CHL Mississippi RiverKings

RiverKings Weekly

Published on October 18, 2010 under Central Hockey League (CHL)
Mississippi RiverKings News Release


SOUTHAVEN, MS --- The Mississippi RiverKings (0-2-0) started the Central Hockey League (CHL) regular season this past Friday and Saturday with a home-and-home series against the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs.

RIVERKINGS LAST WEEK

Friday night, Mississippi opened the season in Bossier-Shreveport, dropping a 10-1 decision to the Mudbugs. Chris Richards scored the RiverKings' only goal of the contest, a power play goal with 3:18 left in the second period. Bossier-Shreveport out shot Mississippi 26-25 for the game and Kyle McNulty made 16 saves. The RiverKings were 1-for-6 on the power play, while the Mudbugs were 5-for-11 with the man advantage and scored three short-handed goals.

Saturday, the RiverKings returned home to open the home portion of the schedule, and after taking an early lead, couldn't hold on to it, dropping a 2-1 result to Bossier-Shreveport. Shane Hart scored the game-winning goal nearly seven minutes into the final period for the Mudbugs. Mississippi opened the scoring on a power play goal from defenseman Andrew Lackner just as the horn sounded to end the first period of play. Brett Smith also scored for Bossier-Shreveport in the game. Mississippi was 1-for-6 on the power play and stopped all eight Mudbug extra-man scoring chances. The RiverKings outshot Bossier-Shreveport 33-27 for the contest. Larry Sterling stopped 25 shots on goal for Mississippi.

RIVERKINGS THIS WEEK

This coming weekend, the RiverKings host Evansville (0-1-0) and Missouri (1-1-0) in home games at the DeSoto Civic Center. Both games will begin at 7:05 PM. Savehaven of North Mississippi is the non-profit MVP of the game on Friday night, and Horn Lake Parks and Recreation is the Saturday night MVP.

EVANSVILLE AT MISSISSIPPI, October 22nd, 2010

Evansville is one of the five new teams from the former International Hockey League (IHL) to join the CHL this season. The IceMen opened the season last weekend with a 3-1 loss on the road to the Dayton Gems. Brian Bicek scored the only Evansville goal in the game. Matt Lundin took the loss in net for the IceMen, stopping 19 of 22 shots on goal. Evansville did not score on the power play in the contest and gave up one of six power play goals to the Gems. Evansville features former RiverKings' forward Jeff Nelson on its roster, who returned from retirement this season to play for the IceMen. In 55 games for Mississippi in the 2008-09 season, Jeff scored 19 goals and added 39 assists for 58 points. Nelson was a second-round draft selection of the Washington Capitals in the 1991 NHL Entry Draft and has played 52 games in the NHL over his career.

MISSOURI AT MISSISSIPPI, October 23rd, 2010

Missouri comes in on Saturday in the first meeting between the two teams since Missouri ousted the RiverKings out of the playoffs last March in three games. Mississippi won six of eleven games in the series last season and was 5-1-0 in home games against the Mavericks. Louis Dumont was the RiverKings' leading scorer against Missouri last year with three goals for 13 points. Derek Landmesser scored twice against the Mavericks and added ten assists. This will also be the first meeting for veteran Jeff Christian, who played for Missouri last season before being signed by the RiverKings in the off-season. Against Mississippi last year, the Mavericks' player/assistant coach led the team with five goals and 13 points. RiverKings' goaltender Kyle McNulty met Missouri once in the regular season last year, winning his only start with one goal allowed.

NOT "LACKING" FOR OFFENSE

RiverKings defenseman Andrew Lackner scored the team's lone goal on Saturday night, netting a power play goal at the end of the first period of a 2-1 loss to Bossier-Shreveport. Last season the native of Elmira, Ontario netted three goals for 22 points, which put him third among Mississippi defensemen for points. Andrew has 22 points in each of his two previous seasons with the RiverKings and had a career-high seven goals in his first Mississippi moment, the 2008-09 Northeast Division championship campaign.

RICHARDS IN RED-LIGHT DISTRICT

Mississippi forward Chris Richards scored the team's first goal of the season in Friday's loss at Bossier-Shreveport, a goal that came on the power play in the second period. Richards, who comes to the team after Corpus Christi left the Central Hockey League at the end of last season, netted 24 goals for the IceRays last year for 60 points. He has scored 20 or more goals in each of his last five CHL seasons, including a 39-goal campaign with Youngstown in the 2006-07 season.

BROADCASTS

Friday's home game against Evansville will be heard on WMFS-AM 1210 and Saturday's contest will be broadcast on 87.7 WPGF-FM "The Pig." Friday's game will also audiostreamed on www.sports56whbq.com and Saturday's matchup will be audiostreamed on www.radiopig.com. RiverKings' home games are also available via the CHL-TV webcasting service. Fans who reach http://chltv.neulion.com/chltv/ can sign up and watch the game live on their computer with high-speed internet access. 30-year veteran radio broadcaster Bob Bakken calls the action.

WEEKLY RADIO SHOW STARTS TONIGHT

The weekly RiverKings Roundup program returns to the Sports 56, WHBQ-AM airwaves this evening at 7:00 PM. The program is broadcast live from the Southaven O'Charley's restaurant on Goodman Road for one hour. Bob Bakken brings in player guests and updates listeners on the team in the week past and the week ahead.

TICKETS

Tickets for RiverKings' home games at the DeSoto Civic Center are available through the DCC box office and through Ticketmaster. For more ticket information, call the RiverKings at 662-342-1755 or go online to www.riverkings.com today!

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Central Hockey League Stories from October 18, 2010


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