ODESSA, Texas – The Central Hockey is weeks old and already there are surprises and some year-in, year-out consistencies.
The surprise of the year thus far is the Amarillo Gorillas team which is ranked 4th in this first poll of the season. The Gorillas have played well at times and hold down the 4th spot in the Southern Conference. The tough competition in the Southern Conference begins this year with the Odessa Jackalopes who now sport an 8-1-1 record through 10 games.
The defending champs, Texas Brahmas, are mired near the bottom of the table and are fending off the Ice Rays in Corpus Christi and SunDogs of Prescott Valley for last place in the conference.
Meanwhile in the Northern Conference things are not much different from any other year in the CHL. The Colorado Eagles lead the division with a 6-0-1 record and 13 points. They have played 5 fewer games than their closest rival, the RiverKings with 12 points.
The pleasant surprise of the early season is the Tulsa Oilers club which is in 3rd place in the conference, two points behind Mississippi and three points off the conference lead. The turnaround from a disappointing series of campaigns in Tulsa is a boost to the fan base in Tulsa and Oklahoma which lost the Blazers after the 2008-2009 season.
Contact jeff.reed@prohockeynews.com
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