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CHL Mississippi RiverKings

RiverKings Weekly

December 20, 2010 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Mississippi RiverKings News Release


RIVERKINGS RECAP: The RiverKings were 1-1-0 for last week through last Saturday. Mississippi claimed a 4-1 home victory against Evansville on Friday, December 17th, in new coach Paul Gardner's Mississippi debut. The RiverKings fell 5-3 to the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs on Saturday, December 18th. Both games were at the DeSoto Civic Center and were games two and three of the current four-game home stand.

In Friday's victory, Russell Smith led the offense with a goal and two assists, as the RiverKings scored four straight times after allowing Evansville to score the first goal of the game. Patrik Levesque, Chris Auger, and Brian Ihnacak also scored Mississippi goals. Auger scored his first professional goal, which eventually turned out to be the game-winner, and Ihnacak scored his first CHL goal in the win. Alexander Pechurskiy won his sixth game of the season in goal with an 11-save effort, as the RiverKings set a low-mark for shots allowed with 12.

Saturday, Bossier-Shreveport scored three straight times before Auger scored his second goal of the season to kick-start the Mississippi offense. Chris Richards scored a goal and added two assists to lead the offense. Jeff Christian netted the other Mississippi goal. Larry Sterling stopped 21 shots, but allowed five goals as his record fell to 5-4-1.

OPPOSING VIEWPOINTS: Tuesday, December 21st and Wednesday, December 22nd, Mississippi will meet another former International Hockey League team for the first time in the Bloomington PrairieThunder. Bloomington enters the week tied for fourth in the competitive Turner Conference race with a 13-7-1 record for 27 points. Bloomington statistical leaders include John Snowden (9 goals), Jason Dale and Bill Bagron (12 assists each), Dale (19 points), and Jason Deleurme (55 penalty minutes). Marco Emond has been Bloomington's primary goaltender with an 11-5-0 record; although backup Brad Phillips has the lower goals-against-average (2.21) and better save percentage (.915).

Mississippi will start the post-Christmas schedule with a trip to Allen, Texas to play the Americans. Allen has an 18-5-1 record for 37 points and second place in the Berry Conference standings. Allen statistical leaders include Nino Musitelli (12 goals), Bruce Graham and Colton Yellow Horn (15 assists), Graham (26 points), and Iain Mcphee (50 penalty minutes). Adrien LeMay (8-2-1) and Chris Whitley (8-3-0) have split time in goal with LeMay having the better goals-against-average (3.16), but Whitley has the better save percentage (.897).

RIVERKINGS SPECIAL TEAMS: Mississippi enters the week ranked 11th in the league on the power play at 17.22% (26 of 151) and is ranked 8th in the CHL on the penalty kill at 83.22% (25 of 149). The RiverKings failed to score on the power play Saturday night for the first time since December 10th and is 4-for-26 on the power play in their last five games. Mississippi has allowed a power play goal in each of the team's last four games and is 5-for-31 in its last five contests.

Of note, the RiverKings are in a three-way tie for the league lead in shorthanded goals allowed with seven. Allen and Rapid City have also allowed seven shorthanded goals to this point in the year.

POWERED UP: Forward Jeff Christian enters the week in a three-way tie for first place in the CHL for power play assists with 12.

STODDARD REDUCES IR POPULATION: Mississippi's M*A*S*H unit had a discharge last week as Darrell Stoddard was activated from the injured reserve list before Friday's game and played both contests last weekend. Stoddard had been on the 10-day IR since November 28th. He's fourth in the CHL for major penalties with nine.

Players still listed on injured reserve are Brennan Sarazin (10-day, November 28th), Matt Boyd (10-day, November 20th), and Tyler Sheldrake (30-day, November 13th).

SHARP-SHOOTING SUMMERS, MASLONKA: Forward Matt Summers has returned to the CHL's top-five for shooting accuracy at .256 (10 goals, 39 shots). Milan Maslonka is tied for fourth on the list at .250 (3 goals, 12 shots) and leads all league defensemen for shooting accuracy.

POINTS FROM THE POINT: Defenseman Nathan Lutz remains one of the top point producers from the blue line in the Central Hockey League, tied for second in defenseman points with 21. Lutz is tied for fourth in power play assists with nine.

PECHURSKIY AMONG GOALTENDING LEADERS: Goaltender Alexander Pechurskiy is ranked sixth in the CHL for goals-against-average at 2.62.

A STERLING GUNSLINGER: Goaltender Larry Sterling is in a tie for third in the CHL for shootout save percentage at .833 (10 saves, 12 attempts).

MIXING IT UP A BIT: Mississippi leads the Central Hockey League in penalty minutes (757), majors (39), game misconduct penalties (12), and match penalties (1). The RiverKings' 30.28 penalty minute average is tops in the league. The team record for penalty minutes in one season is 2,345, set in Doug Shedden's first season as RiverKings' coach in the 2000-2001 campaign.

AS THE RECORD TURN(ER)S: Mississippi has a winning record against teams from the Turner Conference at 9-5-0 this season, while the RiverKings ‚¬â„¢ are 3-7-1 in contests against the Berry Conference.

HE'S BEEN A BAD, BAD BOY: Patrik Levesque has collected 34 penalty minutes in his last eight appearances, the longest active streak of its type in the CHL and tied for the second-longest of the entire season to date. Levesque sat out Saturday's game against Bossier-Shreveport with a one-game league suspension.

LOOKING FOR SOME ROAD SUCCESS: Mississippi will hit the road for five straight games after Tuesday's meeting with Bloomington, part of a stretch of 10 of the next eleven games away from the DeSoto Civic Center. The road has not been kind to the RiverKings this season, as Mississippi has gone winless in its last four games, dating back to November 25th. Mississippi is 4-6-1 in games on enemy rinks this year.

NOTABLES: Patrik Levesque is within two of 300 career professional games played. Number 300 should come Wednesday night at Bloomington. Chris Richards is within three of 800 career CHL points, now at 265 goals and 532 assists for 797 points in 665 career CHL games.

BROADCASTS: Tuesday's home game against Bloomington and Sunday's road game from Allen will be heard on Sports 56, WHBQ-AM, the Official Flagship Radio Station of the RiverKings. Wednesday's road game from Bloomington will be heard on 87.7, WPGF-FM "The Pig," Games are also available online at www.sports56whbq.com or www.radiopig,com, and through the CHL-TV webcasting service. Click the "Watch Live" link on the RiverKings ‚¬â„¢ home page for information on how to access the webcasting service. RiverKings Media Coordinator Bob Bakken provides the play-by-play coverage.

RIVERKINGS UPCOMING EVENTS

Tuesday, December 21st, the Mississippi RiverKings invite you to celebrate the holidays early when the Bloomington PrairieThunder. One child age 12 and under will be admitted free with an adult paid admission to that night's game between the RiverKings and PrairieThunder. The limit is one child per each paid adult admission of equal or lesser value. It's another great way to bring out the family to watch your hometown hockey team in action and save money at the same time. The offer is available for the December 21st game only and only available at the DCC box office during their office hours.

Wednesday, December 22nd is an Away Game Watch Party at the Southaven Buffalo Wild Wings, 7188 Airways Boulevard, north of Goodman Road. Fans will be able to come watch the CHL-TV broadcast of the game on the big screen, when the RiverKings travel to Bloomington to play the PrairieThunder.

For RiverKings ticket information, call 662-342-1755 or go online to www.riverkings.com today!

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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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