Cotton Kings Home Game Preview vs. Bossier-Shreveport

Published on December 31, 2005 under Central Hockey League (CHL)
Lubbock Cotton Kings News Release


CLOSING OUT 2005

The Lubbock Cotton Kings close out the 2005 calendar year with a New Year's Eve tilt with the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs. The game is the first time the Cotton Kings have played two consecutive games in consecutive nights at home this season. The Kings seek a victory to end a three-game home winless streak, which have each been one-goal losses. The Northeast Division leading Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs come into the contest off of an overtime win last night in Oklahoma City and look for a two-game winning streak tonight. Lubbock enters the game ten standing points out of first place and one-standing point ahead of Amarillo in the Southwest Division standings. Odessa is in Corpus Christi tonight, while Amarillo hosts Colorado.

THE SERIES

The ‘Kings did not play the Mudbugs during the regular season last season and Lubbock's all-time record between against the Mudbugs in regular season play is 3-5-0. The two teams will meet three times this season in regular season play with two contests scheduled in Lubbock (12/31/05, 2/16/06) and one game to be held in Bossier City, Louisiana (2/19/05). Jason Campbell of the Mudbugs is the series all-time leading scorer with 5 goals and 2 assists for 7 points, while Lubbock has several members tied atop the all-time list of scorers against the ‘Bugs with 5 points.

THE LAST TIME

1/16/04 - The Lubbock Cotton Kings continued their freefall, dropping a 5-1 decision to Bossier-Shreveport.

Forbes MacPherson, Chris Brassard, Craig Soke, Chad Spurr and Ryan Manitowich each scored for the Mudbugs. All-star goaltender Ken Carroll stopped 26 of Lubbock's 27 shots, leading Bossier-Shreveport to its seventh straight victory at home.

The Mudbugs built a 4-0 lead before Jim Shepherd ended Carroll's shutout bid with his 11th goal of the season 6:14 before the final buzzer.

Bossier-Shreveport's league-leading penalty-killing unit extinguished all seven Cotton King power plays, while the Mudbugs converted two of their eight power-play chances.

ROSTER CHANGES

Lubbock does not list any players on the IR, but Bobby Brown has missed the past five games due to injury. Bossier-Shreveport is without the services of Chris Shaw and Andrew Martin, who are ach on the IR. The Mudbugs have also been without Scott Sheppard, who is called up to Rochester (AHL), and recently Craig Minard has been granted a leave of absence and Dale Lupul's status is unknown as he has been injured.

STANDINGS

Kings - 27 points, 2nd place,10 points back, Southwest Division. Mudbugs - 29 points, 1st place, Northeast Division.

TEAM LEADERS

Kings - Nolan Graham 25 points; Nolan Graham 14 goals; Jan Melichercik 17 assists; Matt Macdonald 67 penalty minutes. Mudbugs - Dan Wildfong 30 points; Scott Sheppard 18 goals; Blair Manning 24 assists; Dan Wildfong 111 penalty minutes.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Kings - Power play: 14.2% 11th, Penalty killing: 85.4% 4th. Mudbugs - 15.0% 8th, Penalty killing: 84.2% 7th.

GOALTENDERS

Kings - Lance Leslie (9-8-1, 1 SO, 2.92), Brett Koscielny (4-6-0, 1 SO, 2.32). Mudbugs - Ken Carroll (7-6-2, 2 SO, 2.46), David Cacciola (3-1-1, 0 SO, 3.11)

WHAT'S NEXT

Lubbock - Friday, January 6th 7:05 PM vs. Odessa Jackalopes Lubbock Municipal Coliseum

Bossier-Shreveport - Tuesday, January 3rd 7:05 PM vs. Youngstown Steelhounds CenturyTel Center

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Central Hockey League Stories from December 31, 2005


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