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CHL Mississippi RiverKings

RiverKings Seek To Stay In Playoff Hunt

March 13, 2008 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Mississippi RiverKings News Release


No more missed opportunities. No more excuses. If they want to make the playoffs, then the Mississippi RiverKings must succeed this weekend.

They certainly have to play better than they did on Tuesday.

"At this point, there's no reason to come back off a road trip and play like this," RiverKings Head Coach Kevin McClelland told the Commercial Appeal following their 5-4 shootout loss to the Oklahoma City Blazers. "I don't think we had a very good game tonight. I was actually worried about that as a coach coming home."

The RiverKings, though, hit the road for a pair of games this weekend. They visit the Tulsa Oilers tomorrow at 7:35 p.m., with the pre-game show beginning at 7:25 p.m. on Y 96.1 FM. Those wishing to listen to the game over the Internet can do so at www.radiopig.com.

The RiverKings visit the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs on Saturday at 7:05 p.m. The two teams play each other for the final time this season on Sunday at the DeSoto Civic Center at 5:05 p.m. The broadcasts begin on Sports 56 WHBQ 10 minutes prior to each game. Fans can watch them both over the Internet on the CHL Network.

Tuesday's highlight came in the form of Louis Dumont's 1,000th professional hockey point. His assist on Ryan Held's second-period shorthanded goal catapulted him to that milestone.

"I've been playing a long time with a lot of good players and a lot of good teams," Dumont said, "so the points pile up after 14 seasons. I love playing the game. It's been fun all these years."

The RiverKings lost at home on Tuesday after going 3-0-1 on the road last week. That string included wins over the Colorado Eagles and the Rocky Mountain Rage. They have a 4-0-2 record in their last six games, yet they remain on the wrong side of the fence when it comes to the Central Hockey League's Northern Conference playoff picture.

You hate to call all three games this weekend must-wins, but with the ways the other teams in the conference have played as of late, every point counts - literally. The RiverKings currently sit in sixth place in the North with 72 points. The Youngstown SteelHounds occupy the fifth and final postseason position with 73 points. The Texas Brahmas have 74 points for fourth place. All three teams have six games remaining.

The strong play of the clubs in the Northeast Division has made the race for the Northwest Division title even more critical. With all four teams in the Northeast in serious contention again for playoff spots, the second-place finisher in the Northwest no longer has a lock on the postseason. The Colorado Eagles last night defeated the Rocky Mountain Rage 4-2 to increase their division lead to three points. The Eagles have 78 points and the second-seed in the conference, while the Rage has 75 points and sit in third place. Both teams have just five games remaining.

Unless the Eagles win out and the Mudbugs lose the rest of their games, no one in the Northeast Division will finish second in the Northern Conference. That spot will go to the team that wins the Northwest Division. The Mudbugs clinched the Northeast on Tuesday morning with a 7-3 win on the road against the Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees. They lead the Eagles by nine points for first in the conference. After that, though, just six points separate the Eagles from the RiverKings.

The RiverKings may not get much help this weekend from the Laredo Bucks. They visit the SteelHounds for three games this weekend, but they've already clinched the Southeast Division and will likely finish with the top seed in the Southern Conference. The Bucks trail the Mudbugs for the Governor's Cup by six points with five games remaining.

The Brahmas also have three games this weekend. They visit the Mudbugs on Friday and the Corpus Christi Rayz on Saturday, but they host the Blazers on Sunday. The Brahmas match up as well against the Mudbugs as the RiverKings do, but the Rayz could provide a challenge if they remain in contention for that final spot in the South.

Out west, the Eagles host the New Mexico Scorpions on Friday and the Oilers on Saturday. The Rage hosts the Scorpions on Saturday and the Oilers on Sunday. The Scorpions trail the Arizona Sundogs for first place in the Southwest Division by four points with six games remaining.

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Central Hockey League Stories from March 13, 2008


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.

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