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Shots from the Point

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


CHL Headlines for Friday, January 28

January ‚¬â„¢s Finest

Teams head into the final weekend of January with the month ‚¬â„¢s top spot up for grabs. Because the number of games for teams varies, comparing points is not always fair but in that department, the Bloomington PrairieThunder (7-4-1) and Wichita Thunder (7-2-1) are tied for the most points earned in January with 15 apiece. The distinction of having the fewest number of losses in the month goes to the Allen Americans (6-2-0) who are followed by both the Tulsa Oilers (6-3-0) and the Thunder with three blemishes each. The Odessa Jackalopes (4-1-3) have lost just once in regulation during the month, while the Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees (3-6-0), Missouri Mavericks (3-5-1) and Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs (3-6-2) all are tied for the fewest wins in January with three.

Rush Hit Big Weekend on a High

The defending CHL Champion Rapid City Rush (21-17-4) head into a huge three-in-three weekend and the middle part of their season-long eight-game road trip on a high winning their first two games on the journey (Tuesday in Wichita and Wednesday in Quad City). The Rush are tied with the Colorado Eagles (22-15-2) for second place in the Turner Conference just two points behind the conference-leading Bloomington PrairieThunder (23-13-2). The Rush travel to take on the Odessa Jackalopes (19-15-5) on Friday and Saturday (the Jacks are 2-0 this season versus the Rush) and then face-off against the Allen Americans (28-7-1), the team that Rapid City ousted in the Finals last season, on Sunday.

Komets Head South

The Fort Wayne Komets (13-18-5) are greatly improved since Dec. 22 going 8-3-4 in their last 15 games but the champs of the past three seasons in the IHL are still on the outside of the playoff picture looking in trailing the Evansville IceMen (14-21-5) for the fifth and final playoff spot by two points. The Komets will head to the Berry Conference for their opponents this weekend playing a pair of games at the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs (22-17-2) and then winding up the three-in-three weekend in Texas versus the Brahmas (19-13-4) on Sunday. Komets forward Tab Lardner has five goals and two assists and is a +4 during his current four-game point streak.

Chase for Joe Burton Award is On

Odessa ‚¬â„¢s Sebastien Thinel continues to lead the league in scoring looking to earn his second Joe Burton Award (regular season scoring champion) but his lead is narrowing as he has company with Tulsa ‚¬â„¢s Chad Costello. The third-year pro has already set career highs with 25 goals and 64 points and is currently on a 12-game point streak scoring 12 goals with 17 assists over his last dozen games. Costello looks to become the first Tulsa skater to earn the scoring championship since Luc Beausoleil racked up 127 points in the 1997-98 season. Thinel ‚¬â„¢s teammate Todd Robinson is still in conversation with 62 points (20-42=62). Robinson led the IHL in scoring during each of the last two seasons while a member of the Muskegon Lumberjacks.

Numbers Game

133- The number of CHL points that have been absent from the Laredo Bucks (14-19-6) line-up over their last five games. Darryl Smith, Neil Trimm, Serge Dube, Justin Styffe, Joe Scalai, Benjamin Dieude-Favel, Chris Korchinski and Brian Matte have all been absent at times over the last handful of games with the Bucks going 1-3-1 over that stretch. The points not on the ice total up to 45 goals and 88 assists along with a +41 plus/minus rating. The Bucks play a home-and-home with the Berry Conference leading Allen Americans (28-7-1) on Friday and Saturday and are currently in ninth place in the conference sitting one point behind the RGV Killer Bees (16-22-3) for the final conference playoff spot.

9- The number of consecutive starts that Jeff Jakaitis has for the Dayton Gems. The netminder leads the league in minutes (1925;30) and saves (1046) and is third in wins (16). The first-year Gem goalie has started every game in January and has been between the pipes in 17 of Dayton ‚¬â„¢s last 18 games.

98- The number of combined fighting majors that the Arizona Sundogs (50) and Colorado Eagles (48) have this season ranking one/two in the CHL (Mississippi also has 48 fighting majors). The teams meet in three straight games beginning Friday. Arizona ‚¬â„¢s Adam Smyth is tops in the league dropping the gloves 17 times and leads the CHL with 194 penalty minutes.

1.67- The goals against average of Missouri goaltender Robby Nolan in three games versus Tulsa this season, 3-0 in those games. The Oilers and Mavs meet for the seventh time this season on Saturday night in Independence with the Missouri holding an overall 5-0-1 mark versus Tulsa this season.

24- The number of points that Arizona forward Cam Keith has earned during his league-best 14-game point streak (six goals/18 assists).

Slap Shots

-In a rematch of the 2008 CHL Finals the Colorado Eagles (22-15-2) square-off against the Arizona Sundogs (17-18-5) on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The Eagles are 2-1 this season versus the Sundogs with 29 combined goals scored in the three games (15-14 in favor of Colorado). The Sundogs are in the middle of a season-long nine-game home stand earning points in five straight games at Tim ‚¬â„¢s Toyota Center (4-0-1).

-The Allen Americans enter the weekend with the league ‚¬â„¢s best power play at 23.2% connecting 44 times in 190 chances. Oddly enough, the Americans lead the league in another category related to the man advantage and that is shorthanded goals allowed. Allen has given up 11 SHG ‚¬â„¢s, two more than any other CHL team. Bruce Graham and Nino Musitelli are tied for the team lead with seven power play goals each. The Americans have won four straight games, the longest active win streak in the CHL.

-Bloomington ‚¬â„¢s Marco Emond leads the CHL with 18 wins, the most he ‚¬â„¢s had in a single season since the 2007-08 season when he split time with Colorado and Arizona posting an 18-6-0 record and eventually helping the Sundogs win the Ray Miron Presidents ‚¬â„¢ Cup Championship (his third CHL title). The veteran netminder ‚¬â„¢s best season came with the Eagles during the 2006-07 season when he won 28 games. His 134 career CHL/WPHL wins ranks him seventh on the league ‚¬â„¢s all-time wins list (most among active goalies) sitting just five wins behind Scott Reid (139 wins) for sixth place. His team is in first place in the Turner Conference with 48 points going 4-0-1 over their last five games.

-After going eight straight games without a goal, Bossier-Shreveport ‚¬â„¢s David Rutherford is back on track scoring four times in his last two games giving him 26 on the season putting him in a three-way tie with Arizona ‚¬â„¢s Luke Erickson and Wichita ‚¬â„¢s Matt Robinson for the league-lead.



Central Hockey League Stories from January 28, 2011


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