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Another Three-Game Weekend Awaits Tornado

March 2, 2011 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Texas Tornado News Release


Tornado battle for second place Thursday in Frisco

The Texas Tornado will host the Amarillo Bulls on Thursday, March 3rd at 7:30pm at the Dr Pepper Arena in Frisco, in what is shaping up to be one of the more important regular season games this season. Texas and Amarillo, who are separated by just one point in the South Division standings, are fighting for 2nd place and home ice in the first round of the playoffs. The Bulls have won the last three regular season match-ups against Texas. Tickets for the game are still available by stopping by the Tornado office, online at tornadohockey.com or by calling 972-335-9800. The Tornado will then travel to New Mexico for road games on Friday and Saturday. Watch all the games live online at FASTHockey.

Crowd of 4,080 packs Park Place Dealerships Youth Jersey Night

Thanks to the always popular Park Place Dealerships Tornado youth jersey night, the Texas Tornado saw the largest crowd in almost six years pack the Dr Pepper Arena this past Saturday night. The crowd was the largest regular season crowd for the Tornado since March 5, 2005. The Texas Tornado partnered with the Boys and Girls Club of Collin County for the event, which included having members from the Frisco, McKinney and Plano Boys and Girls Club at the game.

February 4th make-up date scheduled for Tuesday, March 15th

The Texas Tornado have announced that the home game that was cancelled on Friday, February 4th against Wichita Falls due to inclement weather, has been rescheduled for Tuesday, March 15th at 7:30pm at the Dr Pepper Arena in Frisco. Any ticket to the February 4th game can be used and redeemed for the March 15th game.

2011 Robertson Cup playoff tickets on sale March 4th

Texas Tornado ticket packages for the 2011 Robertson Cup playoffs go on sale Friday, March 4th at 9am. Playoff ticket packages are good for four home playoff games and packages are $32 for End Zone seats and $60 for Premium level seats. Individual tickets for all home playoff games will go on sale March 29th. To order your playoff tickets stop by or call the Texas Tornado office at 972-335-9800.

2011-12 Season Tickets now on sale

The Texas Tornado have announced that season tickets for the 2011-12 season are now on sale. Season ticket packages start as low as $80 and can be purchased today by stopping by or calling the Tornado office at 972-335-9800. Any Texas Tornado season ticket holder who renews their seats by Friday, March 4th at 5pm, will be entered to win a trip to go watch the Tornado in Corpus Christi next weekend.

Dallas Stars and Texas Tornado Hockey Heroes package

The Texas Tornado have teamed up with the Dallas Stars for the Hockey Heroes Package. For just $45 fans can get a ticket to the following three Dallas Stars/Texas Tornado home games: March 18th-Corpus Christi IceRays @ Texas Tornado, March 19th-Philadelphia Flyers @ Dallas Stars, March 20th-Pros vs. Prospects Charity Classic. That ‚¬â„¢s three games for just $45, all in the same weekend! To purchase visit www.dallasstars.com/hockeyheroes, password: Stars.

Upcoming Tornado promotions

Saturday, March 12 vs. Wichita Falls ‚¬" Tornado/American Red Cross Blood Drive. The Texas Tornado are teaming up with the American Red Cross to help replenish the critically low blood supplies in North Texas. The blood drive will take place from 9am-1:30pm. Donors receive a free t-shirt and two tickets to March 18th game. Fans can schedule an appointment ahead of time at http://www.redcrossblood.org/make-donation, sponsor code: tornadohockey.

Friday, March 18 vs. Corpus Christi ‚¬" Tornado Fan Appreciation Night. It is the last regular season home game of the year as the Tornado team up with Harley Davidson of Dallas for a chance to win a Harley Davidson motorcycle during the game. There will also be plenty of prize giveaways and free chuck-a-pucks during the night courtesy of Liberty Mutual. Following the game, there will be a post-game Tornado party at Aloft Hotel in Frisco.

THE WEEK THAT WAS ‚¬Â¦

Saturday, February 26 ‚¬" Topeka Roadrunners 4 @ Texas Tornado 2

In front of the largest crowd to watch a Tornado home game in almost six years, the Texas Tornado fell to the 1st place Topeka RoadRunners by a score of 4-2. Marc Biggs and Jack Prince scored for Texas, who finished with a 2-5-1 record in the regular season to Topeka. Two goals in the early stages of the 3rd period by the RoadRunners proved to be the difference in the tightly fought game. The Tornado crowd of 4,080 was the largest to attend a regular season home game at the Dr Pepper Arena since March 5, 2005. Topeka would again strike first seven minutes into the opening period as a shot from the slot by Bob Marx went wide, but Jimmy Kruger could not spot the rebound in time before it found the stick of Jake Lynes, who put home his second goal of the season for a 1-0 RoadRunners lead. The Tornado generated just four shots in the opening period as the offense struggled to get going after controlling the first five minutes of the game. The Tornado again found it hard-going offensively in the 2nd period as Topeka worked the trap to perfection. However, the Tornado would answer to tie the game on the power play. JD Howard got a perfect backdoor pass, but could not convert as he tipped the puck wide. The puck ended up on the stick of Tyler Rostenkowski, who sent a shot goalward from the point. Marc Biggs was standing in front and redirected the shot over the shoulder of RoadRunners goaltender Eric Rohrkemper to tie the game at 1-1 and bring the 4,000+ fans to their feet. But, the RoadRunners would show why they are the top team in the South Division this season with two goals in the first six and a half minutes of the 3rd period. First, as the Tornado failed to clear the zone, Ryan White got loose behind the defense and tipped home a shot from Bob Marx past an unsuspecting Jimmy Kruger for a 2-1 Topeka lead. Five minutes later and while on the power play, Topeka ‚¬â„¢s Nate Milam took a wrist shot from the lower right face-off dot, which Kruger fought off with his chest, but failed to control the rebound as it went right to Brian Christie for a power play goal and a 3-1 lead. The Tornado struck back on a 5 on 3 power play to make it 3-2 as Jack Prince got open in the high slot and fired a shot past a screened Rohrkemper. But, that was close as the Tornado would get as a late empty-net goal from Nate Milam gave Topeka the 4-2 and a sweep of the Tornado.

Thursday, February 24 ‚¬" Topeka RoadRunners 3 @ Texas Tornado 2

A late 3rd period shorthanded goal by the Topeka RoadRunners foiled any attempt by the Texas Tornado to cut into Topeka ‚¬â„¢s 1st place lead, as the RoadRunners edged the Tornado on Thursday night in Frisco, 3-2. Nate Sliwinski had a goal and assist for the Tornado in the loss. The 1st period went scoreless, but it wasn ‚¬â„¢t without its chances for both teams. Topeka ‚¬â„¢s best chance came off a rebound from Tornado goaltender Jimmy Kruger that went straight to ‚¬ËœRunners forward Andrew White, who appeared to direct the puck in with his skate. Referee Andrew Suhovic ruled the puck was kicked in and the goal was waived off. The best chance for the Tornado came off the stick of Walker Hyland, who was denied on a close one-timers by RoadRunners goaltender Rasmus Tirronen. The other fireworks of the period came when Mico Solorzano was challenged to a fight by Chris Bond after a big hit by Solorzano on Bob Marx. Solorzano got off the majority of punches before wrestling Bond to the ice. The RoadRunners scored the game ‚¬â„¢s opening goal on the power play in the 2nd period, as a shot from the point by Joe Van Antwerp snuck through traffic and through the legs of Jimmy Kruger for a 1-0 RoadRunners lead. The Tornado would answer late the in the period as a drive from the high slot was saved by Tirronen, but on the rebound Tirronen was taken out by his own defenseman and Sliwinski ‚¬â„¢s rebound shot squeezed underneath Tirronen to tie the game at 1-1 heading into the 3rd period. The Tornado would take their first lead of the night on the power play, as Jack Prince poked home his 21st goal of the season, with help from Sliwinski and Walker Hyland. However, the lead would not stand as Zach Schrotenboer got loose in front of the net and put home a pass underneath the legs of Kruger to tie the game at 2-2. With the Tornado back on the power play late in the game, a shorthanded rush down the ice by Nate Milam saw him take a slapshot from the far right wing at the hash mark. The shot squeezed through Kruger ‚¬â„¢s right arm between his blocker for the eventual RoadRunners game-winning goal with less than five minutes remaining. A late Tornado surge was negated by a late penalty and the eventual 3-2 win for Topeka, as their lead in the South Division stretched to 11 points.

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