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Soo Eagles in Sizzling, Second-Half Playoff Race

January 6, 2014 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Soo Eagles News Release


Soo Eagles have the advantage of home ice this weekend as they strive to keep pace in what is a torrid playoff race.

 

The Eagles will play host to the division-leading Port Huron Fighting Falcons in Friday (7:30) and Saturday (7:00) night games at Pullar Stadium.

 

With a record of 7-2-2 in their last 11 outings including taking two of three games from the second-place Johnstown Tomahawks last weekend, the Eagles have soared back into contention in the North Division of the North American Hockey League.

Even-keeled Eagles coach-general manager Bruno Bragagnolo refused to panic even when his team was five games below .500 in early December and the Soo now sits tied for fourth place in the North Division with an even record of 15-15-6.

 

The Eagles have been bolstered by the December acquisitions of high-scoring forwards Nick Belger and Scott Cuthrell and goalies Nathan Klebe and Landon Trutt.

 

Still, the Eagles continue to play without highly-regarded defenceman Michael Caruso, who is sidelined with a concussion.

 

A fierce competitor, Caruso, who has a 1995 birth date, was obtained by the Eagles in an off-season transfer with the Soo Thunderbirds of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League.

 

Meanwhile, all 24 teams in the four-division, NAHL have passed the midway mark of the 60-game, regular-season schedule.

 

There are close races for first place in all four divisions and sights are set on playoff spots in the North, South, Central and Midwest.

 

Seven teams make up the South, there are six in both the North and Midwest and five in the Central.

 

Four teams in each division will make the playoffs, which don't begin until the first week of April. In other words, there are games aplenty to be played before the regular-season ends on March 29.

 

Let us take a glance at all four divisions heading into play this week.

 

NORTH: Top to bottom, the six-team North side is poetic parity. Port Huron Fighting Falcons are on top of the perch with 49 points but on branches just below are the Johnstown Tomahawks with 44 points, Michigan Warriors with 40, Soo Eagles and with Springfield Jr. Blues with 36 apiece and Janesville Jets with 33. When all is said and done at the end of the regular season, two pretty-good teams are going to miss the playoffs in this division. 

 

SOUTH: A mere five points seperates the first-place Amarillo Bulls, second-place place Topeka Road Runners, third-place Wichita Falls Wildcats fourth-place Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees. Fifth-place Corpus Christi Ice Rays (coached by Sault Ste. Marie native John Becanic Jr.) are 13 points out of the final playoff spot while sixth-place Lone Star Brahamas and seventh-place Odessa Jackalopes are out of the picture.

 

CENTRAL: Can it get much closer for first than this? Austin Bruins and Bismarck Bobcats share top spot with 45 points apiece, one point ahead of the Aberdeen Wings. Meanwhile, Minot Minotauros and Brookings Blizzard are in a frantic race for the fourth-and-final playoff spot in the five-team Central.

 

MIDWEST: First-place Fairbanks Ice Dogs have 48 points, second-place Minnesota Wilderness have 43 and not far back are the Coulee Region Chill with 42, the Kenai River Brown Bears with 37, the Wenatchee Wild with 35 and the Minnesota Magicians with 34.



North American Hockey League Stories from January 6, 2014


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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