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Shots from the Point for December 23, 2011

December 23, 2011 - Central Hockey League (CHL) News Release


Top Three

1.) Christmas Day in the CHL- For the second straight season, the Tulsa Oilers (14-8-2) host the Wichita Thunder (17-7-0) on Christmas Day. Last season, the Oilers won 6-5 over Wichita but the Thunder are 3-2-2 all-time on Christmas Day. Wichita has won three straight games in the season series against the Oilers and leads the series four games to three. Andrew Martens (WIC) and Michel Beausoleil (TUL) lead their respective teams with nine points each versus the opposition in the series. Special teams has been huge in the series with Tulsa going 10 for 37 (27%) and Wichita going 8 for 38 (21%) with three shorthanded goals.

2.) Hot Teams Battle in Illinois- Maybe the two hottest teams in the CHL face-off on Friday night in Moline, Illinois when the Quad City Mallards (13-10-1) host the Wichita Thunder (17-7-0) in the second meeting of the season between the two clubs. Wichita beat the Flock, 4-1, back on Nov. 11. Thomas Beauregard, the reigning Oakley CHL Player of the Week, scored a pair of goals in that game for Wichita. The Mallards enter Friday's game with a loss to Bloomington on Tuesday night still burning in their bellies but they are still 7-2-1 in their last 10 games. The Thunder are 7-3-0 in their last 10 games and are one point behind Allen for first place in the Berry Conference.

3.) Thursday Night Round-Up- There were two games on Thursday night in the CHL with the Rapid City Rush winning for the 12th straight time against the Arizona Sundogs, 6-2. Jesse Schultz added to his league-leading point total with two goals and an assist giving him 41 points on the season (14-27=41). The Rush are now 9-4-0 at home. In Dayton, the Gems scored the game's last three goals to beat the Texas Brahmas by a score of 4-3. Damian Surma scored twice and Tim Hartung scored the game winner in the shootout (T.J. Fox scored twice for the Brahmas). The Brahmas are 1-0-1 on their Turner Conference road trip with Friday's game in Evansville remaining before heading home for the Christmas break and with the loss. Fall for the first time to a Turner club (5-0-1 on the season).

Inside the Numbers

.708: The current league-leading win percentage of the Wichita Thunder who with a win tonight in Quad City will secure a place for head coach Kevin McClelland as the bench boss for the 2012 CHL All-Star team. The All-Star Game is scheduled for Wednesday, January 11 in Prescott Valley, Arizona at Tim's Toyota Center. The format will feature the host Sundogs taking on a team of CHL All-Stars. Only two other coaches have a chance should McClelland's Thunder all to the Flock, Allen's Dwight Mullins (.700) and Fort Wayne's Al Sims (.674). Sims could earn the gig with a Komets win at Dayton and regulation losses by both Allen and Wichita. Mullins needs a regulation win and a loss by Wichita to pass McClelland. The starters and reserves for the CHL All-Star team will be announced next week.

On the Fly

-Losing their last three home games, the Missouri Mavericks (11-10-3) will look for revenge on the Laredo Bucks (10-14-0) on Friday night at the Independence Events Center. Laredo beat the Mavs on Tuesday night by a 4-2 score and have won five of their last six games overall and three straight on the road. Rusty Masters has two goals and four assists in his last five games. Missouri is trying to figure out the magic at home ice as they look to turnaround their 2-7-1 home record.

-After scoring eight goals in his first eight games with the Bloomington Blaze, Vladimir Nikiforov has gone without a goal in each of his last three contests, although he does have two assists. On the season, Nikiforov has 17 points (8-9=17) in 11 games with Bloomington. The Blaze host Tulsa on Friday night.

-Dayton's come-from-behind win over Texas on Thursday night gives the Gems three straight wins entering their game on Friday against the Fort Wayne Komets. The Komets have won three of the four match-ups thus far outscoring the Gems 19-10. Colin Chaulk and Bobby Chaumont each have two goals and six assists against the Gems. Damian Surma's two goals against the Brahmas on Thursday gives him a league-best 16 on the season.

-Allen forward Bruce Graham is currently riding a league-best eight-game point streak scoring two goals with eight assists over that stretch. Graham is tied for third in the league this season with 32 points (13-19=32). Three players have recorded 13-game point streaks marking the longest in the league this season.

-When Evansville (13-7-2) and Texas (13-8-6) meet for the first time ever on Friday night, it will mark the league's most penalized team (Evansville) against the league's least penalized team (Texas). The IceMen are averaging more than 21 PIM's per game this season, while the Brahmas are being whistled for just under 13 minutes per contest. Evansville is riding a season-long three-game losing streak, while Texas has points in five straight games (2-0-3).

-When Allen (15-5-5) and Rio Grande Valley (11-11-4) meet on Friday night, it will pit the league's two best penalty kills with Allen leading the league at 86.8% and RGV sitting second with an 85.3% success rate on the kill. The Killer Bees defeated the Americans on Wednesday night ending their nine-game losing streak.

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Central Hockey League Stories from December 23, 2011


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