CHL Central Hockey League

Shots from the Point for February 10, 2014

Published on February 10, 2014 under Central Hockey League (CHL) News Release


Three Things You Need to Know

1.) Mavericks Rise to the Top- The Missouri Mavericks (28-13-2) have been remarkably consistent this season with back-to-back regulation losses occurring only three times all season and after three straight wins to start the month of February, the Mavs find themselves on top of the standings with 58 points (two more than both Allen and Rapid City). Missouri will have a busy weekend with a trip to Allen on Friday and home games versus Allen and Quad City on Saturday/Sunday. The Mavs are winning games with special teams and defense as they are allowing just 2.77 goals per game (tied with Rapid City for the lowest GAA in the CHL) and they are first in power play percentage (22.7) and penalty kill percentage (86.1). Missouri forward Sebastien Thinel had combined five helpers in Friday and Saturday's wins and now sits third on the CHL's all-time list with 882 points (moved past Jason Duda's 778). Goaltender Shane Owen has also continued his strong play with a 2.01 GAA and a .931 save % over his last 10 games. Owen leads the league with 23 wins on the season.

2.) Moving into the Picture- Both the Denver Cutthroats (22-13-10) and the Quad City Mallards (22-11-8) have been steady for most of the season but now with two game win streaks for each and the teams at the top slowing, the Fish and the Flock are right behind the conference leaders. Denver has points in eight of their last 10 games going 4-2-4 over that stretch and Quad City is 6-3-1 in their last 10 games. Currently, the Cutthroats are four points behind first place Missouri (28-13-2) and just two points behind Rapid City (28-15-0) and Allen (26-14-4). The Mallards are six points out of first place but they do have two games in hand on the conference-leading Mavericks. Denver will host the last place St. Charles Chill (10-31-5) on Friday and Saturday and the Mallards will host the Rush on Friday and Saturday and then head to Missouri on Sunday.

3.) Regaining Their Edge- On December 26, the Tulsa Oilers were sitting with a 16-12-2 record and looking much like the team that everyone thought would be a title contender heading into the season. The next 14 games saw the Oilers win just three times and go 3-10-1 as they fell back in the pack fighting for the eighth and final playoff spot. Some much needed rest for the busy Oilers seems to be the medicine as they have won each of the last two Saturdays (Feb. 1 over Denver and Feb. 8 over Wichita) and at 21-22-3, are back into a playoff spot. Defense has picked up for the Oilers allowing just two goals over their last two games and just six goals over their last five wins. Ryan Menei has a goal, five assists and is a +2 over his last four games and a hot stretch from the man who scored 82 points last season could be the catalyst to push the Oilers back into that title conversation. Tulsa's new-fo und confidence will be tested this week as they play in Rapid City (28-15-0) on Tuesday and Wednesday and then host red-hot Arizona (22-19-3) on Friday/Saturday.

By the Numbers

8,761: The attendance in Moline at the iWireless Center on Saturday night for the Mallards/St. Charles Chill game. The crowd was the largest of the season in the CHL and helped cap a weekend for the Flock that saw them draw 13,321 fans. Quad City won in front of Saturday's big crowd by a 6-3 count over the Chill. For the entire weekend, the CHL drew 46,631 fans, an average of 4,239 with Missouri boasting their 12th sellout of the season on Saturday and Tulsa drawing 6,828 fans for their Pink in the Rink night on Saturday.

One-Timers

-Nothing as of late can seem to slow the Arizona Sundogs who are 12-2-1 in their last 15 games falling in regulation just once, by a 2-1 score to Brampton last Wednesday. Arizona has allowed just 16 goals over their last eight games, all games started by Andrew Engelage who is third in the CHL in minutes played with 1945:08.

-Denver's Kent Patterson is 4-1-2 over his last seven decisions allowing two goals or fewer in five of those seven games. On the season, Patterson is 17-8-6 with a 2.76 GAA and a .916 save percentage.

-After leading the league in PK percentage for most of the season, the Brampton Beast are struggling when trying to stop the opponents power play allowing six PP goals in their last 22 chances. Brampton is now second in the league at 85.8% on the PK.

-Rapid City forward Konrad Reeder scored half of his team's goals this past weekend as the Rush fell twice in Denver. Reeder's three combined goals on Fri/Sat gives him 28 on the season, second most in the CHL (Denver's Garett Bembridge has 34 goals).

-The St. Charles Chill scored a pair of shorthanded goals in Sunday's 6-4 loss to Quad City giving them seven SHG's on the season (third in the CHL). Although currently injured, Jordan Fox is tied for the league lead with three shorties on the season.

-CHL-TV, powered by America ONE Sports, is back for a second season with monthly and season packages available as well as all games on a given night available for $8.00. Visit www.americaonesports.com for ordering information.

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Central Hockey League Stories from February 10, 2014


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