Buzzards Prepare for Lubbock
January 3, 2003 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
El Paso Buzzards News Release
EL PASO, Texas â After a victory against the Lubbock Cotton Kings on Dec. 27, the El Paso Buzzards prepare for a tough road game as they travel to Lubbock at 6 p.m., Saturday. The Buzzards enter the match-up with a 1-3-0 record against the Cotton Kings this season and need to win this game to get back into the playoff chase. The game will not be broadcasted on radio.
"Lubbock is a team we are chasing and this is a four-point swing for us," Buzzards' head coach Craig Coxe said. "Lubbock has played us well and we look forward to the challenge. This should be one of our most important games of the year."
The Buzzards, 9-18-3 overall and 2-7-2 on the road, remain in fourth place in the Southwest Division. The Cotton Kings arrive in second place in the Southeast Division and hold the fourth and final playoff spot with an overall record of 14-10-5.
In the previous contest between these two clubs, the Buzzards crowned the Cotton Kings 4-1 behind Buzzards' right winger Jeremy Vokes and left winger Russ Guzior scoring short-handed goals. Buzzards' goaltender Blaine Russell helped by making 21 saves in the victory.
DID YOU KNOW
Buzzards' right winger Jeremy Vokes has been on a roll. Vokes has a four-game point scoring streak going with three goals and three assists in that span. His plus/minus rating of +4 is the best among the Buzzards in the last five games and he has been moved up to playing on the power play and penalty kill units. Vokes has four goals and six assists in 30 games for El Paso this season.
WHERE THEY STAND
BUZZARDS - Coming into Saturday's action, the Buzzards (21 points) are in fourth place in the Southwest Division, but are just nine points behind New Mexico for third place. El Paso has 83 goals for and has allowed 106. Buzzards' goaltender Blaine Russell looks to be back in action after twisting his knee against Lubbock on Friday, Dec. 27. Russell is 4-2-1 with a 2.81 goals against average and a .908 save percentage. The Buzzards are tenth in the league on the power play with a 14.6 percent success rate and are fourteenth in the league on penalty kill opportunities with a 77.2 percent rate.
LUBBOCK â The Cotton Kings hold the fourth and final playoff spot in the Southwest Conference with a record of 14-10-5. However, Lubbock has struggled on the road, going 5-6-4 away from home. The Cotton Kings have scored 87 goals for and have allowed 86. The Cotton Kings are a tough 11-3-1 when scoring the first goal of the game. Lubbock is led in scoring by CHL All-Star right winger Blaz Emersic, who has 13 goals and 21 assists in 29 games.
Central Hockey League Stories from January 3, 2003
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