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CHL Mississippi RiverKings

RiverKings Weekly

March 10, 2008 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Mississippi RiverKings News Release


WEEK PREVIEW

Following a successful road trip, the Mississippi RiverKings tomorrow host the only Northwest Division team they did not see last week. The Oklahoma City Blazers come to the DeSoto Civic Center for a 7:05 p.m. game. The pre-game show begins at 6:55 p.m. on Sports 56 WHBQ. The RiverKings have won four of the five meetings between the teams this year, with the clubs playing each other for the final time on Thursday, Mar. 20 in Oklahoma City. Following tomorrow's game, RiverKings players will hold an autograph session for their younger fans on the DCC concourse.

Then the RiverKings visit the Tulsa Oilers again on Friday at 7:35 p.m. The pre-game show begins at 7:25 p.m. on Y 96.1 FM. This marks the final time these teams play each other this year. The RiverKings have won six out of eight in the season series. The Tulsa Convention Center does not carry the CHL Network, but fans can still listen to the game over the Internet at www.radiopig.com.

On Saturday, the RiverKings venture to CenturyTel Center for the last time this year for a 7:05 p.m. game against the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs. The pre-game show begins at 6:55 p.m. on Sports 56 WHBQ. The teams have split the 10 prior meetings this year.

The RiverKings will host the Mudbugs for the last time this year on Sunday at 5:05 p.m., with the broadcast beginning at 4:55 p.m. on Sports 56 WHBQ. The first thousand fans 21 and over on Sunday will receive 20-ounce Miller Lite mugs. The RiverKings will wear Miller Lite St. Patrick's Day jerseys that will go to auction following the game.

Next Monday, Beef O'Brady's on Goodman Road in Southaven hosts this season's final installment of RiverKings Roundup at 7 p.m. Those who can't make it to Beef O'Brady's can tune in to the show live on Sports 56 WHBQ.

WEEK REVIEW

Tuesday: Mississippi 2, Tulsa 1 Louis Dumont scored his 13th goal of the year with 8:13 remaining to vault the RiverKings over the Oilers at the Tulsa Convention Center.

Ryan Campbell received credit for his 26th goal of the season 11:51 into the game. The RiverKings dumped the puck into the Oilers' zone while on a power play, and Oilers goalie Jeff Van Nynatten played the puck right into Campbell's body and into an empty net.

The Oilers answered with a power play goal of their own in the second period. Warren McCutcheon scored his 30th of the year at 7:28 to make it a 1-1 hockey game.

Sebastien Centomo made 23 saves for the RiverKings. Van Nynatten made 33 stops for the Oilers.

Wednesday: Wichita 3, Mississippi 2 (OT) Kyle Bruce's 13th goal of the season on a penalty shot with three seconds remaining in overtime lifted the Thunder over the RiverKings at the Kansas Coliseum.

The Thunder got on the board early, thanks to Cedric Bernier's third goal of the season 3:56 into the game. Bernier's twin brother Jonathan would add his third goal of the year 4:09 into the second period to make it 2-0 Thunder.

The RiverKings rallied, though. Ryan Campbell tapped home his 27th of the season at 6:48 of the second to make it 2-1, and Cody Blanshan scored his second of the year with 17 seconds left in the period to tie the game on the power play.

Bill Zaniboni made 26 saves for the Thunder. Sebastien Centomo stopped 32 shots for the RiverKings.

Friday: Mississippi 3, Colorado 2 Ryan Held scored twice as the RiverKings hung on to defeat the Eagles at the Budweiser Events Center.

Held scored his 23rd goal of the season 6:29 into the game to give the RiverKings a 1-0 lead. He then nailed down his 24th with 6:39 remaining in the second period to double Mississippi's lead.

Chad Woollard added his 30th goal of the year with 2:32 left in the second on a power play to make it a 3-0 game.

The Eagles stormed back in the third period. Steve Haddon scored his 13th at 9:15 and Ryan Tobler slid home his sixth at 10:19 to make it a one-goal game.

Ian Keserich made 32 saves for the RiverKings against his former team. Sebastien Laplante made 42 saves for the Eagles, who lost for just the fourth time this season at home.

Saturday: Mississippi 6, Rocky Mountain 2 Chad Woollard scored three times to lead the RiverKings over the Rage at the Broomfield Event Center.

The RiverKings got behind the Rage's defensemen for a pair of first period goals. Woollard scored his 31st goal of the season on a partial breakaway with 6:50 left in the first to give Mississippi a 1-0 lead. The Rage went on a power play soon after the goal, but Jason Lawmaster jumped out of the penalty box and scored his sixth goal of the year with 3:14 remaining in the period to make it 2-0.

Woollard scored his second of the game on a 2-on-1 with Aaron Davis 2:59 into the second period to give the RiverKings a 3-0 lead. With the Rage pressing at the start of the third period, Louis Dumont scored on a 2-on-1 with Darrell Stoddard. Dumont's 14th goal of the season made it a 4-0 game with 15:51 remaining.

Daymen Rycroft rattled home his 46th of the season with 13:19 to go to get the Rage on the board, but Woollard completed the hat trick with 11:47 remaining to restore the RiverKings' four-goal lead. Aaron Davis scored off the ensuing face-off and registered his 19th of the year to make it 6-1.

Brent Cullaton rounded out the scoring with his 19th of the season with 6:59 remaining.

Sebastien Centomo made 37 saves for the RiverKings. Scott Reid stopped 25 shots for the Rage.

STRANGE BUT TRUE FACTS

If the RiverKings win all seven of their remaining games, then Kevin McClelland will tie Herb Boxer for second on the franchise's all-time wins list for head coaches with 102 ..... In five fewer games this season, Steve Makway has already matched last season's career-high totals of 10 goals, 31 assists, and 41 points ..... Before the road trip, Ian Keserich had played in 16 straight games and not had a night off since Jan. 24 ..... Before Wednesday, Cody Blanshan last scored a goal on Dec. 7 against the Youngstown SteelHounds ..... Ryan Campbell on Wednesday scored a goal in four straight games for the second time this season ..... The RiverKings have a 29-7-1 record this year when giving up three goals or less in a game ..... The RiverKings now have an 18-3-2 record against the Northwest Division this season ..... Aaron Davis had three assists in a game for the first time this year on Saturday ..... Rick Kozak on Friday had two assists in a game for the third time this season ..... When leading after two periods this year, the RiverKings have a 22-0-1 record ..... Jon Hedberg recorded his first RiverKings point with an assist on Friday ..... Sebastien Centomo earned his third assist of the season on Saturday ..... The RiverKings on Wednesday fell to 0-3-3 in overtime this season ..... The RiverKings have a 12-7 record in one-goal games this season ..... Chad Woollard recorded his eighth career hat trick on Saturday ..... Ryan Held scored twice for the fifth time this season on Friday ..... The RiverKings have a 7-3 record on Tuesdays this year ..... Louis Dumont now has 998 pro hockey points.

PLAYOFFS?

The RiverKings continue to win, but so do the two teams competing directly with them for postseason berths in the Central Hockey League's Northern Conference. As the team traveled home yesterday, they learned the Youngstown SteelHounds had scored four times in the first period to defeat the Thunder 6-0, and the Texas Brahmas had scored five times in the third period to defeat the Blazers 5-1.

However, the plot in the Northern Conference has thickened because of strong performances by Northeast Division teams against Northwest Division teams over the weekend. Finishing second in the Northwest no longer carries a playoff guarantee, as the top five teams in the conference qualify for the postseason. With the way the teams in the Northeast have played lately, all four could still make the playoffs at this point.

The Mudbugs remain in front of everyone in the North with 85 points. After that, the waters get murky in a hurry! Because they lead the Northwest, the Eagles have the #2 seed with 75 points. The Rage sit in third position with 73 points. The SteelHounds also have 73 points, but they only have six games remaining. Everyone else in the chase has seven left. The Brahmas hold the last of the five spots with 72 points, and the RiverKings just sit below them with 71.

With the exception of the Mudbugs, capsules of each team in the race follow below. The information includes their remaining schedules and head-to-head records against each team. Keep in mind that head-to-head records only come into play between tied teams with identical records. Teams even in points at the end of the season go to total league wins as the first tiebreaker.

RiverKings

Home games left: 4 (CRP 2, OKC, BOS)

Road games left: 3 (TUL, BOS, OKC)

Head-to-head tiebreakers won: COL, RMR, TEX, YNG

Mar. 22: vs. CRP, 7:05 p.m.

Brahmas

Home games left: 2 (ODE, OKC)

Road games left: 5 (BOS 2, CRP, WIC, AUS)

Head-to-head tiebreakers even: COL

Head-to-head tiebreakers lost: MIS, RMR, YNG

Mar. 22: @ AUS, 7:38 p.m.

SteelHounds

Home games left: 6 (LAR 3, COL 3)

Head-to-head tiebreakers won: RMR, TEX

Head-to-head tiebreakers lost: MIS

Head-to-head tiebreakers to be determined: COL (YNG down 0-2)

Mar. 22: vs. COL, 6:05 p.m.

Rage

Home games left: 3 (COL, NMX, TUL)

Road games left: 4 (COL, ARZ, TUL, BOS)

Head-to-head tiebreakers won: TEX

Head-to-head tiebreakers lost: MIS, YNG

Head-to-head tiebreakers to be determined: COL (RMR up 6-4)

Mar. 22: @ BOS, 7:05 p.m.

Eagles

Home games left: 3 (RMR, NMX, TUL)

Road games left: 3 (YNG 3)

Head-to-head tiebreakers lost: MIS

Head-to-head tiebreakers even: TEX

Head-to-head tiebreakers to be determined: RMR (COL down 6-4), YNG (COL up 2-0)

Mar. 22: @ YNG, 6:05 p.m.

Should two teams with identical records have an even season series, total league goal differential will serve as the tertiary tiebreaker.

FAN APPRECIATION NIGHT

RiverKings fan appreciation night will take place on Saturday, March 22nd as the RiverKings close out the regular season by hosting the Corpus Christi Rayz at 7:05. As part of fan appreciation night, while supplies last, all fans can buy hot dogs and boxes of popcorn at the DeSoto Civic Center for one dollar each during the entire game. Again, as long as the concession stands don't run out of them, the DeSoto Civic Center will sell hot dogs and boxes of popcorn for one dollar each during the entire game on March 22nd without any limitations to individual fans.

GUITAR GIVEAWAY

You can save up to 53 percent off the box office ticket price by purchasing a 2008-2009 season ticket package. By purchasing or renewing season tickets for next year, you can also win a custom RiverKings Gibson Guitar. Only 10 of these guitars exist. Contact the RiverKings office at (662) 342-1755 or log on to www.riverkings.com to find out more about season tickets for next year and how you can win this guitar.

BIRTHDAY PARTIES

Come celebrate your birthday party at a RiverKings game! Birthday packages include tickets and RiverKings goodies for the birthday child and guests. Before the game, enjoy having cake with your birthday party in one of our special birthday party rooms located in the DeSoto Civic Center's banquet hall area.

GROUP OUTINGS

Schedule your next family, work, church, school, or team outing at a RiverKings game. Group tickets start as low as $7 per person for groups of 10 or more. Group leaders receive great benefits, including tickets to future games and entry into a contest for FREE airline tickets.

FUNDRAISING

The RiverKings Ticket Fundraising Program allows your non-profit organization to raise money by selling tickets to a RiverKings game. Your non-profit organization can raise up to $9 per ticket sold. It can sell tickets for any RiverKings home game this season.

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