Bats' Season Ends in Memphis
April 28, 2003 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Austin Ice Bats News Release
Setting the Stage: The Austin Ice Bats of the Central Hockey League lost in the Finals of the league's 2003 President's Cup Playoffs, falling to the Memphis RiverKings in five games for the second straight season. Still, the loss concludes a remarkable season with plenty of achievements.
The Ice Bats finished the 2002-03 regular season with a franchise-best 46-14-4 record. The Bats won their first ten games, the best opening streak in League history, and again won ten in a row coming out of the Christmas break. In the final two weeks of the regular season, the Bats clinched a playoff berth, their second-straight Southeast Division title, the Governors' Cup for the league's top overall regular season record, and home ice advantage throughout the playoffs. The Bats then defeated New Mexico in four games, and Laredo in six games to advance to the championship round.
A look back: After splitting the first two games of the Finals at home, the Bats lost the next two by wide margins in Memphis. Then, in an effort to send the series back to Austin, the Bats gave their all in a Game Five double-overtime loss.
Game 1: The RiverKings made it look surprisingly easy in winning Game One, 3-0 April 17th at the Bat Cave. The Bats had their share of odd-man rush chances early, but curiously, lacked the intensity to sustain consistent offensive pressure throughout the game.
After killing an early Austin power play, the RiverKings jumped on the board first, with Michal Stastny sliding the puck past Bats goalie Matt Barnes 2:43 into the first period. Memphis almost made it 2-0 on a power play rebound that hit the post in the final minute of the period. The RiverKings did advance their lead midway through the second on Jonathan Gagnon's power play goal. But after that, Barnes did everything in his power to keep his team in the game, robbing Memphis' Brad Mueller on a spectacular diving save in the second.
Barnes' Memphis counterpart, Mark Richards, also came up with big saves at key times, stopping Kelly Smart's shorthanded breakaway attempt late in the second period. And the RiverKings' Don Parsons stuffed home an insurance goal with 1:24 left in the second, one of 25 shots lobbed at Barnes in the period. Neither team scored in the third, as Richards stopped all 40 shots faced in the game for his first playoff shutout. Barnes stopped 37 of 40 in a losing cause.
Game 2: In Game Two on April 18th, the intensity returned, and the Bats evened the series with a 2-1 win in overtime. The teams battled through the first two periods scoreless. In the second, the RiverKings used two early power plays to outshoot the Bats 7-2, but upon returning to equal strength, the Bats enjoyed an 8-4 shot advantage through the remainder of the period.
Memphis took the lead at 6:37 of the third, as Jonathan Gagnon walked out of the right corner and slid the puck under Austin goalie Matt Barnes. But the Bats retaliated less than five minutes later, with Dan Price tipping in a Mike Gaffney pass from the point. The goal ended 111 minutes of scoring futility in the series.
Midway through overtime, Austin's Shawn Legault centered to Jeff Greenlaw in front, and Greenlaw slammed the puck into Memphis goalie Mark Richards. The rebound bounced out below the left circle, and Legault threw the puck back on net, banking it off Richards' leg for the winner at 8:43 of OT. Barnes stopped 35 of 36 shots, this time outdueling Richards, who stopped 35 of 37.
Game 3: Playing the first of three in their home rink, Memphis used a familiar script in Game Three last Monday. For the third time in the post-season, the RiverKings scored three power play goals, destroying the Bats, 6-1.
The specialty teams difference was clear early, as the Bats failed to score on three first-period power plays, while Memphis cashed in on two of three. Jay Neal's power play goal from the high slot at 4:14, and Jonathan Gagnon's goal off Don Parsons' backhanded centering pass late in the period, posted Memphis to a 2-0 lead.
Early in the second, the Bats turned the puck over behind their net, when goalie Matt Barnes collided with teammate Doug Johnson. Memphis forward Michal Stastny centered to Greg Lakovic, who threw the puck into the open net. The goal took all the air out of the Bats' balloon, and 1:24 later, Parsons made it 4-0, walking unhindered down the left wing.
Bats coach Brent Hughes replaced Barnes in net with Peter Brady, and the Bats got on the board on Mike Gaffney's power play goal from the point midway through the second. Barnes returned to start the third, but his defense again let up around him. Gagnon slammed in another power play goal off a Parsons pass, and Parsons swept around the standstill defense for another score with 7 ½ minutes left.
The game got ridiculous down the stretch, with three skirmishes in the final two minutes, including an outright melee with 19 seconds left. Parsons led scoring with 2 goals and 2 assists, Gagnon scored twice with an assist, and Kahlil Thomas added three helpers for Memphis.
Game 4: For the second straight game, the RiverKings shredded the regular season's top defensive and penalty killing team, winning Game Four, 7-2, last Wednesday in Memphis. It was a game that got away in the third period. Memphis jumped on the board 55 seconds into the game on a Luch Nasato goal, and led 2-0 on Don Parsons' power play goal at 13:28 of the first. It marked the fifth straight game in Memphis in which the Bats got down at least two goals in the first.
But the Bats outworked the âKings in the second. And Austin's Tab Lardner cut the lead in half seven minutes into the period, robbing Memphis' Jonathan Gagnon and roofing a goal off the turnover. Memphis' Brian Tucker scored 4 ½ minutes later, but the Bats had chances to tie the score late in the period. A Lardner shot hit the post, and defenseman Mike Gaffney was denied on a breakaway chance. Memphis' Greg Lakovic scored 63 seconds into the third, but the Bats came right back 31 seconds later on a Pat Brownlee goal to make it 4-2. Still, Parsons scored again at 5:43, and the RiverKings added power play goals on a match penalty midway through the period. Parsons' hat trick and three assists each from Kahlil Thomas and Michal Stastny led scoring. For the second straight game, the RiverKings scored three power play goals on six chances.
A look back, continued:
Game 5: After the destruction of the previous two games, the Bats gathered together in one final effort to return the series to Austin. And on Friday night, they gave their all, before the RiverKings pulled out a 4-3 series-clinching win in double overtime.
Three times, the RiverKings countered off Austin scores. For the first time in the series, the Bats scored first, with Tab Lardner roofing a shot from the right circle at 3:49 of the opening period. A mere 23 seconds later, Memphis' Greg Lakovic slammed in a game-tying goal. And right after that, the Bats missed the chance to retake the lead, as Matt Sharuga's shot clanged off the crossbar.
The Bats did retake the lead with 3 ½ minutes left in the second period, with rookie Brent Hughes crashing the net and poking home a centering pass for his first pro goal. Again, the momentum was short-lived, as the Bats were whistled for consecutive penalties. The Bats battled to kill 1 ½ minutes of 5-on-3 power play time, but as the period wound down, Lakovic stormed across the blue line and shot in an even-strength goal with two-tenths of a second showing on the clock.
Rather than be crippled by the late score, the Bats came out and grabbed the momentum back in the third, with Darryl McArthur scoring from the high slot 43 seconds into the period. But to their credit, the RiverKings tied the count again on Michal Stastny's tip-in at 5:23.
Memphis dominated the first five minutes of overtime, but the Bats controlled the middle portion of the first extra period. Memphis goalie Mark Richards robbed Kelly Smart on a rebound, then Austin goalie Matt Barnes made a flurry of saves at the end to send the game to a second overtime. The RiverKings clinched the crown at 5:06 of the second OT, with Kahlil Thomas' shot deflecting off traffic into the net.
For the first time in the playoffs, Memphis was held without a power play goal, the Bats killing all six chances. Lakovic led scoring with two goals, but Thomas, whose goal tied Don Parsons for the post-season scoring title, was named playoff MVP. Barnes made 50 saves in the loss.
Special Time: Ice Bats specialty teams were lethal in the Southern Conference Finals against Laredo, scoring 7 power play goals on 26 chances (26.9%). (Over the last four games in the series, the Bats were 7 for 19, for 36.8% conversion). Meanwhile, the Bats killed all but one of 30 Laredo power play chances in the series. But in the Finals, Memphis converted on 8 of 28 power play chances (28.6%), and the Bats scored just once on 22 chances. For the post-season, the RiverKings scored a CHL record 25 power play goals.
For the Record: The Bats set or tied a couple of league records during the regular season. The Bats are the league's all-time best defensive team, their team goals-against average of 2.17 setting a new CHL mark, surpassing Odessa's 2.29 mark from last year. Also, Bats goalie Matt Barnes tied the league record with eight shutouts. His save percentage of .934 was just 1/10th of a percentage point off the league mark.
As for franchise records, this year's team rewrote the book. The Bats set franchise marks for most wins and total points, fewest losses and overtime/shootout losses, fewest goals allowed and top penalty-killing percentage. The Bats also set team records for longest overall and home winning streaks, and tied the team record for consecutive road wins. Individually, Barnes set team records for victories, goals-against average, save percentage and shutouts.
Player Plaudits: The Ice Bats finished the regular season with the CHL's top goalie tandem. The CHL's Most Outstanding Goalie for the season, and a four-time Goalie of the Week, Matt Barnes led all league goalies with a sparkling 1.96 goals-against average, and .934 save percentage. At 33-10-4, he also led the league in wins and with a league record-tying eight shutouts. Meanwhile, counterpart Peter Brady finished 4th among league goalies, at 13-4, with a 2.29 GAA and .926 save percentage.
Center Kelly Smart finished among the top dozen league scorers, with 29 goals and 42 assists. And he led the team with 7 game-winning goals, 9 power play goals and 4 shorthanded goals. Dan Price (27 goals, 37 assists) was second in team scoring, and led the league at +35. Defenseman Darryl McArthur and forward Gerald Tallaire tied for second at +32. And forward Shawn Legault led the team with 251 minutes in penalties, but also had 27 points in 40 games.
Playoff Plaudits: Bats center Brett Seguin finished 3rd in the league in playoff scoring, with 7 goals and 13 assists. Gerald Tallaire and Dan Price ranked 5th with 16 points each, and Mike Gaffney was 2nd among d-men in scoring, with 12 points. Goaltender Matt Barnes finished 2nd in wins, 5th overall, at 8-7, with a 2.57 GAA.
Awards Time: The Bats will host a season-ending party and awards dinner, this coming Monday, May 5th, from 7 to 9pm, at Dave & Buster's, MoPac & Research Blvd. All fans and media members are invited to celebrate the team's accomplishments this season. There will be a free food buffet for fans, and an auction of the team's game-worn player jerseys. And the Texas Dodge Dealers Post-season Awards will be given to players in seven categories.
Just Wait âTil Next Year: Season tickets for the 2003-04 Ice Bats season are on sale at the team's office. Season ticket prices remain the same again for next season. Current season ticket holders have until May 1st to choose to retain their seats. For more information, fans may call the Ice Bats ticket office at (512) 927-PUCK.
Central Hockey League Stories from April 28, 2003
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