Scorpions prepare for Lubbock

Published on January 23, 2003 under Central Hockey League (CHL)
New Mexico Scorpions News Release


ALBUQUERQUE – The New Mexico Scorpions of the Central Hockey League return to action tomorrow, Friday, Jan. 24 as they host the Lubbock Cotton Kings. Faceoff at Tingley Coliseum is 7:05 p.m.

The game marks the first for the team after tonight's CHL All-Star Game in Oklahoma City. The team is being represented by center Chris Richards and defenseman Arturs Kupaks. The team's leading scorer this season with 23 goals and 49 points, Richards was selected as a starter by coaches, broadcasters and selected media members. Kupaks was selected as a reserve by Southern Conference coach Brent Hughes of the Austin Ice Bats.

The Scorpions are 2-3-1 against the Cotton Kings this season, with the home team winning all six meetings between the clubs. Three more match-ups, including tomorrow's game, remain on the schedule. Two of those three contests will be played at home, tomorrow and again next Saturday, Feb. 1.

New Mexico enters the game following a 1-0 overtime win over Odessa last Saturday at Tingley. Peter Ambroziak scored the winning goal with 52.9 seconds left in overtime. The 31 year-old Kanata, Ontario native needs one point to tie Sylvain Naud for the team's all-time point-scoring record. Naud recorded 241 points (134g-107a) in 169 career games from 1996 to 1999. Ambroziak has recorded 240 points (115g-125a) since joining the squad prior to the 1999-2000 season. He is also second in the CHL this season with six game-winning goals.

For Kupaks, tomorrow's game will be his 500th as a professional, dating back to the 29 year-old Latvian native's rookie season in 1994-95 as a member of the now-defunct Greensboro (N.C.) Monarchs of the East Coast Hockey League.

Saturday's shutout was the first this season for the Scorpions and for goalie Luciano Caravaggio. It was the first shutout at Tingley Coliseum by almost two years to the day, since a 5-0 win on Jan. 19, 2001 against Monroe. It was Caravaggio's first whitewash in a Scorpions uniform since a 3-0 blanking of El Paso on March 11, 2000 during his first stint with the club.

Tomorrow is also Dodge Bumper Sticker Night, as the first 1,500 fans receive a FREE Scorpions bumper sticker courtesy of Dodge. The Scorpions complete the weekend's play on Saturday, Jan. 25 at Odessa. Faceoff is 6 p.m. MST. All six games between the Scorpions and Jackalopes this season have been decided by one goal, with five of the six contests going into overtime. Both games this weekend will be broadcast on SportsRadio 610 The Sports Animal.

Individual game tickets start as low as $11 and are on sale NOW at the Scorpions Team Store and all TicketMaster locations, including selected Smith's Food and Drug Centers, Foley's, Merlin's Disc Jockey, on the Internet at www.ticketmaster.com and charge-by-phone by calling 883-7800. For information on group discounts, call the Scorpions office at (505) 881-PUCK (7825).

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Central Hockey League Stories from January 23, 2003


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