O'Leary Brings Bucks Luck O' The Irish In Win

January 3, 2010 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Laredo Bucks News Release


LAREDO, TX- The Laredo Bucks of the Central Hockey League beat the Texas Brahmas 4-3 Sunday night at the Laredo Entertainment Center. With the win the Bucks snapped their seven game winless streak as they improve to 14-10-7 (35 points). Laredo picked up their first win since December 17th and won for the first time at home since December 8th.

Kyle Gajewski stopped 28 of 31 shots to pick up the win while Mark O'Leary made his Bucks debut in grand fashion scoring a goal and handing out an assist. O'Leary was signed by the Bucks about an hour before Sunday's game

The Bucks jumped past Rio Grande Valley for fourth place in the Southern Conference and move to within two points of Texas for third.

The Bucks (8-4-4 at home) jumped out in front of the Brahmas in the first period as they took a 2-1 lead after 20 minutes.

O'Leary made an immediate impact in his first game with the Bucks as he jammed in a rebound in front of the net to put Laredo up 1-0. The Bucks improve to 10-2-4 when scoring first this season.

Texas (16-12-5) tied the game at 1-1 with seven minutes left in the first when Kevin Seibel got a lucky bounce as his centering pass hit of the side of the post and slipped over the goal line.

The Bucks would re-take the lead just 19 seconds later when Evan Schwabe hammered in a slap shot from the slot off of a pass from O'Leary. The goal was Schwabe's 11th of the year and his second in as many nights.

The Bucks outshot the Brahmas 14-7 in the first period.

Laredo would increase their lead to 3-1 when Adam Rivet banged in a power-play goal with just one second left in the second period. The goal was Rivet's sixth of the season and his first since November 29th.

The Bucks were outshot by the Brahmas 13-7 in the second period.

Tyler Skworchinski cut the Bucks lead to 3-2 when he scored a power-play goal 2:28 into the third period.

The Bucks penalty kill would be tested in the third period as they killed off a four-minute double minor and a 1:32 second five-on-three to keep their lead at one.

Darryl Smith put the Bucks up 4-2 when he scored an empty-net goal with 24 seconds left in the third period. The goal was Smith's team-leading 14th of the season.

A.J Gale scored with six seconds left to cut the Bucks lead to 4-3. Laredo won the ensuing face off and ran the clock out to preserve the win.

Joe Palmer stopped 28 of 31 shots to suffer the loss for Texas.

Laredo went one-for-nine on the power-play and are five-for-42 in their last five games.

**BOXSCORE**

http://www.pointstreak.com/prostats/boxscore.html?gameid1067658

**BUCKS SIGN FORMER KILLER BEE O'LEARY**

Prior to Sunday's game the Bucks signed former Rio Grande Valley forward Mark O'Leary for the 2009-10 season. O'Leary spent 2006-2008 with the Killer Bees where he put up 31 points (11-2031) in 103 games.

O'Leary played 16 games in the AHL with Grand Rapids during the 2007-08 season where he scored four points (3-14).

O'Leary, a native of Owen Sound, Ontario, began this season in the ECHL with Johnstown and Cincinnatti (2-24).

The 24-year-old O'Leary spent the 2008-09 season in the ECHL with Trenton and Reading (10-919).

Prior to turning pro O'Leary played three years in the OHL.

**BILLSTEN ON 14-DAY IR**

Prior to Sunday's game the Bucks placed Curtis Billsten on the 14-day IR retroactive to December 26th.

Billsten has seven points (2-57) in 10 games for the Bucks this season.

**BUCKS HOST RIVAL COLORADO JAN. 8TH**

On Friday January 8th the Bucks will host rival Colorado at the LEC. Group tickets start at just $10, call 718-BUCK (2825) to order now.



Central Hockey League Stories from January 3, 2010


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