Killer Bees Game Notes

December 15, 2006 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees News Release


The Bees (11-8-2, 24 pts.) travel to Amarillo to face the Gorillas (8-10-2, 18 pts) for the first time this season. Rio is coming off a 9-4 shellacking Sunday at Laredo, while the Apes dropped two in a row at Colorado last Friday and Saturday. The Bees are tied with Corpus Christi in the Southeast Division race and are four points behind No. 1 Laredo. The Bees and Rayz entered the week tied for the No. 2 spot in the Southern Conference. Amarillo is mired in a four-game losing skid and rounds out the Southern Conference tied with New Mexico.

BROADCAST INFO

Radio: ESPN Radio 1240 AM

Internet: Live Audio at killerbeehockey.com; audio/video stream at chltv.com

TV: none

TONIGHT'S STAT FACTS

- The Bees went 3-1-0 in October, 5-5-1 in November, and are 3-1-2 in December.

- Rio is 6-3-2 vs. Southeast Division foes and 3-4-0 vs. the Southwest Division.

- In 20 games, the Bees have allowed three or fewer goals 14 times, and are 11-2-1 when doing so.

- The Bees are 7-2-0 when scoring first.

- Amarillo's Rich Hansen entered the week tied for fifth in CHL scoring with 27 points (9-18-27). He is also tied for the league lead with four GWG.

- Rio's Jeremy Symington entered the week with the CHL's third-best GAA (2.41) and fourth-best save percentage (.926).

TONIGHT'S OPPONENT

The Amarillo Gorillas return home this Friday for the first time in nearly two weeks looking to snap a season-high four-game losing streak...The Apes are just 0-4-0 in December...They have not won since a 3-1 win in Odessa back on November 29...With the recent struggles, the Gorillas have seen their record fall below .500 for the first time all season as the Apes now stand at 8-10-2 on the year and are currently tied for fourth place n the Southwest Division...Amarillo is much better at home (5-2-2) than the road (3-8-0). The Apes have also outscored their opponents 27-24 when playing at home while being outscored 46-29 on the road.

TEAM VS. TEAM

ALL TIME SERIES

Rio is 4-4-0-0 all time vs. Amarillo (1-3-0-0 at home, 3-1-0-0 on the road).

SEASON SERIES

First of two meetings...the teams meet again Jan. 12 at Dodge Arena.

LAST MEETING

March 24, 2006 --- Amarillo defeated the Bees 4-1 at the Amarillo Civic Center, setting up a down to the wire playoff race in the Southern Conference. The Bees defeated Odessa two days later to secure a playoff berth.

UPCOMING SCHEDULE

December 15 -- 7:00 PM at Amarillo (ESPN 1240)

December 16 -- 7:30 PM at Austin (ESPN 1240)

December 17 -- 4:00 PM Corpus Christi (ESPN 1240)

December 22 -- 7:00 PM at Odessa (ESPN 1240)

December 23 -- 7:30 PM at Laredo (ESPN 1240)

December 29 -- 7:30 PM Laredo (ESPN 1240)

December 30 -- 7:30 PM Laredo (ESPN 1240)

December 31 -- 7:30 PM at Laredo (ESPN 1240)

TRANSACTIONS

12/10/06 DEL Casey, Joe (C) placed on 14 day IR

12/07/06 ADD Rogers, Matt (LW) signed contract

12/03/06 DEL Voltera, Rob (RW) placed on 14 day IR

12/02/06 DEL Dulle, Kurtis (D) placed on 14 day IR

11/17/06 ADD Symington, Jeremy (G) signed

11/17/06 DEL Blanchard, Mathieu (G) waived

11/14/06 DEL Hult, Alexander (C) waived

11/14/06 ADD Looby, Mike (D) signed contract

11/11/06 ADD Looby, Mike (D) claimed off waivers

11/09/06 ADD Voltera, Rob (RW) signed contract

11/06/06 DEL Faris, Mark (RW) waived

10/27/06 ADD OLeary, Mark (LW) signed contract

10/27/06 DEL Bickel, Ted (F) waived

KILLER BEES GOALIE NOTES

Symington

- Signed with Rio on Nov. 17 after beginning the season with Youngstown. Is 5-2 since signing with the Bees.

- Went 2-0 with the Steelhounds, winning two games at Memphis opening weekend.

- Earned first Bees win in a 34-save, 3-0 shutout of Bossier-Shreveport on Nov. 22. Followed that up with another 3-0 shutout (31 saves) two nights later at Bossier, and earned Oakley CHL Goalie of the Week Honors for Week Six.

- Symington's string of shutout hockey ended at 171:47, a new team record (Nov. 18-Nov. 28, eight consecutive periods-plus)

- Has played five games in the AHL (2002-03) with the top affiliate of the Ottawa Senators (Binghamton) where he went 3-1-1.

- Went to the CHL finals with Laredo in 2005 after a solid regular season that saw him post an 18-10-1 record with a 2.39 GAA. He was also a CHL All-Star in 2005.

- Was an eighth round draft selection of the NY Islanders in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft.

- Attended St. Lawrence University from 1997-2001, and was the ECAC Post-Season Tournament MVP his senior season.

Van Nynatten

- Earned first pro win with 24 saves in second pro start at Laredo on October 28.

- Made 41 saves in a 2-1 win at Odessa on Nov. 16.

- Teammate and roommate of Killer Bee Ryan Carrigan at Niagara from 2003-05.

- Ranks first on CHA chart in career wins and minutes.

- Made an NCAA season-high 59 saves in a 7-1 loss at Minnesota on Jan. 7, 2006.

- Stopped Ryan Campbell on a penalty shot at Memphis (Nov. 25, 2006)

KILLER BEES PLAYER NOTES

IRON MAN BILLY

Bill Newson played in his 400th pro game Nov. 18 vs. Arizona. He played in his 200th straight regular season game for the Bees Wednesday, Nov. 22 vs. Bossier-Shreveport and scored the game-winner. Newson has never missed a game in the franchise's history.

BANGED UP

Entering this week's action, the Bees have three players on injured reserve. Kurtis Dulle is eligible to play again Saturday, while Rob Voltera is eligible to play Sunday. Joe Casey is on the shelf until after the Christmas break.

VOLTERA ADDED AS ALTERNATE CAPTAIN

Rob Voltera joins Bill Newson, Kurtis Dulle and Dennis Maxwell as an alternate captain. Voltera and Dulle will wear the "A" on the road.

FIT TO BE TIED DOWN

The Bees had a player ejected for not properly having his jersey tied down on consecutive Saturdays. Bill Newson got the game on Nov. 11 vs. Austin, while Dennis Maxwell was shown the door on Nov. 18 vs. Arizona. Both game misconduct penalties were later rescinded.

KILLER BEES TEAM NOTES

CORPUS SETS OPPONENT HIGH FOR SHOTS

Corpus Christi peppered Jeremy Symington with 21 shots in the second period on Dec.1, a season high. The franchise record is 23 shots allowed at Odessa (3/4/05, 2nd).

LAREDO BOMBS NINE GOALS VS. BEES

The nine goals scored by Laredo on Dec. 10 set a new opponent regular season record. The previous high was eight, scored by the Bucks on Dec. 17, 2004. Laredo scored nine goals vs. the Bees in Game 5 of the first round of 2006 CHL playoffs (April 9, 2006).

GET THE FIRST GOAL

Rio is 4-6-1-1 (W-L-OTL-SOL) when allowing the first goal and 7-2-0 when scoring first.

IT'S NEVER EASY TO COME BACK

The Bees are 1-5-0-1 when trailing after the first period, and 0-8-1 when trailing after two. They are 9-0-0 when leading after two.

AUSTIN TIES OPPONENT RECORD

Austin scored goals 11 seconds apart on Nov. 11, setting a new opponent record for quickest goals.

LAREDO BOMBS NINE GOALS VS. BEES

Austin scored goals 11 seconds apart on Nov. 11, setting a new opponent record for quickest goals.

COMPACTING THE SCHEDULE

The Bees play 12 three-in-three stretches this season. The Bees close the season with a trio of three-in-three weekends in March.

BUSY DECEMBER

December is the busiest month of the season for the Bees. They play 14 games overall with eight away from Dodge Arena.

SITUATIONAL GOALS

GOALS FOR - 65

5-ON-5: 33

5-ON-4: 18

5-ON-3: 3

4-ON-4: 5

4-ON-3: 1

4-ON-5: 3

EN: 2 (1 was 4-on-6)

EA: 0

GOALS AGAINST - 62

5-ON-5: 37

5-ON-4: 13

5-ON-3: 4

4-ON-4: 4

4-ON-3: 0

4-ON-5: 1

EN: 1 (1 was 5-on-4)

EA: 1

SO: 1

SPECIAL TEAMS

POWER PLAY

- Went 3-for-14 last weekend.

- Held scoreless in three games (Dec. 1-3, 0-for14)

- Went 14-for-67 (20.9%) in first 10 games...6-for-64 (9.38%) in games 11-20...

- Tied a season-high with 11 opportunities (2-for-11) at Laredo Nov. 28.

- Tied a franchise record with three power play goals on Oct. 27.

PENALTY KILL

- Laredo set new opponent record with 13 power plays Nov. 28 at the LEC.

- Has killed off 77 of 84 power plays in last 11 games including 23-straight over three games (Dec. 3-9).

- Had killed off 24-straight over two-plus games (Nov. 16 at Odessa and 17 vs. New Mexico). Arizona snapped the string on its' fourth power play of the game on Nov. 18.

- The Bees allowed four power play goals on opening night (4-for-9).The opposition had not scored multiple PPG since opening night until Memphis scored twice on Nov. 25.

OVERTIME AND SHOOTOUTS

Overtime

Nov. 11, 2006 - 6-5 loss vs. Austin (Terry Virtue)

Dec. 1, 2006 - 4-3 win vs. Corpus Christi (Mike Looby)

Shootout

Dec. 8, 2006 - 3-2 loss vs. Corpus Christi (Todd Paul)

THE LAST TIME...

A GAME WAS DECIDED IN OVERTIME

RGV win: 12/1/06 vs. Corpus Christi (4-3 win, Mike Looby GWG)

RGV loss: 11/11/05 vs. Colorado (2-1 loss, Chris Hartsburg GWG)

A GAME WAS SCORELESS HEADING INTO OVERTIME

3/11/06 @ Lubbock (LUB 1, RGV 0) SO, Mike Brolsma

SHOOTOUTS

RGV Win: 3/7/06 vs. Bossier-Shreveport (3-2, Matic Kralj)

RGV Loss: 12/8/06 vs. Corpus Christi (3-2, Todd Paul)

KILLER BEES SHUTOUT

AN OPPONENT: 11/24/06 at Bossier-Shreveport (3-0, Jeremy Symington, 31 saves)

BY AN OPPONENT: 12/3/06 at Austin (1-0, Miguel Beaudry, 25 saves)

HAT TRICK

RGV - 12/11/05 vs. Laredo (Daymen Bencharksi, 1st period, natural hat trick)

Opponent - 12/10/06 at Laredo (Adam Rivet)

KILLER BEES PLAYER TALLIED A FOUR-GOAL GAME

N/A

A KILLER BEES PLAYER TALLIED A FIVE-GOAL GAME

N/A

ATTEMPTED PENALTY SHOTS

RGV: 12/8/06 vs. Corpus Christi (Jon Robert vs. Ron Vogel, no goal)

OPPONENT: 11/25/06 at Memphis (Ryan Carter vs. Jeff Van Nynatten, no goal)

SCORED ON A PENALTY SHOT

RGV: N/A

OPPONENT: N/A

GOALTENDER RECORDED AN ASSIST

RGV: 3/12/06 at Amarillo (Evan Lindsay)

Opponent:



Central Hockey League Stories from December 15, 2006


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