Pair of Oilers to Start in CHL All-Star Game
January 2, 2003 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Tulsa Oilers News Release
TULSA, OK- The Central Hockey League office has announced the starters for CHL Dodge 2003 All-Star game to be held at the Ford Center in Oklahoma City on January 23rd. Forward Todd Marcellus and goalie Rod Branch are members of the Oilers who were selected as starters for the Northern Conference in the game. CHL coaches, broadcasters and select media members sent in ballots, with each ballot consisting of three forwards, two defensemen and a goaltender.
Marcellus received the most votes in the Northern Conference and ranks second in the league with 47 points on 20 goals and 27 assists and his seven game-winning goals is tops among CHL players. Branch ranks near the top of every CHL goaltending category including wins (first with 20), minutes (first with 1,720), saves (first with 865), and goal against average (seventh with 2.55). Branch's seven shutouts are a career high and are one away from the CHL record.
Other Northern Conference starters include forwards Don Parsons from the Memphis RiverKings and Travis Clayton from the Wichita Thunder. Defensemen Hardy Sauter from the Oklahoma City Blazers and Derek Landmesser from Memphis round out the team that will be coached by Oilers head coach Garry Unger.
Starters for the Southern Conference include forwards Eric Schneider from the Laredo Bucks, Chris Richards from the New Mexico Scorpions, and Blaz Emersic from the Lubbock Cotton Kings. The Southern Conference defensemen are Michel Periard from Laredo and Scott Hillman from the Odessa Jackalopes. Matt Barnes will start in goal for the Southern Conference.
The rest of the All-Star teams will be announced on Wednesday, January 8th as Unger will select the reserves for the Northern Conference and Austin's Brent Hughes will select the Southern Conference's reserves. Each CHL team will have a minimum of one player selected to the game.
Marcellus, Branch and the rest of the Oilers will be looking to end a three-game losing streak tonight as they host the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs at 7:05 at the Tulsa Convention Center. Tickets are available at local Drug Marts, the Tulsa Convention Center Box Office, the Oilers office, or by phone at 584-2000.
Central Hockey League Stories from January 2, 2003
- Schneider, Periard Named All-Star Starters - Laredo Bucks
- Richards named starter to CHL All-Star Game - New Mexico Scorpions
- Tomorrow's Oilers Game Not Televised - Tulsa Oilers
- Veteran forward to make fourth CHL All-Star Game appearance - Wichita Thunder
- Pair of Oilers to Start in CHL All-Star Game - Tulsa Oilers
- CHL All-Star Starters Announced - CHL
- Rayz Sign Defenseman Werfelman - Corpus Christi IceRays
- Buzzards Prepare for Holy Showdown - El Paso Buzzards
- Barksdale Appreciation Night Announced - Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs
- Bats Win 4 Straight Into New Year - Austin Ice Bats
- Gorillas Rally to Beat El Paso in Overtime - Amarillo Gorillas
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
