Mudbugs Weekly

Published on December 1, 2008 under Central Hockey League (CHL)
Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs News Release


HANGING IN THROUGH THE HICCUP

Although the Mudbugs have cooled off since their red-hot start to the 08-09 CHL season, they are still right in the thick of the league standings. Bossier-Shreveport (10-5-2, 22 pts) is currently tied with Mississippi for the third best record in the Northern Conference, behind only Colorado and Oklahoma City (30 pts each). The Bugs and RiverKings are also tied for the sixth-highest point total in the entire CHL. Despite winning just three of their last nine games, the Mudbugs have earned points in two more contests and are 3-4-2 since their 7-1 start to the season.

PAST THE QUARTER MARK

As the calendar rolls over to December today, 13 of the 16 teams in the CHL (including the Mudbugs) have reached or surpassed their 16th game of the season, which marks one-quarter of the way through the 64-game 2008-09 CHL season. At the ¼ mark this year, the Mudbugs were 10-4-2 with 22 points. That compares favorably to last year, when the team stood at 8-6-2 with 18 points, and 2006-07, when the Bugs were 7-6-3 with 17 points after 16 games.

HEARTLAND HOMECOMING

This week's pair of meetings between Bossier-Shreveport and Wichita will have a little more meaning for four of this year's Mudbugs, especially Saturday's game at the Kansas Coliseum. Joe Blaznek, Travis Clayton, Jon Horrell and Todd Paul have all spent time playing for the Thunder in their pro careers. Clayton, now the CHL's all-time record holder with 713 career games played in the league, played 696 of those CHL games as an 11-year member of the Wichita franchise. During his time with the Thunder, Clayton held franchise records in nearly every statistical category, appeared in six all-star games and finished in the league's top 10 in scoring five times. Blaznek spent three and a half years as Clayton's linemate in Wichita from 2004-2007, scoring 117 goals in 208 regular season games there. Blaznek enjoyed the best season of his career with the Thunder in 2005-06, scoring 44 goals and 100 points to finish third in the league in scoring. Horrell started his pro career in Wichita, playing the past two seasons there before joining the Mudbugs. Paul and Horrell were teammates last season as the defenseman played his fourth pro season as a member of the blue and white.

FOUR POINTS FOR 44

Mudbugs defenseman Dale Lupul returned to the team's lineup last weekend after missing four games during a short stay on I.R. Lupul paid immediate dividends in both games, finishing with three assists and a +1 rating Friday night against Rio Grande Valley, and scoring the Mudbugs only goal of the game on Saturday night vs. Texas. The fourth year blueliner has two goals, eight assists, a +2 rating and 38 penalty minutes in 13 games this year for Bossier-Shreveport.

CARROLL CARRIES THE LOAD

Mudbugs goaltender Ken Carroll has started six consecutive games for the Bugs, dating back to their November 15th game at Laredo. Saturday night against Texas, the five-time all-star played in the 250th game of his Mudbugs career. Carroll missed seven games during a stay on goaltender I.R. this season, but has started all but two of the games for which he has been active this year. The ninth-year pro from Oil City, Ontario sports a career record of 173-83-24 as a pro, including a 156-68-19 mark with Bossier-Shreveport. His 26 career CHL shutouts are a league record.

LAST WEEK

Wednesday, November 26 at Texas NyTex Sports Centre L 2-1 (SO)

GAME NOTES: This hard fought, defensive struggle came down to a shootout on the night before Thanksgiving, with Texas coming out on top in the shootout and the game by a score of 2-1. Brett Smith's powerplay goal tied the game for the Bugs in the third period, but his last-chance try in the shootout bounced off the crossbar as the Brahmas were outshot 42-27, but still earned the win.

Friday, November 28 vs. Rio Grande Valley CenturyTel Center W 4-3

GAME NOTES: The Bugs scored twice in each of the first two periods, including Brett Smith's goal just 14 seconds into the game, to build a 4-1 lead after 40 minutes. Neil Clark scored twice and Brett Angel had the other goal, but Rio Grande Valley battled back in the third with two goals to cut the lead to one. Bossier-Shreveport held off a late Killer Bees rally to earn the 4-3 win. Dale Lupul had three assists in the game and Joe Ori chipped in two more.

Saturday, November 29 vs. Texas CenturyTel Center L 5-1

GAME NOTES: Dale Lupul's goal with just over 12 minutes remaining in the third period cut the Brahmas' lead to 2-1 and gave the Mudbugs life after they gave up a goal in each of the first two periods to fall behind 2-0. Texas regained the momentum with two goals in the following minutes and picked up another late one to finish off a 5-1 victory. The Brahmas' Justin Kinnunen scored twice as Texas finished with three powerplay goals and one shorthanded goal on the night.

THIS WEEK

Thursday, December 4 vs. Wichita CenturyTel Center 7:05PM

GAME NOTES: The Mudbugs take on the Wichita Thunder for the first time this season on Thursday night at the CTC as they finish a three-game homestand before heading out on a four-game road trip. The Mudbugs are 6-2 at home this season, but Wichita has won two of its last three coming into Thursday night. The Mudbugs swept the Thunder in last year's four-game regular season series.

Friday, December 5 at Texas NyTex Sports Centre 7:05PM

GAME NOTES: Bossier-Shreveport and Texas meet on Friday night for the fifth time in the past four weeks. The Brahmas have won four straight against the Mudbugs, including three straight one-goal wins at the NyTex Sports Centre. The Mudbugs, who are 1-2-2 vs. Texas this year, will be looking to get back on track against their closest geographical rival in North Richland Hills, Texas on Friday night.

Saturday, December 6 at Wichita Kansas Coliseum 7:05PM

GAME NOTES: Four Mudbugs players who used to call the Kansas Coliseum home will now visit the building as visitors in the purple and teal of the Mudbugs when the teams meet for the second time in a three-day span on Saturday night. Travis Clayton (11 seasons), Joe Blaznek (4), Jon Horrell (2) and Todd Paul (1) are former Thunder players who will all be returning to Wichita for the first time since leaving the team. This game will be the second of five regular season meetings between the teams.

TICKET INFORMATION: Season and group tickets for the 2008-09 season of Mudbugs hockey are available at the team office: 2000 CenturyTel Center Drive, Bossier City, LA 71129. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 am to 5:00 pm. Individual game tickets can be purchased at the CenturyTel Center box office between 9:30 am and 4:30 pm Monday - Friday, by calling Ticketmaster at (318) 741-9700, or online at Ticketmaster.com. For more information, visit www.mudbugshockey.com or call the team office at (318) 752-2847.

MUDBUGS RADIO: All Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs games, both home and away, are broadcast live on "The Home of the Legends" AM 1130 KWKH or Newsradio 710 AM KEEL in Shreveport. Both stations provide free online streaming online at www.kwkhonline.com and www.710keel.com.

CHL Network: Never Miss Another Away Game! The Central Hockey League and Network Foundation Technologies are pleased to renew their partnership that will provide a "FREE-for-View" experience for all CHL hockey fans through the CHL Network. The 2008-2009 CHL season will be broadcast live over the Internet utilizing Network Foundation Technologies' NiFTy Online Television product.

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Central Hockey League Stories from December 1, 2008


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