Bucks Face Sundogs Tonight In Start Of Huge Series
December 28, 2007 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Laredo Bucks News Release
PRESCOTT VALLEY, AZ- The Laredo Bucks of the Central Hockey League will put their Southern Conference lead on the line this weekend, as they are in the desert to take on the Arizona Sundogs. The Bucks and Sundogs will do battle tonight and tomorrow with both games starting at 8:05pm Laredo time.
December 28th, 2007
Laredo (20-7-2, 42pts, 1st in Southeast Div., 1st in Southern Conf. ) at Arizona (19-6-1, 39pts, 1st in Southwest Div., 2nd in Southern Conf.), 8:05pm CST, Tim's Toyota Center
Radio: Norteno 1490 (Pre-game show 7:45pm)
Internet Radio: www.laredobucks.com (courtesy of sportsjuice)
TV: CHL Network (www.nifty-tv.com/chl)
All-time series (regular season)
Series tied 2-2
2007-08: Bucks trail series 0-1
Last Meeting: December 9th, 2007: ARZ 3, @LAR 0)
After taking the Christmas Holiday off the Bucks get back in action tonight as they look to win their third straight game, and fifth out of their last six.
Three Bucks received belated Christmas presents on Thursday, as the CHL announced the Southern Conference All-Star Starters. Forward Jeff Bes, Defenseman Serge Dube, and goaltender Dustin Traylen were voted to start in the January 16th All-Star Game in Broomfield, Colorado.
Laredo enters this weekends series in Arizona three points up on the Sundogs for first in the conference, but have played three more games (29 to Arizona's 26).
The Bucks took care of division foe Austin last Friday and Saturday at the LEC, with 4-2, and 3-1 wins. In the 3-1 Saturday night triumph Matt Summers scored the game-winning goal with 8:03 left in the third period, with Bes adding an empty-netter with 1:00 remaining.
Traylen picked up the win in net, setting aside 22 of 23 Ice Bats shots, while picking up his 12th win of the season.
This weekend's games will feature at least two of the league's top five scorers in Arizona's Alex Leavitt, and Laredo's Bes.
As of today, Leavitt is second in the CHL in scoring with 43 points (15-28=43), while Bes is tied for fourth with 40 points (16-24=40).
Arizona's Tyler Redenbach currently leads the CHL in scoring with 44 points, but was recalled to the AHL's San Antonio Rampage on December 18th.
Besides Redenbach, the Sundogs have two other players who are currently on call up in the AHL. Defenseman Sean Sullivan is also with the Rampage, while forward Dusty Collins is with Rockford. It's not certain if either Redenbach, Sullivan, or Collins will be on the Sundogs roster this weekend when the Bucks come to town.
Arizona comes into this weekend's series having won five straight games, and eight of their last 10.
The Sundogs took two games from Rio Grande Valley last weekend, winning 10-6 on Friday night, and 8-1 on Sunday.
In Sunday's win Oliver Latendresse had a hat trick, and an assist to lead Arizona, while Alex Leavitt scored a goal and handed out two assists.
The Sundogs are 10-1 at home this season, with their lone defeat coming in a 4-1 loss to Odessa on November 2nd.
Tonight will be the second of four meetings this season between the Bucks and Sundogs. Arizona shutout Laredo at the LEC 3-0 on December 9th.
After this weekend's games the Bucks and Sundogs will conclude their regular season series January 11th at the LEC.
The Bucks and Sundogs will do battle again Saturday night.
**Bucks Notes**
*Defenseman Tyler Harder did not make the trip with the team to Arizona.
*In the Bucks first five games this season they were 12-25 on the power-play. In their last 24 games they are 10-141 with the man advantage, putting them at 13.3 % overall this season.
* So far this season the Bucks are 14-1-1 when leading after two periods; conversely they are just 1-6 when trailing after two.
*Terry Ruskowski will be looking to win his 230th game as the Bucks head coach tonight. Ruskowski's regular season record with the Bucks is 229-86-30.
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Central Hockey League Stories from December 28, 2007
- New Mexico Stomped By Gorillas - New Mexico Scorpions
- Sundogs Fall to Laredo 2-1, Five-Game Win Streak Snapped - Arizona Sundogs
- Gorillas Prevail in New Mexico - Amarillo Gorillas
- Rayz Double Up Killer Bees 6-3 - Corpus Christi IceRays
- Rage drops second straight at home - Rocky Mountain Rage
- Brahmas Come Alive And Beat Odessa - Fort Worth Brahmas
- Ice Bats Get Offensive in Third Period, Win 6-3 - Austin Ice Bats
- Hounds Beat Kings To Move Into First Place Tie - Youngstown SteelHounds
- Steelhounds beat RiverKings 6-3 - Mississippi RiverKings
- Cullaton and Wray will Start for Northern Conference All-Stars - Rocky Mountain Rage
- Northern Conference All-Star Starters Announced - CHL
- Mudbugs Look to Extend Win Streak vs. Brahmas - Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs
- Andy Franck Named Starting Goaltender For All Star Game - Youngstown SteelHounds
- Pankewicz, Schneekloth Named All-Star Starters - Colorado Eagles
- Hounds To Give Skating Demonstration This Sunday - Youngstown SteelHounds
- Sundogs Team Up with United Blood Services, Donor Network of Arizona - Arizona Sundogs
- Ring In The New Year With Your Rayz - Corpus Christi IceRays
- Bucks Face Sundogs Tonight In Start Of Huge Series - Laredo Bucks
- Shots from the Point - CHL
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