Memphis @ Lubbock Preview

Published on December 14, 2002 under Central Hockey League (CHL)
Lubbock Cotton Kings News Release


LUBBOCK COTTON KINGS

GAME NIGHT PREVIEW

Memphis RiverKings (16-8-1) @ Lubbock Cotton Kings (12-6-4)

DATE: 12/14/02 TIME: 7:05 LOCATION: Lubbock Municipal Coliseum

I'M ALL SHOOK UP

The Cotton Kings return home tonight to host the CHL President's Cup defending champion Memphis RiverKings after completing a two-game road winning streak this week with wins over San Angelo and Corpus Christi. Lubbock looks to extend a three-game winning streak tonight, while the RiverKings look to bounce back from a 6-1 loss in Oklahoma City last night. Both teams are hot in the month of December, as the Cotton Kings are 3-1-0 and the RiverKings are 4-1-0.

THE SERIES

This is the first meeting of the season and the third meeting in franchise history between these two squads. The two teams split the two-game season series last season, but the Cotton Kings lead the all-time series with their loss coming in overtime (Lubbock 1-0-1 3 pts, Memphis 1-1-0 2pts.). Former Cotton Kings forward Cosmo Dupaul is the series all-time leader in scoring with 4 points (4 assists). Memphis is led in the all-time series by Don Parsons who recorded 2 goals and an assist for 3 points in two games. THE LAST MEETING

Walker McDonald tallied a goal and two assist for a three point night to lead the Lubbock Cotton Kings over the CHL leading Memphis RiverKings 6-2 back on January 11th of last season. Lubbock got on the board early, with Anthony Donskov scoring 4:42 into the contest, but Memphis responded quickly with a disputed goal nearly four minutes later. Lubbock's Lance Leslie made a save off the shot of Don Martin falling toward the post and appeared to have made the save, but before the teams could set-up for a face-off, official Dan Boyd called over the linemen to confer. The officials ruled that Leslie's glove had fallen inside the goal line resulting in a RiverKings goal. Walker McDonald would score four minutes later off of a blast from the right circle to grab the C‘Kings lead for the first intermission. Teams went scoreless in the second period, but the Cotton Kings excelled in the third period out-shooting the RiverKings 13-3 and out-scoring the RiverKings 4-1 in the period. Lubbock's Barry McKinlay started it off with a blue-line blast on the C‘Kings power play, and the contribution continued with goals from Dave MacIntyre, Adam Robbins, and Luke Volk. Lance Leslie took the win in net stopping 21 of 23 shots.

ROSTER CHANGES

Lubbock is without goaltender Neil Savary (knee), who remains on the injured reserve list. ‘Kings defenseman Craig Binns has missed the past two games due to a knee injury and is questionable tonight. The Memphis RiverKings are without defensemen Anthony DiPalma, Jeff Alcombrak and forward Michal Stastny, who are each on the injured reserve list.

STANDINGS

‘Kings - 28 points, 2nd place, 7 points back, Southwest Division. RiverKings – 33 points, 1st place, Northeast Division.

TEAM LEADERS

‘Kings – Blaz Emersic 28 points; Several tied with 9 goals; Blaz Emersic 19 assists; David Ambler 89 penalty minutes. RiverKings – Don Parsons 36 points; Don Parsons 20 goals; Several tied with 16 assists; Several tied with 88 penalty minutes.

SPECIAL TEAMS

‘Kings – Power play: 11.7% (16/137), 14th, Penalty killing: 84.4% (103/122) 8th. RiverKings – 16.5% (30/182), 6th, Penalty killing: 88.4% (145/164) 4th.

GOALTENDERS

‘Kings – Mike Brusseau (11-6-3, 3 SO, 2.22), Jure Penko (1-0-1, 0 SO, 3.06). RiverKings – Mark Richards (8-5-0, 1 SO, 2.74), Jean-Francois Racine (8-3-1, 0 SO, 2.42)

WHAT'S NEXT

Lubbock – Friday, December 20 7:11 PM @ Amarillo Gorillas Cal Farley Coliseum

Memphis – Sunday, December 15 7:35 PM @ Austin Ice Bats Travis County Expo. Center

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Central Hockey League Stories from December 14, 2002


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