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Hot Scorpions Make it Six Wins in Last Seven Games

January 5, 2004 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
New Mexico Scorpions News Release


SCORPIONS EVENTS – The Scorpions return home on Friday, Jan. 16 to host Amarillo for 104.7 The Edge Head Night. Edge Heads can use their card to get a discount on tickets to that game. The Scorpions host Colorado on Saturday, Jan. 17 for Bank of Albuquerque Piggy Bank Night to the first 1,000 fans.

ALL-STAR GAME UPDATE – The 2004 Dodge CHL All-Star Game will be held on Thursday, Jan. 22 at Tingley Coliseum. The skills competition starts at 6 p.m. while the game begins at 7:05 p.m. WWE superstar Shawn Michaels will be signing autographs at the game. Ticket prices range from $11 to $24. The 2004 Dodge CHL All-Star Banquet featuring guest speaker and Hockey Hall of Fame member Phil Esposito will be Wednesday, Jan. 21 at Santa Ana Star Casino near Bernalillo. Cocktail hour begins at 6 p.m. with the banquet to follow at 7 p.m. Tickets are $50 each or $325 for a table of eight and are now on sale to everybody.

SCORPIONS RECAP –

COLORADO 4, SCORPIONS 0 – Greg Pankewicz had two goals and an assist to lead Colorado to a 4-0 victory over the Scorpions on Tuesday at Tingley Coliseum. Riley Nelson and Mike McGhan also scored while Ryan Bach made 23 saves for the shutout. Danny Lorenz made 17 saves in the first two periods before giving way to Miguel Beaudry.

SCORPIONS 4, AMARILLO 2 – The Scorpions scored three goals in the third period to rally for a 4-2 victory at Amarillo on New Year's Eve. The Scorpions tallied twice in a 1:41 span of the third to take the lead before sealing the win with an empty net goal in the final minute. Chris Richards led the Scorpions with two goals and an assist while Mike Oliveira and Walker McDonald had two helpers each. Peter Ambroziak and Brian Barker also scored, with Barker netting the game-winner. Miguel Beaudry made 31 saves in goal, including all 16 Amarillo attempts in the third period.

SCORPIONS 4, LUBBOCK 1 – The Scorpions scored three goals in the first period to open a 3-0 lead before beating Lubbock 4-1 on Friday night. Mike Oliveira had two goals and an assist while linemate Peter Ambroziak scored once and added two assists. Chris Richards posted two helpers while Brian Barker started the first period barrage with a shorthanded goal. Miguel Beaudry won his second straight start by making 30 saves.

SCORPIONS 1, OKLAHOMA CITY 0 (SO) – Miguel Beaudry made 39 saves during regulation and overtime, then kept his night perfect by stopping all four Blazers attempts as the rookie recorded his first professional shutout in a 1-0 shootout win for New Mexico's third straight victory and sixth in the last seven games. Chris Richards and Mike Oliveira scored in the shootout for the Scorpions, who were outshot 39-30 during the game.

SCORPIONS MATCH-UPS –

WICHITA – The Scorpions are 1-1 against the Thunder this season, but the teams haven't met since a 6-5 shootout win at Tingley Coliseum on Nov. 4. Wichita has won four of their last six games. Mark Kolesar (13g-25a) leads the Thunder with 38 points, while Adam Calder (18g-15a-33pts) and Travis Clayton (11g-21a-32pts) aren't far behind. Nathan Grobins is 8-6-2 with a 2.35 GAA since coming over from Memphis in mid-November and will be the Thunder's lone All-Star representative. The Thunder are 15th in the league allowing 3.42 goals per game.

MEMPHIS – The RiverKings' first trip to Tingley Coliseum was one to forget as the Scorpions won 8-6 on Dec. 2. However, interim coach Mark Richards is 5-1-0 since taking over for Jim Wiley just before Christmas. All-Star starter Don Parsons is second in the league with 23 goals and fifth with 46 points. Jay Neal (11g-27a-38pts) and Alexandre Mathieu (18g-19a-37pts) are also in the top 20 in the CHL. Mike Minard (6-6-0, 2.92 GAA) and Jean-Francois Racine (5-4-0, 2.99 GAA) split the goaltending duties.

INDIANAPOLIS – The Ice earned their first-ever win over the Scorpions with a 3-2 victory at Tingley Coliseum on Nov. 23. This is New Mexico's first trip to the large ice surface at Pepsi Coliseum, as last year's game in Indy was at Conseco Fieldhouse. Defenseman Bernie John (7g-34a) is an All-Star starter and leads the Ice with 41 points while All-Star reserve Jason Baird (16g-24a-40pts) and Jared Dumba (14g-25a-39pts) are just behind. Jeff Sanger (11-8-0, 2.84 GAA) and Brent Zelenewich (7-5-1, 2.64 GAA) are the Ice's two netminders. Indy's power play is second in the CHL.

STINGERS – Peter Ambroziak set a new franchise record on Saturday by playing in his 233rd game as a Scorpion, breaking Darcy Pengelly's old mark set from 1997 to 2001... Saturday's 1-0 shootout win was the first such game and the fourth 1-0 final in Scorpions history (lost 1-0 at Odessa 3/4/01, beat Odessa 1-0 in OT 1/18/03 and lost 1-0 at Memphis on 3/14/03)... It was the seventh 1-0 game in the CHL this season and second such shootout game (OKC beat COL on 11/9)... Chris Richards has a three-game point-scoring streak, with six points (3g-3a) during that time... Richards is 6-for-7 in shootout attempts this year while Mike Oliveira is 4-for-6... As a team, the Scorpions are third at 44.5 percent (15-for-34) behind only Odessa (8-for-13, 61.5%) and Memphis (8-for-17, 47.1%).

SCORPIONS RESULTS – 17-13-3 record, 37 pts., 3rd place, Northwest Division (11-5-1 home, 6-8-2 away)
Tuesday, Dec. 30 Colorado 4, SCORPIONS 0 – Three-game winning streak ends
Wednesday, Dec. 31 Scorpions 4, AMARILLO 2 – Chris Richards – 2 goals, 1 assist; McDonald, Oliveira – 2 assists
Friday, Jan. 2 SCORPIONS 4, Lubbock 1 – Oliveira – 2 goals, 1 assist; Ambroziak – 1 goal, 2 assists
Saturday, Jan. 3 SCORPIONS 1, Oklahoma City 0 (SO) – Richards – GW goal; Miguel Beaudry – 39 saves
Home team in CAPS

SCORPS IN ACTION –
Tuesday, Jan. 6 Scorpions at Wichita Thunder (14-15-4, 32 pts., 4th place, Northwest Div.) – 6 p.m. MST
Friday, Jan. 9 Scorpions at Memphis RiverKings (22-15-0, 44 pts., 2nd place, Northeast Div.) – 6:05 p.m. MST
Saturday, Jan. 10 Scorpions at Indianapolis Ice (18-13-1, 37 pts., 3rd place, Northeast Div.) – 5 p.m. MST
Sunday, Jan. 11 Scorpions at Indianapolis Ice (18-13-1, 37 pts., 3rd place, Northeast Div.) – 3 p.m. MST

SCORPIONS ON THE RADIO – The Scorpions are teaming up again this season with SportsRadio 610 The Sports Animal to bring you all of the Scorpions action on the radio. Mike Sheehan returns for his second season as the Voice of the Scorpions. Tuesday and Friday's games are scheduled to air on 610 The Sports Animal while the weekend games at Indianapolis will air on 1050 KTBL-AM. The games are also available on the Internet through www.sportsjuice.com.

SCORPIONS HOCKEY TALK CONTINUES – Scorpions Hockey Talk returns on Tuesday, Jan. 13 live from 7 to 8 p.m. at Coaches Sports Grill, 1414 Central SE, and on Sports Radio 610 The Sports Animal. Join Mike Sheehan and Scorpions coach Bill McDonald and special Scorpions guests every show. Don't miss this last opportunity to sign up for your chance to win two tickets to see the Colorado Avalanche in Denver. You must be at the show to sign up for your chance to win, so see you there!

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