Monday, January 4, 2010

CENTRAL HOCKEY LEAGUE HEADLINES

Rookie Has Americans Rolling
The expansion Allen Americans are winners of five straight games and are currently sitting in second place in the Southern Conference with a 22-7-2 record and 46 points.  A big reason for that success is rookie goaltender Chris Whitley who leads the CHL with 16 wins on the season.  Overall, he is seventh with a 2.73 GAA and carries a .914 save percentage.  Whitley has won three straight starts stopping 105 of 112 shots (.938) over that stretch.  The Americans have taken to their new arena earning points in 10 straight home games going 9-0-1 over that span.  This week, the Americans hit the road for games in Texas on Friday and in Mississippi on Saturday.  Allen is 10-5-1 on the road this season.  Whitley was named the Oakley CHL Goaltender of the Week on Monday earning the honor for the second time this season (Nov. 23).

Making Up For Lost Time
Rapid City’s Jon Pelle returned to the team from the injured reserve on December 4 and since has played in 13 games.  In those games, the West Islip, New York native has notched at least a point in 12 of those games totaling 20 points (11-9=20).  He has accumulated a +8 plus/minus rating and has scored three game winning goals in those 13 games helping the Rush to an impressive 11-2-0 record over that span.  Pelle had played three games before going on IR scoring a goal with two assists in those contests. 

Nimmo Leads Gorillas Resurgence
The Amarillo Gorillas were the talk of the CHL at the start of the season winning their first four games but a large slump saw them go just 3-14-4 from Oct. 30-Dec. 18.  A recent surge led by 2008 CHL Rookie of the Year David Nimmo has the Gorillas on a season-long seven-game point streak going 5-0-2 over that stretch.  Amarillo is back into the playoff conversation sitting just two points out of a playoff spot.  Nimmo has eight goals and three assists over the Gorillas seven-game point streak including four two-goal efforts.  Nimmo was named the Oakley CHL Player of the Week on Monday for his six goals last week.

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BY THE NUMBERS

11- The number of points that Mississippi’s Matt Summers has over his current nine-game point streak (three goals, eight assists).  In his first 14 games this season, Summers had two goals and four assists.  Last year he totaled 54 points (16-38=54) with a +22 plus/minus rating.      

8-1-1- The road record of the Rapid City Rush over their last 10 games away from home, this after losing four of their first five road games on the season.  The Rush have won four straight games overall and are just one point behind the Colorado Eagles for first place in the Northern Conference standings.  The Rush host Bossier-Shreveport in a pair of games this weekend.  

13- The number of points that Arizona’s Linus Fagemo has in his last 12 games.  The Trollhatten, Sweden native has five goals and eight assists over that stretch after scoring nine points in his first 14 games with the Sundogs.

.928- The combined save percentage of Amarillo’s Mike Brown and Tuomas Lohtander over their last nine games.  The duo has combined for a 2.50 GAA and a pair of shutouts.  Lohtander has won his last three starts stopping 112 of 119 shots (.941).

5- The number of unanswered goals the Missouri Mavericks scored on Saturday night in their 5-3 win at Bossier-Shreveport.  The Mavs fell behind 3-0 but former Mudbug Jeff MacDermid led the comeback scoring a goal with two assists.

4-2-1- The record of the Corpus Christi IceRays since they put an end to their seven-game losing streak (Dec. 18).  The Rays recent surge has them just five points out of a Southern Conference playoff spot.

SLAP SHOTS

-Tulsa forward and CHL All-Star Game starter Rob Hisey has three goals and an assist in four games in the AHL with the Springfield Falcons.

-Rapid City knocked off Wichita in a pair of games last week (4-2 on 12/29 and 4-1 on 1/2) giving them a 6-0 record this season versus the Thunder.  The Rush have outscored Wichita 25-12 in this six games as both Scott Wray and Les Reaney have accumulated nine points versus the Thunder.

-Colorado has killed 28 of their last 29 shorthanded chances moving up to number three in the CHL at 86.5%.  The Eagles killed all 14 PP chances for Missouri in their win on Dec. 31.

-Texas’ Jordan Cameron has five goals and seven assists in his last seven games.  The all-star leads the Brahmas with 37 points (10-27=37).

-Odessa has done well this season versus the league’s top teams going 12-3-3 against teams with an above .500 win percentage.

-Former RGV forward Mark O’Leary signed with Laredo prior to Sunday’s game and he made an immediate impact scoring a goal and adding an assist helping the Bucks end a seven-game losing streak.