INDEPENDENCE, Mo. – With training camp and a successful pre-season series behind them, the Missouri Mavericks are busy preparing for their home opener on Friday night when the 2010-11 Central Hockey League season gets underway. 
Looking back at the team’s inaugural season, during which the Mavericks battled their way to a 31-27-6 record and the final playoff berth in the league’s tough Northern Conference, there were many highs and lows experienced by the expansion team.
And while being swept by the Rapid City Rush in the conference semi-final may have been the ultimate low, the fact that the Rush would go on to win the Ray Miron President’s Cup Championship in their sophomore year lent credence to the chances for the Mavericks to do the same this season.
Focusing on many of the memories that stood out in the minds of fans and helped carry them through the off-season, here is Pro Hockey News’ countdown of 10 highlights of the Mavericks’ inaugural season. 10. Missouri’s dominance over the Wichita Thunder
Any time a team goes 10-0-0 against another team, outscoring them by a margin of 42-14, it’s safe to utter the word “domination.” The Mavericks certainly had the Thunder’s number, and the fans at the Independence Events Center loved every minute of it.
Karl Sellan
The Mississippi RiverKings, over the course of the season, became the Maverick’s biggest rival. Almost every game played between the two teams was a nail-biter, except for the 6-1 drubbing that Mississippi experienced on a blustery night in February. Missouri’s Karl Sellan was the star of the night, recording the first and only hat trick thus far in team history. He also achieved the coveted Gordie Howe hat trick, recording a goal, assist, and a fight all in the same game.
8. Missouri’s 3-1 victory over the Allen Americans
On paper, this game looks like a typical victory for any team. However, this was the first time that the Missouri Mavericks played a complete game. They were dominant on the offensive and defensive ends, and really took it to one of the best teams in the league. This was the night when the rest of the CHL took notice of the Mavericks.
7. Christian, Sirota, and Watson put on a clinic
In their first four meetings with the Colorado Eagles, the Mavericks were dominated, losing all four contests by a combined score of 23-9. However, the fifth meeting would not go as smoothly for Colorado. The Mavericks punched back behind the combined efforts of Jeff Christian, Nick Sirota, and Simon Watson. The trio combined for nine points in a thrilling 5-4 shootout victory.
A side note: In 14 shootouts last season, the Mavericks were triumphant 10 times.
6. The Mavericks’ playoff push
There are few things in the sports world that are more exciting than when multiple teams are vying for one or two playoff spots. That’s what fans witnessed in the CHL’s Northern Conference last season. The Tulsa Oilers, Mississippi RiverKings as well as the Mavericks were fighting for the final two playoff spots in the North for the entire stretch run. The battle was so intense that it actually came down to the final week of the season. Eventually, the RiverKings secured the fourth seed, while the Mavericks rounded out the conference with the fifth seed.
5. Vandermeer’s playoff performance
Bill Vandermeer
4. Effinger and Festa save the day (and the season)
It’s no secret that poor goalie play contributed to many of the struggles that the Mavericks endured during the first half of the season. Head Coach Scott Hillman knew that his team could not get where he wanted them to be without solidifying the net. As he did so many other times during the season, Hillman addressed the problem completely. He replaced Doug Groenestege and Alexandre Vincent with Charlie Effinger (acquired through a trade with the Allen Americans) and Gerry Festa (signed as a free agent) and the rest is history. Effinger and Festa proved to be one of the best goalie tandem’s in the league, and helped carry the Mavericks into the post-season.
3. Opening round playoff series win vs. Mississippi
It was exciting enough to make the playoffs; few thought that the Mavericks would get there. However, to be pitted against your bitter rival in the opening round created a buzz that could have blown the roof off of the Independence Events Center. The Mavericks and the RiverKings went toe-to-toe for three grueling games, but the first-year Missouri squad got the best of the RiverKings, showing them the door to the off-season.
Independence Event Center/Photo Credit: Ramsey Mohsen
Hockey fans were excited to finally get a professional team back in the Kansas City area. However, they would have to wait a few extra weeks to see them in person for one simple reason: the team’s arena wasn’t ready to open when the regular season began. As contractors put the finishing touches on the Independence Events Center, the anticipation became palpable in the community. Fans were itching to see their new team, and the players were itching to see what the level of support was going to be from the fans. Neither side would be disappointed. Fans filled the IEC and roared their support for two straight nights, and the players rewarded them with two thrilling victories. Two words best describe the feeling during entire weekend: goose bumps.
1. The community shows their love in the wake of devastating news
The relationship between the Mavericks’ players and fans was amazing last season. Not only did fans have their favorite players, but they were information hounds regarding those players. They knew anything and everything about their Missouri Mavericks because they loved the team that much. Players did a great job of reciprocating that level of respect and care, often seen out in the community or visiting with fans at the local post-game party. The players know that they wouldn’t be there if it wasn’t for the fans coming out and supporting them every night.
The strength of the player/fan relationship was put on display when Mavericks forward Jeff Christian learned that his young daughter Ryan was diagnosed with cancer. The overwhelming support, love and respect that was shown towards the Christian family would have led an outsider to believe that he had played in the city for 10 years. The fans came out in droves to games and fundraisers and helping to raise thousands and thousands of dollars to assist the Christian family.
Contact the author at joe.rozycki@prohockeynews.com
Contact the photographer at robert.keith@prohockeynews.com
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