« JERSEY AUCTION TO BENEFIT STARS | Home | RAYZ SWAT BEES 6-2 »
GAME NOTES AND MINOR OBSERVATIONS, MARCH 19
By admin | March 19, 2008
PRINT THESE AND TAKE EM’ WITH YOU
Game notes and lineups for tonight’s game.
BROOM-WIELDING FURBALLS
If nothing else, Phil and the game ops crew will make sure you’re entertained tonight. The first intermission will feature MASCOT BROOMBALL, featuring some of the fuzzier creatures from around the Valley. This ought to be a hoot.
COACHES SHOW AND GREEN BEER
We did our final coaches show of the year last night at RA’s. Paul Fixter and Sean Gillam joined me on the air and we also had a visit from the incomparable Tony Fe-Fi Forina. We talked about Mark O’Leary’s AHL callup (which has been extended by the way) and what a great thing that is for the team. Inevitably, the question of an affiliation came up. Paul mentioned striking while the iron is hot, and indeed the iron is a bright orange at the moment. Of course, affiliations come with their own perils which have been discussed here before. But it’ll be interesting to see what happens.
One thing I learned last night is to avoid day-old green draft beer. Enough said.
WRAPPING UP
The final three games of the season begin tonight against Corpus Christi, another team that’s out of the playoffs. So what kind of game will it be? I’m curious to find out. I doubt anyone will just go through the motions since jobs are on the line; not just with both teams, but elsewhere. Coaches will look to see who pulls the chute in a game like this. This type of matchup usually shows you more about character than you’d realize.
PLAYOFF PONDERING
Things are finally shaking out as far as the CHL playoffs go. Arizona clinches the Southwest while Amarillo is finally eliminated. Yes, that means somehow, someway, there will be playoff hockey at the Chap in Austin. What a turnaround by the Bats and Brent Hughes.
Meanwhile, the North is still up in the air. I have no clue what Dan Wildfong is feeding his players in North Richland Hills, but where has Texas come from? I thought they were a decent team when the Bees played them, but certainly not as good as they’ve been lately.
The most interesting thing is that one team that you’d think should make it will be out. Right now, it’s Rocky Mountain. Two months ago that would have been unconceivable, but the loss of Scott Wray for the season and the games Brent Cullaton missed really hurt the club. If they get in the playoffs, they’ll be a tough team to beat.
SCOREBOARD WATCHING
If you’re Rocky Mountain, who do you want to win tonight? Youngstown? Colorado? It’s one of those rare games that you wish they still had ties in hockey if you’re in Broomfield.
Of course, the Rage need to worry about their own game against Arizona, but what do the Dogs have to play for? You’ll hear the obligatory crap about not wanting to go into the playoffs on a sour note, but the main concern for them is not to sustain any injuries.
And could Wichita take a page from their rivals in Tulsa and pull of an upset over Texas? The Oilers have somehow knocked off three wins a row, beating Colorado, Rocky and Bossier.
Things will be interesting tonight for sure.
Topics: Game Notes |