Bats Add Four on Veterans Day
Published on October 12, 2004 under Central Hockey League (CHL)
Austin Ice Bats News Release
The Austin Ice Bats of the Central Hockey League today added four players to the roster for their 2004 training camp. The four, all veterans, are forwards Kelly Smart, Chris Richards and Gerald Tallaire, and defenseman Arturs Kupaks.
The 27-year-old Smart, a native of Brandon, Manitoba, has been with the Ice Bats for most of his six pro seasons, after an outstanding five-year junior career with the Brandon Wheat Kings of the Western Hockey League. A WPHL All-Star in 2001 and CHL All-Star in 2003, the versatile Smart is at home in any situation-- offense, defense, the power play or penalty kill. Smart, who ranks second in career assists and points, third in goals and games played with the Ice Bats, scored 17 goals and 30 assists in 64 games last year.
Richards, 29, from Cornwall, Ontario, is a four-year product of Ohio State University, leading the Buckeyes to the NCAA Frozen Four in 1998. He will enter his sixth professional season, having already garnered CHL All-Star honors in 2003 and 2004. Obtained with defenseman Arturs Kupaks from New Mexico in a January trade, Richards ranked among the top 20 CHL scorers last season with a combined 24 goals and 46 assists in 65 games.
The 32-year-old Tallaire, from Winnipeg, Manitoba, played four years at Lake Superior State University, winning the NCAA championship in 1994. After spending his first two pro seasons overseas, Tallaire played two years for the Belton-based Central Texas Stampede of the WPHL, finishing as that franchise's leading career scorer. Tallaire has played in Austin in each of the past four seasons, scoring 15 goals and 36 assists in 64 games while earning All-Star honors last year.
Kupaks, 31, from Riga, Latvia, enters his 11th pro season. An All-Star in the ECHL in 1995 and the CHL in 2003, Kupaks was also named 1999-2000 WPHL Defenseman of the Year while playing with Lubbock. Kupaks set a single-season league record that year for defensemen with 70 assists and 86 points. Obtained in the same trade that also brought Richards to Austin, Kupaks scored a combined 10 goals and 27 assists in 65 games last season with the Ice Bats and New Mexico.
"Our veterans represent the leadership core of our hockey club," said Jeff Greenlaw, Ice Bats Head Coach and Director of Hockey Operations. "Not only will we be looking for them to produce on the ice, but their leadership qualities in the locker room will be very important to the younger players on our roster."
22 players took the ice for the opening of the team's training camp, with the first on-ice practice sessions taking place yesterday at Chaparral Ice Center. The Ice Bats will host a preseason exhibition game against the Southeast Division rival Corpus Christi Rayz, beginning at 7:35pm on Friday, October 15th at the Travis County Expo Center. The game is open to the public for general admission seating, with a requested donation to Ice Bats Children's Charities and the Lance Armstrong Foundation. Every fan in attendance that donates at least $5 will also receive a ticket to a future Ice Bats regular season home game.
The Ice Bats then open their ninth season of play at the Travis County Expo Center with three home games October 22nd through the 24th, against Southeast Division rivals Corpus Christi, Rio Grande Valley and Laredo.
Opening Night is Friday, October 22nd. Free magnetic schedules will be given away, and the "Bud True Music Concert Series" begins with an appearance from country artist Rick Trevino.
The following evening, Saturday, October 23rd offers free magnetic schedules and a post-game concert from "Pushmonkey." The UT men's hockey team will also play before the contest.
Opening weekend concludes with "Faith and Family Day" on Sunday, October 24th, and an appearance from the James Jean Band.
Season tickets and corporate partnerships are currently available for the upcoming season. Once again, free Belfry Club membership is included with all full-season packages, and free parking with all full-season and 16-game ticket plans.
Individual game tickets are available now through the Ice Bats office at 927-PUCK, on-line at www.GetTix.Net, or at any of a dozen Pinky's Wireless locations in the Austin area, including Round Rock, Cedar Park, Killeen and San Marcos. Tickets are also available at all Texas Box Office locations, including all Austin-area HEB stores, or on-line at www.TexasBoxOffice.com.
To charge by phone, fans may call the Ice Bats ticket office at 927-PUCK, Get Tix at 1-866-4-Get Tix, or Texas Box Office at (512) 477-6060.
Individual game tickets range in price from $10 to $35, depending on section, with discounted rates for groups of 15 or more. Fans may call the Ice Bats ticket office at (512) 927-PUCK, or log onto the team's website at www.icebats.com for more information.
Central Hockey League Stories from October 12, 2004
- Flyers coach Hitchcock arrives in Corpus Christi - Corpus Christi IceRays
- Bats Add Four on Veterans Day - Austin Ice Bats
- Bucks Assigned Kelman - Laredo Bucks
- RiverKings to host 6,400 students from Memphis and North Mississippi on Friday - Mississippi RiverKings
- Tarantulas to officially open office - Topeka Tarantulas
- Mudbugs Training Camp Underway - Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs
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