CHL Mississippi RiverKings

RiverKings-Odessa Preview

Published on February 24, 2009 under Central Hockey League (CHL)
Mississippi RiverKings News Release


RiverKings Player Stat Leaders

Jeff Nelson has moved into the top spot in points with 53 for the season and leads the team in game-winning goals with seven. Bobby Chaumont leads the team in goals scored with 27 and in power play goals with nine. Martin Gascon has 43 assists for the season, but only five have come with the RiverKings, with the other 38 coming in his time spent in Arizona and Tulsa, before arriving in Mississippi. Nelson's 36 helpers lead the team in assists in a RiverKings' jersey. Matt Summers is plus-24 for the season and plus-22 with the RiverKings. Adam Smyth has collected the most penalty minutes with 216. Louis Dumont has the most shorthanded goals with four. In goal, Kevin Beech leads the RiverKings in all goaltender stat categories, including games (40), minutes played (2413), wins (27), shutouts (3), goals-against-average (2.31), and save percentage (.910).

The Last Time Out...Friday, February 21st, 2009 - at RiverKings 5, Wichita Thunder 3

Jeff Nelson and Garrett Larson each scored a pair of goals for the RiverKings in the team's fifth straight victory, the team's longest winning streak of the season. Matt Summers added three assists in the team's 34th win of the season (34-14-3), and Nelson added an assist for a three-point night of his own. Mississippi scored four times in the second period after a 1-1 started the middle frame with a goal from Adam Smyth, a pair from Larson (including a power play goal) and Nelson's second red-lighter of the night. Wichita scored twice in the third period to close the gap, but couldn't rebound any further. Mississippi was 1-for-5 on the power play, while Wichita scored twice in five chances. The RiverKings out shot the Thunder by a 38-31 margin. In goal, Tyler Sims won his seventh game of the season (7-4-0), while Wichita's John Daigneau lost for the second straight night (0-2-0).

Tonight's Matchup: RiverKings at Odessa Jackalopes, Tuesday, February 24th, 2009

(7:05 PM Start, Ector County Coliseum, Odessa, TX)

The RiverKings play the Jackalopes for the second of three games against the Southwest Division leaders, who need just one point earned (or Arizona point lost) to claim the division title. Mississippi prevailed in the first meeting at the DeSoto Civic Center 4-1 on Friday, February 6th, as Louis Dumont and Jeff Alcombrack each scored a goal and added an assist, to go with a pair of helpers apiece from Jeff Nelson and Derek Landmesser. Kevin Beech stopped 21 of 22 shots on goal in claim the victory.

Garrett Larson and Matt Pierce also scored goals for the RiverKings in the February 6th victory and Bobby Chaumont and Matt Summers claimed the other assists.

Jeff Alcombrack, Darrell Stoddard, and Adam Smyth each were tagged with seven minutes of penalties in the first meeting between the teams. Mississippi scored three times on the power play, with power play goals coming from Dumont, Alcombrack, and Pierce.

Sebastien Thinel scored the only Odessa goal, assisted by Dominic Leveille, and Mike Ramsay. Leveille collected eight minutes of penalty time in the contest. Goaltender Jeremy Symington made 29 saves in the contest.

Special Teams Update

Saturday night against the Thunder, the RiverKings scored once on the power play in five opportunities. In the team's last five games, Mississippi has scored three power play goals in 23 tries (26.1%).

On the road, the RiverKings are ninth in the Central Hockey League on the power play at 16.5% (26-of-158). Overall, the RiverKings rank fifth in the CHL with the man advantage at 19.4% (68-of-351).

Against the Thunder Saturday night, the RiverKings three-of-five power play chances, but allowed two goals. It marked the first time in four games an opponent had scored against the RiverKings on the power play. In Mississippi's last five games, the RiverKings' penalty kill is 3-of-21 (85.7%).

Away from home this season, the RiverKings are seventh in the CHL on the penalty kill at 82.9% (26-of-152), while overall this season, Mississippi ranks fifth on the penalty kill at 84.5% (49-of-317).

Mississippi has scored six shorthanded goals this season and has allowed seven. Three of the RiverKings shorthanded goals scored have come away from home and one of the seven allowed has occurred on enemy ice.

Against the Southwest Division

Mississippi is playing just its third game of the season against a team from the Southwest Division and has a 2-0-0 record against the division heading into tonight's contest. The RiverKings 4-1 win over Odessa on February 6th and a 2-1 victory at Amarillo account for the only meetings of the season for Mississippi against the Southwest.

Believe In The Power of Five

In gaining their fifth straight victory against the Thunder Saturday night, the RiverKings scored five goals in each of the five contests. Mississippi outscored the opposition 25-12 in those five games. The most one-sided result of the quintet was the February 15th decision at Rocky Mountain, a 5-1 victory over the Rage. In the five contests, the RiverKings won at Colorado, despite being outshot 39-25, while putting 42 shots on net Wichita's 20 on Friday, February 20th. Prior to the current win streak, the longest winning streak for the RiverKings was four, the last stretch of which came between January 31st and February 8th. Mississippi also fashioned a four-game win skein between December 27th and January 3rd.

Hit The Road, Bud...

Mississippi's road abilities will be tested in the next couple of weeks, as six of the next seven games will be away from the DeSoto Civic Center in Southaven. The RiverKings play tonight in Odessa, then travel to Oklahoma City on Friday, followed by a quick return home to play the Colorado Eagles in Southaven on Saturday. After the brief home respite, the RiverKings are back on the road for four straight the following week, with stops in Bossier-Shreveport (twice), Tulsa and back in Odessa, before beginning a stretch of three straight home games against Bossier-Shreveport between March 13th and 17th.

M*A*S*H Report

Dallas Costanzo and Darrell Stoddard remain on the 14-day injured reserve list, Stoddard as of February 13th and Costanzo as of February 15th. Bobby Chaumont was hurt late in Friday's game against Wichita and did not play in Saturday's contest.

Spinning Records At The Beech

RiverKings goaltender Kevin Beech is entering RiverKings' record territory with his play between the pipes this season. With a record of 27-10-3 and with three shutouts, the first-year RiverKings' goalie has already equaled the team record for shutouts in one season at three. Scott Brower (1995-96) and Sebastien Centomo (2007-08) also earned three shutouts in the crease as a RiverKings goaltender. Beech also moved into a tie for second place in victories in a season by a RiverKings goaltender at 27 with Friday night's victory in the crease. He joins Mark Richards (2000-01) and Scott Brower (1995-96) in second place on the team chart for single season wins. Larry Sterling has the team victories record with 31 in the 2006-2007 season and is the team career wins leader with 34 from 2006-2008.

Larson Joins Nelson, Dumont, Gascon In 50-Point Club

Two goals from Garrett Larson Saturday night against the Thunder thrust him into the RiverKings' 50-Point Club for the regular season, joining Jeff Nelson, Louis Dumont, and Martin Gascon. Larson's 22 goals make him and Bobby Chaumont become the only RiverKings to score twenty or more goals this season. Garrett scored 22 goals in the 2005-06 season with the Colorado Eagles and had 38 goals while playing for HC Neuilly-sur-Marne in France last season.

Please To Note....

Garrett Larson's two goals Saturday against Wichita moved him over the 200 mark for his career, now at 201.

2008-09 RiverKings Hat-Tricks: Darrell Stoddard (4 goals, February 3rd, 2009 vs. Wichita) (Franchise hat-trick number 90 in team history)

2008-09 RiverKings Penalty Shots: Jeff Nelson (miss, January 17th, 2009 at Tulsa)

2008-09 RiverKings Goaltender Shutouts: Tyler Sims (November 29th, 2008 at Corpus Christi), Kevin Beech - December 31st, 2008 vs. Bossier-Shreveport; January 9th vs. Tulsa; January 31st vs. Rapid City)

Streaking RiverKings

Goals: (none)

Assists: Jeff Nelson: 7 in his last four games. Andrew Lackner: 4 in his last three games. Derek Landmesser: 4 in his last two games.

Points: Garrett Larson: 14 in his last ten games. Jeff Nelson: 9 in his last four games. Matt Summers: 7 points in his last four games. Andrew Lackner: 4 points in his last three games.

Penalty Minutes: Adam Smyth: 23 PIMS in his last five games. Matt Pierce: 7 PIMS in his last two games.

Goaltender Wins: Kevin Beech (3), Tyler Sims (2)

Broadcasts

RiverKings hockey games are heard in the Mid-South and around the world on "The Voice of the Fan," Sports 56, WHBQ-AM and www.sports56whbq.com. Veteran hockey broadcaster and RiverKings media coordinator Bob Bakken provides the play-by-play coverage on Sports 56 and also on CHL-TV. "Never Miss another Away Game" with the CHL-TV link found on the team web site at www.riverkings.com. Games not broadcast on Sports 56 due to other programming commitments are heard on fellow Flinn Broadcasting station 96.1 "The Pig," WIVG-FM.

Tickets

RiverKings season and group tickets, fundraiser programs, and more are available by contacting the RiverKings' front office at 662-342-1755 or by e-mail at tickets@riverkings.com. New season ticket packages for the 2009-2010 season are now available for sale through the RiverKings offices or by calling the front office. Single game tickets for RiverKings hockey are available through the DeSoto Civic Center box office, or by contacting Ticketmaster.

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Central Hockey League Stories from February 24, 2009


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