Bats Season Ends With 1-0 Loss To Odessa
March 27, 2008 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Austin Ice Bats News Release
(Odessa, TX) - After the Ice Bats thrilling overtime victory Wednesday night in Austin, combined with an overnight bus ride for both Austin and Odessa, the question heading into Thursday night's decisive game three was how much did each team have left in the tank. The Central Hockey League's opening round series between Austin and the Odessa Jackalopes was tied 1-1, setting up Thursday night's game three. The winner would head to Laredo to take on the top seeded Bucks in round two, while the loser would head home and begin their offseason. It was a classic battle back and forth with physical play and scoring opportunites for each team. But Dominic Leveille scored the only goal of the game in the third period to give Odessa the 1-0 win, knocking the Ice Bats out of the playoffs by winning the series 2-1.
It was a scoreless first period, but Odessa tried to set the tone physically over Austin. Each team had a power play, but could not find the net. Shots on goal in the first period favored Odessa 13-7, but both teams skated to the locker room in a 0-0 tie.
Neither team could score in the second period, but it was one for the ages with the penalties that were handed out. Emotions finally spilled over with about seven minutes remaining as a full line brawl broke out between the Bats and Jacks. After the assorted roughing and fighting penalties were handed out play resumed, Jason Tessier and Brian Swiniarski got into a fight which resulted in more penalties for each team. Then towards the end of the period pushing and shoving turned into Odessa's Ryan Palmer taking a shot at Miguel Beaudry and drawing another penalty. In total, 19 penalites were handed out to both Odessa and Austin in the final 7:36 of the second period. Fighting, Roughing, and Unsportsmanlike Conduct were the assorted penalties that were handed out. At one point both teams only had five players, including the backup goalie, left on their benches. It remained tied, 0-0, after the second period.
Dominic Leveille scored a power play goal three minutes into the third period on a cross ice pass from Alex Dunn to beat Miguel Beaudry and give Odessa a 1-0 lead. It was Leveille's third playoff goal. The Bats were unable to take advantage of a couple power play opportunities as time expired on the third period, and the Ice Bats season. Odessa knocks the Bats out of the CHL Playoffs by a 1-0 final, winning the series 2-1.
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