Call It The \'Bes' Of The Best Poll: Three-Peat For Rosco
March 8, 2008 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Laredo Bucks News Release
LAREDO, TX- The Laredo Bucks of the Central Hockey League were once again well represented in the annual Best of the Best Poll announced Saturday afternoon by the league. The poll results are voted on by CHL players, and front office members of all 17 teams. In total the Bucks won first place in five of the 45 categories, including Best Coach (Terry Ruskowski), Best Overall Player (Jeff Bes), Smartest Player (Bes), Best Body Checker (Steve Simoes), and Best team Logo. Including the Bucks five-first place wins, they appear in a total of 12 categories.
For the third straight season Ruskowski was voted the league's best coach. Ruskowski received 31 total points (15 first place votes), to beat out Bossier-Shreveport's Scott Muscutt (26 points), and Youngstown's Kevin Kaminski (18 points).
This season Ruskowski led the Bucks to a CHL record-tying 10-0 start, which is also the best start in franchise history. He also led the Bucks to their sixth straight playoff appearance, and their fifth straight Southeast Division championship. In six years at the helm in Laredo, Ruskowski has won two President's Cup titles, one Governor's Cup title, four straight Southern Conference titles, five Southeast Division titles, with a 247-96-31 regular season record, and a 51-29 post season mark ( won 12 of 15 playoff series'). In addition to his three straight wins as the league's Best coach, Ruskowski was also voted the CHL's Coach of the year in 2005-06.
Bes appears in five different categories this season, including his two first place finishes in the Best Overall Player, and Smartest Player categories. Bes was also voted the league's second best playmaker, second best on the power-play, and third best in face-off's.
Bes received 46 total points, including 35 first place votes to beat out former line mate Brent Cullaton for Best Overall Player 46 votes to 22.
Bes is having an MVP-type season, with 42 goals, 54 assists, for 96 points, putting him second in the CHL in scoring as of Saturday morning. Bes has won two CHL player of the week awards so far this season. In the Bucks second game of the year Bes became the franchises' all time leading goal scorer (162).He is also the Bucks all time leader in assists (278), and points (440).
Simoes was voted the league's best body checker, receiving 23 total votes (20 first place), to beat out Colorado's Les Borsheim (14 points), and Oklahoma City's Tyler Fleck (14 points). Simoes, who is in his fifth year as a Buck, has tallied 26 points this year, setting a career high in assists (21) to go along with 59 penalty minutes. In his five season's in Laredo Simoes has piled up 367 PIM's.
The Bucks appeared in several other categories as well, including Best Offensive Defenseman (Adam Rivet-3rd Best), Best Figher Pound for Pound (James Hiebert-3rd Best), Best Training/Equipment Staff (Bobby Moore/Rusty Aldridge-3rd Best), and Best Booster Club (3rd Best).
For the complete 2007-08 Best of the Best Poll, please visit www.centralhockeyleague.com.
*Bucks Close Out Home Stand Tonight Against Rival Mudbugs*
March 8, 2008
Bossier-Shreveport (40-11-5, 85pts, 1st in Northern Conference, 1st in Northeast Div.), at Laredo (38-17-3, 1st in Southern Conference, Southeast Division Champs), 7:30pm, Laredo Entertainment Center
Radio: Norteno 1490-AM (Pre-game show 7:10pm)
Listen in the LEC: 105.3-FM
Internet Radio: www.laredobucks.com (Sportsjuice)
TV: CHL Network (www.nifty-tv.com/chl)
All-time series (Regular season)
Bucks trail series 4-11-1
2007-08: Bucks trail series 0-2
Tonight will be Powell Watson Million Dollar Night at the LEC. The Bucks will be raising money for the Children's Advocacy Program, and Powell Watson will match the first $1,000 raised. Powell Watson will host a tailgate party outside the LEC starting at 5:30pm. There will be '08 Powell Watson vehicles on display, and free fajita tacos. During the tailgate party fans can register to win huge prize from Powell Watson. Saturday night will also be the final Bucks prize hunt of the season, with up to $5,000 in prizes to be given away. Group tickets start at $10, with individual tickets starting at $12.75. Call 718-BUCK (2825) to order yours.
It's one of the best rivalries in the CHL, if not the best. Having said that, both the Bucks and the Mudbugs still have a lot at stake coming into tonight's rivalry game.
Laredo comes into tonight needing a combination of five points (Bucks wins and/or Arizona losses) to clinch the number one seed in the Southern Conference playoffs.
Not only could the Bucks move closer to clinching the South's top spot, with a win tonight Laredo could pull to with-in four points of the Mudbugs in the Governor's Cup race. A Bucks win tonight would give them 81 points, to the Mudbugs 85, but Bossier has to play two more games than Laredo.
Laredo is 8-2-1 in their last 11 games, including 3-1 on this season long home stand. Last night the Bucks whipped Rio Grande Valley 5-1, with Andrew Desjardins picking up his first professional hat trick, and Alex Goupil scoring twice to lead Laredo.
Jeff Bes (42-54=96) picked up two assists last night to move his season point total to 96, just three points shy of Arizona's Alex Leavitt (31-68=99) in the CHL scoring race.
Bossier is closing in on their second straight Goverenor's Cup, with a CHL-leading 40-11-5 record (85 points). Last night the Mudbugs lost 3-2 to Corpus Christi, despite outshooting the Rayz 39-14. Adam Hogg scored with just 2:56 left in the third period to beat Bossier.
After tonight the Bucks will travel up north to play a three-game series at Youngstown next Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
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Central Hockey League Stories from March 8, 2008
- Eagles Move Into First With Shootout Win Over 'Hounds - Colorado Eagles
- Rage Falls Again to RiverKings, 6-2 - Rocky Mountain Rage
- Rayz keep playoff hopes alive, beat Jacks 6-2 - Corpus Christi IceRays
- Hounds fall to Eagles 4-3 in shootout - Youngstown SteelHounds
- Bucks Step On Mudbugs 4-2 For Third Straight Win - Laredo Bucks
- Brahmas lose close one 4-3 - Fort Worth Brahmas
- Woollard's trick vaults Mississippi into playoff position - Mississippi RiverKings
- Gorillas Beat 8-3 by Sundogs - Amarillo Gorillas
- Sundogs Increase Lead in Southwest Division to Three Points - Arizona Sundogs
- Sundogs Recognized in Annual CHL Best of the Best, Grab Six Number One Spots in Poll - CHL
- Cullaton Leads the Way in CHL's Annual Best of the Best Poll - CHL
- Strong Showing for Mudbugs in Best of Best Poll - Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs
- Rayz recognized by CHL poll - Corpus Christi IceRays
- Hounds Make Impact In Annual Best Of The Best Poll - Youngstown SteelHounds
- Reeder, MacInnis, Robertson Best of the Best - New Mexico Scorpions
- Eagles Fans Named Best in CHL for Fourth Year in a Row - Colorado Eagles
- Call It The âBes' Of The Best Poll: Three-Peat For Rosco - Laredo Bucks
- CHL Announces Results of the 2007-08 Best of the Best Poll - CHL
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