Roadrunners bring playoff hockey to Santa Fe
March 29, 2005 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Topeka Pilots News Release
In only their second year as a junior A team and their first year playing in Santa Fe, the Roadrunners are in the North American Hockey League playoffs and on a mission to earn a spot in the National Championship Tournament. Santa Fe's playoff run begins on Friday, April 1st at 7:30 pm when the Roadrunners take on the Texarkana, TX Bandits in the first of two weekend games at home in Santa Fe. Game 3 of the best-of-five series will be in Texarkana, Friday April 8th at 7:30 pm with Games 4 and 5, if necessary, on Saturday (7:05 pm) and Sunday (1:00 pm). The winner goes on to the best-of-seven Division Finals and battles for a spot in the National Championships to be held April 26-30th between the North, South, and West Division winners and the host Bismarck Bobcats.
Texarkana (36-15-5) finished the regular season in 2nd place in the South division just ahead of the Roadrunners (33-18-5). The two teams split their regular season games with 3 wins a piece, but the regular season statistics are meaningless now. Playoff hockey is an entirely new game: higher tempo, more intensity, more disciplined play, and all heart. Twelve teams from three conferences begin the playoffs and only the four teams who want it the most make it to Bismarck.
The Roadrunners boast a balanced roster with 9 players returning from last year's Lone Star Cavalry team that played in Fort Worth, Texas. Sixteen of the current 24-man roster were with the team on September 15th when they walked into the Genoveva Chavez Community Center for the first time and set their sights on making the playoffs. Eighteen players have played in over 40 games for the Roadrunners. Over the season, the team has adjusted to Santa Fe's high-altitude, endured long bus trips, survived commando training, and has come together as a stronger team.
Kansas native Jared Brown led the team in the regular season with 57 points in 54 games on the season (22 goals, 35 assists) and 119 penalty minutes. Forward Corey Stark from Chanhassen, Minnesota, was second with 51 points, including 12 power play goals and 7 game winning goals, the most in both categories on the team. Minnesotan Drew Akins led all first year junior hockey players on the team with 36 points (18 goals, 18 assists). Head Coach Scott Langer worked hard to put together the right combination of players for 56 games, despite a rash of injuries and illness.
Overall, the Roadrunners match up fairly evenly with the Bandits. In head-to-head competition, Texarkana has the slight edge in goals scored with 17 to Santa Fe's 16. Much like the Roadrunners, the Bandits have relied on fairly even scoring-production among their top five players. Bandit Defenseman Matt Taormina tied for second in the league in scoring by defensemen. Bandit goaltender Riley Gill finished fourth in the league in goals-against average. Texarkana led Santa Fe in power play conversion percentage, but Santa Fe led Texarkana in the number of power play goals scored and power play opportunities. Santa Fe finished second in the league in total penalty minutes (1602) on the season. Texarkana concluded its regular season on Saturday, losing on the road 9-0 to the Wichita Wildcats in a game that put the Wildcats into the playoffs.
Home game playoff tickets are on sale now for $10 each at the Roadrunner box office, the front desk of the Genoveva Chavez Community Center, the Villa Linda Mall Customer Service Desk, and all Los Alamos National Bank locations. Tickets for the away game or games in Texarkana are on sale for $12 adults and $10 children if purchased in advance. Roadrunner fans can call the Bandits office at 903-794-7825 for information on tickets and hotels.
For more information contact Roadrunners General Manager Bob Pope at 505-469-5200.
North American Hockey League Stories from March 29, 2005
- Let's keep the Cups - Texas Tornado
- Veteran broadcasters man the booth for playoffs - Topeka Pilots
- Phantoms announce more college signings - Mahoning Valley Phantoms
- NAHL playoff series set - NAHL
- Roadrunners bring playoff hockey to Santa Fe - Topeka Pilots
- Blizzard update - Alexandria Blizzard
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