Monday, April 20th, 2009

CENTRAL HOCKEY LEAGUE HEADLINES

Conference Finals Updates
1) Brahmas on the Brink of Ray Miron President’s Cup Finals
2) North Finals Shifts to Mississippi

1- The Texas Brahmas are fresh off their Game Five win on Saturday night over the Odessa Jackalopes giving them a 3-2 series lead with just one more win standing between them and a trip to the Ray Miron President’s Cup Finals.  Scott Sheppard is coming off a record night where he tied the CHL playoff record with four goals and six points.  Texas built a 6-2 lead and held on for a 7-5 victory.  Game Six of the series will be on Thursday night in Odessa with face-off scheduled for 7:05 PM (CST).
   
TEX/ODE Series Notes:
-Odessa has outshot the Brahmas 181-124 in the five games thus far
-The Jacks are just 3 for 38 on the power play in the series connecting at just 8%...During the regular season, Odessa was second in the league on the PP
-CHL MVP Sebastien Thinel left Saturday’s game at the midway point due to an apparent leg injury and did not return
-Four of Scott Sheppard’s six goals in the series have come on the power play
-The Brahmas have been outshot in six of their nine playoff games so far (they are 3-0 when outshooting their opponents)

TEX/ODE Series Schedule - - Brahmas Lead Series 3-2
Game 1 –4/10 Odessa 3 @ Texas 1
Game 2 -4/11 Odessa 1 @ Texas 4
Game 3 -4/14 Texas 3 @ Odessa 0
Game 4 -4/16 Texas 0 @ Odessa 2
Game 5 -4/18 Odessa 5 @ Texas 7
Game 6 -4/23 Texas @ Odessa, 7:05 PM
Game 7 -4/25 Odessa @ Texas, 7:05 PM
 
2- The Colorado Eagles and the Mississippi RiverKings will take their series to Mississippi for three games with the Eagles in command with a 2-0 series lead.  Colorado won Game Two thanks to a big night from Andrew Penner who has stopped 81 of 84 shots in the series (.964).  Game Three will be on Tuesday night in Mississippi and it is critical for the RiverKings as no team in CHL history has ever come back to win a series when trailing 3-0.  
  
COL/MIS Series Notes:
-The Eagles have outscored the RiverKings 7-1 since falling behind 2-0 in Game One of the series
-Ryan Tobler has scored three goals in the series leading both teams
-Mississippi has had 18 PP chances in the series compared to six for Colorado
-Five of Colorado’s six games (all wins) have been decided by one goal
-Half of the Eagles games has seen them trail heading into the final period

COL/MIS Series Schedule - - Eagles Lead Series 2-0
Game 1 –4/15 Mississippi 2 @ Colorado 3 (OT)
Game 2 -4/17 Mississippi 1 @ Colorado 4
Game 3 -4/21 Colorado @ Mississippi, 7:05 PM
Game 4 -4/23 Colorado @ Mississippi, 7:05 PM
Game 5 -4/24 Colorado @ Mississippi, 7:05 PM
Game 6 -4/26 Mississippi @ Colorado, 7:05 PM
Game 7 -4/27 Mississippi @ Colorado, 7:05 PM

The CHL is on Twitter…Keep up with all the news and notes from the Ray Miron President’s Cup Playoffs at www.twitter.com/CHLprohockey