CHL Mississippi RiverKings

RiverKings Weekly News and Notes

Published on February 15, 2007 under Central Hockey League (CHL)
Mississippi RiverKings News Release


WEEKEND PREVIEW

The RiverKings will wrap up their franchise-long nine game, 17 day road trip with a pair of games this weekend in Texas. The RiverKings enter the weekend with a 4 point lead on the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs in the Northeast Division. Friday, the RiverKings visit the Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees followed by facing Austin on Saturday. The meeting with the Bees will be the second of three this season. The RiverKings defeated the Killer Bees 3-2 at the DCC on November 25 and will return to the Dodge Arena in Hidalgo, TX on March 18. The match up with the Ice Bats will be the only one of the season.

COMING UP

Friday, February 16

Memphis RiverKings (32-12-3, 67 pts, 1st NE Div) @ Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees (19-21-6, 44 pts, 4th SE Div) 7:35 CST

Radio: Sports 56 WHBQ (AM 560)

Webcast: riverkings.com

TV: chltv.com

Saturday, February 17

Memphis RiverKings (32-12-3, 67 pts, 1st NE Div) @ Austin Ice Bats (18-18-10, 46 pts, 3rd SE Div) 7:30 CST

Radio: Sports 56 WHBQ (AM 560)

Webcast: riverkings.com

WEEK IN REVIEW (2-1-0)

Friday, February 9

Memphis 6 Tulsa 5 OT @ TUL

The RiverKings rallied from a 5-3 third period deficit setting up Jason Sessa's game winning goal 37 seconds into overtime for the win. Brad Wanchulak, Derek Landmesser, Phil Aucoin, Steve Makway, Louis Dumont joined Sessa as six different RiverKings scored. Dumont's shorthanded goal tied the game at five at 14:43 of the third. Tulsa scored two of their goals while being a man down. The RiverKings led 2-1 after one, with the game being tied at three to start the third period. Kevin Schieve started and made 25 saves to improve to 3-2-0 on the season.

Saturday, February 10

Oklahoma City 5 Memphis 4 @ OKC

Oklahoma City's Garrett Prosofsky and Mike Burgoyne each scored two goals to lead the Blazers while Jason Sessa scored his team leading 24th and 25th goals to lead the RiverKings. Jason Sesssa and Ryan Campbell scored to give the RiverKings a 2-1 first period lead. The Blazers tied the game 2-2 before the end of the first period. Derek Campbell and Sessa would score on five-on-three and five-on-four power plays, respectively, to give the RiverKings a 4-2 lead. But, the Blazers came back with three straight of their own, with Prosofsky's go ahead goal, and eventual game winner, coming at 7:18 of the second period. The third period would end up going scoreless for a 5-4 final. In total, the five goals in the second period occurred in a span of just over 3:30. Larry Sterling started for Memphis, but was replaced by Kevin Schieve after the Blazers tied the game at four in the second period. Schieve would take the loss by allowing just the game winner on ten shots seen.

Tuesday, February 13

Memphis 4 Tulsa 2 @ TUL

The RiverKings scored four first period goals, two by Ryan Held, and made them hold up in the team's seventh victory over the Oilers this season. Jason Sessa started the RiverKings' four goal first period outburst with a power play conversion at 3:27 for his team leading 26th of the season. Tyler McGregor made it 2-0 when he took a Bobby Gates feed and capitalized on a three on one rush just 45 seconds later. Held's first of the night was off a rebound at 9:09 that chased Tulsa starter Bill Ruggiero. His second of the evening and ninth of the season came at 15:44 making it 4-1. The Oilers scored the only goal of the second period. The Oilers had the shots advantage for the game 25-19. Kevin Schieve was the winner in net for Memphis with 23 saves, while Ruggiero took the loss giving up three goals on four shots.

Northeast Division Standings (Through 2/15/07) TEAM GP W L OTL PTS WPCT GF GA PIM HOME ROAD L-TEN STREAK Memphis 47 32 12 3 67 .713 178 145 1232 19-3-3 13-9-0 5-5-0 1-0-0 Bossier-Shreveport 46 29 12 5 63 .685 136 111 1324 17-4-0 12-8-5 9-1-0 2-0-0 Youngstown 45 21 16 8 50 .556 162 145 1250 10-7-4 11-9-4 5-4-1 0-1-0 Tulsa 45 19 20 6 44 .489 166 174 1341 9-10-4 10-10-2 6-3-1 0-1-0

RIVERKINGS EXECUTE TRADE DEADLINE DEAL

The RiverKings on Monday traded defenseman Mark Cole to the Odessa Jackalopes for former RiverKings d-man Andrew Davis just prior to the 3pm CST CHL trad deadline. Davis, in his second pro season, started his pro career with the RiverKings in 2005-2006 when he made the club out of training camp. The Nepean, Ontario native was then traded to Odessa after three games. With the Jackalopes last season, the six-foot-two, 195 pound Davis scored one goal, assisted on 16 others and accrued 112 PIM in 54 games. This season, Davis had eight goals and 13 assists to go with 126 PIM in 44 games before the trade. Cole had two goals and seven assists in 46 games with the RiverKings.

NOT MUCH CHANGES IN WEEKLY POLL

The top four teams remained the same in this week's edition of the CHL Weekly Coaches Poll. Colorado maintained its number one ranking while the RiverKings and Laredo Bucks tied for second. Bossier-Shreveport and Corpus Christi round out the top five. Each of the top 4 teams received first place consideration: Colorado (11 first place votes), Memphis (3), Laredo (2), Bossier-Shreveport (1). Oklahoma City, New Mexico, Youngstown, Amarillo and Wichita took the fifth thought tenth place positions, respectively. There were no new entries or drop-outs from last week to this week.

RIVERKINGS HERE AND THERE

Winger Jason Sessa has taken over the team lead in goal scoring with his recent surge. Sessa, who has scored 4 goals in the last 3 games, has 26 on the season. His current 3 game goal scoring streak marks the third time this season that he has scored goals in at least 3 straight games, including a 5 gamer from 11/28 to 12/9. Sessa's total is currently 7th in the league. In addition, his 8 game winning goals are tops and his 13 power play goals are second in the Central Hockey League.

Forward Derek Campbell had a career high 3 assists in Tuesday's win in Tulsa as the line of Ryan Held, Tyler McGregor and Campbell accounted for 3 of the team's 4 goals. Campbell's 3 points were also a career high. For the season, the 4th year pro has set career highs with 13 goals and 21 points. His 116 PIM has matched his career high from 04-05 when he was with the Victoria Salmon Kings of the ECHL.

Ryan Campbell had a 9 game point streak snapped on Tuesday in Tulsa. Campbell has had point streaks of 10, 8 and now 9 games this season. In fact, entering the game on Tuesday, Campbell had picked up at least 1 point in 27 of 31 games. The 10 game streak earlier this season represents his career high.

Steve Makway had career high 4 game assist and point streaks come to an end on Tuesday. Makway has enjoyed a career season in his first year with the RiverKings. His totals this season (6-24-30) easily beat out his previous career highs from last season (5-12-17) when he played with Flint and Missouri in the UHL.

The 4 goals the RiverKings scored in the first period of Tuesday's win at Tulsa, represented the fourth time this season that team has scored 4 goals in a period.

The win also improved the RiverKings record on Tuesdays to 7-1-1.

The RiverKings are 3-4-0 in the first 7 games of the team's franchise long 9 game, 17 day road trip with the 2 games remaining this weekend.

Twice his season, the RiverKings have scored goals just 10 seconds apart. The team did it for the second time in Saturday's loss at Oklahoma City when Jason Sessa and Ryan Campbell scored at 11:55 and 12:05, respectively, in the first period. The other occurrence was in the Jan 12 win over Colorado when Rick Kozak and Tyler McGregor tallied at 8:59 and 9:09 of that game's first period.

RIVERKINGS IN THE COMMUNITY THIS WEEK

Friday, Feb 16...Newspaper in Education Appearance at Oak Elementary in Memphis 1pm

Saturday, Feb 17...Season Ticket Holder Listening Party at Buffalo Wild Wings in Olive Branch 7pm

Monday, Feb 19...Appearance at Hernando Library 3-4 pm

Tuesday, Feb 20...RiverKings With a Cause Arcade Tournament at Jillian's in downtown Memphis 7-9 pm

Wednesday, Feb 21...Appearance at Oxford Library 3-4 pm

RIVERKINGS WITH A CAUSE ARCADE TOURNAMENT ON FEB 20

On Tuesday, February 20, RiverKings With A Cause will host an arcade tournament at Jillian's in downtown Memphis from 7pm to 9pm. Play Billiards, Air Hockey and other games with your favorite RiverKings players. The cost of the event is $15 for RKWAC members and $20 for nonmembers. Admission will include arcade games, light appetizers and non-alcoholic drinks. There will also be silent auctions for the opportunity to play billiards against two players and to be part of one of 10 air hockey games versus RiverKings players. Please RSVP for this event by calling Vicki in the RiverKings office at 662-342-1755 or emailing her at vicki@riverkings.com. Contact Vicki to place a bid for the silent auctions as well.

RKWAC SELLING CD-ROM HOCKEY MANAGER GAME WITH CHL TEAMS

Experience what it would be like to be the general manager of a team in the CHL with Sega's NHL Eastside Hockey Manager 2007. You can also be general manager of teams in the NHL, AHL, European leagues...in total, over 20 leagues and over 45,000 players and staff are at your disposal. The game is a CD-ROM that you can use on your desktop or laptop PC. The sale of the games will serve as a fundraiser for RiverKings With A Cause and can be purchased for $25 dollars at the KWAC table behind section 118 during games.

RIVERKINGS PROGRAMS ARE TRUE COLLECTORS ITEMS THIS SEASON

Don't forget to pick up your RiverKings Game Program at every game for $2. Programs will feature different covers throughout the season, updated player roster photos, team history features and more. Each program will also include a game day insert with game notes and player stats.

KEVIN McCLELLAND SHOW OFF UNTIL 2/27

The RiverKings radio show, the Kevin McClelland Show on Sports 56 WHBQ will be off until February 27. As usual the show will originate live at Beef O' Brady's from 6 to 7 pm. Remember to e-mail your questions to jim@riverkings.com by 4pm on the day of the show and you could win a $10 Beef O' Brady's gift certificate if your question is selected as the Email Question of the Week. Stop by Beef O' Brady's for a great meal and listen to the show. Host Jim Erickson will talk with the coach and RiverKings player guests. Beef O'Brady's is located at the corner of Goodman and Malone in the Shops of Southaven in Southaven.

HEAD TO BUFFALO WILD WINGS AFTER EVERY HOME GAME

The new Buffalo Wild Wings on Airways Blvd. in Southaven is the "Official Post-Game Hangout of the RiverKings." Fans are invited to the post game party after every RiverKings home game. Grab some great wings, a post game beverage and talk with the players.

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A RiverKings game is even more fun when you come as a group. Groups of 15 or more save up to 30% on the box office rate, plus every person in the group receives a player mini bobblehead. Call 662-342-1755 for more information.

RiverKings Single-Game Tickets for all 2006-2007 home games are on sale now at the DeSoto Civic Center box office and at all TicketMaster locations and at ticketmaster.com.

UPCOMING PROMOTIONS: Friday, February 23 - Miller Lite 6-Pack Cooler to first 1,500 fans; Saturday, February 24 - Cellular South Sheldon Wenzel Mini Bobblehead to first 1,500 fans; RiverKings Retro Jersey Night-The RiverKings will be wearing dark jerseys from the mid 90's that will be sold in a live auction after the game.

After every RiverKings home game, the party heads to the new Buffalo Wild Wings on Airways in Southaven, the official Post Game Hang-Out of the RiverKings.

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Central Hockey League Stories from February 15, 2007


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