Gorillas weekly

Published on December 30, 2008 under Central Hockey League (CHL)
Amarillo Gorillas News Release


LAST WEEK: Amarillo won once in three games last week, losing their fourth-straight weekday game 5-2 at home against the Colorado Eagles. Friday, the team rebounded with a 7-4 decision over Odessa at the Ector Coujnty Coliseum. Odessa responded Saturday with a 7-3 win over the Gorillas on Amarillo Civic Center ice.

THIS SEASON: On the season, Amarillo is 9-18-0. They begin the week as the fourth-place team in the Southwest Division, six points behind New Mexico for third.

AGAINST THIS WEEK'S OPPONENTS: Amarillo is 2-3-0 against Odessa this season and 0-2-0 against the Jackalopes on home ice after a 7-3 loss Saturday. The Gorillas have yet to play Rio Grande Valley in 2008-09-Friday's pending matchup will be the first of three games versus the Killer Bees for Amarillo this season. Last season, Amarillo went 2-1-0 in a trio of matchups with the Bees. Amarillo has a record of 1-1-0 against Rocky Mountain this season, splitting a home-and-home set against the Rage in late November.

SLICK NICK: After a period of adjustment following a stint on the 30-day IR, Nick Theriault has started to showcase his skill from the blueline. In last Friday's game against Odessa, Theriault had one of his finest professional outings with two goals and two assists. The next night, he added a power play goal to his weekly resume, blasting a shot from the point past Odessa netminder Alexandre Vincent. Of Theriault's 12 points on the year, seven (58%) have come on the power play.

NET WORTH: Mike Gorman, the Gorillas starting netminder since his acquisition in November, needs just 20 wins to surpass Tony Martino for second, and 27 wins to surpass Rod Branch for first on the all-time CHL wins list.

ROOKIE 'MO'MENTUM: Gorillas' rookie Jake Morissette has seven points over his last five games, including two three-point outbursts. The typically defensive-minded forward is tied for the team lead with two game-winning goals, and has taken fewer penalty minutes than any other Amarillo skater (8 PIM's through 26 games). Morissette, along with teammate Jonathan Ornelas, ranks among the league's top 25 in rookie scoring through 27 games.

BEE-AUTIFUL TRADE: For the first time since being traded from Rio Grande Valley to Amarillo, Jason Weitzel will play his former team. The trade worked out for both squads, as Weitzel has 18 points and is third on the Gorillas in goals with nine (Weitzel scored a total of nine in all of 2007-08). Brian Bicek, traded in exchange for Weitzel, has 17 points this season and is tied with Amarillo's Jake Morissette for 10th in league rookie scoring.

CLEARING THE ZONE: Amarillo is the third-least penalized team in the league with just 21.7 penalty minutes taken per game...Amarillo has won just one weekday game in 2008-09, going 1-5-0 in six contests...they have scored a total of just ten goals during those games...the Gorillas have won two consecutive road games, a streak tied for third in the league...meanwhile, Amarillo has lost three straight at home, tied for the longest streak in the CHL...Sam Ftorek leads all CHL defensemen in goals and points with 11 and 30 through 27 games...Amarillo is 2-4-0 all-time in their annual New Year's Eve game, with wins coming in 2004 against Lubbock and 2002 against El Paso...they lost the 2007 New Year's Eve game to Odessa, 6-3.



Central Hockey League Stories from December 30, 2008


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