Tornado Announce Full 2012-2013 Schedule
August 2, 2012 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Texas Tornado News Release
Texas will play 28 home, 28 road, and four neutral-site games this season Some of the players may be different, but the goal remains the same. The Texas Tornado won their fifth Robertson Cup in May, their fourth National Championship since the franchise was founded in 1999. They'll begin the defense of that title with four games at the Combat Hockey/NAHL Showcase Tournament in Blaine, Minn., from September 12-15. Texas has games scheduled against Michigan, Fresno, Janesville, and Coulee Region, the only four times they'll play outside the South Division in 2012-2013. Here's how the rest of the 60-game schedule shakes out. To view the full schedule, click here. The home opener is scheduled for September 29th against the Wichita Falls Wildcats. Last season, Texas posted a 5-2-1 record over the Wildcats. On February 2nd, the Tornado scored three power-play goals against Wichita Falls en route to a 6-0 victory. Former Tornado captain Jack Prince picked up a hat trick in the game, as well. The Tornado will match up against the Wildcats eight times in 2012-2013, including a pair of Sunday games in October.
If they weren't already, the Tornado are going to become awfully familiar with the Amarillo Bulls by the end of the year. With 13 games between the two teams, this heated rivalry will only intensify as the season goes along. Tornado fans can ring in 2013 watching Texas and Amarillo play, with a three-game weekend series scheduled for January 4th-6th at Dr Pepper Arena. The two teams will also close out the season with games on March 30 and 31. In 2011-2012, Amarillo and Texas split eight games, with the Tornado coming away with a 3-3-2 record against the Bulls in the regular season. Two of those wins came in early March, when the Tornado went into Amarillo Civic Center and took four points with them as they left, with a 5-2 win on Friday and a 2-0 victory on Saturday.
The Topeka Roadrunners finished with 80 points last season, the same amount as the Tornado. They were evenly matched in head-to-head play, as well, with Texas finishing with a 3-2-1 record against the Roadrunners in the regular season. On March 2nd, Hunter Leisner made 23 saves in a 2-0 shutout win on the road at Landon Arena. Topeka got the better of Texas in the playoffs, however, sweeping the Tornado in a best-of-five divisional playoff series before being eliminated by Amarillo. This season, the Tornado will play Topeka 12 times, including home games on both October 11th and 13th.
The Odessa Jackalopes had previously been members of the CHL, but played the Tornado seven times during their inaugural NAHL campaign in 2011-2012. After posting a 4-2-1 record against the Jacks, Texas would love to continue their winning ways during the teams' 11 meetings this season. Last season's games against Odessa were highlighted by a four-goal performance by Prince on December 30th, one of two games in which he scored four times. Texas went on to win that game by a final score of 9-1. The Tornado play host to Odessa on November 2nd and 3rd, and will head to Ector County Coliseum for three more games against the Jackalopes before the calendar flips to December.
After one exhibition game and 12 regular season contests between Texas and the Corpus Christi IceRays in 2011-2012, it was clear that the two teams were getting a little sick of seeing each other. Games against the IceRays were always physical, and there's no indication that will change this season. The Tornado went 6-5-1 against Corpus Christi last season and when they struggled, IceRays goaltender Anthony Stolarz usually had something to do with it. He was not in net for the Tornado's 6-5 overtime win on December 11th, for example, but played twice in January against the Tornado, allowing just one goal in each game. Texas will likely be happy to see Stolarz leave; the New Jersey-native was drafted by the Philadelphia Flyers in the second round of the NHL Entry Draft and has committed to play his college hockey at the University of Nebraska-Omaha.
It's sure to be an exciting season of Tornado hockey, one which we hope you'll be a part of. Individual game tickets go on sale on Tuesday, September 4th, but fans can purchase season tickets or inquire about group packages today by calling 972-335-9800.
North American Hockey League Stories from August 2, 2012
- Tornado Announce Full 2012-2013 Schedule - Texas Tornado
- 2012-2013 Exhibition Games Announced - Texas Tornado
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