Puck drops on 13th Thunder season tomorrow
October 21, 2004 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Wichita Thunder News Release
WICHITA, KS- The Wichita Thunder will open their 13th season in the Central Hockey League (CHL) Friday at 7:35 p.m. when they visit the Topeka Tarantulas.
More than just a victory will be at stake for the first Wichita-Topeka game as the two franchises have made a friendly wager. Should the Thunder win, Topeka Tarantulas' GM Chris Presson and Head Coach Joe Coombs will come to Wichita next week and read to students at Chisholm Trail Elementary School. Should the Tarantulas win the game, Thunder GM David Holt and Head Coach Derek Laxdal will read to students at Quincy Elementary School in Topeka.
Tomorrow night's game, the first of the "Park City, Kansas Challenge", will officially welcome back the Topeka franchise to the CHL, renewing one of the league's fiercest rivals. The first game, along with 10 other Wichita-Topeka battles this season, will air statewide on Saturday at Noon on Cox Cable Channel 22. Assistant GM Joel T. Lomurno will handle the play-by-play for the initial telecast.
Friday night's crowd is expected to be a raucous one at Landon Arena as Thunder fans have already snatched well over 400 tickets, and have sold out two full bus loads. Many fans are expected to make the short two-hour trip all season long as the Thunder and Tarantulas will face each other 12 times. Ironically, when Topeka was in the CHL from 1998-2001, each team won 19 games in head-to-head battle.
The Thunder will open their home season on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at the Kansas Coliseum when they host another Northwest Division rival, the New Mexico Scorpions, sponsored by Cox Communications. Tickets still remain and are on sale now, ranging from $11 to $16. New Mexico, Topeka, Wichita and the Colorado Eagles will round out the Northwest Division this season. Both games, as well as every other Thunder contest will air again this season on AM 1070 "The Ranch" and online at www.wichitathunder.com, with newcomer Jason Mals handling the play-by-play.
Corporate packages and season tickets for the 2004-05 campaign are also still on sale and the Thunder office will be open Saturday from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. To order your tickets or for more information, call the Thunder office at 264-GOAL.
Central Hockey League Stories from October 21, 2004
- Bucks Assigned Forward Chris Nielsen - Laredo Bucks
- Scorpions Start Season Tomorrow at Tulsa - New Mexico Scorpions
- Kings finalize roster for season - Lubbock Cotton Kings
- Tarantulas games to be broadcast on the Internet - Topeka Tarantulas
- Puck drops on 13th Thunder season tomorrow - Wichita Thunder
- Saints Goalie Starts Up Zone 33 - San Angelo Saints
- RiverKings kick off new season with special luncheon, guests - Mississippi RiverKings
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