Gorillas Finish Week with Five of Possible Eight Points
January 20, 2003 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Amarillo Gorillas News Release
The Amarillo Gorillas deserved a better fate this week even though they collected five out of a possible eight points in four Central Hockey League games.
With the all-star break upon them, the Gorillas now hold a mark of 23-13-1 for 46 points and sit in third place in the Northwest Division behind the Tulsa Oilers and the Oklahoma City Blazers.
In the Northern Conference playoff race, Amarillo is seven points back of the Oilers and eight points behind the Oklahoma City Blazers with five games in hand on the Oilers and four on the Blazers.
The Gorillas now begin the most difficult part of their schedule with eight consecutive road games beginning this weekend with trips to Tulsa to face the Oilers on Friday at 7:35 p.m. and Saturday against the Memphis RiverKings at 7:05 p.m.
Joe Ferras' charges saw the string of consecutive wins either in overtime or shootouts come to an end (10-0 overall, 2-0 in overtime, 8-0 in shootouts) with the loss to the Lubbock Cotton Kings 4-3 in the final seconds of the extra session.
That overtime/shootout string could have come to an end one night earlier againsT the Memphis RiverKings if it wasn't for the heroics of Brandon Carper who scored to tie the game in the shootout and force sudden-death shooters. Ben Gustavson won the game for Amarillo with his goal after the first Memphis shooter failed to score.
Here is the week in review:
AMARILLO GORILLAS 3 â CORPUS CHRISTI RAYZ 0
Scott Wray, Brian Pellerin and Ben Gustavson netted goals and goaltender Steve DeBus did the rest as the Gorillas won 3-0 over the Rayz.
It was DeBus' third shutout of the season which broke the record for most shutouts in a season by an Amarillo Rattlers/Gorillas goaltender of two set by three different keepers.
FORT WORTH BRAHMAS 3 â AMARILLO GORILLAS 2
The first visit by an Amarillo hockey team to the Fort Worth Convention Center since prior to the WPHL/CHL merger was a memorable one on Friday night.
The Brahmas fired two early third period goals and then held on by their toe nails to beat the Gorillas 3-2 in a wild game. Ben Maidment and Scott Wray collected goals for Amarillo which actually led 2-1 after 40 minutes.
AMARILLO GORILLAS 4 â MEMPHIS RIVERKINGS 3 (SHOOTOUT)
The Amarillo Gorillas made good use of their camouflage jerseys on Saturday night at The Jungle as they won the war against the Memphis RiverKings 4-3 in a shootout.
The Gorillas rallied from a 2-0 deficit and actually led 3-2 until the final four minutes of the third period on two goals by Darren Curry and a single from Ben Gustvason. The RiverKings tied the game 3-3 on a controversial power play goal late in the third period.
In the shootout, Memphis raced out to an early lead but Brandon Carper, who was the last shooter for Amarillo, tied the game to force sudden-death shooters. After the RiverKings missed on their sixth shooter, Ben Gustavson scored his second goal of the game to win it for Amarillo.
Goaltender Steve DeBus turned aside 35 shots for Amarillo to post a well-earned victory.
LUBBOCK COTTON KINGS 4 â AMARILLO GORILLAS 3 (OVERTIME)
The string of 10 consecutive overtime wins by the Amarillo Gorillas came to a halt on Sunday evening at the hands of the Lubbock Cotton Kings.
The Cotton Kings netted the game winner in the final 20 seconds of overtime to beat Amarillo 4-3. The Gorillas trailed 3-1 after 40 minutes and rallied back to tie the game on goals by Ben Gustavson and Dorian Anneck. Henry Kuster had the other Gorillas goal.
ON THE AIRWAVES:
Both Amarillo Gorillas games this coming weekend can be heard live on 1440 Am The Score. Friday night's game between Amarillo and Tulsa begins with the Pizza Hut Warm Up Show at 7:10 p.m. (7:35 p.m. face-off ) from the Tulsa Convention Center, while Saturday's game at the DeSoto Civic Center kicks off at 6:40 p.m. (7:05 p.m. face-off).
Central Hockey League Stories from January 20, 2003
- Gorillas Finish Week with Five of Possible Eight Points - Amarillo Gorillas
- Saints Week in Review - San Angelo Saints
- Cotton Kings Weekly Notes - Lubbock Cotton Kings
- Scorpions Head into All-Star Break with Win - New Mexico Scorpions
- Clayton Tabbed Player of Week - Wichita Thunder
- Ice Shares Top Spot in Northern Conference after Five-Point Week - Indianapolis Ice
- The Goalie Hat Trick - Corpus Christi IceRays
- Eyes on the Prize - Corpus Christi IceRays
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