CHL Mississippi RiverKings

RiverKings This Week

January 26, 2009 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Mississippi RiverKings News Release


RiverKings Player Stat Leaders

Louis Dumont is the Mississippi leader for points scored with 39, assists with 26, and shorthanded goals with four. Bobby Chaumont is the team leader for goals scored with 22, power play goals with nine and shots on goal with 143. Matt Summers leads the team in plus-minus statistics at plus-13 for the season (plus-11 with the RiverKings) and in shooting percentage at .225 (nine goals, 40 shots on goal). Adam Smyth is the team leader in penalty minutes with 150. Jeff Nelson has the Mississippi lead in game-winning goals with six. At the crease, Kevin Beech has the team lead in all goaltending stat categories, including games (30), minutes (1809), wins (20), shutouts (2), goals-against-average (2.42), and save percentage (.905).

On the CHL Player Leader Board

Starting the week and prior to the Monday night game with Laredo at Bossier-Shreveport, Bobby Chaumont is tied for eighth in the CHL in goals scored with 22 and is tied for ninth in power play goals scored with nine. Louis Dumont is tied for 20th in assists with 26 and leads the CHL in shorthanded goals with four. Matt Summers is tied for 15th in plus-minus statistics at plus-13 and is third in the league in shooting percentage at .225. Adam Smyth is tied for fourth in penalty minutes 150. Jeff Alcombrack is tied for 11th in power play assists with 16. Garrett Larson is tied for third in shorthanded assists with three. Jeff Nelson is tied for the league lead in game-winning goals with six. Among goaltenders, Kevin Beech is second in games played (30); the league leader in minutes played (1809), tied for second in wins (20), tied for the league lead in shutouts (2), fifth in goals-against-average (2.42), and is tied for 13th in goals-against-average (.905).

Broadcasts

RiverKings games are heard in the Mid-South and around the world primarily on Sports 56, WHBQ-AM and on www.sports56whbq.com. Veteran broadcaster and RiverKings' Media Coordinator Bob Bakken provides the play-by-play, with pre-game coverage beginning 15 minutes prior to the opening faceoff. Coverage is also available on your computer through the CHL-TV broadcast. For more information, click on the CHL-TV link on the RiverKings' web site, www.riverkings.com. Games not heard on WHBQ due to other programming commitments are aired on fellow Flinn Broadcasting station "The Pig," WIVG-96.1-FM; including the Tuesday morning game against the Mudbugs.

The Last Time Out...

Saturday, January 24th, 2009 - RiverKings 5, Laredo Bucks 3

Five separate RiverKings scored goals in the team's second straight victory against the Laredo Bucks on Saturday night, but Bobby Chaumont's two assists led the offense for a three-point night. Garrett Larson scored the eventual game-winning goal and added an assist and Louis Dumont assisted on a pair of goals for the RiverKings. Meanwhile, Kevin Beech stopped 18 of 21 shots on net in posting his 20th victory of the season (20-9-1). Mississippi was 2-for-6 on the power play, with both goals coming in the second period. The RiverKings also stopped all five Laredo power play opportunities. Mississippi outshot Laredo for the game by a 30-21 margin.

This Week's Opponents

Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs at RiverKings, Tuesday, January 27th, 2009 (10:05 AM Start - DeSoto Civic Center, Southaven, MS)

This will be game number six of a 12-game season schedule between the RiverKings and Mudbugs, with Bossier-Shreveport leading the series with a 4-1-0 for eight points. In the teams' last meeting, the Mudbugs defeated the RiverKings 5-3, in Bossier City, on January 6th.

Jeff Nelson and Garrett Larson have earned the most points in games against Bossier-Shreveport this season at six each. Nelson and Bobby Chaumont each have scored three goals, while Larson and Jeff Alcombrack each have five assists. David Simoes has collected 29 penalty minutes against Bossier-Shreveport this season. Two of Nelson's three goals have come on the power play and all three goals have been the first goal of the game.

Goaltenders Kevin Beech and Tyler have split time in goal for Mississippi in games against the Mudbugs, with Beech in the pipes for the only win against Bossier-Shreveport (1-2-0), which was a 6-0 victory on New Year's Eve at the DeSoto Civic Center. Beech has a 3.34 goals-against-average and has a .818 save percentage.

Bossier-Shreveport is led in scoring against Mississippi by Joe Blaznek and Tyrel Lucas, each with seven points. Brett Smith and Kevin Cooper each have four goals scored against the RiverKings, while Lucas and Travis Clayton each have five assists. Two of Cooper's goals have come on the power play and Smith has scored a shorthanded goal. Simon Mangos is a plus-four against the RiverKings this season, heading into the Tuesday morning encounter. Brett Angel has 24 penalty minutes in games against the RiverKings.

Three goaltenders have split time for the Mudbugs in games against the RiverKings this season. Ken Carroll has won both starts in net (2-0-0), has a 2.40 goals-against-average, and has a .926 save percentage.

RiverKings at Texas Brahmas, Friday, January 30th, 2009 (7:05 PM Start - NYTEX Sports Centre, North Richland Hills, TX)

Friday's game will be the fifth game in the season schedule between the RiverKings and Brahmas, with Mississippi holding a 3-1-0 record for six points in the series. In the teams' last meeting, Mississippi prevailed 4-1 at the DeSoto Civic Center. This will be the first game between the RiverKings and Brahmas since Texas defeated Mississippi 4-2 in the Brahmas' home opener on October 18th, 2008. In the last meeting, Mississippi prevailed over Texas 4-1 on January 10th at the DCC.

Garrett Larson paces the RiverKings in scoring against Texas with five goals and six points. Two of Larson's goals have come on the power play and Larson is also plus-four in games against the Brahmas. Derek Landmesser, Joe Markusen, and Jeff Nelson each have three assists against Texas. David Simoes has nine penalty minutes against the Brahmas this year.

Kevin Beech has played in all four games against Texas this season, fashioning the 3-1-0 record in the pipes. Beech has a 2.21 goals-against-average and a save percentage of .914

Jordan Cameron leads the Brahmas in points earned against Mississippi this season with four. Marc Belanger has scored three goals, while Cameron and Tyler Skworchinski each have a pair of assists. Cameron is also plus-two against the RiverKings this season. Lance Galbraith leads the team in penalty minutes with 17 versus Mississippi. Cameron and Grant Jacobson each have scored a shorthanded goal and Belanger has the only game-winning goal.

In goal, Brett Jaeger has a 1-2-1 record against the RiverKings, a 3.84 goals-against-average and a save percentage of .865.

Rapid City Rush at RiverKings, Saturday, January 31st, 2009 (7:05 PM Start - DeSoto Civic Center, Southaven MS)

Saturday's game will be the third and final meeting between the RiverKings and Rush during the regular season, with each team winning a game in the Black Hills back in the first weekend of December. Saturday's game will also be the first visit ever to the DCC by the expansion franchise. In the last meeting, Rapid City defeated the RiverKings 3-2 at the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center on December 6th.

Garrett Larson leads the RiverKings in scoring against the Rush with three goals and four points. Larson is also plus-four against Rapid City this season. Andrew Lackner leads the club in assists in the series with two. Adam Smyth and David Simoes each have 12 penalty minutes, but Smyth also has the only power play goal scored by the RiverKings in the season series.

Tyler Sims has faced Rapid City in the crease for both games of the series in the Black Hills, earning a 1-1-0 record, a 2.02 goals-against-average, and a save percentage of .927.

Gio Flamminio is the Rapid City leader in points scored with two. Luke Fritshaw has a plus-three stat against the RiverKings and Kyle Sheen leads the team in penalty minutes with nine.

Miguel Beaudry and Lanny Ramage each have split time in the crease for the Rush against Mississippi, with Beaudry winning his only start. Each goaltender has a 2.00 goals-against-average and Beaudry has a .955 save percentage.

Special Teams Update

In Saturday's victory over the Bucks, the RiverKings were 2-for-6 on the power play, with Joe Markusen (3rd PPG) and Derek Landmesser (1st PPG) each scoring man advantage tallies. It was the second straight game for the RiverKings to score a power play goal (6-for-20).

Entering the week, the RiverKings are 19.23% on the power play (55-of-286).

Saturday night, Mississippi stopped all five Laredo power play chances. It was the first time the RiverKings had not allowed a power play goal by the opponents since stopping Oklahoma City in seven attempts January 11th in a come-from-behind 2-1 victory at the Ford Center.

Starting the week, Mississippi stands 84.23% on the penalty kill (41-of-260).

Two Way Tie At The Top...

Entering this week's action and prior to Monday's Laredo at Bossier-Shreveport game, the Northeast Division has a two-way tie at the top, with three teams within two points of each other. Saturday's Oklahoma City loss, coupled with the RiverKings' victory over Laredo, moved Mississippi and Oklahoma City into a first-place tie, each with 51 points. Bossier-Shreveport was second in the division with 49 points and could be in a three-way tie with the Blazers and RiverKings coming into Tuesday morning's game, if they defeat Laredo in the Monday night matchup. No other division in the Central Hockey is at tightly bunched up as the Northeast Division.

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. Single game tickets for RiverKings hockey are available through the DeSoto Civic Center box office, or by contacting Ticketmaster.



Central Hockey League Stories from January 26, 2009


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