CHL teams battle for playoff spots
by CHL Press Release
March 12, 2002 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
With only five of eight participants in the Central Hockey League's President's Cup Playoffs determined, six teams enter the final week of the regular season with post-season aspirations. In the Northern Conference, both the top-seeded Memphis RiverKings and Oklahoma City Blazers have secured their playoff invitations by clinching division titles. That leaves three clubs (Fort Worth Brahmas, Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs and Tulsa Oilers) scrambling for the two remaining berths. All three clubs have four remaining contests this season, but one of the three teams will be on the outside looking in when the playoffs begin. Tuesday night action could go a long way in determining the participants, as Fort Worth hosts Memphis while Bossier-Shreveport welcomes Tulsa in perhaps the biggest game of the year for both squads. Earning one of the remaining two playoff berths will possibly come down to the last day of the regular season, when Fort Worth visits Corpus Christi, Bossier-Shreveport plays in San Antonio and Tulsa travels to Memphis March 17th.
Three teams are confirmed entries into the Southern Conference playoff bracket, with just a single playoff spot up for grabs. Odessa, the Southwest Division Champion, can wrap up home ice advantage throughout the playoffs with three points in their last four games, while the Austin Ice Bats and San Antonio Iguanas continue their battle for the Southeast Division crown and home ice advantage in the first round, where the clubs will almost certainly meet. The division title will likely be on the line this Friday, as the Iguanas host the Ice Bats in their last head to head meeting of the year. El Paso, New Mexico and Lubbock all maintain Southern Conference playoff hopes with four games left. El Paso holds a three-point advantage over New Mexico and a five-point bulge over Lubbock, meaning the Buzzards control their playoff destiny. New Mexico will look to remain within three points of El Paso heading into the final two days of the season, as they visit El Paso for back-to-back games and could leapfrog the Buzzards with consecutive wins. The Lubbock Cotton Kings face the longest odds in qualifying, and face a must-win situation this evening in New Mexico. Should Lubbock win their last four outings, they would still need El Paso to gain no more than two points in their last four games to qualify.
Once all eight playoff teams are confirmed, post-season participants will need to win three consecutive series and 11 games to hoist the President's Cup. The Central Hockey League post-season will begin as early as Wednesday, March 20th.
Northern Conference - Remaining Games For Playoff Contenders
*Memphis and Oklahoma City have already qualified
Fort Worth (65 points)
10/12 vs Memphis
10/15 vs Corpus Christi
10/16 vs Austin
10/17 at Corpus Christi
Bossier-Shreveport (64 points)
10/12 vs Tulsa
10/15 vs Wichita
10/16 vs Indianapolis
10/17 at San Antonio
Tulsa (62 points)
10/12 at Bossier-Shreveport
10/15 vs Oklahoma City
10/16 vs Wichita
10/17 at Memphis
Southern Conference - Remaining Games for Playoff Contenders
*Odessa, Austin and San Antonio have already qualified
El Paso (70 points)
10/12 vs Wichita
10/15 vs Odessa
10/16 vs New Mexico
10/17 vs New Mexico
New Mexico (67 points)
10/12 vs Lubbock
10/15 at San Angelo
10/16 at El Paso
10/17 at El Paso
Lubbock (65 points)
10/12 at New Mexico
10/15 at Amarillo
10/16 vs Amarillo
10/17 vs Odessa
CHL PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Gerald Tallaire - Austin ice Bats #: 9 HT: 5-10 WT: 185 D.O.B.: 03/10/72
In just two games played this week, Tallaire scored six points to lead Austin to road victories over Odessa (7-4) and Fort Worth (4-0). His two goals and two assists helped Austin end Odessa's 11 game winning streak March 8th, and then added a goal and an assist the following night in Fort Worth.
GP: 2 G: 3 A: 3 PTS: 6
CHL GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK
Jonathan Forest - Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs #: 34 HT: 5-11 WT: 180 D.O.B.: 11/22/78
Forest secured his first two shutouts of the season in blanking Fort Worth and Indianapolis to help extend the Mudbugs' winning streak to five games. In the two 3-0 victories, Forest stopped all 43 shots he faced, moving Bossier-Shreveport into playoff position in the CHL's Northern Conference.
GP: 2 MIN: 120:00 GA: 0 SAVE %: 100.00 Wins: 2 Losses: 0 SOL: 0 ShutOuts: 2
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Central Hockey League Stories from March 12, 2002
- CHL teams battle for playoff spots - OSC Original by CHL Press Release
- San Antonio Iguanas Game Report - San Antonio Iguanas
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