ODESSA, Texas – Another week has come and gone in the Central Hockey League and the Odessa Jackalopes remain in the top spot in our poll. But the real story is the battle for second place between the Allen Americans and the Rapid City Rush. The Colorado Eagles have now fallen to the fourth position in our weekly poll.
The more interesting battles are occurring in the middle of the pack for the CHL. The Mudbugs, Bucks, Brahmas, IceRays, and RiverKings are jockeying for position and battling for post season position. With fewer than 20 games left in the regular season, clubs need to win at home and on the road. Of this group, only the IceRays and Mudbugs have winning road records, though neither is especially stellar away from home ice.
The promise of the early season has faded in several cities including Tulsa, where the Oilers have failed to capitalize on their early successes. Same with the Gorillas in Amarillo where the club went cold after an encouraging start. Meanwhile the Missouri Mavericks, who were hot for several weeks, have since gone ice cold after beating the Allen Americans in an exciting match just two weeks ago.
Demonstrating character in the face of a dreadful season, the Wichita Thunder has put together a string of strong games particularly on the road. The team has nearly doubled their point total in the standings.
An interesting turn of events happened this past weekend as the Jackalopes managed their first victory over the Colorado Eagles since 2008 on Saturday. The win came a night after the Eagles’ 5-2 win in Odessa. The Jacks’ win was a dominating effort over an Eagles team that seemed dazed and confused after a stunning first period by Odessa. The effort was chronicled by the Jacks and posted on YouTube.com .
The post season is on the horizon and we will continue to watch the races.
Contact Jeff.Reed@prohockeynews.com
Contact the photographer at robert.keith@prohockeynews.com
Click to enlarge table
