Brahmas end season with win over Ice Bats
March 15, 2004 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Fort Worth Brahmas News Release
The Fort Worth Brahmas ended their 2003-2004 season on a high note Sunday afternoon, defeating the Austin Ice Bats 4-3 in front of 4,579 fans at the Fort Worth Convention Center.
The victory for the Brahmas snapped a franchise record 15 game winless streak. Fort Worth had not won since Feb. 14 when they beat the Memphis RiverKings.
THe Brahmas wasted little time in opening the scoring in the game. Just 12 seconds into the first period, forward T.J. Warkus picked up a turnover between the circles in the Austin zone. Warkus whirled and fired a slapshot past Austin goaltender Brent Belecki to give the Brahmas an early lead. The goal by Warkus was the fastest ever to open a game in Brahmas history.
Fort Worth then extended their lead to 2-0 when center Aaron Davis and winger Justin Williams executed a perfect two on one shorthanded rush. Davis carried the puck up the left wing side, and then slid a past across the ice to the streaking Williams. The second year forward tapped in the goal to give the Brahmas a two goal margin at the 2:16 mark of the first.
Austin, however, would battle back to tie the game at two. Defenseman Arturs Kupaks got the Bats on the scoreboard at the 9:03 mark of the first period when his slapshot from the right point eluded Brahmas goaltender Erasmo Saltarelli. Saltarelli then cost Fort Worth a goal when he misplayed a puck in front of his own net, resulting in an easy tap in goal for Ice Bats center Chris Legg at the 4:37 mark of the second period.
The Brahmas answered the Legg goal on the next shift of the game. Center Aaron Davis blew through the Austin defense for a breakaway goal at the 5:05 mark of the second to put Fort Worth back on top 3-2. Warkus then scored his second of the game at just 51 seconds later to extend the Brahmas lead to 4-2. Austin would pull back to within a goal at 4-3 when rookie center Brent Hughes netted a powerplay marker at the 11:03 mark of the second.
In the third period, the Ice Bats pushed for the tying goal. Fort Worth, however, was able to keep the Bats from getting the equalizer, thanks in large part to their penalty killing unit. The Brahmas were able to kill off a major penalty on forward Steve Reid that gave Austin a five minute powerplay. Then, after Reid got out of the box, winger Derrell Upton took a tripping penalty. Fort Worth's penalty killers again denied the Ice Bats, and the Brahmas were able to hang on for the win.
Saltarelli got the win in net for the Brahmas, stopping 30 of the 33 Ice Bats shots he faced. Belecki was the loser in the game for Austin, allowing the four Fort Worth goals on 29 shots.
The win settled Fort Worth's final regular season record at 15-40-9. The 39 points equaled a franchise low for points in a season.
The Brahmas will now head into the off season, and get set for the 2004-2005 CHL campaign. 2004-2005 season tickets are available now by calling the Brahmas office at (817) 336-4423.
Central Hockey League Stories from March 15, 2004
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