Gorillas weekly notes
Published on November 25, 2008 under Central Hockey League (CHL)
Amarillo Gorillas News Release
LAST WEEK: Amarillo went 0-2-0 in games played last week. On Thursday, the Gorillas lost to the Oklahoma City Blazers at the Ford Center in Oklahoma City, 3-2. Two days later, Amarillo dropped a road contest to Laredo, 2-1. Mike Gorman was the netminder for both Gorillas games, stopping 77 of 82 shots.
On the season, Amarillo is 4-10-0. They are 1-4-0 on their current six-game road trip. When they play against Rocky Mountain at the Amarillo Civic Center Friday, it will be the first time in three weeks they will have skated on home ice. Over their last four home games, the Gorillas have won three times.
Amarillo is 0-1-0 against Oklahoma City in 2008-09, having lost their only game against the Blazers last Thursday, 3-2. Mike Gorman stopped 34 of 37 shots in the loss, while Joe Guenther and Luke Lynes scored for the Gorillas. Former Gorilla Bill Vandermeer scored the game-winning goal against his former team.
This weekend's home-and-home series with Rocky Mountain will be the first time the Gorillas have battled the Rage this season. In 2007-08, Amarillo went 0-4-1 against the Rage, getting outscored 25-11 over the course of the five games. The Gorillas have not beaten the Rage since February 16, 2007, when they defeated Rocky Mountain at the Amarillo Civic Center 7-1.
Amarillo has never won at the Broomfield Events Center, and will try to reverse this trend Saturday. In fact, the Gorillas are just 2-6-1 all-time against the Rage.
After being held scoreless in Saturday's game against Laredo, Sam Ftorek had his point streak snapped at 11 games. The point streak stands as the third-longest in the league this season. Ftorek is second in the CHL in defense scoring, with 17 points over 14 games-only two points behind Colorado's Scott Polaski. Ftorek began the season as a forward, and moved back to defense after injuries crippled the Amarillo defense corps two games into the season.
Joe Guenther leads the Gorillas in power play goals with five-two more than any other player. Such a trend should not surprise most Amarillo hockey fans, as Guenther led the team in power play goals in 2005-06 with ten, despite playing in just 44 games with the team.
After just five games with the Gorillas, Mike Gorman is among league leaders in goals-against average (5th) and save percentage (8th). The veteran goaltender is third on the all-time CHL wins chart with 163 wins, and leads active goaltenders in the category. He needs just 25 wins to surpass Tony Martino for second, and 32 wins to surpass Rod Branch for first on the all-time CHL wins list.
Since joining the team on 11/14/08, defenseman Jamie McKinven has scored three points in just four games.
CLEARING THE ZONE: Amarillo is the third-least penalized team in the league with just 22.3 penalty minutes taken per game...the Gorillas have yet to win a Saturday game in 2008-09, going 0-5-0 this season...after spending the first eight games last in the CHL in penalty killing, the Gorillas' penalty killing has improved to 79.4% (11th in the CHL)...Amarillo has killed off 38 of the last 44 opponents' power plays.
Central Hockey League Stories from November 25, 2008
- Bucks Tripped Up In Third, Fall 5-3 - Laredo Bucks
- RiverKings Stop Bucks Win Streak With Win in Laredo - Mississippi RiverKings
- McConnachie Joins Oilers - Tulsa Oilers
- NYTEX and Brahmas to honor military this week - Fort Worth Brahmas
- Wray's Hat Trick Nominated for CHL Performance of the Week - Rocky Mountain Rage
- CHL Performance of the Week Winner Announced - CHL
- Four-Time Stanley Cup Champion Claude Lemieux Signs Tryout Contract with San Jose - Arizona Sundogs
- Gorillas weekly notes - Amarillo Gorillas
- Landmesser To Play In 450th Riverking Game Tonight - Mississippi RiverKings
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