Tornado Weekly: Three more games this week for Texas

Published on March 9, 2011 under North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Texas Tornado News Release


Tornado home Saturday for special Noon start time game

After two games on the road on Thursday and Friday in Corpus Christi, the Texas Tornado will host the Wichita Falls Wildcats on Saturday, March 12th at a special 12pm start time at the Dr Pepper Arena in Frisco. Texas has a 5-1-0 mark against the Wildcats this season and won the last meeting in Wichita Falls by a score of 5-4. Tickets for the game are still available by stopping by the Tornado office, online at tornadohockey.com or by calling 972-335-9800.

Tornado selected to host 2012 Robertson Cup tournament

The North American Hockey League has announced that the Texas Tornado will host the 2012 Robertson Cup National Championship Tournament, which will be held from May 1-5, 2012 at the Dr Pepper Arena in Frisco, Texas. The Robertson Cup crowns the NAHL ‚¬â„¢s playoff champion and USA Hockey ‚¬â„¢s Tier II Junior A National Champion. This marks the second time that the Tornado will host the Robertson Cup Championship at the Dr Pepper Arena in Frisco. The Tornado also hosted the tournament during the arena ‚¬â„¢s inaugural season in 2003-04, where the Tornado also won the Robertson Cup. As the host team, the Tornado will receive an automatic bid to the 2012 tournament.

Broadcast alert for this weekend

The Texas Tornado road games in Corpus Christi on both Thursday and Friday can only be watched live on FASTHockey using the home (Corpus Christi feed). There will be no Tornado feed either night on tornadohockey.com or FASTHockey. Regular Tornado broadcasts will resume on Saturday, March 12th at 11:50am.

February 4th make-up date scheduled for Tuesday, March 15th

The Texas Tornado have announced that the home game that was cancelled on Friday, February 4th against Wichita Falls due to inclement weather, has been rescheduled for Tuesday, March 15th at 7:30pm at the Dr Pepper Arena in Frisco. Any ticket to the February 4th game can be used and redeemed for the March 15th game.

2011 Robertson Cup playoff tickets on sale March 4th

Texas Tornado ticket packages for the 2011 Robertson Cup playoffs are on sale now. Playoff ticket packages are good for four home playoff games and packages are $32 for End Zone seats and $60 for Premium level seats. Individual tickets for all home playoff games will go on sale March 29th. To order your playoff tickets call 972-335-9800.

Dallas Stars and Texas Tornado Hockey Heroes package

The Texas Tornado have teamed up with the Dallas Stars for the Hockey Heroes Package. For just $45 fans can get a ticket to the following three Dallas Stars/Texas Tornado home games: March 18th-Corpus Christi IceRays @ Texas Tornado, March 19th-Philadelphia Flyers @ Dallas Stars, March 20th-Pros vs. Prospects Charity Classic. That ‚¬â„¢s three games for just $45, all in the same weekend! To purchase visit www.dallasstars.com/hockeyheroes, password: Stars.

Upcoming Tornado promotions

Saturday, March 12 vs. Wichita Falls ‚¬" Tornado/American Red Cross Blood Drive. The Texas Tornado are teaming up with the American Red Cross to help replenish the critically low blood supplies in North Texas. The blood drive will take place from 9am-1:30pm. Donors receive a free t-shirt and two tickets to March 18th game. Fans can schedule an appointment ahead of time at http://www.redcrossblood.org/make-donation, sponsor code: tornadohockey.

Friday, March 18 vs. Corpus Christi ‚¬" Tornado Fan Appreciation Night. It is the last regular season home game of the year as the Tornado team up with JACK-FM and Harley Davidson of Dallas for a chance to win a Harley Davidson motorcycle during the game. No purchase necessary. For complete rules and regulations, contact the Texas Tornado at 972-335-9800. There will also be plenty of prize giveaways and free chuck-a-pucks during the night courtesy of Liberty Mutual. Following the game, there will be a post-game Tornado party at Aloft Hotel in Frisco.

THE WEEK THAT WAS ‚¬Â¦

Saturday, March 5 ‚¬" Texas Tornado 2 @ New Mexico Mustangs 3 (OT)

Mico Solorzano tied the game with less than four minutes remaining, but the Tornado fell in overtime on Saturday night to the New Mexico Mustangs, 3-2. It was the final game of the season between the two teams and the first win for New Mexico over the Tornado. Charles Baldwin scored the OT winner on a 4 on 3 power play. Just as they did from the night before, the Texas Tornado would control the opening period. After a couple of even strength chances for both teams, the Tornado went on the power play and took advantage. After a shot from the point and two cracks at the rebound by Jack Prince and Nate Sliwinski, Tornado forward Jackson Leef got the third chance through Mustangs goaltender Lukas Hernandez for a 1-0 Tornado lead. Texas almost increased the lead by two on their second power play of the game late in the 1st period, but Nate Sliwinski ‚¬â„¢s point blank chance was gobbled up by the glove of Hernandez to keep the Tornado lead at one heading into the intermission. The Tornado outshot New Mexico 15-5 in the opening period. After some early Tornado chances in the 2nd period went denied by Hernandez, it was Tornado goaltender Jimmy Kruger ‚¬â„¢s turn. Kruger kept the Mustangs at bay save after save, but ultimately New Mexico took advantage of some lackluster Tornado coverage in their own end that would lead to the Mustangs tying the game as a shot from the side boards by Connor Kingsbury was tipped home on the backdoor by Adam Chapie to tie the game at 1-1. The Mustangs kept the pressure on and again took advantage of a Tornado breakdown in their own zone, as two saves by Kruger weren ‚¬â„¢t enough as Kevin O ‚¬â„¢Connor poked home the third chance to give the Mustangs their first lead of the night at 2-1. The Tornado had several chances in the 3rd period to tie the game, but both JD Howard and Jack Prince hit the post. The remainder of the period was remarkable goaltending on both ends with both Hernandez and Kruger stopping multiple chances. With less than four minutes remaining in the game the Tornado tied the score at 2-2 as Mico Solorzano pounced on a rebound with assists to Jimmy Murray and Taylor Herndon. In the overtime, Adam Chapie got around Tornado defenseman Tom Rizzardo, who hauled Chapie down for a tripping penalty. With just :07 seconds remaining on the 4 on 3 Mustangs power play Charles Baldwin smashed home the game-winner on a one-timer right in front of Kruger to give New Mexico their first win of the season over the Tornado.

Friday, March 4 ‚¬" Texas Tornado 9 @ New Mexico Mustangs 4

Thanks to five power play goals, the Tornado snapped their three-game skid with a 9-4 win over the Mustangs in New Mexico on Friday night. Tornado defenseman Ralfs Freibergs had a four point night and forward JD Howard recorded a hat-trick. Nate Sliwinski, Jack Prince and Marc Biggs all had three point night ‚¬â„¢s and Jake Stafford got the win in goal, stopping 24 of 28 Mustangs shots. For the first time in five games, the Tornado would score the first goal of the game. On an early power play, Jack Prince popped home his 24th goal of the season as he got a great pass from behind the net from JD Howard to give the Tornado a 1-0 lead. Defenseman Ralfs Freibergs also assisted on the play. However, the Tornado came out flat after their opening goal and New Mexico responded as a turnover at the Tornado blueline led to a 2 on 1, which was deposited home by Patrick Anderson past Tornado goaltender Jake Stafford, who was making his first start since February 11th. The Tornado regained the lead thanks to a broken play that got the puck in the low slot to Taylor Herndon who beat Marco Weiser for Herndon ‚¬â„¢s second goal in as many nights. But again, the Mustangs would respond as Brad Wilhelm got around the Tornado defense for a breakaway, which was denied by a sprawling Stafford, but the rebound went right to a wide open and unmarked Ian McGilvrey, who tied the game at 2-2. The 2nd period was one of the more up and down affairs of the season. New Mexico came out of the lockerroom on fire and took the lead right off the 2nd period face-off. With the Tornado on the power play, Patrick Anderson took the puck to the corner and threw a pass to the front of the net, which deflected off the skate of Walker Hyland and in behind Stafford for a 3-2 Mustangs lead. Minutes later, the Mustangs made it 4-2 as a shot from the point was denied by Stafford, but Diego Breckenridge put home the rebound to give New Mexico their biggest lead of the night. The Tornado would fight their way back, thanks to their power play as Nate Sliwinski got free in the high slot and fired a low shot past Weiser to make it 4-3 Mustangs with assists to Jack Prince and Jackson Leef. The Tornado tied the game at 4-4, again on the power play as Marc Biggs ripped a shot from the top of the circle that was redirected by JD Howard in behind Weiser. Minutes later, the Tornado took the lead with their 4th power play goal of the night, as Walker Hyland wristed a shot from the point that beat a screened Weiser. Texas wrapped up the period with a 2 on 1 goal as Nate Sliwinski patiently held the puck on a rush and sauced a pass to Ralfs Freibergs , who put home a one-timer on the backdoor to make it 6-4 Tornado at the conclusion of a wild 2nd period. With the momentum clearly on the Tornado ‚¬â„¢s side heading in the 3rd period, Texas put the petal to the metal with three more goals to put the game out of reach. JD Howard scored his second goal of the night to make it 7-4, as he dangled his way out of the corner and into the high slot, where he beat Weiser over the blocker side. Jackson Leef made it 8-4, scoring the 5th Tornado power play goal of the night as he wove his way into the high slot and rang a shot in off the crossbar. Howard finished the scoring with a hat-trick after a nifty passing play from Marc Biggs and David Rigatti.

Thursday, March 3 ‚¬" Amarillo Bulls 3 @ Texas Tornado 2

A late comeback by the Texas Tornado on Thursday night in Frisco fell short against the Amarillo Bulls, as Texas fell three points behind 2nd place with a 3-2 loss. Taylor Herndon and Jack Prince scored for Texas. The Tornado struggled to find offense early in the period going 0 for 3 on their opening power plays. Amarillo struggled as well with the man advantage going 0 for 2 in the period. However, it would be a Tornado defensive turnover at their own blueline that would lead to the first Bulls goal as Sean Keane intercepted a clearing attempt, raced in down the right wing and beat Tornado goaltender Jimmy Kruger through the legs for a 1-0 Bulls lead. The Tornado would end up outshooting Amarillo by a thin 8-7 margin in the period. The Amarillo goal would mark the fourth straight game the Tornado have surrendered the first goal of the game and had to come from behind. The Tornado continued its struggles in the 2nd period as a major penalty and game ejection was handed out to Bulls defenseman Brandon Lubin after a cross check on Jack Prince. However, the Tornado would only manage one shot during the five minute power play. 5 on 5, the Tornado were much better in the 2nd period and got a spark from their 4th line as Taylor Herndon got loose in the left face-off circle and fired a wrist shot over the shoulder of Bulls goaltender Nikifor Szczerba to tie the game at 1-1. Late in the period, the Tornado seemed to let down as Amarillo regained the lead on a shot from the point, which was saved by Kruger, but the rebound went off the body of Joe Kozlak to put the Bulls ahead again, 2-1. Amarillo took a 3-1 lead in the 3rd period as a shot from the blueline on a rush by Joe Kozlak was saved by Kruger, but the rebound went straight to the stick of Brooks Behling, who put the seonc chance behind Kruger for the two goal advantage. The Tornado fought back to bring the score within 3-2, as Jackson Leef found Jack Prince in the high slot, who one-time shot beat Szczerba over the left glove. Two late chances by the Tornado to tie the game narrowly missed as the Tornado fell for the third time in as many games.

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North American Hockey League Stories from March 9, 2011


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