Cotton Kings Game Night Preview

February 17, 2007 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Lubbock Cotton Kings News Release


2/17/07 - LAREDO BUCKS (29-13-5) @ LUBBOCK COTTON KINGS (17-24-4)

- 7:05 PM CITY BANK COLISEUM

WELCOME TO THE CHL

Lubbock Cotton Kings Head Coach Craig Janney had never been a part of a minor league game until last night and the experience he will receive this weekend will give him a solid introduction of what the CHL is all about... Long bus rides, three-in-threes and no off nights. Lubbock played their first game under Janney last night and suffered a 4-0 loss to the Laredo Bucks in Laredo. The two teams face off again tonight except this time it is in Lubbock after each team made the long overnight haul from Laredo. Lubbock looks to push a home winning streak to two games, while seeking to push Laredo's road winless streak to two games. Laredo leads the Conference and the Southeast Division, while Lubbock seeks to climb out of the Southwest Division cellar. Lubbock enters tonight's game 15 standing-points behind Southwest Division leading Amarillo, and 7 standing points behind Arizona for the final playoff spot with two games-in-hand.

THE SERIES

This game is the fourth and final game of the season between the two clubs and the second of two in Lubbock. Laredo leads the season series 2-1-0. The meeting is also the 21st all time meeting between the two teams. Laredo has dominated the all-time series with a 15-2-3 series mark. Lubbock is 5-14-1 all-time against the Bucks. Laredo's Jeff Bes leads the all-time series with 20 points (5g,15a), while Lubbock is led in the series by former King Paul Fioroni, who has registered 10 points (1g,9a) all-time against the Bucks. This season, Laredo's Bes leads the series in scoring with 4 points (2g,2a).

THE LAST TIME

2/16/07 - The Laredo Bucks shutout the Lubbock Cotton Kings 4-0 Friday night at the Laredo Entertainment Center as the Bucks ended a four-game winless streak.

Laredo's Steve Weidlich drew first blood with a tally at 5:49 of the first period. The Bucks Neil Clark made it a 2-0 game 2:50 later at the 8:39 mark of the opening frame. Laredo out-shot Lubbock 15-11 in the first period, and would double-up the Cotton Kings on the shot count 16-8 in a scoreless second period.

The Bucks Jeff Bes converted on the power play just 16 seconds into the third period as he went top-shelf on Lubbock goaltender J.F. Perras. Laredo's Kris Mallette scored the Bucks second power play tally and fourth goal of the night as he fired a shot from the right circle with 6:00 remaining in regulation.

Lubbock was 0-for-8 on the power play while Laredo was 2-for-10 on the man-advantage. The Gateway City team out-shot the Cotton Kings 42-22 for the evening. Perras records the loss in net as he made 38 saves on the night. Laredo's Kevin Reiter gets the win in net with 22 saves for his first shutout of the season.

ROSTER CHANGES

Lubbock has not made any roster changes heading into tonight's game from last night's tilt. Laredo will have Head Coach Terry Ruskowski back with the team after serving a one-game suspension. The Bucks made several moves last night, waiving Ryan Olynyk and Ladislav Kouba and signing Steve Simoes and Igor Pohanka.

STANDINGS

Kings - 38 points, 5th place, 15 points back, Southwest Division.

Bucks - 63 points, 1st place, Southeast Division.

TEAM LEADERS

Kings - Points: 42 Bobby Brown / Anders Strome, Goals: 23 Anders Strome, Assists: 28 Bobby Brown, Penalty Minutes: 159 Paul McBrien.

Bucks - Points: 48 Bobby Chaumont, Goals: 22 Bobby Chaumont, Assists: 29 Serge Dube, Penalty Minutes: 120 Neil Clark.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Kings - Power play: 13.5% 14th, Penalty killing: 86.6% 3rd.

Bucks - Power play: 16.2% 8th, Penalty killing: 83.8% 10th.

GOALTENDERS

Kings - JF Perras (11-12-2, 2 SO, 3.01), Kyle Stanton (6-12-2, 1 SO, 3.35).

Bucks - Kevin Reiter (9-5-1, 1 SO, 2.33), Eric Marvin (15-5-4, 1 SO, 2.63).

WHAT'S NEXT

Lubbock - Sunday, February 18th 6:05 PM at New Mexico Scorpions Rio Rancho Events Center

Laredo - Sunday, February 18th 5:00 PM @ Amarillo Gorillas Cal Farley Coliseum



Central Hockey League Stories from February 17, 2007


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