CHL Mississippi RiverKings

RiverKings Weekly

March 7, 2011 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Mississippi RiverKings News Release


THIS WEEK:

The RiverKings have a "three-in-three" week scheduled, hosting Dayton at the DeSoto Civic Center in Southaven on Thursday night, March 10th, then will hit the road for games Friday, March 11th at Wichita and Saturday, March 12th at Quad City.

RIVERKINGS RECAP:

Mississippi finished last week 1-2-0 in three games against the Arizona Sundogs in Prescott Valley.

The RiverKings lost Wednesday night to Arizona 4-1, followed Friday night with a 4-1 victory, then fell to the Sundogs Saturday evening 7-4 in the series finale.

MISSISSIPPI VS. DAYTON:

Mississippi is 2-1-0 vs. Dayton this season, with all three games being played at the DeSoto Civic Center.

The RiverKings prevailed in the last meeting on January 22nd by a 4-1 score with Andrew Lackner scoring the game-winning goal and Larry Sterling making 20 saves to earn the goaltender victory.

R.G. Flath is the team ‚¬â„¢s leading point-getter against Dayton with two goals and four points, while Sterling is 2-0-0 against the Gems in net this year.

MISSISSIPPI VS. WICHITA:

Mississippi is 3-1-0 against the Thunder this season and is 1-1-0 against Wichita in Kansas.

The RiverKings are 66-44-15 all-time against Thunder franchise.

Wichita won the last meeting between the long-time rivals 5-2 in Wichita on February 18th, as Matt Summers and Patrik Levesque scored goals, while Larry Sterling made 31 saves, but allowed five goals in the loss.

Summers leads the RiverKings in scoring against Wichita with five goals and seven points, while goaltender Alexander Pechurskiy is 2-0-0 against the Thunder at the crease.

MISSISSIPPI VS. QUAD CITY:

The Mallards defeated the RiverKings 1-0 in the only meeting ever between the teams, who play in Moline, Illinois for the first time ever on Saturday night.

Alexander Pechurskiy was in net for the RiverKings in the last game between the teams, played in Southaven on November 19th and was 25-of-26 at the crease.

MISSISSIPPI AT HOME:

The RiverKings are 16-11-2 in home games this season, but are winless in the team ‚¬â„¢s last two home contests (0-1-1).

Chris Richards is the RiverKings ‚¬â„¢ leading point getter at home with 31 points (11 goals, 20 assists).

Matt Summers leads Mississippi in goals scored at home with 13 and Chris Auger has the best plus-minus statistic at +9.

At the crease, Larry Sterling has a 9-6-1 record in home games, while Alexander Pechurskiy is 7-3-1 at the DCC.

MISSISSIPPI ON THE ROAD:

Mississippi starts the week with a record of 9-16-3 in road games this season, with Friday ‚¬â„¢s 4-1 win at Arizona being the last conquest of a CHL opponent on the road.

The nine wins put the RiverKings one above Arizona, which has had the least success of any CHL team away from their home rink.

Matt Summers is the leading RiverKings goal-getter this year in away games with 11 and Nathan Lutz has led the RiverKings ‚¬â„¢ offense in points on enemy ice at 25 (six goals, 19 assists).

Derek Landmesser ‚¬â„¢s +3 is the best plus-minus statistic among the RiverKings in road games.

At the crease, Alexander Pechurskiy has a 6-8-1 record, while Larry Sterling has won just twice (2-6-2) in games away from the DeSoto Civic Center.

PLAYER UPDATES

5-Russell Smith...enters the week ranked third in the Central Hockey League for penalty minutes taken with 189 (first among defensemen)...is tied for second in the CHL for minor penalties taken with 52.

9-Matt Boyd...is second for shorthanded assists by a CHL rookie with two.

19-Matt Summers...ranks fourth in the CHL for power play goals scored with 13...is third in the league for shooting percentage at .224 (24 goals, 107 shots).

26-Chris Auger...leads CHL rookies in shorthanded goals scored with 3...is tied for fourth in plus-minus by a rookie at +10.

44-Nathan Lutz...ranks fourth in the CHL for power play assists with 23 (first among defensemen)...is second in scoring by a defenseman with 48 points...is tied for first in assists by a defenseman with 38.

RIVERKINGS STATISTICAL LEADERS:

GOALS:

Matt Summers (24)

ASSISTS: Nathan Lutz (38)

POINTS:

Chris Richards, Lutz (48)

PLUS-MINUS:

Derek Landmesser, Chris Auger (+10)

PENALTY MINUTES: Russell Smith (189)

POWER PLAY GOALS:

Summers (13)

SHORTHANDED GOALS: Louis Dumont (5)

GAME-WINNING GOALS: R.G. Flath (4)

RIVERKINGS GOALTENDING LEADERS:

GAMES PLAYED:

Alexander Pechurskiy, Larry Sterling (29)

MINUTES PLAYED: Pechurskiy (1609)

WINS:

Pechurskiy (13)

SHUTOUTS: Sterling (2)

GOALS-AGAINST-AVERAGE: Pechurskiy (2.87)

SAVE PERCENTAGE: Pechurskiy (.896).

RIVERKINGS SPECIAL TEAMS:

Mississippi scored twice in seven power play chances on Saturday night against, Arizona, marking the first time since February 26th (3-2 overtime loss to Tulsa) that the RiverKings have scored more than once on the power play.

In Mississippi ‚¬â„¢s last five games, the team has gone 6-for-30 on the power play (20.0%) and for the season enters this week ranked 14th with the extra man at 16.21%.

On the penalty kill, the RiverKings were 3-for-8 against Arizona Saturday night, marking the first time since January 16th (6-1 loss at Fort Wayne) the RiverKings have allowed three or more power play goals in one game to an opponent.

In the last five games, Mississippi has gone 6-for-33 on the penalty kill (81.8%) and for the season enters this week ranked sixth in the CHL for penalty killing at 83.33%.

SPECIAL TEAMS NOTE:

Mississippi is first in the Central Hockey League for shorthanded goals scored with 14, while allowing nine this season.

Louis Dumont is among three players who lead the CHL in shorthanded goals scored with five and Chris Auger leads all CHL rookies (sixth overall) with three shorthanded goals.

BROADCAST COVERAGE:

All three games this weekend will be available on the RiverKings Official Flagship Radio Station, Sports 56, WHBQ-AM (560), with Bob Bakken on the call.

Games will also be available for listening on the RiverKings web site at the Listen Live button on the home page (www.riverkings.com) and from www.sports56whbq.com.

RiverKings games are also available from the CHL-TV webcasting service available through the team ‚¬â„¢s home page by clicking on the Watch Live button to access the service.



Central Hockey League Stories from March 7, 2011


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