CHL Mississippi RiverKings

RiverKings vs. Tulsa Game Notes - 1/17/09

January 17, 2009 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Mississippi RiverKings News Release


RiverKings Stat Leaders Mississippi is led in points by Louis Dumont, who has 35 for the season. Dumont also leads the team in assists with 22 and in shorthanded goals scored with four. The RiverKings are led in goals scored by Bobby Chaumont, who has 20 for the season. Eight of Chaumont's goals have been on the power play. Jeff Nelson paces the RiverKings in game-winning goals with five. Matt Summers has the best plus-minus statistic at plus-14 for the season (plus-12 with the RiverKings). Adam Smyth is the RiverKings' leader in penalty minutes with 136. Kevin Beech leads Mississippi in all goaltending statistics, including games (27), minutes (1624), wins (18), shutouts (2), goals-against-average (2.40), and save percentage (.908).

On the CHL Leader Board Bobby Chaumont is tied for ninth in goals scored with 20. Chaumont is also tied for tenth in the league for power play goals scored at eight. Matt Summers is tied for tenth in the CHL for plus-minus with his plus-14 ranking and is third in shooting percentage at .257 (nine goals on 35 shots). Adam Smyth is tied for fifth in the league for penalty minutes with 136. Louis Dumont is tied for the league lead in shorthanded goals scored with four and Jeff Nelson is tied for second in the CHL in game-winning goals scored with five. Garrett Larson is tied for third in the league for shorthanded assists with three. David Simoes is tied for the league lead in major penalties with 19. Between the pipes, Kevin Beech is fourth in the CHL for goals-against-average at 2.40, is the league leader in minutes played at 1624 and is second in victories with 18. Beech is also tied for first in shutouts by a goalie with two.

Tulsa Oilers Update Tonight's contest will be the RiverKings' fifth game against the Oilers and third meeting at the BOK Center. Mississippi is 4-0-0 against Tulsa for the season and 2-0-0 in Oklahoma.

Jeff Alcombrack is the Mississippi point leader against the Oilers with eight, including a pair of goals. Matt Summers, Garrett Larson, and Bobby Chaumont have each scored three times against Tulsa and Alcombrack has six assists. Kevin Beech is 3-0-0 in goal for Mississippi against the Oilers with a 1.67 goals-against-average and a save percentage of .928. Tyler Sims has won his only start against the Oilers and has a 3.00 goals-against-average and a save percentage of .889.

On the Tulsa side of the ice, Michel Beausoleil has scored four points against the RiverKings this season, including a pair of goals. Beausoleil, Jeff Christian, and Jake Riddle each have two goals scored against Mississippi, while Brendon Hodge has earned three assists. Kevin St. Pierre is 0-2-0 against Mississippi with a 4.30 goals-against-average and a save percentage of .889. Davis Parley has played once against the RiverKings since his addition to the Tulsa roster and has a record of 0-1-0, a save percentage of .863, and a goals-against-average of 6.03.

The Last Time Out... January 15th, 2009 - Oklahoma City 5, at RiverKings 1 Bill Vandermeer and Doug Groenestege paced the Blazers to the victory at the DeSoto Civic Center in Southaven. Vandermeer scored a pair of goals and added an assist on another for Oklahoma City. Meanwhile, Groenestege stopped 33 shots and allowed one goal in posting his tenth victory of the season. For the RiverKings, Garrett Larson's blast from the shot on an assist from Louis Dumont was the only offense Mississippi could muster. Kevin Beech posted a 29-save performance in goal for the RiverKings, which lost for the first time after three straight victories.

Special Teams Update The RiverKings failed to score in six power play chances in last night's loss to the Blazers. It marked the second straight game the RiverKings had failed to score a power play goal (0-for-12), after going ten previous games scoring at least one power play goal.

For the season, the RiverKings are fifth in the CHL on the power play at 18.92% (49-of-259). On the road, Mississippi has scored 19 power play goals for a percentage of 16.7%, which is ninth in the CHL.

Oklahoma City scored twice on the power play in six chances during Friday's victory over the RiverKings. It marked the first time in four games opponents have scored with a man advantage against the RiverKings. Mississippi had gone ten straight periods without a power play goal by the opposition before Tyler Fleck scored early in the second period of last night's contest.

Against the Oilers, the RiverKings have eight power play goals scored in 26 chances for a 30.8% success rate. Tulsa has scored only twice in 22 chances for a percentage of 9.1% against Mississippi.

Mississippi is fifth in the CHL on the penalty kill at 84.17% (38-of-240). The RiverKings have been successful on the penalty kill to the tune of 82.9% in road games (22-of-129).

The RiverKings have scored six shorthanded goals and have allowed five, including a shorthanded, empty-net goal from Simon Lambert late in last night's loss to the Blazers.

Home Ice Not So Kind on Friday Last night's loss against Oklahoma City was the first defeat on home ice by the RiverKings after four straight home victories. Ironically, the last loss on DCC ice came against the Blazers, a 4-3 setback on December 26th.

Don't Wanna Do This Again Mississippi will be seeking not to lose for the second straight time in tonight's contest against the Oilers. If that happens, it would be the first time the RiverKings had suffered two straight losses since mid-November. On November 12th, Mississippi was defeated at Bossier-Shreveport 4-3, followed by a 3-1 loss to Oklahoma City at home on November 14th.

Northeast Race Tightens Up Some More The race for the top of the Northeast Division leaves little breathing room between the top three teams. With the victory by the Blazers over the RiverKings, Oklahoma City has re-taken first place in the division with 47, one more than the RiverKings and Bossier-Shreveport. With the one point difference between the top three teams, the Northeast is the tightest race of any of the four divisional races in the Central Hockey League.

Defense Does the Job Opponents don't get many opportunities to score often against the RiverKings, who are second in the Central Hockey League in shots allowed per game at 26.56, and in goals allowed per game at 2.58. Both numbers are topped only by Oklahoma City, averaging 2.33 goals and 26.47 shots per contest.

RiverKings Against the Oilers Jeff Alcombrack leads the RiverKings in scoring against the Oilers with eight points in four games, including two goals and six assists. Matt Summers, Bobby Chaumont, and Garrett Larson have each scored three goals against Tulsa. Alcombrack, Summers, and Andrew Lackner each are plus-five against the Oilers. Alcombrack, Chaumont, and Larson also have scored two power play goals apiece against Tulsa, while Chaumont and Louis Dumont have tallied one marker shorthanded. Chaumont has scored the game-winning goal on two occasions in the series. Adam Smyth has 22 penalty minutes in games against the Oilers. In goal, Kevin Beech 3-0-0 against Tulsa with a 1.67 goals-against-average and a save percentage of .928. Tyler Sims has won his only start against Tulsa, allowing three goals and fashioning a .889 save percentage.

Mississippi has scored ten goals in the first period against Tulsa this season, six in the second and four in the third. Tulsa has scored four of its eight counters in the first period in the series, two in the second frame and two more in the third period against Mississippi.

RiverKings' M*A*S*H Report Dallas Costanzo was placed on the 14-day injured reserve list January 2nd.

The Next Time We Meet... Mississippi vs. Tulsa, Friday, March 6th at the BOK Center, Tulsa, OK (7:35 PM) Mississippi meets the Oilers on Oklahoma ice for the fourth time in the regular season, where going into Saturday's game, Mississippi has been unbeaten this season. The RiverKings will play Tulsa at the DeSoto Civic Center in the final regular season contest of the 2008-09 campaign on Saturday, March 21st.

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.

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 17, 2009


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