Wildcats go 1-2 on 2009's first road trip

Published on January 5, 2009 under North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Wichita Falls Wildcats News Release


The Wildcats went off to St. Louis to start off the year 2009, playing three games against the St. Louis Bandits. Friday night's game was a rather one-sided affair, with St. Louis beating the Wildcats 9-1. The Wildcats allowed six power play goals in their worst showing of the season and had trouble getting anything going in the offensive end against the Bandits, who scored at the 18:37 mark of the first and didn't look back from there.  They added two more in the second before Sean McKenzie's power play goal got the Wildcats on the board for their lone goal early in the third period.

On Saturday, Brett Hartung's two first period goals and the solid goaltending of Phillip Graveline powered the team to a 3-1 victory. Hartung's first goal came at even strength off a long pass from Jason Nash.  Hartung received the pass off the boards, sidestepped a defenseman, and then deftly moved between two others on his way to beating St. Louis goalie Erick Cinotti high stick side.  Then on a power play, Hartung tickled the twine again, poking a rebound from a Kyle Delaurell shot past Cinotti for a 2-0 lead.

 

St. Louis got on the board in the third, and thought they had tied the game on a shot that hit off the water bottle on top of the net behind Graveline, but the Wildcats were able to hold on, with Chad Hudson scoring an empty netter from his own blue line to put the icing on the cake.

 

Phillip Graveline stopped 28 of 29 Bandits shots for the victory, and was named the game's third star.  "He had a great game tonight," head coach John Bowkus said of Graveline.  "He's really pushing [Mike] Jarboe right now, and that's a good thing to have going on with so many home games coming up."

Sunday's game was played in an arena new to many of the players-the Scottrade Center in downtown St. Louis, home to the NHL's St. Louis Blues. However, moving from the Bandits' international size ice surface to the smaller NHL-size surface did little to help the Wildcats, as they lost 6-0.

"Our guys were a bit in awe of the larger rink early on," said Bowkus.  The Bandits scored in the first period off a wraparound attempt by Justin Kirchhevel.  His rebound was put home by Kyle Greco for a 1-0 lead.  Moving into the second, the Bandits scored again with Brooks Bertsch finding the back of the net on a 3-on-1 break just after a Wildcats' power play, followed by Andrew Hamburg blasting one from the top of the faceoff circle on the power play.  "Those shots from the outside have to be his," Bowkus said about Graveline.  He was replaced in net by Mike Jarboe after Hamburg's goal.

 

The Bandits would go on to add three more goals, all on the power play, in the third period, one each from Clinton Bourbonais, Ryan Rashid, and Bertsch's second of the night.

Upcoming Home Games

The Wildcats return home on Friday, January 9, and Saturday, January 10 against the Springfield Jr. Blues. Friday the 9th will be Teacher Appreciation Night, where all teachers in the Wichita Falls Independent School District will receive a free ticket to the game!

Coming up on January 16th and 17th, the Wildcats will play their first ever games in the Kay Yeager Coliseum against the expansion Wenatchee Wild. Friday the 16th is United Regional Health Care System T-Shirt Night, while Saturday the 17th is Military Appreciation Night. Last year's Military Appreciation Night featured a crowd of 5,485 fans, a number we're hoping to surpass this year, so come on down to the KYC, watch the Wildcats, and show your support for our military! The Wildcats will be wearing special camouflage jerseys that will be raffled off to military members after the game.

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North American Hockey League Stories from January 5, 2009


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