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Scorpions enter final week

March 14, 2005 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
New Mexico Scorpions News Release


SCORPIONS RECAP –

SCORPIONS 4, AMARILLO 3 – The Scorpions scored twice in the opening period and held off the Gorillas in the third period for a 4-3 victory in their regular season home finale on Tuesday. Jordan Bianchin started the scoring 2:12 into the game while Ladislav Kouba made it 2-0 later in the period. Mike Oliveira and Mike Possin scored in the third period for the Scorpions before the Gorillas scored two goals in 32 seconds to make the final minutes interesting. Miguel Beaudry made 35 saves for the Scorpions.

COLORADO 4, SCORPIONS 2 – The Eagles fired the opening salvo in the two-game series with a 4-2 home win on Friday. Mike Possin gave the Scorpions a 1-0 lead early in the second period before Colorado scored a pair of 4-on-4 goals to take a 2-1 lead. An apparent Scorpions goal was disallowed early in the third, and Colorado scored 20 seconds later to take a 3-1 advantage. Konrad McKay scored with 4:38 left to make it 3-2, but the Scorpions could get no closer.

COLORADO 5, SCORPIONS 3 – The Scorpions saw their playoff hopes take a big hit on Saturday as the Eagles swept the two-game series with a 5-3 win. The Eagles took a 2-0 lead in the second period, but Jordan Bianchin got the Scorpions on the board just 21 seconds later. Colorado scored a power play goal less than three minutes later for a 3-1 lead. Randy Murphy scored in the third period to cut the gap to 3-2, but Ryan Tobler scored less than a minute later to restore the two-goal lead for Colorado. Shawn Legault added a goal in the final minute, but Tobler scored into an empty net.

SCORPIONS MATCH-UPS –

SAN ANGELO – The Scorpions are 2-0-3 against the Saints this season heading into Wednesday's game. San Angelo clinched a playoff berth by beating Fort Worth 3-2 on Saturday. The Saints have won two straight games heading into Wednesday's contest. Bret Dececco leads the Saints in scoring with 25 goals and 48 points, followed by Kevin Vandewaeter with 39 points (15g-24a). Goalie Scott Reid (30-18-4, 2.69 GAA) is second in the league with 30 wins. This series has been physical all season and Wednesday's game should be no different.

ODESSA – The Jackalopes are tied with Austin two points behind Lubbock for the final Southern Conference playoff spot after a 4-3 shootout loss at Amarillo last night, although the Cotton Kings have one fewer game played. New Mexico is 2-1-0 against the Jackalopes this season, with the home team having won all three games. However, the teams haven't met since Thanksgiving weekend. Mike Rutter leads the Jackalopes in scoring with 60 points (26g-34a), while Derek Dolson (12-7-4, 2.01 GAA) is a CHL Outstanding Goaltender candidate. The Jackalopes are 10-3-3 in their last 16 games.

LUBBOCK – The Scorpions are 1-3-1 against the Cotton Kings heading into Saturday's regular season finale. Despite a 2-6-1 record in their last nine games, Lubbock is hanging on to the last playoff spot in the South, but they have a tough four-game week that includes a home-and-home series with Colorado and a season-ending game at Amarillo on Sunday. Anders Strome leads the Cotton Kings with 33 goals and 53 points, but the calling card for this team has been defense. Lance Leslie (25-16-3, 2.30 GAA) is another Outstanding Goaltender candidate, and the Cotton Kings as a team are fourth in the league allowing 2.57 goals per game.

SCHEDULE FOR THE WEEK –

Tuesday, March 15 – Practice 10-11:30 a.m. Tingley Coliseum

DEPART FOR SAN ANGELO – 12 MIDNIGHT

Wednesday, March 16 – Practice 10-11 a.m. MST San Angelo Coliseum, San Angelo, Texas

Game at San Angelo – 6:05 p.m. MST

Thursday, March 17 – Practice TBA Ector County Coliseum, Odessa, Texas

Friday, March 18 – Practice 10-11 a.m. MST Ector County Coliseum, Odessa, Texas

Game at Odessa – 6 p.m. MST Ector County Coliseum, Odessa, Texas

Saturday, March 19 – Game at Lubbock – 6:05 p.m. MST Lubbock Municipal Coliseum, Lubbock, Texas

As always, please contact Mike Sheehan (881-7825 (office), 480-7915 (cell) or email msheehan@scorpionshockey.com) to confirm time and site of practice.

SCORPIONS SCENARIO – The scenario for the Scorpions to make the playoffs is rather simple. New Mexico must win all three games this week (at San Angelo Wednesday, at Odessa Friday and at Lubbock Saturday) while Tulsa must lose all three games in regulation (at Topeka Thursday, vs. Oklahoma City Friday and at Memphis Saturday) and Oklahoma City can go no better than 1-1-1 in their three games (at Bossier-Shreveport Tuesday, at Tulsa Friday and at Topeka Saturday), with the stipulation that the one Blazers win must come Friday at Tulsa. Finally, Fort Worth and Memphis must each lose one game this week if the above scenario happens.

STINGERS – By appearing in his 52nd game of the season on Saturday at Colorado, Miguel Beaudry set a new single-season record for games played by a Scorpions goalie, eclipsing the record of 51 set by Tony Martino in the team's inaugural season (1996-97) and tied by Luciano Caravaggio in 1999-2000... Randy Murphy has eight goals and nine points in five games against San Angelo this season... Shawn Legault needs 19 penalty minutes in the final three games to break the single-season record of 309 set by Dean Shmyr in 1998-99.

SCORPIONS RESULTS –

26-25-6 record, 58 pts., 3rd place, Northwest Division (14-12-4 home, 12-13-2 away)

Tuesday, March 8 SCORPIONS 4, Amarillo 3 – Mike Oliveira – 1 goal, 2 assists; Jordan Bianchin – 1 goal, 1 assist

Friday, March 11 COLORADO 4, Scorpions 2 – Mike Possin, Konrad McKay – 1 goal each; Bianchin – 2 assists

Saturday, March 12 COLORADO 5, Scorpions 3 – Randy Murphy, Jordan Bianchin – 1 goal, 1 assist each

Home team in CAPS

SCORPS IN ACTION –

Wednesday, March 16 Scorpions at San Angelo Saints (31-20-6, 68 pts., 2nd place, Southwest Div.) – 6:05 p.m. MST

Friday, March 18 Scorpions at Odessa Jackalopes (25-21-11, 61 pts., 4th place, Southwest Div.) – 6 p.m. MST

Saturday, March 19 Scorpions at Lubbock Cotton Kings (30-23-3, 63 pts., 3rd pl., Southwest Div.) – 6:05 p.m. MST

SCORPIONS ON THE RADIO – The Scorpions are teaming up for the third straight season with SportsRadio 610 The Sports Animal to bring you all of the Scorpions action on the radio. Mike Sheehan returns for his third season as the Voice of the Scorpions. Wednesday's game is scheduled to air on SportsRadio 610 The Sports Animal while Friday and Saturday's games will air on 1050 KTBL-AM. The games are also available on the Internet at the Scorpions' website, www.scorpionshockey.com via Internet broadcast partner www.broadcastmonsters.com. Archived broadcasts for the past month are also available through BCM's website.

SCORPIONS TICKETS AND EVENTS –

ONLINE JERSEY AUCTION – Bid online for the Scorpions' red jerseys between now and Monday, March 21 at 5 p.m. MST at www.scorpionshockey.com/merchandise/auctions. The auction will conclude on Tuesday, March 22 at the Scorpions' annual banquet, which will be held this year at the Santa Ana Star Casino.



Central Hockey League Stories from March 14, 2005


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