SPHL Mississippi RiverKings

RiverKings Weekly Update

Published on February 17, 2003 under SPHL (SPHL)
Mississippi RiverKings News Release


SOUTHAVEN, Miss. – The RiverKings gutted out a tough three-in-three weekend by picking up two wins and four of six possible points. The ‘Kings dropped a hard-fought 5-3 game to the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs on Friday on the road. Memphis rebounded with a solid 4-1 win over the Tulsa Oilers on Saturday at home. Sunday, the RiverKings had to work overtime to get a 3-2 shootout win over Oklahoma City at the DeSoto Civic Center. The ‘Kings host the Northeast Division-leading Indianapolis Ice this Friday and Saturday night at the DCC. Friday night all upper bowl tickets are just $5 and the first 1,500 fans receive a keychain courtesy of Nichols Ford. Saturday night the first 2,500 fans get a set of Cheer Stix sponsored by Cellular South. Face off Friday and Saturday night is set for 7:05 p.m. For tickets call (662)-342-1755 or go online at www.RiverKings.com and use the ticketmaster link.

RECORD:

30-19-3

PLACE:

2nd Northeast Division (63 Points)

DIVISION RECORD:

13-9-1

HOME:

18-4-1, Won 4

ROAD:

12-14-2, Lost 3

W / L STREAK:

Won 2, and 4 of last 5

LAST 10:

5-5-0

GOALS FOR:

186

GOALS ALLOWED:

150

POWER PLAY:

18.2 % (4th)

PENALTY KILL:

85.3 % (7th)

NEXT UP

· The RiverKings host the division-leading Indianapolis Ice on Friday and Saturday.

RIVERKINGS UPCOMING SCHEDULE

2/21 Vs. Indianapolis 7:05 p.m. ‘Kings 3-4-0 versus the Ice in 02-03

2/22 Vs. Indianapolis 7:05 p.m.

2/28 Vs. Indianapolis 7:05 p.m.

3/1 @ Indianapolis 6:05 p.m.

3/2 Vs. Fort Worth 6:05 p.m.

VS. INDIANAPOLIS ICE

SEASON SERIES AND LAST MEETING – (3-4-0) The RiverKings lost the last meeting between the teams on February 1st by the score of 6-2 at the Pepsi Coliseum in Indy. Etienne Morin had a hat trick to power the Ice to the win.

LAST YEAR – The RiverKings went 10-2-1 versus the Ice.

2002-2003 RIVERKINGS TIDBITS

· The RiverKings are a team of streaks this season. The ‘Kings have had a four-game, six-game, and an eight-game win streak. The team also has had a pair of four-game losing streaks and a five-game winless stretch.

· Memphis exploded for five goals in the second period versus Wichita on November 15th. The ‘Kings mustered just ten shots, but capitalized on half of them. The RiverKings season high for goals in a game was also posted against the Thunder. On December 6th Memphis tallied nine goals, with three in each period in a 9-5 win.

· The RiverKings fired a season high 53 shots on goal against Lubbock on December 14th. The ‘Kings had 21 in both the first and second, which matched a season high for shots in one period.

· The RiverKings held Fort Worth to just two shots in the third period in a 7-3 win on January 3rd. That matched a season low for shots allowed in a period and was the third time this year the ‘Kings have held an opponent to two shots in a frame.

· The RiverKings 7-1 win in Tulsa on December 28th was the largest margin of victory in a game this year.

· The RiverKings 4-3 overtime win in El Paso on January 20th was their first sudden death victory since Michal Stastny scored in Game Five of the President's Cup Finals last spring.

· The RiverKings lost 6-2 in Indianapolis on February 1st. That matched the most goals allowed in a game this year by the RiverKings.

· Memphis has registered at least one power play goal in 38 of 51 games so far, including twenty multiple power-play goal games.

· 30 times in 51 games the RiverKings have had a player score multiple goals. Don Parsons has done it fourteen times. Parsons and Kahlil Thomas are the only ‘Kings to go on to turn the trick with three goals in one game.

· The RiverKings are 4-2-0 in February after going 6-4-1 in January and 8-5-1 in December. The team went 9-4-1 in November and 3-3-0 in October.

· The RiverKings have scored 84 goals in their last 20 games, an average of 4.2 per game over that stretch and posted a 13-6-1 record. A closer look inside the numbers, however, shows that over the last 12 games the ‘Kings have scored 39 goals which is an average of 3.3 per game and have gone just 5-6-1.

RIVERKINGS POINT SCORING STREAKS

· Goal Streaks Games Player Gls

4 Gagnon 5

· Point Streaks

Games Player Pts

5 Neal 9

4 Gagnon 8

SPECIAL TEAMS PROVING SPECIAL

· Six of the last nine games the RiverKings have played have been decided by special teams as the squad that has scored more power play goals has won each game. The ‘Kings have gone just 4-5-0 during this stretch. The last three games the special teams play has been even and the RiverKings have won two of three.

WEIRD SCHEDULE

· The RiverKings will play the Indianapolis Ice four straight games starting with Friday night's battle.

FAST STARTING

· The ‘Kings have scored 68 first period goals this season which is more than any other team in the CHL.

HOME SWEET HOME

· The RiverKings have enjoyed home ice advantage this year. Memphis is 18-4-1 at home. The RiverKings have outscored opponents 96-56 on home ice, averaging 4.2 goals per game at the DCC. Last year the ‘Kings posted a 27-2-3 record at home as they captured the first President's Cup in the franchise's history.

FIRING THE RUBBER

· The ‘Kings have totaled 917 shots since December 13th. Memphis has out shot the opponent in 19 of the last 27 games, but has been out shot in two straight.

FEEL THE POWER

· The ‘Kings are 32 for their last 141 power play chances (22.7 %). Memphis has tallied a power play goal in 18 of the last 22 games, including the last five games. In addition the RiverKings have scored the most power play goals in the CHL with 65.

INSIDE THE DIVISION

· The ‘Kings are 13-9-1 inside the Northeast Division this season against Fort Worth, Indianapolis and Bossier-Shreveport. Breaking it down even further, the RiverKings are 7-3-1 at home and 6-6-0 on the road in the division. The RiverKings' best record in the division comes against the rival Mudbugs with Memphis posting a 7-4-1 record. The ‘Kings are 3-4-0 versus Indianapolis and 3-1-0 against Fort Worth. Last year the RiverKings were 21-7-2 inside the division.

COLD SPELL MATCHES THE WEATHER, THE THAW IS COMING

· The RiverKings have recorded just eleven points in the last twelve games. After a fast start in January the RiverKings cooled off losing back-to-back games at home for the first time this year and losing three straight to close the month. The ‘Kings are starting to show signs of coming out of the cold as they have won four of their last five games, totaling eight of ten possible points. Last year the team did not lose consecutive games at home all season.

UNLUCKY NUMBER

· The RiverKings are 0-15-0 this year when they trail after two periods of play. Poor numbers when trailing after 40 minutes are not unusual. Last year Memphis was just 3-14-2 when down after two periods of play.

LIARS CAN FIGURE AND FIGURES CAN LIE

· The ‘Kings are 10-6-3 this year in one-goal games. Despite the positive mark, two of the last five RiverKings losses have come by one goal (3-2 to Bossier-Shreveport and 2-1 to Amarillo on January 24th and 25th).

UPCOMING SPECIAL EVENTS

· Thursday night several ‘Kings will be at Cowboy Corner on Goodman Road from 5 – 7 p.m. to sign the commemorative posters that were given out this past Saturday night. Cowboy Corner since 1957.

· Friday when the ‘Kings host the Indianapolis Ice all upper bowl seats are available for just $5. Also the first 1,500 fans receive a key chain courtesy of Nichols Ford. Try us first, try us last, just try us, that's Nichols Ford.

· Saturday night the first 2,500 fans receive a set of Cheer Stix sponsored by Cellular South. Welcome to the Cellular South. There will be a post game skate immediately after the game.

· The expression "give blood—play hockey" references more this month than just hard checks and hits to the face on the ice as Lifeblood and the RiverKings team up to save lives with a Memphis area blood drive. Between Feb. 20th and 22nd, concerned citizens who visit any Lifeblood donation center in Shelby and DeSoto Counties during regular business hours will receive one ticket voucher given out to the first 1,000 people that attempt to donate blood and redeemable for the Feb. 22nd RiverKings home game against Indianapolis. In addition, the ‘Kings and Lifeblood will have a special donation day at the DeSoto Civic Center on Feb. 22nd from 1 – 5 p.m. Anyone donating at the Civic Center will receive a blood drop doll from Lifeblood and will be entered in a drawing for an autographed Brian Tucker replica championship jersey.

· 02/16/03 – SUNDAY – Sunday night, two goals from Oklahoma City's Blair Manning forced overtime, but the game progressed to a shootout where the ‘Kings lit up Blazers' goaltender Ghyslain Rousseau on three consecutive shots to earn a 3-2 shootout win. Jonathan Gagnon had two goals and an assist to power the RiverKings to their fourth win in five games and keep them in a tie for the final playoff spot in the Northern Conference. FINAL SCORE Memphis 3, Oklahoma City 2 in a shootout. Racine finished the night with 29 saves on 31 shots and stopped three of four shots in the shootout. His second win in a row improved his record to 19-8-2. Rousseau turned aside 20 of 23 shots and was beaten by all three shooters he faced in the shootout to drop to 1-3-0. The ‘Kings power play struck for the fifth straight game and finished 1-5, while the Blazers converted 1-6 opportunities.

Shots Memphis 23 Oklahoma City 31

PP Memphis 1-5 Oklahoma City 1-7

· 02/15/03 – SATURDAY – Saturday night Don Parsons scored his league-leading 41st and 42nd goals of the season for the RiverKings as they capped the Tulsa Oilers 4-1 in front of 3,482 fans at the DeSoto Civic Center. Parsons' pair plus a stellar 27 save performance from goaltender Jean-Francois Racine helped the ‘Kings win their third game in four tries. FINAL SCORE Memphis 4, Tulsa 1. While the ‘Kings were busy against Oiler goaltender Rod Branch, who finished with 23 saves on 27 shots, Racine was taking care of business in his own end. Racine's 27 saves improved his record to 18-8-2. Branch dropped to 25-13-5 for the Oilers. Memphis went 1-5 on the power play while Tulsa converted one of eight.

Shots Memphis 27 Tulsa 28

PP Memphis 1-5 Tulsa 1-8

ON THE AIR

· All Memphis RiverKings regular season and playoff games will be broadcast this year on RiverKings Radio Easy AM-680 WJCE. Catch the pre-game show twenty minutes prior to face-off and then stay tuned for the play-by-play.

COACHES SHOW AIRING TUESDAY THIS WEEK ON LOCATION

· The Memphis RiverKings Coaches Show will air this Tuesday night from 6-7 p.m. on location at the Roadhouse Grill in Horn Lake on Sportsplus 790-AM WMC. Dave "wolo" Woloshin will host the show and head coach Doug Shedden will join him. Call the SportsPlus 790 studio lines with your questions at 901-274-7979.

UPCOMING SCHEDULE NOTES TIME

Tuesday, February 18th Will air as scheduled 6-7 p.m.

Tuesday, February 25th Will air as scheduled 6-7 p.m.

Tuesday, March 4th Will air as scheduled 6-7 p.m.

Wednesday, March 12th Moved to Wednesday 6-7 p.m.

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SPHL Stories from February 17, 2003


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