Friday, April 3rd, 2009

CENTRAL HOCKEY LEAGUE HEADLINES

Series Updates
1) Eagles Have Three-Day Layover to Focus on Sweep
2) Critical Game Four Set for Friday Night in Laredo
3) RiverKings Have Blazers on the Ropes
4) Texas Looks for Series Sweep on Friday at RGV

1- The Governors’ Cup Champion Colorado Eagles won their third straight game on Thursday night taking a 3-0 series lead over the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs.  All three games have been won by one-goal for the Eagles.  The two teams are off until Monday when Game Four happens at the CenturyTel Center.  No team leading after a 3-0 series lead has even lost a CHL playoff series.  Mudbugs Head Coach Scott Muscutt will be back from his one-game suspension on Monday night.  Assistant Coach Trevor Buchanan served as the team’s coach on Thursday night.

COL/BOS Series Notes:
-Fraser Filipic’s (COL) OT game winner on Thursday night was his second game winning playoff goal during his Eagles career, the last came during a two-goal night in the Ray Miron President’s Cup Finals versus Laredo in 2005 (the Eagles eventually won the Cup)
-Ken Carroll made his first start of the series and stopped 31 of 34 taking the loss in the OT game on Thursday night
-Ed McGrane (COL) had a goal and an assist on Thursday night giving him points in 23 straight games (dating back to the regular season)
-The Mudbugs scored their first power play goal of the series on Thursday night and are now 1 for 13 with the man advantage
-Brett Smith (BOS) has scored a goal in each of the three games in the series and four straight games overall in the playoffs

2- The Laredo Bucks will host the Odessa Jackalopes in Game Four of their series on Friday night before heading back to Odessa for Game Five on Saturday.  The Jacks were on the brink of being in a huge hole on Wednesday night trailing 3-1 in the game and 2-0 in the series but Mike Ramsay and Kenny Bernard scored third period goals sending the game to overtime where Jean Bourbeau’s goal got his team back in the series.  Friday’s game will either move Laredo to within a win of the conference finals or even things up regaining home ice advantage for the Jacks.
  
ODE/LAR Series Notes:
-Two of the three games have been decided in overtime with each visiting team coming out on top…Jean Bourbeau (ODE) and Darryl Smith (LAR) have scored the OT game winners
-The Jacks scored a league-high 110 power play goals during the regular season but are 0 for 17 in the series so far
-Darryl Smith leads all players in the series with four goals (two game winners)
-Laredo has outscored the Jackalopes 6-1 in the first periods of the three games so far
        
3- The Mississippi RiverKings will look to KO the Oklahoma City Blazers on Saturday night in Game Five of their conference semifinals series.  Mississippi has won three straight games in the series including back-to-back games in Oklahoma City.  Mississippi goaltender (the CHL’s Most Outstanding Goaltender) is 3-1 in the playoffs allowing just nine goals.  OKC has not scored more than three goals in any of the four games so far.

MIS/OKC Series Notes:
-The RiverKings have won seven straight games in the Ford Center and have not lost in regulation at Oklahoma City since February 10, 2007…The ‘Kings are 9-0-1 in their last road games versus OKC
-Louis Dumont (MIS) has points in all four games in the series (2-3=5)
-Oriel McHugh (OKC) has missed every game in the series so far with an injury but could be back in the line-up on Saturday

4- The Texas Brahmas are primed and ready to sweep away the Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees on Friday night after knocking off the Bees 6-2 in Game Three earlier in the week.  Texas swept Bossier-Shreveport in last season’s conference semifinals (then a member of the Northern Conference).  The Brahmas offense has been clicking in the post-season scoring 15 goals in the three games (5.0 per game average).

TEX/RGV Series Notes:
-Tyler Skworchinski (TEX) has scored the game winning goal in each of the first three games in the series
-Texas Defensemen Justin Kinnunen and Craig Minard each have a series-high +5 plus/minus rating
-Nathan Ansell (RGV) leads all defensemen in the playoffs with seven points (0-7=7)
-Former RGV forward Travis Banga (now with Texas) has been scratched in each of the first three games thus far…Banga had 17 goals and 25 assists during the regular season splitting time between the Brahmas and Bees