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CHL Central Hockey League

Shots from the Point for October 28, 2011

October 28, 2011 - Central Hockey League (CHL) News Release


Top Three

1.) Battle Atop the Berry- Although it is early in the season, the Wichita Thunder/Tulsa Oilers battle at the BOK Center on Friday night is an interesting one with first place in the Berry Conference on the line. Both the Thunder and Oilers are undefeated on the young season sporting 2-0 records. Both Wichita wins came in shootouts at home, while the Oilers victories were road triumphs in Allen and Texas. Tulsa goaltender Ian Keserich is the reigning Oakley CHL Goalie of the Week after allowing just one goal in two games and Wichita forward Brett Hemingway earned the Oakley CHL Player of the Week after his two goals and two assists in last week's two victories.

2.) Looking for #1- Both the Allen Americans and the Texas Brahmas head into the weekend looking for their first wins of the new season as the Americans are 0-1-1 and the Brahmas are 0-1 and one of them will get as they go head-to-head on Friday night at the NYTEX Sports Centre. The rivals met 11 times last season and Allen owned the series winning nine of those meetings while outscoring the Brahmas 49-34. The teams meet in the first of 11 2011-12 confrontations. Former Brahma Captain Jason Deitsch (traded to Allen in the off-season) is off to a solid start for his new club pacing the Americans in scoring with three points (1-2=3).

3.) Rosco Returns- Rio Grande Valley Head Coach Terry Ruskowski will be the center of attention this weekend when his Killer Bees invade the Laredo Energy Arena on Friday and Saturday nights. After nine seasons behind the bench for the Bucks, Ruskowski changed teams this past summer joining Laredo's biggest rivals. In 574 games with Laredo, Ruskowski carried a 343-175-56 record and won two CHL Championships (four Finals appearances). Entering the season, his 343 wins were fourth all-time in the CHL. His Killer Bees are still looking for their first win while the Bucks, now led by Serge Dube, are 1-1.

Inside the Numbers

17,509: The total number of fans that watched the Wichita Thunder jump out to a 2-0 start on opening weekend. The total is the largest opening weekend in the 20-year history of the Thunder topping the previous high of 16,513 during the 2006-07. The Thunder's average of 8,754 fans is second in the league trailing only Fort Wayne (10,071). Wichita is back at home on Saturday night when they host the Allen Americans.

On the Fly

-The duo of Kris Hogg and Dale Mahovsky have made quite a first impression for their new team, the Missouri Mavericks. The Mavs are 3-0 on the young season after Wednesday's 7-2 victory in Arizona over the Sundogs (1-2-0). The two teams will meet again on Friday and Saturday nights at Tim's Toyota Center. Hogg (2-4=6) and Mahovsky (4-2=6) are both in their first season with the Mavs and are tied atop the CHL scoring leaders list with six points apiece.

-The Evansville IceMen and Fort Wayne Komets will play for the second straight Saturday with the Komets looking for revenge from last week's 5-0 loss and also looking to be the first team in three games (two preseason contests) to score a goal against Evansville. The Komets will be retiring the #2 jersey of Guy Dupuis on Saturday celebrating his 14 years with the team.

-In a rematch of last year's Opening Round Turner Conference playoff series, the Dayton Gems head west this weekend to face the Rapid City Rush on Friday and Saturday nights. The Rush swept the Gems in the post-season despite trailing 3-0 in the first period of Game One of the series. The Rush are 1-0-1 on the season and the Gems are 0-0-1.

-The Bloomington Blaze will look to keep the momentum from their 5-4 overtime win on Saturday in their season opener against the Dayton Gems when they host the Quad City Mallards in a pair of games this weekend (Friday/Saturday). The Flock were beat 5-1 by Rapid City in their only contest of the season thus far. Jason Dale scored the OT game winner for the Blaze who were playing in their franchises' first game. Bloomington goaltender Marco Emond was forced to leave Saturday's win in OT and his status for this weekend is unknown.



Central Hockey League Stories from October 28, 2011


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