Texas is in a part of the schedule where they are playing the Bulls 3 out of 4 weekend series as the Bulls were able to win a pair of 1 goal games where the Bulls won 5-4 & 3-2 in OT last weekend going into the Top Prospects Tournament which allowed Topeka to get a series split against the Fairbanks Ice Dogs who are leading the West Coast Division with 13 games left in the regular season. And are looking to defend the NAHL Robertson Cup Championship this year in Frisco coming up in May.
The only break from the Bulls will be on March 2nd & 3rd when the team heads to Kansas to play the Roadrunners for the final time of the regular season and possible 1st Round Playoff Preview which could be the decider to determine home ice advantage in a possible playoff series in Early April.
After this long road trip wraps up, the Tornado will finish the regular season with 4 of their final 6 at home with home series against the New Mexico Mustangs (3/16-17) & the Corpus Christi Icerays (3/30-31) to bring an end to the regular season. The Final Road of the regular season trip after this will be back in Corpus Christi on March 23rd & 24th.
Other important series in the region this weekend includes another #4 VS. #5 Series with the Corpus Christi Icerays & Odessa Jackalopes in a home-and-home this weekend where the IceRays are looking to get out of a bit of a tail spin they have been in recently after having a bit of a let down weekend against the New Mexico Mustangs where despite getting 3 out of 4 points, it didn't look that convincing as the Mustangs were able to control huge portions of both games last weekend.
New Mexico was able to have a rare strong series, it's not only the points back but the number of teams they have to jump over both Wichita Falls & Odessa to have a shot of taking down Corpus Christi for the 4th & Final Playoff spot in the South Division.
Also working against them is how the Mustangs have the fewest games remaining of the chasing pack. While Odessa (14 GR) & Wichita Falls (12 GR) still have chances to get ahead. New Mexico only has 11 games left in the regular season
The IceRays can put themselves in a position where they could be as many as 13 points up on Odessa and looking to put a knockout punch on the chasing pack of Odessa, Wichita Falls & New Mexico to end their playoff hopes as all 3 teams are looking to find a way to stay in the chase.
The WSHL has the Mid-West Division Leading El Paso Rhinos entreating the Dallas Ice Jets this weekend. With El Paso already clinching the Mid-West Division top seed, the Ice Jets are looking to use this as an opportunity to create some distance between themselves and the Texas Jr. Brahmas who are sitting in 3rd Place, just 5 points back of the Ice Jets as the Jr. Brahmas will be playing a home-and-home against the lowly Dallas Snipers who are just going through the motions of wrapping up the season as they have been out of playoff contention for weeks now.
There is also a lot of motivation for the Ice Jets after they got swept by the Rhinos just after New Years, and it wasn't just a bad weekend for the Ice Jets but a series that turned the tide in the Mid-West Division Race where the Rhinos took the Division Lead and haven't looked back ever since. Since then, the Rhinos have won 13 of their last 15 in which most of it has taken down some weak competition like scoring 14 & 10 goals in back-to-back games against the Phoenix Knights for example.
The Ice Jets on the other hand have had some issues since New Years where they are currently on a 5 game losing streak where they got swept by the Idaho Jr. Steelheads.
With the Ice Jets & Rhinos currently #1 & #2 in the Mid-West Division, this could be a possible preview for the Mid-West Division Final & a Round Robin Game in the WSHL Throne Cup as El Paso will be hosting and having an automatic spot in this year's Championship Tournament.
This weeks Junior Schedule
North American Hockey League
2/24
Texas Tornado VS. Amarillo Bulls 7:00 PM
Corpus Christi Icerays VS. Odessa Jackalopes 7:05 PM
New Mexico Mustangs VS. Wichita Falls Wildcats 7:05 PM
2/25
Texas Tornado VS. Amarillo Bulls 7:00 PM
New Mexico Mustangs VS. Wichita Falls Wildcats 7:25 PM
Odessa Jackalopes VS. Corpus Christi Icerays 7:35 PM
Western States Hockey League
2/24
New Mexico Renegades VS. Boulder Bison 8:15 PM
Dallas Ice Jets VS. El Paso Rhinos 8:30 PM
Dallas Snipers VS. Texas Jr. Brahmas 9:00 PM
2/25
Texas Jr. Brahmas VS. Dallas Snipers 7:30 AM
New Mexico Renegades VS. Boulder Bison 8:15 PM
Dallas Ice Jets VS. El Paso Rhinos 8:30 PM
2/26
New Mexico Renegades VS. Boulder Bison 1:00 PM
Dallas Ice Jets VS. El Paso Rhinos 5:30 PM
Well, I am really excited and pay per head demo community too. I hope that it can be a great season like it was last year.
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