Top Ten Roadrunners Set Their Sights on Final Four
March 22, 2005 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Topeka Pilots News Release
While much of the country is caught up in college basketball's March Madness, the Santa Fe Roadrunners Junior A hockey club has set their sights on winning the South Division playoffs and making it to the North American Hockey League National Championship Tournament in Bismarck, North Dakota. Unofficial polls have placed the Roadrunners in the top ten of the 19 teams in the league nearly all season, with Division rivals Texas Tornado and Texarkana Bandits always a step ahead.
Santa Fe has shown flashes of brilliance all season with scoring production spread out among the lines, gritty defensive play, and excellent goaltending from the mid-season acquisition Chris Carlson (now tied for 9th in the league in goals against average) and Ryan Hatch (tied for 12th in the league). In the playoffs, the flashes of brilliance won't cut it. The Roadrunners must bring their best game every night to achieve their goal.
Santa Fe plays its last regular season game today at 7:30 pm against Texarkana in Santa Fe. Santa Fe leads the Bandits 3-2 in regular season competition, including a sweep at home in December. Texarkana leads the Roadrunners by 2 points in the standings with two weekend games remaining: Friday against the last place Central Texas Marshals and Saturday against the Wichita Falls Wildcats.
Santa Fe begins its playoff run against Texarkana in the best-of-five Division Semi-Finals with home games in Santa Fe Friday, April 1 7:30 pm and Saturday, April 2 7:30 pm. With two more games to play and with 73 points on the season, Texarkana will likely finish 2nd in the division over 3rd place Santa Fe and earn the right for home ice advantage, but the Bandits have chosen to host the final games, rather than the opening games, of the series due to a scheduling conflict at their home arena. Game 3 of the series will be Friday, April 8th in Texarkana, with Game 4 and 5, if necessary, on Saturday and Sunday. The winner goes on to the best-of-seven Division Finals and battles for a spot in the National Championships to be held April 26-30th between the North, South, and West Division winners and the host Bismarck Bobcats.
The race for the final playoff berth in the South Division could come down to the last game of the regular season. Going into the final weekend of play Wichita Falls leads the Springfield, IL Jr. Blues by 2 points. Wichita Falls concludes its season with games against Texas and Texarkana. The Jr. Blues face the Springfield, MO Spirit in their final two games. The team that ends up in fourth earns the right to face the Texas Tornado who for the second year running have clinched the league's best record, leading the league with 83 points on the season so far.
Forward Jared Brown leads all Roadrunners in scoring with 57 points on the season, with forwards Corey Stark, Brandon Vossberg, Andrew Goberstein, and Drew Akins rounding out the top five. Bryan Plaszcz leads the defensemen in scoring with 29 points on the season, good enough to put him at 8th of all league blueliners.
Playoff tickets are on sale now for $10 each at the Roadrunner box office and the Genoveva Chavez Community Center.
For more information contact Roadrunners General Manager Bob Pope at 505-469-5200.
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