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CHL Mississippi RiverKings

Weekend Brings Oilers And Mudbugs To Mississippi

October 26, 2009 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Mississippi RiverKings News Release


LAST GAME: SUNDAY, October 25th

WICHITA 4, RIVERKINGS 3

The Wichita Thunder put together a 4-0 lead before the RiverKings made things interesting in the final two minutes of the contest Sunday afternoon in Southaven. After a scoreless first period, goals from Mike Kneeland, Brent Ottman, Glenn Detulleo and Marc Belanger gave Wichita the four-goal cushion before the RiverKings pulled goaltender Tyler Sims late in the final session. With the extra attacker, Derek Landmesser, Dane Marshall, and Steve Makway each netted goals past Wichita netminder Tim Boron, the last coming with 36 seconds remaining. However, the tying goal never came at the Thunder came away with their first road victory in Mississippi since 2006. Sims stopped 22 of 26 shots he faced in the loss, while Boron was 34-of-37 in the victory. The loss snapped the RiverKings' two-game winning streak, which developed over the weekend in a home-and-home series with the defending CHL champion Texas Brahmas.

RIVERKINGS NEXT FIVE GAMES

Friday, October 30th vs. Tulsa Oilers (7:05 PM)

The second game of the 11-game season series against the Oilers. Tulsa won the first game of the series on Friday, October 15th by a 6-3 score. The Oilers will play again in Mississippi in the next meeting between the pair on Tuesday, November 10th. Last season, the RiverKings were 7-0-1 against the Oilers.

Saturday, October 31st vs. Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs (3:05 PM)

The first regular season meeting between the RiverKings and Mudbugs in a ten-game season series. The teams split two games in the pre-season, with the RiverKings winning at home 4-1 and losing in Bossier-Shreveport 6-1. Mississippi lost the season series to the Mudbugs last year 5-7-0.

Tuesday, November 3rd vs. Texas (7:05 PM)

Third meeting of the four-game season between the RiverKings and the defending league champions. Mississippi has won both of the previous meetings, 3-2 in a shootout last Friday night, and 5-3 in Texas on Saturday night. The teams' final meeting will come in Mississippi on Friday, March 12th. Last year, the RiverKings claimed a 3-1-1 record against the Brahmas, with all three wins coming on home ice.

Friday, November 5th, and Saturday, November 6th at Rapid City (8:05 PM CT)

The first of two consecutive games between the Northern Conference rivals in the Rushmore State. The RiverKings also play in Rapid City November 27th and 28th, then host the Rush in Mississippi on December 18th, January 26th and 28th. Last year, the RiverKings won the season series with the Rush 2-1-0, splitting a weekend set in Rapid City and defeating the Rush 4-0 in Mississippi.

TRANSACTION UPDATE

Goaltender Kevin Beech is on goaltender injured reserve and forward Matt Pierce is on the 14-day injured reserve, dating back to the start of the season. The RiverKings last Friday added Matt Smyth to the roster. Brother of RiverKings forward Adam Smyth, Matt played 62 games last season between Tulsa and Corpus Christi, scoring four goals, 17 points and 141 PIMS. To make room for Smyth, Matt Summers was placed on the injured reserve.

LAST GAME vs. TULSA

The Tulsa Oilers defeated the RiverKings 6-3 in the season opener for both teams on Friday, October 15th in Southaven. Rob Hisey scored a natural hat trick for the Oilers in the victory, and goaltender Kevin Armstrong stopped 32 of 35 shots on goal. The RiverKings received goal-scoring efforts from Kevin Jarman, Cam Severson and Stephen Margeson. Tyler Sims took the loss in the crease, stopping 27 of 33 shots on net. Tulsa did not win in Mississippi all of last season and the last Oilers' victory in the Mid-South came in a 10-3 conquest of the RiverKings on February 15th, 2008.

TULSA PREVIEW

The Oilers play host to the Rapid City Rush on Tuesday before coming back to Southaven for Friday's contest against the RiverKings. After a 5-1 loss at Wichita last Friday, the Oilers had their home opener last Saturday and scored a goal in each period to defeat Wichita 3-1. It was the first home game under coach Bruce Ramsay. The home opening attendance of 9,040 for the Oilers is the largest crowd of the season in the CHL so far. It was also the third largest hockey crowd in the history of the BOK Center. Three Oiler players have at least one point in all three games this season. Dallas Steward (2 G, 2A, 4 Pts), Marty Standish (1-2-3) and Derek Eastman (1-2-3) all have three game scoring streaks. While the Oilers are still in search of their first power play goal of the season, they have scored two shorthanded goals in their first three games.

BOSSIER-SHREVEPORT PREVIEW

The Mudbugs enter the week with a 2-2-0 record and are tied for fourth place in the CHL Northern Conference. Friday, Bossier-Shreveport lost at home against Allen 2-1, then claimed a 5-4 shootout victory at Odessa on Saturday evening. They'll play host to Texas before coming to Mississippi for a Halloween afternoon affair. Defenseman Mike Salekin is tied for fourth among league penalty minute leaders at 26 and Joe Zappala has seven minor penalties in the team's four contests. Simon Mangos has scored two shootout goals and is among the league leaders for scoring from the blue line with five points (1 goal, 4 assists). John DeCaro is fourth in goaltending minutes played at 184:52 and tops the league in shootout percentage at .909 (10-of-11). Bossier-Shreveport is third in the league for average penalty minutes at 25.5. Saturday's game with the RiverKings will be the Mudbugs' first against the Northern Conference, as all four previous games (and Friday's game with Texas) will have been against Southern Conference competition. Both wins for Bossier-Shreveport have come on the road.

DEFENSE IS OFFENSIVE

Mississippi's blueliners are providing some of the offensive punch for the RiverKings early in the season, as three of the top five team point-getters come from the blue line. They are led by team captain Derek Landmesser with two goals and seven points with Dane Marshall and Steve Makway also among the scoring mix. Landmesser starts the week leading CHL defensemen in points.

HELD'S PROVIDING POINTS

Forward Ryan Held remains among the RiverKings' top scorers with five goals and eight points through four games. The eight points have all come in two multi-point efforts, a hat-trick and assist against Wichita and a two-goal, two-assist performance against Texas last Saturday night. The London, Ontario native starts the week tied for fourth in points and one point behind the leaders. He is two goals shy of first place in that department and tied for third in the league in shots taken with 24.

JEAN STONEWALLS THE OPPOSITION

Goaltender Ray Jean leads the RiverKings from the crease with a 3-1-0 record through four appearances this season. The Randolph, Maine native has a 3.18 goals-against-average through his first four starts in the CHL. Jean leads the CHL in minutes played with 245 and is second in saves (109), and shootout save percentage (.750). He won his last start in Texas Saturday night with a 29-save effort in a 5-3 victory on the Brahmas' home-opening night.

SPECIAL TEAMS REPORT

The RiverKings enter the week tied for sixth in the CHL on the power play at 17.1% (7-of-41) and are fourth in the CHL on the penalty kill at 88.2% (4-of-34). Mississippi has scored a shorthanded goal and has allowed a shorthanded goal.

THE RACE AT THE TOP

Heading into the week, the RiverKings find themselves in a battle with the second year Rapid City Rush for the top spot in the CHL Northern Conference standings. Both teams have three victories and six points, although the RiverKings have played two more games than the Rush. The standings could tilt in Rapid City's favor Tuesday night when they host Tulsa and could take over first place in the conference standings with a victory. The top three teams in the Southern Conference, Amarillo (10 points), Allen (8), and Odessa (7) are all in front of the Northern Conference leaders in the overall league race.

RIVERKINGS PROMOTIONS

Friday, October 30th: Safehaven Ministries of North Mississippi is the non-profit MVP for the game. Post-game skate takes place after the game's conclusion.

Saturday, October 31st: Halloween game at 3:05 PM with the RiverKings wearing special jerseys that will be auctioned off after the game. Proceeds will go to the Jr. StreetKings roller hockey program. There will also be a pre-game tailgate party starting at 11 AM before the game with those proceeds also going to the Jr. StreetKings. CASA is the non-profit MVP of the contest and a post-game skate takes place after the game's conclusion.

RIVERKINGS GET GHOULISH IN 3-ON-3 HOCKEY ACTION

The RiverKings get "ghoulish" on Sunday, November 1st from 1-3 PM. Killer and the boys take the ice in Southaven for the annual Costume 3-on-3 hockey playdowns. Players come dressed in costumes and take each other on in some friendly 3-on-3 hockey action. You can see it all happen just for a donation to the Jr. StreetKings youth roller hockey program. The event again is Sunday afternoon, November 1st from 1-3 PM on the RiverKings' home ice.

TICKETS

For RiverKings ticket information, call the team offices at 662-342-1755, or go online to www.riverkings.com.

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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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