Scorpions Head into All-Star Break with Win

Published on January 20, 2003 under Central Hockey League (CHL)
New Mexico Scorpions News Release


SCORPIONS ON THE RADIO – The Scorpions are teaming up this season with SportsRadio 610 The Sports Animal to bring you all of the Scorpions action on the radio. Mike Sheehan is in his first season as the Voice of the Scorpions. Friday's game is scheduled to air on SportsRadio 610 The Sports Animal while Saturday's game will air on 1050 AM KTBL.

SCORPIONS HOCKEY TALK THIS WEEK – The Scorpions' weekly radio talk show moves back to Wednesday this week, airing from 6 to 7 p.m. on SportsRadio 610 The Sports Animal, live on location at the Corner Pocket, 9603 Lomas NE just west of Eubank. Scorpions Hockey Talk features Scorpions coach Bill McDonald and the "Voice of the Scorpions" Mike Sheehan, along with special guests each week.

COMING EVENTS AT TINGLEY – Friday night at Tingley Coliseum is Dodge Bumper Sticker Night when the Scorpions host Lubbock. Faceoff is 7:05 p.m. The first 1,500 fans receive a FREE Scorpions bumper sticker courtesy of Dodge. Friday, Jan. 31 the Scorpions host El Paso on Albuquerque Journal Trading Card Night. The first 1,000 fans receive a FREE set of Scorpions trading cards courtesy of the Albuquerque Journal. Bobblehead madness hits Tingley Coliseum on Saturday, Feb. 1 when the Scorps host Lubbock again. The first 1,000 fans receive a FREE Craig Stahl Bobblehead courtesy of Comcast.

SCORPIONS RECAP

CORPUS CHRISTI 4, SCORPIONS 1 – The Rayz went 2-for-4 on the power play and held the Scorpions to one goal in eight chances to win Frank Bowl I by a score of 4-1. Ben Gorewich scored his first goal in a Scorpions uniform with the man advantage. Scott Myers entered the game in the second period and stopped 22 of 23 shots.

OKLAHOMA CITY 4, SCORPIONS 1 – The Scorpions put forth a strong effort against the Northwest Division-leading Blazers but it was the visitors who escaped Tingley Coliseum with a 4-1 victory, the Scorpions' first loss in five games against the Blazers over the last two seasons. Chris Richards scored the Scorpions' only goal on a penalty shot, while Scott Myers had another strong game with a season-high 45 saves.

SCORPIONS 1, ODESSA 0 (OT) – Peter Ambroziak broke a scoreless deadlock with 52.9 seconds remaining in overtime, tapping home a pass from Tyler Baines to give the Scorpions a 1-0 victory over division-leading Odessa and break the team's three-game winless streak. Luciano Caravaggio made 31 saves, including several big stops in the closing minutes of regulation, for his first shutout of the season. All six games between the teams have been decided by a single goal, with five of the six contests requiring overtime.

SCORPIONS MATCH-UPS

LUBBOCK – The home team has won all six games between the teams this season with three meetings left, two at Tingley Coliseum starting with Friday's matchup. The Cotton Kings took a 5-4 shootout win at home on Jan. 11, but the Scorpions became the first team to even eke out a single point on the road. All-Star starter Blaz Emersic has been hot lately and leads the Cotton Kings with 47 points (19g-28a), including 15 points in his last ten games. He also has 12 points (6g-6a) in six games against the Scorpions. Goalie Mike Brusseau is 16-12-4 with a 2.74 GAA and .914 save percentage.

ODESSA – Six games between the teams this season, six one-goal hockey games. The chance for number seven comes this Saturday at the Ector County Coliseum in Odessa. Five of the six games have gone to overtime, including Saturday's 1-0 New Mexico win that broke the Jackalopes three-game streak in the series. Mike Rutter leads the Jackalopes with 40 points (13g-27a), followed by All-Star selections Scott Hillman (10g-25a-35pts) and Sebastien Thinel (15g-18a-33pts). Odessa's calling card over the past few years has been their defense, and they rank third in the league averaging 2.63 goals allowed per game. Goalie Mike Gorman (16-9-5) is fifth in the CHL with a 2.52 GAA.

ALL-STAR SENDOFF – Chris Richards and Arturs Kupaks will represent the Scorpions as part of the Southern Conference squad at Thursday's Central Hockey League All-Star Game in Oklahoma City. In the skills competition preceding the game, Richards will participate in the Rapid Fire contest and the Breakaway Relay, while Kupaks will test his mettle in the Hardest Shot.

AMBROZIAK INCHES CLOSER – In his fourth season with the Scorpions, Peter Ambroziak is now one point away from tying Sylvain Naud for the franchise's all-time scoring record. Naud recorded 241 points (134g-107a) in 162 games from 1996 to 1999. With Saturday's game-winner, which ties him for second in the CHL this season with six game-winning goals, the 31 year-old Kanata, Ontario native has 240 points (115g-125a) in 190 career games. He is also second in goals, third in assists and fourth in games played on the all-time charts.

MYERS ACES IT, LITERALLY – Congratulations to Scorpions goalie Scott Myers, who recorded his first career hole-in-one last Tuesday at Los Altos Golf Course by acing the 155-yard 13th hole. On the ice, the Stonewall, Manitoba native's play hasn't been shabby either, as he is 3-3-1 with a 2.87 GAA in his last seven games with a .927 save percentage during that span. In his last four appearances, he is 2-1-1 with a 2.58 GAA and .934 save percentage.

STINGERS – Luciano Caravaggio's shutout on Saturday was his first in a Scorpions uniform since March 11, 2000, when he blanked El Paso 3-0... It was the Scorpions' first whitewash since Scott Myers won at Fort Worth 3-0 on Nov. 16, 2001, and first at home by almost two years to the day since Steve Debus blanked Monroe 5-0 on Jan. 19, 2001... Chris Richards' penalty shot goal was the first since Tyler Baines scored at Amarillo on Jan. 3, 2002... Going back to last season, the Scorpions have now played eight straight games against Odessa decided by one goal. Saturday's game was the Scorpions' first-ever 1-0 win... In their only previous 1-0 game, the Scorps lost to the Jackalopes on March 4, 2001.

SCORPIONS RESULTS –

17-18-3 record, 37 pts., 3rd place, Southwest Division (10-10-0 home, 7-8-3 away)
Wednesday, Jan. 15 Corpus Christi 4, SCORPIONS 1 – Gorewich – 1 goal
Friday, Jan. 17 Oklahoma City 4, SCORPIONS 1 – Richards – penalty shot goal; Myers – 45 saves
Saturday, Jan. 18 SCORPIONS 1, Odessa 0 (OT) – Ambroziak – GW goal; Caravaggio – 31 saves, shutout
Home team in CAPS

SCORPS IN ACTION

Friday, Jan. 24 Scorpions vs. Lubbock Cotton Kings (18-14-5, 41 pts., 2nd place, Southwest Div.) – 7:05 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 25 Scorpions at Odessa Jackalopes (22-11-5, 49 pts., 1st place, Southwest Div.) – 6 p.m. MST

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Central Hockey League Stories from January 20, 2003


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