Monday, November 26th, 2007
LUCKY ‘7’ FOR RAGE
The Rocky Mountain Rage went 3-0 last week outscoring their opponents 13-6 and extending their overall winning streak to seven consecutive games. The Rage started it off with a 5-3 victory in Colorado on Wednesday with Colt King and Daymen Rycroft each scoring a pair of goals. On Friday, the Rage shutout the Tulsa Oilers, 4-0, achieving something remarkable in the first period by not allowing the Oilers a single shot on goal and then on Saturday, the Rage defeated the Texas Brahmas 4-3 in Texas.
On November 3rd, the Rage were embarrassed 10-0 in New Mexico and now 23 days later it is the rest of the CHL who are paying the price as Rocky Mountain has not lost a game since and sit with the CHL’s best winning percentage (.893) and an 12-1-1 record. Rocky Mountain did not post their 12th victory last season until February 24th.
Several new additions have paved the way for the Rage’s early season success but is has been a pair of Scott’s doing a majority of the damage with forward Scott Wray tied for the league lead with 32 points and goaltender Scott Reid boasting an 8-0 record.
This week, the Rage return home after their 3-0 road trip for a showdown on Friday versus Arizona and a road match-up on Saturday versus New Mexico.
SUNDOGS ENJOY A LITTLE HOME COOKING
Thanksgiving week for the Arizona Sundogs was a memorable one as they returned to Prescott Valley for three games versus Austin breaking up a stretch of 12 games on the road. In the first five road games, the Sundogs went 3-2 but in their three home games sandwiched around turkey-day Arizona was as hot as the desert sun going 3-0 versus the Ice Bats and outscoring them 17-7. Tyler Redenbach led the way for Arizona totaling eight points (3-5=8) and subsequently earning the Oakley CHL Player of the Week. Rookie goaltender Andrew Gallant posted wins in all three games for Arizona and is now 7-2-0 on the season.
MISSISSIPPI “ROAD”KINGS
The RiverKings won a pair of road games last week making them 5-1-0 away from home this season. Overall, Mississippi has won four straight games and are quietly keeping pace with the red-hot start of the Youngstown SteelHounds in the Northeast Division. The ‘Kings currently trail Youngstown by five points and are confidently carrying an 11-3-0 record. Chad Woollard has caught fire lately scoring seven goals in his last three games. Mississippi plays Wichita on Tuesday night at home before heading out for three straight road games this weekend.
QUENNEVILLE TRYING TO PUT STING BACK INTO RAYZ
Corpus Christi went into Sunday’s game versus New Mexico on a six-game losing streak and in the third period faced a 4-3 deficit but a late goal from Joe Blaznek and a shootout game winner from Niko Tuomi pushed the Rayz back into the winner’s circle (a place they hadn’t been since November 4th). It is no coincidence that Corpus Christi has started playing a lot better as a team with the better play of All-Star Justin Quenneville. The 74-point player from a year ago had just five points through 12 games this season but in his last three games has found the back of the net five times and has also added an assist. Defenseman Geno Parrish has also picked it up recently posting seven helpers in his last five games. The Rayz face Austin twice this week (Friday and Sunday) and Laredo on Saturday night.
MUMBLINGS FROM THE PENALTY BOX
The Killer Bee’s Dennis Maxwell scored his 200th regular season goal on Nov. 24 versus Corpus Christi…Maxwell is currently on a seven-game point streak (5-10=15)…Odessa is unbeaten in regulation over their last five games (2-0-3) with each of the last four decisions coming by way of a shootout…Sebastien Thinel has assists in eight straight games (11A over that span)…The Youngstown SteelHounds (13-2-1) played their first two home games this past weekend and now face another extended road trip with five straight games away from home (@ Bossier-Shreveport, @ Texas, @ Rio Grande Valley and two games @ Mississippi)…The Hounds upcoming road trip features opponents with a combined record of 32-20-4…Saturday’s loss by Amarillo to Colorado set a new franchise record with eight consecutive road losses…Friday night will mark the first meeting of the season between Texas and Mississippi and the first time the Brahmas franchise leader in games played (290), points (264), goals (132) and PIM’s (686), Chad Woollard, faces his old mates…Tulsa’s longest home stand of the season (seven games) begins on Tuesday versus Odessa…Karlis Zirnis (BOS) has a seven-game assist streak, this after not recording a point in the team’s first seven games…Mudbug’s goaltender John DeCaro has won five straight games allowing just four goals over that stretch…Aaron Schneekloth’s hat trick versus Amarillo (11/23) was the first for an Eagle’s defenseman in franchise history…Wichita’s Jason Duda has begun skating with the team after missing 10 of the Thunder’s first 11 games…Mississippi’s Sebastien Centomo has a 23-3-0 career mark with the RiverKings and a 2.01 GAA.
