CHL Central Hockey League

Shots From The Point

Published on March 8, 2010 under Central Hockey League (CHL) News Release


Rio Grande Size Rebound

Things looked grim for the Killer Bees as they set out on a three-game road trip on a five-game losing streak and the season essentially in the balance but Chris Brooks' club answered the bell winning all three road games beating Missouri on Tuesday and Bossier-Shreveport on both Friday and Saturday. Goaltending was the key as Wylie Rogers and Andy Franck combined to stop 94 of 98 shots with Franck winning both games versus the 'Bugs and Rogers making 32 saves in the win in Missouri. The Bees host Arizona and Laredo before finishing with three games in their final four versus the team they are trying to catch, the Corpus Christi IceRays. Currently, the Rays lead the Bees by two points for the fifth and final Southern Conference playoff spot.

Five In/Home Ice to Three

The Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs ended a three-game losing streak on Sunday and in the meantime became the fifth CHL team to clinch a playoff spot joining Odessa, Allen, Rapid City and Colorado. The Texas Brahmas could become the sixth team with a win on Wednesday night versus Allen and the Laredo Bucks are just four points from clinching a berth (points by the Bucks or the Bees not earning points). Odessa and Allen have sewn up home-ice advantage during the Southern Conference Semifinals and the Rush have earned home-ice in the North. Colorado and Bossier-Shreveport are still battling for the home-ice nod in the semis.

Road Trip to Define Season

The Tulsa Oilers (27-25-6) played their final home game of the regular season on Saturday night, a shootout win over Missouri, and now all they can do is hope that after their season-ending six-game road trip that they'll get to play another home game. The Oilers have had a solid season and are over.500 but they find themselves three points behind the Mavericks for fifth place in the Northern Conference. The Oilers final trip will be tough as they head to Amarillo for a game, play two in Colorado, one in Bossier-Shreveport and they finish the season with two straight games at Mississippi in what could be win and you're in games.

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BY THE NUMBERS

.971- The save percentage of new Mississippi goaltender Kyle McNulty in his two wins this past weekend. The 'Kings picked up McNulty off waivers from Arizona on Thursday and all he did was win back-to-back starts (at Allen and at Missouri). McNulty turned away 68 of 70 shots in the two wins for Mississippi who are in the fourth spot in the North two points ahead of Missouri. His play earned him Oakley CHL Goaltender of the Week honors.

5- The number of goals that Allen's Bruce Graham has scored during his five-game goal scoring streak, the longest active in the league. Graham's 71 points (28-43=71) lead the Americans and are good enough to earn him a spot as one of the five finalists for the CHL Most Valuable Player award.

9-6-3- The record of the Arizona Sundogs since the end of January, with six of their nine defeats coming by just one goal. The Sundogs head out on their final road trip of the season where they will meet Corpus Christi, Rio Grande Valley and Laredo before heading home for three straight games with Colorado to end the regular season.

1/30/10- The date of the last game the RGV Killer Bees scored multiple power play goals in game before Saturday in Bossier-Shreveport. The Bees are 11-0-0 when scoring two or more PP goals in a game and sixth in the league at 16.3% with the man

advantage.

19- The total number of shorthanded goals the Tulsa Oilers have scored this season tying them for the most in the CHL (Texas). The Oilers have scored a SHG in five of their last six games.

96- The number of points that league leader Kevin Ulanski (COL) tying a franchise record for the Eagles (Greg Pankewicz scored 96 points during the team's inaugural season, 2003-04). Ulanski's 66 helpers are already the most in an Eagles single season.

SLAP SHOTS

-Ed McGrane recorded his second hat trick in 15 days last night in the Eagles 4-3 win over Wichita. The veteran forward is rapidly catching Corpus Christi's Chad Woollard as the CHL's top goal scorer sitting just one behind with 36 goals. McGrane has scored 15 goals since the middle of February (12 games) and his 36 goals are a new career high for the Eagles sniper. McGrane was named the Oakley CHL Player of the Week on Monday.

-Texas and Allen meet for the final time in the regular season on Wednesday night in Texas. The Brahmas have earned points in seven of the eight games so far (5-2-1) and have won three straight versus their rivals. The teams could easily be matched-up in the upcoming CHL Playoffs.

-Odessa mounted another third period comeback on Saturday beating Laredo 5-4 in a shootout. The Jacks are an amazing 7-7-2 when trailing after two periods. Dominic Leveille scored the game winner on Saturday in the shootout and has two goals and four assists in his last five games.

-Mississippi's Ryan Held had a road trip to remember scoring five goals and two assists in the four games away from home for the 'Kings. Held's team went 2-2-0 on the journey and are two points ahead of Missouri for the fourth seed in the Northern Conference.

-Bossier-Shreveport goaltender Ken Carroll climbed the league's all-time wins ladder on Sunday with a win in Corpus Christi accounting for his 187th CHL win tying him for second on the all-time wins list with Tony Martino. The top spot is occupied by Rod Branch with 194 career wins. Carroll is the league's all-time shutout leader with 31.

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Central Hockey League Stories from March 8, 2010


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