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Killer Bees To Face Mexico National Ice Hockey Team

September 8, 2004 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees News Release


HIDALGO, TX: September 8, 2004 – The Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees of the Central Hockey League held a press conference this morning at the Embassy Suites to announce their preseason schedule, which is highlighted by an appearance by the Mexico National Ice Hockey Team on Friday, October 15th at the Dodge Arena and wraps up on Saturday, October 16th with the Bees hosting the CHL's New Mexico Scorpions. Both games will begin at 7:30 PM. Mexico National Team Head Coach Joaquin De La Garma was on hand at today's press conference to talk with local media.

The game not only serves as a tune-up for the Killer Bees second season, which begins October 23rd in Austin, but also as a historical one among the teams. The Mexico National Team, which is overseen by CONADE (Comision Nacional de Cultura Fisica y Deporte) and the Mexican Winter Sports Federation, is a very young program that is emerging in the world of hockey. The five year-old program has been playing in international competitions under the guidelines of the IIHF (International Ice Hockey Federation) since 2000. They have 4-13-1 (wins-losses-ties) record in their World Championships competition. They claimed silver medals in the 2003 Division II Qualifications Tournament, which they hosted in Mexico City and finished the 2004 Division III World Championships in Reykjavik, Iceland claiming the bronze. Mexico finished with a 2-1-1 record and outscored their opponents 29-8, just missing a silver medal finish, which would have advanced them to Division II.

It will be the first time the Mexico National Team has played a professional team based in the United States. As for the Killer Bees and the Central Hockey League, this will be the first game the Killer Bees have played against a team outside of the CHL and this will be the first game for a CHL team to face off with a National Team of any country. Several CHL teams have played club/league teams from Latvia and Russia, but have never faced national teams.

The Killer Bees contest against the New Mexico Scorpions will be also something new for Killer Bees fans. Rio Grande Valley never faced the Albuquerque, New Mexico based squad last season. The Scorpions are coached by Bill McDonald, who coached Tracy Egeland during the 00/01 and 01/02 seasons with the Lubbock Cotton Kings. Egeland served as an assistant under McDonald in 02/03 and later took over the coaching helm of the Cotton Kings after McDonald resigned two months into that season to accept the New Mexico coaching position.

Tickets for both events will go on sale at 10 AM on Friday, October 1st, which is the same date Killer Bees regular season individual ticket sales will go on sale at all Dodge Arena ticket outlets. Killer Bees season ticket holders will receive tickets to each of the two games as part of their season ticket holder package. Additional ticket information can be obtained by contacting the Killer Bees or Dodge Arena ticket outlets at 1-866-RIO-TIXX.



Central Hockey League Stories from September 8, 2004


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