CHL Mississippi RiverKings

RiverKings' comeback win seen by record crowd

Published on January 27, 2007 under Central Hockey League (CHL)
Mississippi RiverKings News Release


SOUTHAVEN, MS --- Ryan Campbell scored his 19th and 20th goals to help the Memphis RiverKings erase a 3-1 deficit for a 4-3 shootout win over the Oklahoma City Blazers before 8,312 fans at the DeSoto Civic Center Saturday night. The win was the RiverKings' 10th straight at home while the crowd was the largest ever to see a RiverKings game at the DCC, surpassing the 7,702 that attended the Face Off Field Trip game on Tuesday. The RiverKings now head to Wichita to close out their three game weekend tomorrow at 5:05.

The over 8,000 in attendance saw a bit of everything Saturday night. The RiverKings took a 1-0 lead on Louis Dumont's 12th goal of the season seven minutes into the game. The Blazers tied it on a Dallas Flaman redirection at 11:46. The first period ended 1-1.

The story of the second period would be that 138 of the total 179 penalty minutes for the game were handed out in the period. Thirty seconds after Oklahoma City took a 2-1 lead on Graham Deale's goal at 2:25, multiple altercations erupted with a total of 81 penalty minutes being doled out. Another skirmish at 4:48 of the period resulted in 47 penalty minutes.

Gordon Bell increased the Blazers' advantage to 3-1 at 11:31 of the second. Ryan Campbell gave his team some momentum at the tail end of the period with his first of the night with 2:03 remaining. Campbell, Darrell Stoddard and Derek Landmesser converted on a three-on-two to make it a 3-2 game entering the third period. Campbell's goal that tied the game came on a rebound of Travis Banga's spinning shot from the slot at 3:34 of the third on the power play.

After a scoreless overtime, the RiverKings dominated the shootout by converting on their first three attempts by Jason Sessa, Landmessser and Campbell. At the same time, winning goalie Larry Sterling denied the three Blazers' efforts.

Sterling won his league high 25th game with 30 saves on 33 shots.

The RiverKings improved to 6-1 in shootouts and to 28-7-3 overall this season.

The win keeps the RiverKings 10 points ahead of Bossier-Shreveport in Northeast Division after the Mudbugs' 5-1 defeat of Austin Saturday night.

Following Sunday's game at Wichita, the RiverKings return home Thursday night to host the Thunder at 7:05 before embarking on a nine game, 17 day road trip.

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Central Hockey League Stories from January 27, 2007


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