CHL Mississippi RiverKings

Game Day - RiverKings at Wichita

March 11, 2011 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Mississippi RiverKings News Release


SOUTHAVEN, MS --- The Mississippi RiverKings play the second of three consecutive Central Hockey League games tonight against the Thunder in Wichita. Game time tonight is 7:05 PM and broadcast coverage of the game will be available on Sports 56, WHBQ-AM with Media Coordinator and Voice of the RiverKings Bob Bakken on the call at 6:50 PM. Tonight's game will be available at www.sports56whbq.com and through the CHL-TV webcasting service available through the Watch Live button on the team Internet home page at www.riverkings.com.

RIVERKINGS RECAP: Mississippi opened its weekend trio of games with a 3-2 shootout victory at home over Dayton last night in Southaven ‚¬â„¢s DeSoto Civic Center. Matt Summers led the offense with a goal and an assist, while goaltender Alexander Pechurskiy made 26 saves in posting his 14th victory of the season (14-11-2). Chris Richards tied the game in the third period after the Gems had taken a 2-1 lead, and Derek Landmesser converted the eventual game-winner with his goal in the eighth round of the shootout. Mississippi outshot the Gems 38-28 for the contest and was 1-for-7 on the power play.

MISSISSIPPI VS. WICHITA: Mississippi is 3-1-0 against Wichita this season and all time is 66-44-15 against the Thunder franchise. Wichita ‚¬â„¢s first victory against the RiverKings since February 6th, 2010 (5-4 shootout) came in the teams ‚¬â„¢ last meeting on February 8th, a 5-2 Thunder victory at the INTRUST Bank Arena in Wichita. Matt Summers leads the Mississippi offense in goals (5) and points (7), while Chris Richards leads the team in assists (4). Russell Smith leads the RiverKings in penalty minutes against Wichita (31). Summers has scored two power play goals and Louis Dumont has scored twice in shootouts. Goaltender Alexander Pechurskiy has a 2-0-0 record between the posts for the RiverKings, while Larry Sterling is 1-1-0. Pechurskiy boasts a scintillating 0.96 goals-against-average and a .965 save percentage this season against the Thunder.

MISSISSIPPI ON THE ROAD: Nathan Lutz leads Mississippi in scoring on enemy ice with 16 assists and 25 points in 27 appearances. Lutz also has scored three power play goals away from home. Matt Summers paces the RiverKings in goals scored (11) and game-winning goals away from the DCC (2). Patrik Levesque has scored the first goal of a road game on three occasions. Darrell Stoddard is the team leader in penalty minutes on the road with 78. Between the pipes, Alexander Pechurskiy has been the winning goaltender for six of the team ‚¬â„¢s nine road victories this season (6-8-1), while Larry Sterling is 2-6-2 in road contests, with one of his two wins coming in a shutout of Missouri in January. Mississippi ‚¬â„¢s last road victory came March 4th in a 4-1 victory over the Sundogs in Arizona.

PLAYER UPDATES

5-Russell Smith...ranks third in the CHL for penalty minutes with 189 (leading all CHL defensemen)...is tied for second in the CHL for minor penalties taken with 52...

9-Matt Boyd...is second in shorthanded assists by a CHL rookie with two...

16-Louis Dumont...is within two goals of 100 career CHL/RiverKings goals scored...is tied for the CHL lead in shorthanded goals scored with five...

18-Rusty Masters...assisted on Chris Richards ‚¬â„¢ tying goal in the third period of last night ‚¬â„¢s win against Dayton...is averaging a point a goal for his pro career, 50 points (20 goals, 30 assists) in 50 games, including nine this season with the RiverKings...

19-Matt Summers...scored last night ‚¬â„¢s first goal of the game, giving him 25 for the season...has now scored five goals in his last six games...also assisted on Chris Richards ‚¬â„¢ tying goal in the third period...scored the first RiverKings ‚¬â„¢ goal in last night ‚¬â„¢s shootout...has two goals in his last two games and three points in his last two games...is fourth in the CHL for power play goals scored with 13...is tied for the CHL lead for shooting percentage at .231 (25 goals, 108 shots)...

22-Tyler Sheldrake...made his first appearance since November count with a fighting major and two game misconduct calls in the second period of last night ‚¬â„¢s victory over Dayton...has been on injured reserve since being injured in the second month of the season...

24-Andrew Lackner...is with three of 300 career professional games played, which should occur at home March 18th vs., Texas...

26-Chris Auger...is the CHL rookie leader for shorthanded goals scored with three...is fourth among rookies for plus-minus at +10...

40-Alexander Pechurskiy...made 26 saves in winning last night ‚¬â„¢s game between the crease, his 14th win of the season...is tied for the CHL lead in shootout wins with three...is fifth for shootout save percentage at .815 (22 saves, 27 shots)...

44-Nathan Lutz...assisted on Matt Summers ‚¬â„¢ first period goal in last night ‚¬â„¢s win vs. Dayton...has three assists and three points in his last four games...is fourth in the CHL for power play assists with 23 (leading all CHL blue liners)...is second in defenseman scoring with 49 points...is tied for the CHL lead for defenseman assists with 39...

55-Derek Landmesser...reached 100 career CHL and RiverKings goals with his shootout goal to win last night ‚¬â„¢s game vs. Dayton...has four points (two goals, two assists) in his last three contests...is tied for the CHL lead for shootout goals by a defenseman with two...

83-Chris Richards...scored the tying goal in the third period of last night ‚¬â„¢s win against Dayton...is two games short of 700 career CHL games played and should reach that mark tomorrow night in Quad City...

87-Darrell Stoddard...assisted on Matt Summers ‚¬â„¢ first period goal in last night ‚¬â„¢s game vs. Dayton...

RIVERKINGS STATISTICAL LEADERS:

GOALS: Matt Summers (25)

ASSISTS: Nathan Lutz (39)

POINTS: Chris Richards, Lutz (49)

PLUS-MINUS: Derek Landmesser, Chris Auger (+10)

PENALTY MINUTES: Russell Smith (189)

POWER PLAY GOALS: Summers (13)

SHORTHANDED GOALS: Louis Dumont (5)

GAME-WINNING GOALS: R.G. Flath (4)

RIVERKINGS GOALTENDING LEADERS:

GAMES PLAYED: Alexander Pechurskiy (30)

MINUTES PLAYED: Pechurskiy (1674)

WINS: Pechurskiy (14)

SHUTOUTS: Sterling (2)

GOALS-AGAINST-AVERAGE: Pechurskiy (2.83)

SAVE PERCENTAGE: Pechurskiy (.897)

TEAM NOTES

Mississippi...played just its third game on a Thursday night last evening, winning its second game on that particular night...is 8-8-2 in games played on Fridays...won its 18th game against Turner Conference foes with last night ‚¬â„¢s victory and is now 18-13-2 against the Turner Conference this season...

RIVERKINGS NAMED AMONG BEST OF THE BEST: Members of the RiverKings were again noted among the Central Hockey League ‚¬â„¢s Best of the Best poll released Tuesday morning. Louis Dumont was named the league ‚¬â„¢s Best Penalty Killer in the poll of league teams, and Nathan Lutz was named 2nd Best Offensive Defenseman. In addition, the team was recognized in the category for Best Game Notes, finishing second.

TICKETS: For RiverKings ticket information, call 662-342-1755 or go online to www.riverkings.com today!



Central Hockey League Stories from March 11, 2011


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