Gorillas Weekly
Published on January 10, 2007 under Central Hockey League (CHL)
Amarillo Gorillas News Release
GORILLAS OPEN '07 WITH ROUGH START - The Amarillo Gorillas entered the new calendar year on their biggest and best roll of the season. The team had won 4 consecutive games for the first time this season and had outscored the opposition 21-12 in the process. But that streak seems like only a distant memory following a pair of losses during this past weekend. The Gorillas opened last weekend with one of their most disappointing efforts of the year, a 5-3 loss against the New Mexico Scorpions. The Apes garnered just 6 shots in the opening period and at times seemed disinterested despite the importance of the divisional match-up. Amarillo responded the following night though with a dramatic 4-3 eleven round shootout win over the Youngstown Steelhounds. Despite blowing a 3-0 third period lead, the Apes regrouped in the shootout as Matt Miller and Keith Rowe scored to seal the victory. Amarillo suffered a let down the following evening though as they fell to the Odessa Jackalopes 4-2 in a game for 2nd place in the Southwest Division. The Gorillas now enter CHL play this week with a 14-13-2 overall record and are currently 3rd in the Southwest Division with 30 standings points.
WEEKEND RUNDOWN -
FRIDAY January 12th @ Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees, 7:35 P.M. (Dodge Arena)
SATURDAY January 13th @ Austin Ice Bats, 7:30 P.M. (Chaparral Ice Center)
SUNDAY January 14th vs. Odessa Jackalopes, 5:05 P.M. (The Jungle)
**All 3 games can be heard on 1010 AM The Canyon**
GORILLAS ANNOUNCE WICHITA MAKE-UP GAME - The Amarillo Gorillas of the Central Hockey League (CHL) are pleased to announce their make-up game against the Wichita Thunder, originally scheduled for Saturday December 30th, has been officially rescheduled to Tuesday February 20th. The game was originally postponed due to inclement weather and unsafe traveling conditions as the Thunder were trying to return home from games in Colorado. The Gorillas will now be faced with 13 total games in the month of February and 9 in the final 14 days of the month. Amarillo's postponed home game versus the Austin Ice Bats (originally scheduled for New Year's Eve) has yet to be rescheduled.
SOME STILL STREAKING - While the Gorillas as a team ended their season-high 4-game winning streak this past weekend, some continued their red-hot play of late by prolonging a pair of scoring streaks. Chris Lipsett tallied at least one point in each game this past weekend knocking his current streak up to 8 consecutive games. The Gorillas' player/assistant coach has 9 goals and 5 assists during that stretch. It is Lipsett's and Amarillo's 2nd longest point streak this season. The Ottawa, Ontario native garnered points in 10 consecutive games from November 11th to December 2nd, the 3rd longest such streak in the CHL this season. Another Ape who continued his torrid scoring this past weekend was Caroline, Alberta native Bill Vandermeer, who bumped his current point streak up to 6 straight games. Vandermeer has 2 goals and 9 assists during that stretch and it's his 2nd 6-game point streak of the 2006-07 campaign. Vandermeer also tallied points in 6 straight games from November 18th to November 28th.
HOME ICE (DIS)ADVANTAGE - The Gorillas have the fewest regulation losses at home of any team in the Southwest Division and yet, it's against those divisional opponents that the Apes have struggled the most against when skating at the Cal Farley Coliseum. Amarillo is just 1-3-2 at home this season against Southwest Division opponents. That one win - a 5-2 opening night victory against the New Mexico Scorpions. Since that time, the Gorillas have dropped a pair of shootouts (Arizona, Lubbock) and 3 regulation defeats (Odessa 2, Lubbock) to their divisional rivals. Goal scoring has been a major factor in the Gorillas' lack of success. Since scoring 5 goals on opening night, the Apes have managed just 14 goals in 5 divisional match-ups while surrendering 22. Against the rest of the CHL at home however, the Apes are an impressive 7-1 and have outscored the opposition 28-20. The Gorillas welcome back Southwest Division rival Odessa this Sunday afternoon for a 5 o'clock showdown. The Apes are 2-3 against the Jackalopes this season, 0-2 at home.
Individual game tickets as well as great group ticket rates can be purchased at the Gorillas Hockey Office, located at 1934 Civic Circle off of I-40 and Georgia, the Civic Center Box Office and all Panhandle Ticket Outlets. These include Randy's Music Mart, the West Texas Event Center in Canyon and United Supermarkets. Tickets can also be charged by phone at (806) 378-3096 or (806) 242-PUCK (7825). Also be sure to call the Gorillas front office today to learn about all the great incentives you can gather by bringing a group out to a Gorillas game!
Central Hockey League Stories from January 10, 2007
- Ice Bats Take Three of Four in 2007 - Austin Ice Bats
- RiverKings Weekly News and Notes - Mississippi RiverKings
- Gorillas Weekly - Amarillo Gorillas
- Eagles Week in Review - Colorado Eagles
- RiverKings hosting "Sports Journalists of the Future" Night - Mississippi RiverKings
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