Deficit remains 2 points as 'Cats go 1-2
March 18, 2013 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Wichita Falls Wildcats News Release
The Wildcats remain two points out of the playoffs as they extended their non-loss streak to seven games before dropping a pair of games in Amarillo over the weekend. On Wednesday, the Wildcats took home a 3-0 win in Odessa, extending their winning streak to nine games against their beleaguered foes from West Texas.
It took nearly two periods for the Wildcats to get on the board, but with 3:12 left in the second period, Kyle Bauman scored on the power play for a 1-0 lead. That proved to be enough, as the Wildcats added on third period insurance tallies from Sam Piazza and Tyler Ledford to preserve Evan Cowley's second career shutout in the NAHL. He stopped 22 shots to take home the win.
The 'Cats hoped to continue their winning ways in Amarillo, but ended up on the wrong side of a 7-1 decision. Conor O'Neil got the Wildcats on the board first with a power play goal just seven minutes in, but that was all they would manage. The Bulls tied the game on a Mike Davis goal, then scored twice in the opening five minutes of the second ending Cowley's night after stopping 16 of 19 shots. Backup goalie Cooper Cook didn't fare much better, allowing 4 goals on 21 shots. Davis finished the night with five goals for the Bulls.
Looking to get back on track on Saturday, the skid unfortunately continued for the 'Cats as the Bulls finished off the sweep with a 4-1 win. Carrying the momentum of the previous night's seven unanswered goals, the Bulls jumped out to a 3-0 lead through the first period, adding a fourth goal with under a minute to play in the middle period. Just seventeen seconds later though, the Wildcats finally stopped the hemorrhaging as Kristaps Bazevics found just enough room to slip a puck past Amarillo netminder Collin Delia for a 4-1 score. Neither team scored in the third period, despite the Wildcats outshooting the Bulls 12-7.
The Wildcats currently trail the IceRays by two points in the race for the final South Division playoff spot.
WEEKEND NOTES: The Wildcats finish the season winless against the Bulls at a 0-8-0 mark. The week was a rough one, with five fights in the three games-O'Neil, Rudy Junda, Jake Townsend, Charlie Hemstrom, and Tyler Ledford were the combatants for the Wildcats. Colin Staub was again out of the lineup for both games due to injury.
NAHL SOUTH NOTES: Corpus Christi and Texas split their two-game series, maintaining the IceRays' two-point lead over the 'Cats. Topeka swept Odessa in a two-game set.
NAHL PLAYOFF NOTES
South
The IceRays cling to a two-point lead over the Wildcats for the South's final playoff spot. Details are in the next section.
North
In the North, a total of six teams will make it in, with the final three spots coming down to a fight between Johnstown (60 points, 4 games remaining, magic number of 1), Port Huron (58, 5, and 3), Janesville (54, 5, 7) and Springfield (52 and 4, currently on the outside looking in).
Central
Aberdeen is making it interesting. For the last three weeks, Minot has been unable to clinch their playoff spot and the Wings trail them by just seven points. Each team has four games remaining.
Out
Odessa, Michigan, and Coulee Region are the only teams officially out of playoff contention.
CC's Magic Number/WF's Tragic Number: 7 points
Scouting the Jackalopes, March 22-23
The Wildcats will finish out the 2012-13 regular season at home with their playoff hopes still intact as they get the Odessa Jackalopes for a pair of games this weekend. The Wildcats are 9-1-0 against Odessa this season, the only loss being a 1-0 decision in their first meeting in November.
Anthony Olguin leads the Jacks in all offensive categories-11 goals, 13 assists, 24 points-in 47 games played this season. Steven Haydon is the most-penalized player with 133 minutes in the box. The team's struggles are most evident when looking at their per-game numbers: they are last in the league in goals allowed per game, shots allowed per game, goals per game, and shots on goal per game. Of any player with 20 or more games played, Corey Hoffman leads in plus-minus at a minus-12. Four players are a minus-30 or lower. The team has gone 1-24-1 in their last 26 games.
For the Wildcats, Eliot Grauer has had a field day against Odessa much of the season, averaging nearly two points per game against them: 3-15-18 in 10 games. Tyler Ledford and Conor O'Neil each have seven goals against the Jackalopes this year.
Upcoming Wildcats' Events
We're on the air! Join us for the Wildcats' Coaches' Radio Show at our new show host, El Mejicano on Wednesdays at 7 pm. The Voice of the Wildcats, Drew Pelto, will interview the Wildcats' coaches and your favorite Wildcats' players. If you can't get to the show, tune in on the radio at 7:30 pm on 94.9, KOLI, The Outlaw. All in attendance wearing a Wildcats' jersey will get 20% off!
Friday is Air Force Recruit Poster Night, sponsored by Cells U More! Be one of the first 1000 fans through the door to get your free poster.
For Season Ticket Holders, Saturday will be Never Waste A Ticket Night. If you have unused tickets from games earlier this season, you can trade them in for tickets to Saturday's game to bring some friends with you!
Get out on the ice! We have our March open skating schedule on the Games and Ice Events tab at WFWildcatsHockey.com. We also offer birthday party packages at a Wildcats game or an open skating session. Any questions about our ice programs? Contact Sarah Scrivner in the Wildcats office.
Become a fan on Facebook! Get all our updates at http://www.facebook.com/WFWildcats
And don't forget to follow us on Twitter @WFWildcats!
Alumni Report
AMERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE
Moments after sending out last week's update, Dan Sexton was traded from Anaheim to Tampa Bay, putting him back with Syracuse in the AHL where he spent parts of the previous two seasons. His coach is now former Texarkana/St. Louis Bandits' bench boss Jon Cooper, and he's playing alongside another former Texarkana Bandit in Matt Taormina.
ECHL
Kyle Kraemer has points in 13 of his last 14 games, including three assists this past weekend. He leads the Ontario Reign in scoring.
Cal Heeter stopped 35 of 36 shots in Trenton's 2-1 shootout win over Cincinnati on Friday. In addition to the near-perfect 65 minutes, he was a perfect 5 of 5 in the shootout.
Chad Costello was released by the AHL's Bridgeport Sound Tigers, and has returned to the Colorado Eagles. He had a goal and three assists in three games in his first week back.
NCAA DIVISION 1
The final week of conference play is upon us before the start of the Frozen Four! Conference semifinals take place Thursday-Saturday for the five conferences. Three former Wildcats are still playing and are looking to cement their spots in the quest for a National Championship.
THURSDAY - WCHA
Colorado College (Ian Young) vs. North Dakota
Minnesota State (Taylor Herndon) vs. Wisconsin
SATURDAY - CCHA
Ohio State (Tyler Lundey) vs. Notre Dame
NCAA DIVISION 3
Congratulations to Tyler Green, whose Wisconsin-Eau Claire Blugolds won the NCAA Division III National Championship over SUNY-Oswego!
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North American Hockey League Stories from March 18, 2013
- Bulls Mike Davis Wins South Division Player of the Week - Amarillo Bulls
- Peter Krieger Named NAHL Central Division Star of the Week - Aberdeen Wings
- Wings Weekly - Aberdeen Wings
- Cavallini Makes Division I Commitment - Brookings Blizzard
- NAHL Announces Divisional Stars of the Week - NAHL
- WSHL Monsters Advance to Round 2 of Playoffs - Fresno Monsters
- Deficit remains 2 points as 'Cats go 1-2 - Wichita Falls Wildcats
- Bulls Alumni Report Edition 15 - Amarillo Bulls
- Bulls Awards Night Another Big Success - Amarillo Bulls
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