Thanks-A-Lot Sir Lance
March 25, 2006 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Lubbock Cotton Kings News Release
Lubbock, TX - Lubbock Cotton Kings goaltender Lance Leslie made his final appearance in net to close out a 12-year career and in the process played in his 495th career game and became just the third goaltender all-time in league history to appear in 300 CHL/WPHL games, but their would be no fireworks to go along with his ride into the sunset, as the Odessa Jackalopes defeated the Cotton Kings 6-4 Saturday night in the Cotton Kings home finale of the season in front of 6,929 fans at the Lubbock Municipal Coliseum.
Odessa opened the scoring with 9:45 remaining in the opening period. John Kozoris won a faceoff draw back to Mike Carter at the top of the right slot and he teed it up with a slap-shot past Kings goaltender Lance Leslie for a 1-0 lead. The period saw five power play opportunities, with Lubbock having three of the man-advantages, but neither team able to convert on any of the conversions.
Odessa continued their scoring surge in the second period with a trio of goals in a span of 2:03. After Paul Davies opened the second period scoring with a goal 6:57 into the period, Dennis Maxwell and Adam Loncon teamed up for a pair of 5-on-3 power play goals just 37-seconds apart to build the lead to 4-0. Jon Foster was able to get the Kings back into the game 1:59 later with a pair of goals 7:06 apart to end the period with the Jackalopes holding a 4-2 lead.
Teams exchanged goals in the final period, with Jaime Lovell starting it off for the Jackalopes with a goal 3:56 into the period. Kings forward Kyle Nosan cut the Jackalopes lead to 5-3 grabbing a goal with 6:28 remaining. Odessa converted on one of four power play opportunities in the third period with John Kozoris goal with 5:04 remaining. Emery Olauson would put an end to the scoring at the Lubbock Municipal Coliseum for the season with a shorthanded goal as 1:25 remained to end the scoring with Odessa leading 6-4.
The loss closes out the Kings home record at 13-15-4 and drops their overall record to 27-29-6. Leslie stopped 27 of 33 shots in the game and has record for the year end at 14-14-4 with his career record ending at 241-173-54 overall. Derek Dolson received the victory in net, stopping 41 of 45 shots on goal. Odessa strived on the man advantage in the game, going 3 of 10 while the Kings were 0 for 5.
Lubbock closes out the season Sunday night at 6 PM in Amarillo with a chance to play the spoiler role against the Gorillas. Amarillo will enter Sunday as the third seeded team in the Southern Conference standings and they can clinch a playoff spot by either obtaining a standing-point or by having either Rio Grande Valley (at Odessa) or Austin (at Tulsa) lose. If Lubbock defeats Amarillo and Rio Grande Valley and Austin each win, Amarillo would be eliminated from playoff contention.
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Central Hockey League Stories from March 25, 2006
- RiverKings produce 64 shots in season ending loss to Tulsa - Mississippi RiverKings
- Thanks-A-Lot Sir Lance - Lubbock Cotton Kings
- Wichita Wins Fourth Straight Over Colorado - Wichita Thunder
- Rayz "pack the house" for charity - Corpus Christi IceRays
- Bucks Beat Rayz 3-2 In Sudden Death, Bucks Clinch Second Seed Overall In CHL Playoffs - Laredo Bucks
- Hounds Go 8-0 Versus Fort Worth Winning 4-2 In Front Of Sellout Crowd - Youngstown SteelHounds
- Brahmas blanked 6-0 by Steelhounds - Fort Worth Brahmas
- Cotton Kings Game Night Preview (vs. Odessa) - Lubbock Cotton Kings
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