Killer Bees vs. Austin Game Preview

Published on October 30, 2004 under Central Hockey League (CHL)
Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees News Release


RIO GRANDE VALLEY KILLER BEES

GAME NIGHT PREVIEW

Austin Ice Bats (2-1-0) @ Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees (1-1-0)

DATE: 10/30/04 TIME: 7:30 pm LOCATION: Dodge Arena (Hidalgo, Tx)

TRICK OR TREAT

The Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees opened up the 2004/2005 home schedule last night with a 5-3 win over Laredo and now welcome another Southeast Division foe, the Austin Ice Bats. Austin is currently atop the CHL's Southeast Division (in winning percentage at 66.7%) with a 2-1-1 record and this marks their first venture outside the Bat Cave (Travis County Expo Center) this season. Tonight is the second game of a four-game homestand for the Bees and closes the weekend for both teams. Austin, like the Bees last week, only play one game this weekend.

THE SERIES

This is the 14th all-time meeting between the two clubs and the second of ten on the year. The Bees are 0-1-0 against the Bats this season and 8-5-0 all-time. Rio Grande Valley is 6-0-0 against the Bats at the Dodge Arena. Arturs Kupaks (2g,1a) and John McNabb (1g,2a) each lead the season series with 3 points for Austin. Bees returning all-star Bill Newson leads the all-time series in scoring with 12 points (5g,7a). Austin is led by Brent Hughes, who is currently a member of the Amarillo Gorillas, in the all-time series (4g,4a,8pts), but among players on their active roster, Kelly Smart is their all-time series leader with 7 points (3g,4a) against the Bees.

THE LAST MEETING

10/23/04 - The Killer Bees opened their second season last Saturday night in Austin with a 5-2 loss, as Arturs Kupaks scored a pair of goals in a three-point effort against the Bees in front of 3,558 fans at the Travis County Expo Center.

It was the defensemen getting in on the early scoring in the contest, with Arturs Kupaks giving the Bats a 1-0 lead with a blast from the point that hopped past Jacque Vezina's left side, and Killer Bees defenseman Derek Holland answering with slap shot from the left circle that slipped past a screen and over the left shoulder of 5-foot 4-inch goaltender Matt Barnes.

The goal by Kupaks was the first goal allowed by Vezina to an Ice Bats member, as he held a season series shutout sequence of 29:29 last season against Austin. Vezina would surrender another Bats goal just under four minutes after Holland's tally, as unattended John McNabb placed a Kupaks rebound past Vezina from the right slot for a power play goal and a 2-1 advantage for the Bats in the first period.

The Bats extended their lead to 3-1 in the second period with their second power play goal and the second goal of the night for Kupaks. The goal was scored 2:38 into the period and 15-seconds into the power play with Bees rookie defenseman Matt Suderman watching from the penalty box.

Returning Bees defenseman Jason Tessier gathered a loose puck and slipped it past Barnes with 8:12 remaining in he game to cut the deficit to 3-2. Last seasons United Hockey League Rookie of the Year, Benoit Genesse took over from there and sealed the game for the Bats. Genesse was Johnny-on-the-spot as he established himself in front of Vezina while a scramble along the right-wing boards ensued. The puck flew out of the scrum and right to Genesse, who then placed it past the stick side of Vezina. He picked up his second goal of the game with 1:20 remaining with an empty-net goal to preserve the 5-2 victory.

ROSTER CHANGES

Both Rio Grande Valley and Austin list full healthy rosters for tonight's game.

STANDINGS

Bees - 2 points, 3rd place, 2 points back, Southeast Division. Bats – 4 points, Tied 1st place, Southeast Division.

TEAM LEADERS

Bees – Jason Tessier 4 points; Jason Tessier 3 goals; Joe Guenther/Blaz Emersic 2 assists; Jason Tessier 9 penalty minutes. Bats – Benoit Genesse 7 points; Benoit Genesse 5 goals; Chris Richards 4 assists; Dallas Anderson 59 penalty minutes.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Bees – Power play: 12.5% T-9th, Penalty killing: 71.4% 15th. Bats – 25.0% 4th, Penalty killing: 89.5% 5th.

GOALTENDERS

Bees – Jeff Levy (1-0-0, 0 SO, 3.00), Jacque Vezina (0-1-0, 0 SO, 4.04). Bats – Matt Barnes (2-0-0, 0 SO, 3.48), Peter Brady (0-1-0, 0 SO, 6.00)

WHAT'S NEXT

Rio Grande Valley – Saturday, November 6th 7:30 PM vs. Corpus Christi Rayz Dodge Arena

Austin – Thursday, November 4th 7:05 PM @ Memphis RiverKings DeSoto Civic Center

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Central Hockey League Stories from October 30, 2004


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