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CHL Mississippi RiverKings

RiverKings beat Oilers 8-4

December 14, 2007 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Mississippi RiverKings News Release


Rick Kozak registered his first pro hat trick to lead the Mississippi RiverKings to an 8-4 win over the Tulsa Oilers tonight at the Tulsa Convention Center.

Kozak has now scored 27 goals in 37 career games with the RiverKings dating back to last year. He also has five goals in his last two games, and 13 on the season.

Things did not start out well for the RiverKings. Steve Jensen scored 1:47 into the game, prompting RiverKings Head Coach Kevin McClelland to pull starting goalie Sebastien Centomo and replace him with Adam Hanna. However, the Oilers continued their strong play with Paul Kelly scoring at 3:46 on a power play to make it 2-0.

But as soon as the second period began, the RiverKings transformed into a different team. Ryan Campbell scored his eighth goal of the year at 2:51 to make it 2-1, and then Kozak scored on the power play to tie the game. The goal of the night, however, belonged to Aaron Davis. Davis came down the right wing and backhanded a shot off the toe of his stick past Oilers goalie Clint Chalmers with 2:14 left to give the RiverKings a 3-2 lead. Davis' 11th goal of the year cast an eerie silence at the convention center.

The RiverKings continued to bltz the Oilers in the third period. In the first five minutes of the third, Darrell Stoddard scored his first of the season, Chad Woollard registered his 14th, and Ryan Kindret banged home his fourth. Warren McCutcheon soon made it a 6-3 game and gave the Oilers a sliver of home, but Kozak scored his second of the game at 6:47. David Beauregard responded at 8:40 to make it a 7-4 game, capping six goals between the teams in a span of 7:31.

Kozak scored on a power play with 5:21 left in the game to finish his three-goal night, the third one for the RiverKings this year.

Adam Hanna made 28 saves for the RiverKings, who improved to 15-6-1 on the season and moved to within two points of the Northeast Division-leading Youngstown SteelHounds.

Clint Chalmers made 42 saves for the Oilers, who dropped to 6-12-1.

The RiverKings host the Colorado Eagles tomorrow night at 7:05. The pre-game show begins on Sports 56 WHBQ at 6:55.



Central Hockey League Stories from December 14, 2007


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