Killer Bees Game Notes

January 6, 2007 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees News Release


The Killer Bees (12-15-3, 27 pts.) play their third game in a row on the road tonight at Austin (12-12-6-30 pts.). The Bees fell 6-1 last night at Corpus Christi while Austin was shut out 3-0 at Laredo. The Bees have not won in five games (0-4-1) and are just 1-8-1 in their last 10. Rio now occupies the last spot in the Southern Conference but is still within four points of seven conference clubs.

BROADCAST INFO

Radio: ESPN Radio 1240 AM (Rich Bocchini)

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

TV: none

Email contact during broadcasts: radio@killerbeehockey.com

QUICK NOTES

- Join the Bees every Monday night at Fanatic's, inside Valley Bowl on Business 83 in Mission for Coaches Corner from 6-7 p.m. each week. Listen live on Jammin' 104.9/95.3 FM.

- The Bees return home this Tuesday, January 9, for a 7:30 p.m. game vs. Austin. It's a 2-for-1 Tuesday; get two tickets, hot dogs and two soft drinks for the price of one.

- This Saturday is the second annual Killer Bees Fan Fest at Presidio Shopping Plaza (North 10th and Martin in McAllen).

TONIGHT'S STAT FACTS

- The Bees went 3-1-0 in October, 5-5-1 in November, and 4-8-2 in December.

- Rio is 6-9-3 vs. Southeast Division teams.

- Austin is the least penalized team in the CHL (18.20 PIM per game).

TEAM VS. TEAM

ALL TIME SERIES

Rio is 17-14-2-1 (12-3-1-0 at home, 5-11-1-1 road)

SEASON SERIES

Rio is 0-2-1...Overall, the Bees and Bats square off 12 times this season (6 home, 6 road).

LAST MEETING

Dec. 10, 2006 --- Austin went 2-for-7 on the power play as they doubled up the Bees 4-2 at Chaparral Ice.

UPCOMING SCHEDULE

January 6 -- 7:30 PM at Austin (ESPN 1240)

January 7 -- 4:00 PM at Laredo (Jammin' 104.9/95. FM)

January 9 -- 7:35 PM vs. Austin (Jammin' 104.9/95. FM)

January 12 -- 7:35 PM vs. Amarillo

TRANSACTIONS

01/05/06 ADD Casey, Joe (C) activated from IR

12/31/06 DEL Cirone, Jaosn (C), placed on 14-day IR

12/21/06 DEL Rogers, Matt (LW) waived

12/21/06 ADD Voltera, Rob (RW) activated from IR

12/21/06 ADD Orr, Doug (RW) signed contract

12/17/06 DEL Mathieu, Maxime (LW) placed on 14 day IR

12/16/06 ADD Dulle, Kurtis (D) activated from IR

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

- Is 1-5-1 in his last seven starts...Won six in a row from Nov. 22 - Dec. 9.

- Selected as the Southern Conference starting goaltender in the 2007 Dodge CHL All Star Game at Bossier-Shreveport on January 17.

- 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

- Is 0-5-1 with a no decision in his last seven starts...looking for his first win since Nov. 18

- 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

BANGED UP BEES

Jason Cirone was placed on the 14-day injured reserve on Dec. 31. On January 5 at Corpus Christi, Brent Cummings left the game at Corpus Christi in the second period and did not return.

DULLE ADDED TO ALL STAR LINEUP

Kurtis Dulle was added to the Southern Conference All Star Lineup by Terry Ruskowski and will join Jeremy Symington in Bossier-Shreveport on January 17.

BEES MAKE FOUR MOVES; ADD ORR TO LINEUP

The Bees signed right wing Doug Orr and waived left wing Matt Rogers on Dec. 21. The Bees also activated right wing Rob Voltera from the injured reserve list and placed left wing Maxime Mathieu on the 14-day injured reserve (retroactive to Dec. 17). Orr's uncle is former Bruins defenseman and Hall of Famer Bobby Orr.

MATHIEU SETS SEASON PIM HIGH

Max Mathieu's 31 PIM Dec. 10 at Laredo is a team season high. He leads all rookies in PIM (90) and is second in majors (10).

NEWSON'S STREAK CONTINUES

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.

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

BEES LOSE AT CORPUS CHRISTI FOR THE FIRST TIME IN ALMOST TWO YEARS

A 6-1 loss at Corpus Christi on January 5, 2007, marked the first time the Bees lost at American Bank Center for the first time since March 17, 2005.

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 4-11-1-2 (W-L-OTL-SOL) when allowing the first goal and 8-3-0 when scoring first.

IT'S NEVER EASY TO COME BACK

The Bees are 1-10-1 when trailing after the first period, and 0-15-1 when trailing after two. They are 10-0-0 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 - 83

5-ON-5: 38

5-ON-4: 25

5-ON-3: 3

4-ON-4: 5

4-ON-3: 1

4-ON-5: 5

3-ON-5: 2

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

EA: 0

GOALS AGAINST - 97

5-ON-5: 57

5-ON-4: 18

5-ON-3: 4

4-ON-4: 5

4-ON-3: 1

4-ON-5: 1

EN: 2 (1 was 5-on-4)

EA: 2

SO: 2

SPECIAL TEAMS

POWER PLAY

- Went 2-for-14 last weekend in three games vs. Laredo

- Held scoreless in three games (Dec. 1-3, 0-for-14).

- 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

- Had killed of 18-straight shorthanded situations in three games prior to giving up six power play goals in the last three games (6-for-22).

- Killed off 23-straight in the three games (Dec. 3-9).

- Scored two shorthanded goals at Odessa on December 22.

- Entering this weekend only Lubbock (18, 3rd) and Bossier (17, 1st) have allowed fewer than Rio's 20 power play goals allowed.

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

- 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)

Dec. 29, 2006 - 3-2 loss vs. Laredo (Bobby Chaumont)

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

A GAME WAS DECIDED IN A SHOOTOUT

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

RGV Loss: 12/29/06 vs. Laredo (3-2, Bobby Chaumont)

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 Campbell 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)



Central Hockey League Stories from January 6, 2007


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central