Brahmas overcome strong Icerays PP in Game 1

Here's a look at how the Opening night of the Central Hockey League Playoffs.

In the South, The Texas Brahmas are beginning to kick off their Title Defense with a big road win as the Brahmas cameback from near loss as the Brahmas are starting to show that they can win in any situations as the Icerays 4 PP Goals were not enough to beat the Expereinced Brahmas.

This is not the first time the Brahmas have had success after playing in the Play In Round. Back in 2008, after losing the Northern Conference Play In Round Opener against the Mississippi Riverkings. The Brahmas used Games 2 & 3 to comeback to win the team's first playoff series in a long time.

Then after the Play In Round, the Brahmas shocked the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs by sweeping the Mudbugs who were the Northern Conference Top Seed that year. It all ended in the Conference Final where the team fell just a win short of making the CHL Presidents Cup Championship against the Colorado Eagles.


From the Central Hockey League Website: www.centralhockeyleague.com

Texas Brahmas 5 Corpus Christi Icerays 4 (OT)

The visiting Texas Brahmas showed their championship pedigree on Monday Night coming from behind to stun the Corpus Christi Icerays 5-4 in OT last night. The win marks the first time a visiting team has won in 14 games in the CHL Opening Round Best-Of-3 series dating back to the inception of the three game round in 2008.

James Hiebert scored the game winner just over 5 minutes into OT off an Iceray Turnover at their own blue line. Grant Jacobsen and Matt Pierce set-up the clutch performer who now has 6 game winners and 34 career CHL Playoff Goals in his career.

The Icerays rebounded from a Jordan Cameron first period short handed goal to score 4 power play goals in the contest. Chad Woolard had a goal and two assists and Chris Richards and Steven Later each scored a PP Goal and had a helper.

The Icerays led 4-3 with less then a minute remaining when the Brahmas pull their goaltender and tied the game up with Tyler Skworchinski scoring the tying goal with just 17 seconds remaining in regulation.

Brett Jeager earned the win by making 20 saves and Kevin Beech stopped 32 saves but took the loss.

The Teams meet again on Wednesday with the Brahmas having a chance to close the series out on home ice at the NYTEX Sports Center. If the Icerays win Game 2 on Wednesday Night, then the 3rd and deciding game would be on Thursday Night in North Richland Hills.

@American Bank Center

Texas Brahmas 5 Corpus Christi Icerays 4 (OT) (1-1, 0-1, 3-2, 1-0)

1-0 TEX: Jordan Cameron (SH) (Unassisted) 12:12 1st

1-1 CRC: Jason Tessier (PP) (Tendler, Quenneville) 17:20 1st

1-2 CRC: Chad Woollard (PP) (Dudas, Later) 2:17 2nd

2-2 TEX: Justin Kinnunen (PP) (Rouleau, Skworchinski) 0:26 3rd

2-3 CRC: Chris Richards (PP) (Bennett, Woollard) 6:57 3rd

3-3 TEX: Jason Deitsch (Cameron, Seibel) 7:34 3rd

3-4 CRC: Steven Later (PP) (Woollard, Richards) 8:21 3rd

4-4 TEX: Tyler Skworchinski (EA) (Hiebert, Cameron) 19:43 3rd

5-4 TEX: James Hiebert (Jacobsen, Pierce) 5:34 OT


Game Stats

SOG: TEX 37 CRC 24

PP: TEX 1/8 CRC 4/6

PIM: TEX 14 Minutes on 7 Penalties CRC 18 Minutes on 9 Penatlies

Goalies: TEX Brett Jeager 20 SVS on 24 Shots CRC Kevin Beech 32 SVS on 37 Shots

ATT: 2224

3 Stars: 3rd Star Chris Ricards (CRC), Jordan Cameron (TEX), James Hiebert (TEX)

Texas Brahmas Lead Series 1-0

Game 2, 3/24: @ Texas 7:05 PM

Game 3, 3/25: @ Texas 7:05 PM*

*If Necessary


Mississippi Riverkings 2 Missouri Mavericks 4

After stopping an early onslot of the Riverkings offense, the Mavericks were able to stay in the game. Then midway through the 1st period was Bill Vandermeer scoring the first playoff goal in Mavericks history. A majority of the scoring came late in the 1st as Mississippi's Elias Godoy scored just 2 minutes later.

Missouri then scored twice in 1:15 as Jordan Foremann and Brett Hammond scored to make it 3-1 Mavericks going into the 1st intermission.

Despite a scoreless 2nd period, both teams contuined to use the high octane offense as Riverkings outshot the Mavericks 13-11. Missouri Goalie Charlie Effinger help kep the Mavericks on top despite two high penalties that could have helped the Riverkings get back into the game that started with 7 minutes left when Mike Burgoyne committed a double minor for high sticking. After being able to successfully kill it off.

The Mavericks got in even more penalty trouble by Carlyle Lewis who was tossed from the game at the end of the 2nd period with a Spearing Major which turned into a game misconduct.

That Major Penalty made it challenging for the Mavericks early in the 3rd period, but despite the 5 MIN PP, the Riverkings only got 5 shots off in the 3rd period and kept off the scoresheet again. This wasn't a surprise as the Mavericks had a strong PK Game late in the Regular Season.

After Mississippi finally made it a 3-2 game with 4:25 left, Missouri put the game away with a goal by Jordan Foreman in the final minute to win the team's first ever playoff game.

@Independence Events Center

0-1 MIZ: Bill Vandermeer (Christian) 11:37 1st

1-1 MIS: Elias Godoy (Chaumont) 13:54 1st

1-2 MIZ: Jordan Foreman (Christian) 15:44 1st

1-3 MIZ: Brett Hammond (PP) (Burgoyne, Christian) 17:00 1st

2-3 MIS: Darrell Stoddard (Dumont) 15:35 3rd

2-4 MIZ: Jordan Foreman (EN) (Walls) 19:06 3rd

Game Stats

SOG: MIS 29 MIZ 33

PP: MIS 0/5 MIZ 1/4

PIM: MIS 12 Minutes on 6 Penalties MIZ 27 Minutes on 8 Penalties

Goalies: MIS Kyle Mcnulty 29 SVS on 32 Shots MIZ Charlie Effinger 27 SVS on 29 Shots

ATT: 4417

3 Stars: Charlie Effinger (MIZ), Bill Vandermeer (MIZ), Jeff Christian (MIZ)


Missouri Leads Series 1-0

Game 2, 3/24: @ Mississippi 7:05 PM

Game 3, 3/25: @ Mississippi 7:05 PM*

*If Necessary