CHL Mississippi RiverKings

RiverKings Update

Published on March 2, 2009 under Central Hockey League (CHL)
Mississippi RiverKings News Release


RiverKings Player Stat Leaders

Bobby Chaumont leads the RiverKings in goals scored this season with 27, with nine of Chaumont's goals coming on the power play. Martin Gascon has the most assists for the season with 47, but nine of them have come with Mississippi. Jeff Nelson is the overall points leader with 57 and leads Mississippi in game-winning goals with seven. Matt Summers is plus-19 with the RiverKings and is plus-21 overall for the season. Adam Smyth paces the penalty minute leaders at 227 PIMS for the year. Louis Dumont leads the RiverKings with five shorthanded goals. In goal, Kevin Beech leads in all goaltending categories, including games (43), victories (30), shutouts (3), goals-against-average (2.40), and save percentage (.908).

The Last Time Out...Saturday, February 28th, 2009 - RiverKings 4, Colorado 3 (shootout)

Louis Dumont scored two goals, a shorthanded goal that tied the game with over six minutes remaining, and a goal in the shootout that became the game-winning goal, as the RiverKings ran their current winning streak to eight games. Derek Landmesser collected two assists in the victory and Kevin Beech stopped 21 Colorado shots on goal in posting his 30th victory of the season (30-10-3). Adam Smyth and David Simoes also scored goals for Mississippi, while Martin Gascon, Dallas Steward and Stephen Margeson earned assists. Simoes' goal came on the power play, as Mississippi was 1-for-9 with the man advantage and out shot the Eagles 51-24. With the victory, Mississippi moved within three points of Colorado for the Northern Conference lead.

Tuesday's Matchup: RiverKings at Bossier-Shreveport (7:05 PM Start, Century Tel Center, Bossier-Shreveport, LA)

This matchup is the seventh meeting between the Northeast Division rivals and the first of six meetings between the teams in a three-week span to finish the regular season. Bossier-Shreveport has a 5-1-0 advantage in the series so far this year.

Bobby Chaumont, Jeff Nelson and Garrett Larson each have scored six points against Bossier-Shreveport this season. Chaumont leads the way in goal scoring with four, while Larson and Jeff Alcombrack each have five assists. Nelson, Matt Summers, and Matt Pierce are each plus-two against the Mudbugs. Adam Smyth leads the team with 37 penalty minutes in games against Bossier-Shreveport. Two of Nelson's three goals against the Mudbugs have come on the power play, while both of Louis Dumont's goals in games against Bossier-Shreveport have been shorthanded goals.

In the crease, Kevin Beech is 1-3-0 against the Mudbugs with a goals-against-average of 3.02 and a save percentage of .855.

Mississippi is 16.7% on the power play against Bossier-Shreveport (8-of-48) and has scored a total of 17 goals, six of which have come in the first and again in the second period.

Bossier-Shreveport is led in scoring against the RiverKings by Brett Smith, Joe Blaznek, and Tyrel Lucas with seven points each. Smith and Kevin Cooper each have four goals scored against Mississippi, while Lucas, Chris Brassard and Travis Clayton have five assists apiece. J.R. Bria is plus-five against the RiverKings this year. Brett Angel has taken 45 penalty minutes in games against Mississippi. Two of Kevin Cooper's three goals have come on the power play and Smith has scored a shorthanded goal.

In goal, Ken Carroll is 3-0-0 against the RiverKings this season, has a 1.88 goals-against-average, and a save percentage of .947.

Bossier-Shreveport is 24.3% on the power play (9-of-37), and has 23 goals scored against Mississippi, 11 of which have come in the third period.

Special Teams Update

In Saturday's game against Colorado, the RiverKings were 1-for-9 on the power play, marking the fourth straight game the RiverKings have scored at least one power play goal. In the team's last five games, Mississippi is 15.2% on the power play (5-of-33) and overall stands fifth in the Central Hockey League at 19.4% (72-of-371). In road contests this year, Mississippi is eighth in the CHL on the power play at 17.2% (29-of-169).

Against the Eagles Saturday evening, the RiverKings were perfect in four Colorado power play chances, marking the first game in four that opponents had failed to score with the man advantage. In Mississippi's last five encounters, they are 84.6% on the penalty kill (4-of-26) and overall are fifth in the CHL on the PK, also at 84.6% (51-of-331). Away from home, Mississippi is seventh in the CHL on the penalty kill at 82.7% (28-of-162).

Mississippi has scored eight shorthanded goals and has allowed nine in regular season games. Of the eight scored, four have come on the road, and of the nine allowed, two have come away from the DeSoto Civic Center.

Race for Number One Continues

The Mississippi RiverKings continue their push toward the top of the Central Hockey League with an important week on the road ahead of them. Mississippi is currently third in the overall CHL standings and is second in the Northern Conference ledger, while continuing to hold on to first place in the Northeast Division. The RiverKings are three points in back of Colorado for the overall and the Northern Conference lead and have a three-point lead on Bossier-Shreveport entering this week's play. Mississippi is also two points in back of second-place Texas in the overall CHL race.

Northern Conference Playoff Teams Set

With last weekend's results, the five teams to play in the Northern Conference half of the Central Hockey League playoffs have been determined. Colorado clinched the Northwest Division championship Saturday with the point earned for the shootout loss to the RiverKings in Mississippi. The other Northwest Division team to make the playoffs is Rocky Mountain, who punched their ticket over the weekend. Mississippi, Bossier-Shreveport and Oklahoma City make up the three Northeast Division teams to qualify.

Win Streak Now At Eight Straight

Mississippi has reached its longest winning streak of the season at eight consecutive victories with its win Saturday evening against Colorado, which is the longest active winning streak in the CHL and tied for the second-longest overall win streak of the entire season. The RiverKings have also won five straight games, best on the active streak list and tied for fourth for the regular season overall. Last year's RiverKings team won five straight on two occasions, but pale in comparison to a 10-game winning streak fashioned by the 2006-07 RiverKings between December 29th, 2006 and January 23rd, 2007. Two victories in that streak came in shutout form and the victories included a pair of wins against Youngstown, two against Odessa, a pair against Tulsa, and one each against Colorado, Corpus Christi, Bossier-Shreveport, and Oklahoma City (1/5/07). The RiverKings' team record winning streak is 12 straight games, set between January 23rd and February 22nd, 2002.

We Get A Point!

As impressive as the winning streak may be, the RiverKings are also continuing a string of 14 straight games where they have achieved at least one standings point (12-0-2 for 26 points). The last regulation time loss for Mississippi came on January 27th, when Mississippi lost at home against Bossier-Shreveport 2-1 on "Face-Off Field Trip" Tuesday morning. Since then, the RiverKings have suffered an overtime loss at Texas and a shootout loss against Rocky Mountain to mar the current streak, but gained a standing point both times in the process. The 12-0-2 skein includes the team's largest one-game goal-scoring output of the season against Wichita (9-2, February 3rd) and a shutout of Rapid City on January 31st, (4-0). It is both the longest active non-loss streak of the season and for the entire regular season.

2008-09 RiverKings Hat-Tricks: Darrell Stoddard (4 goals, February 3rd, 2009 vs. Wichita)

2008-09 RiverKings Penalty Shots: Jeff Nelson (miss, January 17th, 2009 at Tulsa), (goal, February 24th, 2009 at Odessa)

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: Jeff Alcombrack (2 games - 2 goals)

Assists: Jeff Nelson (6 games - 10 assists), Derek Landmesser (5 games - 8 assists), Martin Gascon (3 games - 4 assists), Stephen Margeson (2 games - 2 assists)

Points: Jeff Nelson (6 games - 13 points), Derek Landmesser (5 games - 10 points), Martin Gascon (3 games - 4 points), Stephen Margeson (2 games - 2 points)

Penalty Minutes: Derek Landmesser (2 games - 7 PIMS)

Goaltender Wins: Kevin Beech (6), Tyler Sims (2)

Please To Note:

Mississippi has CHL team game highs for the regular season for first period goals (5 on December 23rd, tie) and first period shots on goal (28 on January 23rd).

Both Mississippi and Bossier-Shreveport have gone eight straight road games without a regulation time loss, both active season highs and overall for the regular season.

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.

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



Central Hockey League Stories from March 2, 2009


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.

OurSports Central