Gorillas Weekly Notes
February 25, 2009 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Amarillo Gorillas News Release
Amarillo @ New Mexico
Wednesday, February 25, 2009 -7:05 PM - Santa Ana Star Center
Amarillo @ Texas
Friday, February 27, 2009 - 7:05 PM - NYTEX Sports Centre
Amarillo @ Odessa
Saturday, February 28, 2009 -7:05 PM - Ector County Coliseum
§ LAST WEEK: Amarillo went 1-3-0 in their busiest week of the season thus far. The Gorillas lost a Kid's Day Game at New Mexico on Tuesday, 7-2, before dropping a contest at Odessa Friday 6-3. Returning to the Amarillo Civic Center on Saturday, the Gorillas pulled out a 6-4 victory against Laredo before losing their second game against the Bucks 5-1 on Sunday.
§ THIS WEEK: Amarillo will embark on a five-game road trip (their second-longest of the season) this week. They will play at New Mexico Wednesday before traveling to North Richland Hills Friday for their only game at the NYTEX Sports Centre this season. Rounding out the week, Amarillo will battle Odessa at the Ector County Coliseum on Saturday.
§ THIS SEASON: On the season, Amarillo is 15-32-3. They are currently fourth in the Southwest Division, 11 points behind New Mexico for third. The Gorillas are 15 points behind Corpus Christi for the fifth and final playoff spot in the CHL's South.
§ AGAINST THIS WEEK'S OPPONENTS: Amarillo is just 1-6-0 against New Mexico this season, with two games remaining against their division rival. Versus the Brahmas in 2008-09, Amarillo is 1-2-1, with each game being decided by just one goal, and all four contests coming at the Amarillo Civic Center. Against Odessa, the Gorillas are 2-5-0, but are 2-2-0 against the Jackalopes at the Ector County Coliseum.
§ ATTRITION: The Gorillas have lost 97 man-games to injury this year. Injuries have been spread throughout the team-only two Gorillas have played all 50 games with the team this year (Austin Sutter and Sam Ftorek).
§ STUNG!: New Mexico has had the Gorillas' number in 2008-09. In seven games against the Scorpions this season, Amarillo is just 1-6-0, and 1-3-0 in Rio Rancho. During the season series, the Scorpions have outscored the Gorillas 40-16-averaging 5.7 goals per game while giving up just 2.3 tallies per affair. Each game between the two teams has been decided by three goals or more.
§ SECOND PERIOD STRUGGLES: Despite improvement in the second period over the last month, the middle frame continues to plague the Gorillas. Amarillo has scored 47 goals in the second period, but has given up 83-a difference of -36. The -36 differential is the largest negative differential in any period for any team in the Central Hockey League, as the 83 goals surrendered is the most given up by any team in any period.
§ SNOW BLIND: Since joining the Gorillas early in the season, John Snowden has been a model of consistency in the Amarillo lineup. Over the team's last 18 games, he has notched points in all but five tilts, including five multi-point games. The veteran has been near a point-per-game with Amarillo, and is third on the team with 12 power play assists.
§ HANDS-ON LEARNING: Playing most of his shifts on defense last week, Mike Handza has made an immediate impact on the blueline. In place of the injured Neil Smith, Handza had three points from his defense post last Saturday night against Laredo, and was a team-leading +3. The Pennsylvania native, in his first professional season, has never before played defense in NCAA, ECHL, or CHL action.
§ YOSEMITE AMARILLO SAM: Defenseman Sam Ftorek leads all blueliners in the CHL with 51 points through 50 games. With 14 games remaining for the Gorillas in the CHL regular season, Ftorek leads Colorado's Aaron Schneekloth by five points in the league's defense scoring race. The 11-year pro is on pace for his best single-season point output in his career, with his previous high coming in 2002-03 with Greensboro of the ECHL (61).
§ THORN IN THE âMAC'RIB: Perhaps no player on the Gorillas has produced points with more regularity than center Stuart MacRae. The gifted passer has points in nine of his last ten games, and has tallied at least a point in 34 of 46 games played this season
§ REUNITED: The Gorillas signed Chi Town Shooters (AAHA) defenseman Warren Galloway Wednesday. Galloway will join former Shooters teammate Shaun Stackhouse in the Gorillas' defense corps.
§ CLEARING THE ZONE: Amarillo is 7-4-1 when leading after one period and is 9-0-2 when leading after two...the Gorillas average only 18.4 penalty minutes per game, second fewest in the CHL (Texas, 17.9)... after their games against the Bucks last week, Amarillo is now 3-8-1 against the Southeast Division this season, with wins against Rio Grande Valley, Texas, and Laredo.
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