Rocky Mountain Rage Weekly Update

January 28, 2008 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Rocky Mountain Rage News Release


Jan. 22 vs. Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees, 6-3 Win - Brent Cullaton and Daymen Rycroft each scored a pair of goals and Terry Dunbar made 34 saves as Rocky Mountain won a team-record sixth straight game at home.

Jan. 25 @ Youngstown SteelHounds, 5-3 Loss - In the first game of a season-long seven-game road trip, Rocky Mountain gave-up back-to-back power play goals mid-way through the first period to fall behind, 2-0, and never really recovered. Rycroft, Simon Watson, and Trevor Weisgerber all scored in the losing effort.

Jan. 26 @ Youngstown SteelHounds, 7-1 Win - The Rage responded well to the previous night's setback, getting goals from seven different players and all three forward lines in the club's most lopsided win of the year. Dunbar was sharp in goal as he made 43 saves to pick-up the victory.

Jan. 27 @ Youngstown SteelHounds, 5-1 Loss - Forced to play catch up again after falling behind, 2-0, early in the second period, Rocky Mountain ended up losing the rubber match in the three-game series with Youngstown. Rycroft scored the team's lone goal in the loss.

THIS WEEK'S UPCOMING GAMES

Wednesday, Jan. 30, @ Laredo Bucks, Laredo Entertainment Center, 6 p.m.

Radio: The New ESPN Radio 1600, TAPE DELAYED at approximately 10:30 p.m.

Live Audio and Video Webcast: www.rockymountainrage.com

Friday, Feb. 1, @ Corpus Christi Rayz, American Bank Center, 6:05 p.m.

Radio: The New ESPN Radio 1600, LIVE at 5:55 p.m.

Live Audio and Video Webcast: www.rockymountainrage.com

Saturday, Feb. 2, @ Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees, Dodge Arena, 6:35 p.m.

Radio: The New ESPN Radio 1600, TAPE DELAYED at approximately 10 p.m.

Live Audio and Video Webcast: www.rockymountainrage.com

STILL THE LEAGUE'S TOP WINNING PERCENTAGE

By going 2-2-0 last week, the Rage lost their overall points lead to the red-hot Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs, who are unbeaten over their last 20 games (19-0-1) and lead the CHL with 62 points. But, Rocky Mountain still has a narrow edge over the defending Governors' Cup winners when it comes to the league's highest winning percentage by one one-thousandth of a point - .776 to .775. The Rage sit atop the Northwest Division, six points ahead of the second-place Colorado Eagles.

RYCROFT'S STREAK REACHES DOUBLE DIGITS

One of the few positives that came out of the team's trip to Youngstown was the continued goal-scoring prowess of Daymen Rycroft. The top goal scorer in the CHL lit the lamp in all four games last week to extend his league season-high goal-scoring streak to 10 consecutive games dating back to Jan. 6. Not only is Rycroft's total of 34 tallies eight more than the next closest player's (Laredo's Jeff Bes has 26), but he also continues to lead the CHL with 15 power play goals and eight game-winners.

AVOIDING ANOTHER STREAK

The Rage still have yet to lose two games in a row in regulation this season. The closest they have come to back-to-back regulation losses was an overtime loss to the Arizona Sundogs on Nov. 30 followed by a regulation loss to the New Mexico Scorpions on Dec. 1. The team's ability to bounce-back from sub-par efforts will again be tested on Wednesday in Laredo where the Southeast Division-leading Bucks are 16-5-0 on home ice.

GETTING OVER THE .500 HUMP

Last week's hiccup notwithstanding, the Rage's stellar play this season has the club in a position to nudge its all-time record above the .500 mark. After finishing 23 games below the break-even point with a record of 17-40-7 a year ago, Rocky Mountain twice had an opportunity this past weekend to reach 23 games above .500 this season but failed on both Friday and Sunday. All-time, the franchise is now 45-47-10.

LEAGUE LEADERS

Brent Cullaton begins the week still leading the CHL with 54 assists and tied for second with 66 points overall. The Rage captain registered the 700th point (255g-445a) of his 12-year professional career with an assist during Friday's loss to the SteelHounds...Rycroft is fifth in overall scoring with 58 points, while Scott Wray is 10th with 52 (23g-29a)...Tyler Butler is third in scoring among defensemen with 39 points (11g-28a).

ROAD TRIP CONTINUES

Following this week's swing through South Texas, Rocky Mountain's seven-game, five-city trek finally concludes on Tuesday, Feb. 5, in Tulsa against the Oilers. The team then returns to Broomfield Event Center on Feb. 8 and 9 against the top two teams in the Southwest Division, the Arizona Sundogs and Odessa Jackalopes, respectively.



Central Hockey League Stories from January 28, 2008


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