Gorillas fall in opener
October 19, 2007 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Amarillo Gorillas News Release
Amarillo, TX - The Amarillo Gorillas came up short against the Tulsa Oilers in their season opener on Fridya night, falling by a final score of 3-2. The game appeared to be headed for overtime, when Paul Kelly took advantage of a favorable bounce and put the Oilers ahead 3-2 with only :27 left to play in the game.
The first and second period saw newcomer Dan McWhinney standing strong in net, matching his counterpart Kevin St-Pierre save for save. The two combined to make some impressive saves, keeping the game scoreless after two periods play.
In the third period however, things were a little bit different as the scoring got started early when Brendan Hodge scored on the power play at 2:16. Hodge found a loose puck after McWhinney made initial saves on David Beauregard and Jeff Christian, and was able to bury it into an open cage. The Gorillas were quick to respond however when player/Assistant Coach Chris Lipsett capitalized on a nice feed from Trevor Read beating St. Pierre to tie the game at the 4:34 mark. Kai Magnussen was able to recapture the lead for Tulsa, scoring three minutes later, but again the Gorillas answered back when David Nimmo scored his first goal in a Gorillas uniform at the 16:20 mark.
Late in the contest however, Dan McWhinney came out of his net to play a puck that was up for grabs between him and charging Tulsa forward David Beauregard. McWhinney tried to dive on the puck to smother it, instead the puck bounced off his pads and came free to Paul Kelly who was starting at an empty net. He was able to bury the game's final goal and give the Oilers a 3-2 victory, sending the Gorillas to 0-1-0 on the year. McWhinney faced 37 shots making 34 saves, while his former teammate Kevin St. Pierre made 34 saves on 36 shots.
The Gorillas will face the Rocky Mountain Rage at home tomorrow night, game times is 7:05 PM. On Tuesday the 23rd, the Amarillo Gorillas will have their kids day game at the Civic Center, hosting the Laredo Bucks, game time is set for 11:00 AM. For more information about the Kids Day Game or for tickets call the Gorillas office at 242-PUCK or visit our website at www.amarillogorillas.com.
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