Ruskowski Named CHL Coach of the Year

March 22, 2006 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Laredo Bucks News Release


LAREDO, Texas - The Central Hockey League announced today that Laredo Bucks head coach Terry Ruskowski has been named the 2005-06 CHL Coach of the Year. The award is "Presented annually to the CHL coach adjudged to have contributed most to his team's success," and is

selected through balloting among all CHL head coaches. Ruskowksi, who was recently named the CHL's Best Coach in the Best of the Best poll, has led the Bucks to the top mark in the Southern Conference. The Bucks are home Sunday against the Corpus Christi Rayz to close the 2005-06 CHL regular season. Face off set for 4 p.m. For more information on 2005-06 Bucks single game or playoff tickets call the Bucks office at (956) 718-BUCK (2825) or log onto www.laredobucks.com.

The Bucks are 41-15-6 and have clinched a fourth consecutive playoff berth, a third straight Southeast Division title and the top seed in the Southern Conference for the third straight year. He also was the Southern Conference head coach for the 2006 CHL All-Star Game.

"I am very happy and excited to receive this prestigious award," said Ruskowski. "To be voted the CHL Coach of the Year by your peers is very special. I want to thank my players for all their hard work and effort. Also I want to thank the organization for the opportunity to coach here in Laredo."

In four years with Laredo Ruskowski has complied a record of 165-62-23 and a winning percentage of .706. The Bucks have advanced to the Southern Conference Finals each season and have made back-to-back appearances in the President's Cup Finals. Ruskowski led the Bucks to the 2004 President's Cup title.

"This is a well deserved honor. The secret to Terry's success is teaching unselfishness, professionalism, and instilling a superior work ethic in these young men," Bucks Governor / Owner Glenn Hart said. "Not only do they improve as hockey players, they improve as human beings. As good of a coach as Terry is, he has been "The Ambassador for Hockey in Laredo". He was the only coach on the planet that I would have hired a full season in advance of the Bucks' first game. His popularity amongst Laredoans is second to none."

Laredo debuted in the 2002-03 CHL season going 41-17-6 and advancing to the Southern Conference Finals in the post season. In the 2003-04 season Laredo went two steps better posting a CHL best 48-8-8 regular season mark, a CHL single season record .813 winning percentage, a CHL record 21-game home winning streak, the Governor's Cup signifying the best regular season record in the CHL, and in the playoffs the 2004 President's Cup title. It was the first championship as a head coach for Ruskowski, who finished second in the 2003-04 CHL Coach of the Year balloting in the closest race in league history. In the 2004-05 season the Bucks closed the season 12-0-1 to capture the Southern Conference regular season title and post a 35-22-3 record. Laredo then advanced to the President's Cup Finals for the second consecutive season.

Ruskowski played fifteen years in the National Hockey League and the World Hockey Association. In ten of those fifteen seasons, "Rosco" wore the "C" as captain. Among his teammates were legends Gordie Howe, Stan Mikita and Mario Lemieux. In the WHA, Ruskowski won AVCO Cup championships with Houston and Winnipeg. In the NHL, he played in Chicago, Los Angeles, Pittsburgh and Minnesota, finishing with 426 points and 1,356 penalty minutes in 630 NHL games.

Terry and his wife Carol have two daughters, Jill and Katie. Jill attended North Texas and was a four-year standout on the volleyball team. Katie is a sophomore on the volleyball team at Stony Brook University.



Central Hockey League Stories from March 22, 2006


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