CHL Central Hockey League

Indy, Memphis Meet in North Finals

Published on April 3, 2003 under Central Hockey League (CHL) News Release


The final four clubs in contention for the 2002/2003 Central Hockey League Ray Miron President's Cup are now set, following a 5-2 win yesterday evening by the Memphis RiverKings in deciding Game 5 of their series with the Oklahoma City Blazers. Memphis now advances to face the Indianapolis Ice in the Northern Conference Finals, and keeps alive their hopes of repeating as President's Cup champions. In the Southern Conference Finals, the Laredo Bucks visit the Austin Ice Bats this evening to begin their best of seven games series.

Wednesday night in Oklahoma City, Memphis earned a 5-2 victory to complete a 3-2 series win over the Blazers, despite an early 2-0 deficit. RiverKings right winger Don Parsons, the Most Valuable Player in the CHL this season and last, again played a key role in the win with a goal and an assist, giving him a CHL-leading 10 points in the post-season. Special teams ultimately played the biggest role in the series, with Memphis scoring nine power play goals and adding three shorthanded efforts in five games. The RiverKings will now face the Indianapolis Ice for the right to represent the Northern Conference in the President's Cup Finals. Indianapolis and Memphis met a dozen times during the regular season, with Memphis winning seven of the head to head contests. Both teams did manage two victories away from home during the regular season series. Left winger Jason Baird led the Ice with six goals and nine assists in twelve meetings, while Parsons paced Memphis with nine goals and eight assists. A Northern Conference Finals preview is below.

While Memphis moves on, Oklahoma City and the CHL bid farewell to Blazer great Joe Burton, retiring after 11 seasons in Oklahoma City. Burton ends his career holding or sharing 19 significant Central Hockey League records, including most career goals (565), most career points (985) and most games played (708). He recorded an amazing 41 hat tricks with the Blazers, and was a key cog in Oklahoma City championships in the 1995/1996 and 2000/2001 seasons. The Garden City, Michigan native maintained a high level of play throughout his career, and finished his last professional season in style, finishing second overall with 46 goals and fifth overall in scoring with 84 points. Burton scored 40 goals or more in seven consecutive seasons, led by his career high 74 in 1997/1998, and was named the CHL's Most Valuable Player in both the 1997/1998 and 2000/2001 seasons. "It hasn't really sunk in," he told the Daily Oklahoman following his last professional game. "It's not the way I wanted to go out."

2002-2003 Central Hockey League Ray Miron President's Cup Playoffs Northern Conference Finals - Indianapolis Ice vs Memphis RiverKings

Northern Conference Finals Schedule (Best of Seven)

Game Date Time Visitor Home Location
1 04/04/03 7:05 PM Indianapolis Memphis DeSoto Civic Center
2 04/08/03 7:05 PM Indianapolis Memphis DeSoto Civic Center
3 04/10/03 7:00 PM Memphis Indianapolis Pepsi Coliseum
4 04/12/03 7:00 PM Memphis Indianapolis Pepsi Coliseum
5* 04/13/03 6:05 PM Memphis Indianapolis Pepsi Coliseum
6* 04/15/03 7:05 PM Indianapolis Memphis DeSoto Civic Center
7* 04/16/03 7:00 PM Memphis Indianapolis Pepsi Coliseum
*If Necessary

The 2002/2003 Northern Conference Finals begin with two clubs looking for their second ever CHL championship. The Memphis RiverKings claimed last season's Ray Miron President's Cup, while the Indianapolis Ice were champions during the 1999/2000 season. The Ice enjoyed a remarkably improved season under CHL Coach of the Year Ken McRae, who guided his team to a regular season record of 39-21-4 and the Northeast Division title. In his first season behind the bench for Indianapolis, McRae showed a 19-win improvement over last year. The Ice eliminated the Amarillo Gorillas in the opening round of the post-season in four games, and will have enjoyed five full days off prior to opening the Northern Finals. The RiverKings were pushed to the limit by the Oklahoma City Blazers in the opening round, winning Game 5 in Oklahoma City Wednesday evening. Memphis, as usual, is led by right wing Don Parsons, who led the CHL in goals (57) and points (106) while winning his second consecutive MVP award. Parsons also currently sits atop the playoff scoring race with five goals and five assists. The Ice have a deep and talented crew of forwards, led by point leader Kevin St. Jacques (78), one of 10 Indianapolis players to record double digit goal totals. Veteran defenseman Bernie John, a regular finalist for Most Outstanding Defenseman, recorded 66 points during the regular season and has a CHL-leading seven assists in the playoffs. Goaltender Shawn Silver also enjoyed an outstanding season, finishing with the second best goals against average in the CHL at 2.20. In addition to Parsons, Memphis has a solid stable of performers, including forwards Kahlil Thomas, Jay Neal, Jonathan Gagnon and Michal Stastny, who scored in overtime last year to clinch Memphis' title bid. Defenseman Derek Landmesser combines a high skill level with extremely physical play, while veteran goaltender Mark Richards is experienced and playoff tested. The Northern Conference Finals will begin in Memphis due to ice availability in Indianapolis.

2002/2003 Regular Season Meetings

Date Visitor Home
10/19/02 Memphis 4 Indianapolis 3
10/26/02 Memphis 0 Indianapolis 2
11/28/02 Memphis 1 Indianapolis 4
11/29/02 Indianapolis 3 Memphis 0
12/08/02 Indianapolis 0 Memphis 3
01/04/03 Indianapolis 1 Memphis 6
02/01/03 Memphis 2 Indianapolis 6
02/21/03 Indianapolis 1 Memphis 4
02/22/03 Indianapolis 3 Memphis 4 (SO)
02/28/03 Indianapolis 5 Memphis 4
03/01/03 Memphis 5 Indianapolis 2
03/16/03 Indianapolis 3 Memphis 6

Key Regular Season Statistics

Indianapolis Memphis
Head to Head 5-6-1 7-5-0
Record 39-16-9 39-21-4
Points 87 82
Home Record 21-4-7 25-6-1
Away Record 18-12-2 14-15-3
Scoring First 29-3-2 31-9-4
Outshooting Opponent 23-10-5 23-14-2
1 - Goal Games 18-1-9 14-7-4
Average Goals For 3.22 (8) 3.67 (2)
Average Goals Against 2.70 (2) 2.97 (7)
Shots Average 33.8 (4) 32.6 (7)
Shots Against Average 29.9 (4) 29.1 (2)
Power Play % 17.9 (6) 18.9 (3)
Penalty Kill % 84.9 (5) 84.6 (6)
PIM Average 18.6 (1) 27.9 (14)

Indianapolis Northern Finals Notes

- Least penalized team in the regular season, averaging just 18.6 penalty minutes per contest
- All-time CHL playoff record of 10-8
- One championship final appearance, defeating Columbus in seven games in 99/00
- Defenseman Bernie John tied a CHL playoff record with five assists in 8-4 win at Amarillo March 29th
- Rookie of the Year finalist Etienne Morin led the Ice with plus/minus ranking of +20
- Have played Memphis once in the post-season, suffering a three game sweep in 00/01
- Best home penalty killing unit this season at 92.6

Memphis Northern Finals Notes

- Two previous Finals appearances, defeating Austin 4-1 last season, losing to Fort Worth 4-3 in 96/97
- All-time CHL playoff record of 31-30
- RW Don Parsons is bidding for his second straight CHL playoff MVP honor (Wichita's Ron Handy accomplished the feat in 93/94 and 94/95)
- Scored 12 special teams goals in opening round win over Oklahoma City, including three shorthanded
- Home record of 25-6-1 in regular season was second only to Laredo's 26-4-2
- Led CHL with 77 power play goals in regular season
- Led CHL in scoring in first and second periods

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Central Hockey League Stories from April 3, 2003


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