-1 over the weekend beginning with a wild 7-6 shootout loss to Lubbock, followed by a 2-0 shutout win against the Cotton Kings and a 4-3 loss to the Killer Bees. The Bucks allowed only 66 shots total in their last three games, but still gave up 10 regulation goals against. Laredo's lone victory this weekend came on their own turf and kept their current six-game home winning streak intact.

LUBBOCK COTTON KINGS
Season Record: 12-10-1, 25 points
This Week: Sat. vs ODE

Lubbock split a home-and-home with the Bucks, first winning 7-6 in a shootout before being shutout 2-0 the next night. The Cotton Kings needed extra time once again on Sunday to drop the Rayz 3-2 on the road and now sit two points behind Odessa in the Southwest Division. Lubbock has an opportunity to rest up this week - after playing a CHL high 23 games already, they only have one contest at home this weekend.

MEMPHIS RIVERKINGS
Season Record: 7-10-1, 15 points
This Week: Tue. @ WIC, Fri. @ TUL, Sat. @ OKC

The RiverKings had a two-game home set against the Eagles after playing in Colorado the week before, but fell in both games by a single goal, one 5-4 in overtime and the other 2-1 in regulation. Memphis is last in the League in goals against giving up 3.78 each game, but their power play is tops at 20.1% (30/149) and best at home at 24.1% (19/79). The RiverKings are 5-3-0 in their division this season and 2-7-1 outside.

ODESSA JACKALOPES
Season Record: 12-7-3, 27 points
This Week: Fri. @ AMA, Sat. @ LUB

After outscoring opponents 10-3 in two home triumphs last weekend, the Jackalopes have a seven-game home winning streak. Odessa continues to produce as a team and has gotten help with strong play between the pipes from both Mike Gorman and Derek Dolson; Gorman leads the CHL in minutes (999:06) and save percentage (.931), is second in GAA (2.28), saves (516), and wins (11), and has two shutouts this season.

OKLAHOMA CITY BLAZERS
Season Record: 11-10-0, 22 points
This Week: Wed. @ COL, Fri. vs WIC, Sat. vs MEM

Oklahoma City scored 16 goals in three games over the weekend in two wins over Tulsa and Fort Worth surrounding a loss at home to the Oilers on Saturday night. The Blazers and Brahmas got physical on Friday night in a 6-1 contest in favor of Oklahoma City combining for 184 penalty minutes and eight fights. Marty Standish scored four goals, including a hat trick, and added 2 assists in the three games over the weekend.

RIO GRANDE VALLEY KILLER BEES
Season Record: 10-10-1, 21 points
This Week: Fri. vs CRP, Sat. @ LAR, Sun. vs LAR

The Killer Bees did not enjoy their stay in Youngstown dropping both mid-week games, but rebounded to take a pair on Saturday and Sunday against Southeast Division opponents Austin and Laredo. Daymen Bencharski has been scorching hot as of late, recording 13 points (7g,6a) in his last five games, including two natural hat tricks. Rio Grande Valley has been outscored 30-19 in the third period of games this year.

TULSA OILERS
Season Record: 9-9-2, 20 points
This Week: Fri. vs MEM, Sat. vs WIC

The two road victories for the Oilers last week give them seven road wins for the season (second only to Colorado's 10), but their home record has been a problem (2-5-1). Left winger Justin Siebold had a goal in his first game for Tulsa in Wichita on Friday night. The Tulsa Oilers play two home games this weekend, including their first non-divisional contest in the last 11 games against the Memphis RiverKings.

WICHITA THUNDER
Season Record: 13-4-3, 29 points
This Week: Tue. vs MEM, Fri. @ OKC, Sat. @ TUL

Travis Clayton, who is riding a CHL-high, 10-game scoring streak, needs just two more points to pass Hardy Sauter for third place on the all-time CHL scoring list. Wichita leads the CHL in goals per game (4.20), total assists (148), power play goals (37) and shorthanded goals (9). Daniel Tetrault ranks among the top three CHL defensemen for goals (8) and points (23) and David Lizotte is tied for the CHL lead in +/- at +14.

YOUNGSTOWN STEELHOUNDS
Season Record: 9-12-1, 19 points
This Week: Tue. @ FTW, Fri. @ COL

The SteelHounds took a pair of home wins from Rio Grande Valley during last week, but were then back on the road and outscored 17-4 in two losses to Amarillo and Odessa. Jonathan Gagnon scored a pair of goals the first night against the Killer Bees and followed that effort with a goal and an assist the next evening. Jeff Christian is back in the scoring lead with 35 points (21g,14a).

CHL Results - 12-6-05 through 12-11-05

Tuesday, December 6

Colorado 6 vs Tulsa 2

Lubbock 3 vs Odessa 6

Rio Grande Valley 3 vs Youngstown 4

Wednesday, December 7

Rio Grande Valley 1 vs Youngstown 5

Thursday, December 8

Colorado 4 vs Bossier-Shreveport 1

Friday, December 9

Corpus Christi 2 vs Odessa 3

Laredo 6 vs Lubbock 7 SO

Colorado 5 vs Memphis 4 OT

Tulsa 6 vs Wichita 2

Youngstown 3 vs Amarillo 10

Fort Worth 1 vs Oklahoma City 6

Bossier-Shreveport 1 vs Austin 2

Saturday, December 10

Youngstown 1 vs Odessa 7

Colorado 2 vs Memphis 1

Fort Worth 4 vs Wichita 5

Lubbock 0 vs Laredo 2

Rio Grande Valley 5 vs Austin 1

Tulsa 7 vs Oklahoma City 3

Sunday, December 11

Oklahoma City 7 vs Tulsa 4

Lubbock 3 vs Corpus Christi 2 OT

Odessa 1 vs Amarillo 2

Laredo 3 vs Rio Grande Valley 4

CHL Schedule - 12-13-05 through 12-18-05

Tuesday, December 13

Memphis vs Wichita

Youngstown vs Fort Worth

Wednesday, December 14

Oklahoma City vs Colorado

Thursday, December 15

Austin vs Corpus Christi

Friday, December 16

Odessa vs Amarillo

Fort Worth vs Bossier-Shreveport

Youngstown vs Colorado

Austin vs Laredo

Wichita vs Oklahoma City

Corpus Christi vs Rio Grande Valley

Memphis vs Tulsa

Saturday, December 17

Colorado vs Amarillo

Fort Worth vs Bossier-Shreveport

Odessa vs Lubbock

Corpus Christi vs Austin

Rio Grande Valley vs Laredo

Memphis vs Oklahoma City

Wichita vs Tulsa

Sunday, December 18

Laredo vs Rio Grande Valley

Central Hockey League Leaders - Through 12-12-05

Points Team GP PTS

Christian, Jeff YNG 22 35

Blaznek, Joe WIC 20 35

Clayton, Travis WIC 20 35

Duda, Jason WIC 20 34

Multiple Players Tied At 33

Goals Team GP G Christian, Jeff YNG 22 21

Blaznek, Joe WIC 20 20

Sheppard, Scott BOS 15 18

Hahn, Derek AMA 19 15

Pankewicz, Greg COL 22 15

Assists Team GP A

Richards, Chris YNG 22 26

Clayton, Travis WIC 20 25

Duda, Jason WIC 20 24

Multiple Players Tied At 21

Plus / Minus Team GP +/-

Dube, Serge LAR 23 +14

Lizotte, David WIC 20 +14

Kouba, Ladislav LAR 22 +11

Stefishen, Adam LAR 23 +11

Multiple Players Tied At +10

Penalty Minutes Team GP PIM

Pankewicz, Greg COL 22 132

Borsheim, Les COL 22 132

Ewasko, Jeff ODE 17 116

Legault, Shawn CRP 15 111

Bain, Chris WIC 18 111

Rookie Scoring Team GP PTS

Leveille, Dominic ODE 22 26

Dahl, Jim TUL 20 20

Larson, Garrett COL 22 15

Nosan, Kyle LUB 23 15

Hansen, Rich AMA 14 15

PP Goals Team GP PPG

Blaznek, Joe WIC 20 12

Christian, Jeff YNG 22 10

Sheppard, Scott BOS 15 10

Bencharski, Daymen RGV 21 8

Multiple Players Tied At 7

GW Goals Team GP GWG

Blaznek, Joe WIC 20 5

Multiple Players Tied At 4

Wins Team GP W

Colaiacovo, Paulo COL 15 12

Gorman, Mike ODE 17 11

Laplante, Sebastien WIC 16 9

Multiple Players Tied At 8

Shutouts Team GP SO

Gorman, Mike ODE 17 2

Lemanowicz, David LAR 4 2

Barnes, Matt AUS 11 2

Multiple Players Tied At 1

Goals Against Team GP GAA

Koscielny, Brett LUB 8 2.13

Gorman, Mike ODE 17 2.28

Carroll, Ken BOS 10 2.42

Colaiacovo, Paulo COL 15 2.76

King, Chris TUL 8 2.80

Save % Team GP %

Gorman, Mike ODE 17 .931

Reid, Scott CRP 16 .928

Koscielny, Brett LUB 8 .927

King, Chris TUL 8 .915

Laplante, Sebastien WIC 16 .914

CHL Attendance Total # AVG

Oklahoma City 78,310 10 7,831

Bossier-Shreveport 45,391 8 5,673

Laredo 54,883 10 5,488

Colorado 52,890 10 5,289

Wichita 63,707 13 4,900

Rio Grande Valley 57,583 12 4,798

Lubbock 36,558 8 4,569

Tulsa 34,659 8 4,332

Corpus Christi 40,074 10 4,007

Youngstown 43,319 12 3,609

Fort Worth 46,446 13 3,572

Austin 45,680 13 3,513

Memphis 28,384 9 3,153

Odessa 32,998 11 2,999

Amarillo 26,024 9 2,891

CHL TOTAL: 686,906

TOTAL GAMES: 156

CHL AVERAGE: 4,403

All player and team statistics, as well as true real time scoring, are available on the CHL website: www.centralhockeyleague.com/statistics

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Central Hockey League Stories from December 13, 2005


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