Cotton Kings Road Preview

December 30, 2006 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Lubbock Cotton Kings News Release


12/30/06 - LUBBOCK COTTON KINGS (12-12-2) @ BOSSIER-SHREVEPORT MUDBUGS (14-9-4)

- 7:05 PM CENTURYTEL CTR. RADIO- KFYO 790 AM

KINGS PLAY THEIR LAST ROAD TRIP OF THE YEAR

The Lubbock Cotton Kings make their final road trip of the calendar year tonight, as they face the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs in Bossier City, Louisiana. The Mudbugs are the hottest team in the CHL's Northeast Division with a four-game winning streak heading into tonight. They also support a 9-3-0 home record at the CenturyTel Center. The Mudbugs have only surrendered 19 goals in 12 home games, which leads the CHL (the next closest is 30 goals allowed at home by Lubbock). The Kings will seek some offense on the road to try to end a four-game road winless streak. The Kings have just five goals in the past four road games. Lubbock also seeks to bounce back from a 3-1 loss last night at home to Corpus Christi. The Cotton Kings sit in third place of the Southwest Division and two standing points behind division leading Amarillo entering tonight.

THE SERIES

The meeting is the second of two in Bossier City and the third and final meeting of the season. The series is even this season at 1-1-0. Lubbock's all-time record against the Mudbugs in regular season play is 5-8-0. This season's offensive leader in the series is Lubbock's Mike Carter, who has 3 assists. The 'Bugs are led this season in the series by Dan Wildfong's 2 assists. Chad Spurr of the Mudbugs is the series all-time leading scorer with 11 points off 3 goals and 8 assists, while the Kings are led by former King Jan Melichercik, who had a goal and 7 assists for 8 points.

THE LAST TIME

12/1/06 - A pair of second period goals made the difference in a Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs 2-1 win over the Lubbock Cotton Kings Friday at the CenturyTel Center.

Cotton Kings goaltender J.F. Perras made 11 saves in a scoreless first period while Mudbugs netminder Ken Carroll had nine saves. Bossier-Shreveport was the first to get on the board with a score from Jason Williamson at 11:48 of the second period. Chris Brassard collected the eventual game-winner when he lit up the lamp with 1:44 remaining in the middle period. Lubbock's Simon Watson made it a 2-1 contest as he fired the puck past Carroll at 15:39 of the third period for his tenth goal of the year. Jason Beatty had the assist on the score.

Perras had his two-game winning streak snapped as he made 26 saves in net for Lubbock. It is the seventh win all-time for Carroll, who stopped 25 Cotton King shots on net.

Doug Halcomb served in for Lubbock Head Coach Chris Dashney, who was tending to a family emergency.

ROSTER CHANGES

Neither team has made any roster adjustments heading into tonight's game at press times.

STANDINGS

Kings - 26 points, 3rd place, 2 points back, Southwest Division.

'Bugs - 32 points, 3rd place, 7 points back, Northeast Division.

TEAM LEADERS

Kings - Points: 26 Simon Watson, Goals: 15 Simon Watson, Assists: 13 Bobby Brown, Penalty Minutes: 100 Paul McBrien.

'Bugs - Points: 23 Chris Brassard, Goals: 11 Chris Brassard, Assists: 12 Several Tied, Penalty Minutes: 120 Dan Wildfong.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Kings - Power play: 14.0% 13th, Penalty killing: 88.6% 3rd.

'Bugs - Power play: 8.7% 17th, Penalty killing: 90.3% 1st.

GOALTENDERS

Kings - JF Perras (6-6-1, 2 SO, 2.46), Kyle Stanton (6-6-1, 1 SO, 3.37).

'Bugs - Adam Hanna (1-0-0, 0 SO, 1.00), John DeCaro (6-5-3, 0 SO, 2.37).



Central Hockey League Stories from December 30, 2006


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