Fri, 09 May 2008 03:32:24 -0400 http://www.mudbugsinsider.com/ click here to return to the en-us http://www.mudbugsinsider.com/images/logo.gif http://www.mudbugsinsider.com/ billabre@msn.com http://www.mudbugsinsider.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3919 By Kelly Lyell...It seemed so familiar to Marco Emond. Back in the Budweiser Events Center, playing for a Central Hockey League title. Only this time, Emond is dressing in the visiting locker room as a member of the Arizona Sundogs, who took a 3-0 lead in the Ray Miron President's Cup Finals with a 5-2 win Wednesday night in Game 3 of the best-of-7 series. Fri, 09 May 2008 03:32:24 -0400 http://www.mudbugsinsider.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3918 By Brad Fuqua... After losing the first two games of the series, Colorado Eagles fans wondered if things might've been different with former MVP Greg Pankewicz in the lineup. The Eagles team captain had to serve the last two games of a three-game suspension because of a postgame incident back in the Texas series. Pankewicz, as well as defenseman/enforcer Jay Birnie, were both game for Game 3. And it made no difference. Thu, 08 May 2008 04:31:08 -0400 http://www.mudbugsinsider.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3917 Team Press Release... The Arizona Sundogs incredible season is just one win shy of completing their quest for the Ray Miron President’s Cup after Wednesday’s 5-2 victory over the Colorado Eagles at the sold out Budweiser Events Center. Rob McVicar was outstanding making 51 saves and Mark Kolanos netted a hat trick leading the path for Arizona to a 3-0 series lead. Thu, 08 May 2008 01:06:38 -0400 http://www.mudbugsinsider.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3916 By Kelly Lyell... The Central Hockey League Finals are a best-of-7 series. The only way to win the title is to win four games, and the Arizona Sundogs are well aware of that as they prepare for up to three games on Colorado's home ice at the Budweiser Events Center, where the Eagles are 124-25-9 all-time and 32-5 this season. Arizona holds a 2-0 lead in the series, having won the first two games at Tim's Toyota Center in Prescott Valley, Ariz. Wed, 07 May 2008 13:46:17 -0400 http://www.mudbugsinsider.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3915 Team Press Release... Queen's University Golden Gaels Forward Brady Olsen of Enterprise, Ont., has signed a one-year contract with the Rush. Olsen is one of the first players to be officially signed by the Rush for its inaugural season. "This is a really great opportunity and it feels good," said Olsen. "With graduating this season, I had a lot of uncertainty as to what I would do next year. I knew if I didn't chase this opportunity I wouldn't be happy in a year from now." Wed, 07 May 2008 13:37:52 -0400 http://www.mudbugsinsider.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3913 By Adam Dunivan... With two Central Hockey League teams continuing their battle toward the President’s Cup championship, many other teams have already begun to look toward the future. The league as a whole is gearing up for a summer of big changes, potentially. Last Monday, governors representing all 17 teams gathered in Dallas to prepare for such changes, which will begin pretty soon as the Professional Hockey Players Association works with the league on a collective bargaining agreement, something with which the CHL has never been involved. Tue, 06 May 2008 19:57:57 -0400 http://www.mudbugsinsider.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3912 League Press Release... The series now shifts to Colorado for games 3-5. The Eagles are 5-1 this season at home (during the playoffs) outscoring the opposition 24-12. In their five year history, the Eagles are 26-8 at the Budweiser Events Center. Game Three will be seen LIVE on Altitude Sports and Entertainment and on the Arizona channel on the CHL Network (the Colorado channel will be tape delayed due to television contracts and restrictions). Tue, 06 May 2008 18:28:35 -0400 http://www.mudbugsinsider.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3911 By Kelly Lyell... Down two men for the first two games and now down two games to none in the Central Hockey League Finals, the Colorado Eagles need a power surge. And, the Eagles said Monday, they expect nothing less from the return of captain Greg Pankewicz, defenseman Jay Birnie and, most of all, their extra man - the constant sellout crowd of 5,289 that has cheered the team on for every one of the 191 home games in the history of the 5-year-old franchise. Tue, 06 May 2008 18:17:49 -0400 http://www.mudbugsinsider.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3910 By Adam Dunivan... The Colorado Eagles allowed 11 total goals in five games against Youngstown, and it took Texas seven games to muster 18 total goals. Arizona, on the other hand, has put the Eagles defense in disarray so far in the President’s Cup Finals. While Friday’s 6-4 loss to the Sundogs got away in the third period, and a 5-1 loss Saturday was closer than the score would indicate, Arizona’s offense has been able to score from everywhere on the ice so far. Mon, 05 May 2008 19:55:32 -0400 http://www.mudbugsinsider.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3909 By Todd Etshman... If the Colorado Eagles are going to win the President’s Cup, they’ll have to become the first team in Central Hockey League history to come back from a 2-0 deficit in the Finals to do it. Goaltender Sebastien Laplante and his teammates suffered through a disastrous first period Saturday night in a sold-out Tim’s Toyota Center in Prescott Valley, Ariz. Sun, 04 May 2008 12:56:45 -0400 http://www.mudbugsinsider.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3908 Team Press Release... The Arizona Sundogs won Game Two of the President’s Cup Finals, 5-1, over the Colorado Eagles. In a game where the score wasn’t indicative of the action, Arizona got four goals from their special teams and exceptional goaltending, despite the Eagles carrying play for most of the final two periods. For Colorado, Dave Iannazzo took Kris Wiebe’s spot in lineup, seeing just his second game action in the playoffs, and Brad Williamson left the game after the opening period, leaving the defending league champs three men down (Greg Pankewicz and Jay Birnie were serving the final game of their three-game suspensions). Sun, 04 May 2008 01:51:13 -0400 http://www.mudbugsinsider.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3907 League Press Release... The Arizona Sundogs, fresh off their 6-4 Game One victory on Thursday night, will look to take a 2-0 advantage in the Ray Miron President’s Cup Finals on Saturday night in Game Two versus the Colorado Eagles. The game will face-off at 7:05 PM (PST) at Tim’s Toyota Center. Following Saturday’s game, the series will shift to Colorado for three games where the Eagles have a distinct home ice advantage. Fri, 02 May 2008 23:11:22 -0400 http://www.mudbugsinsider.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3906 By Brad Fuqua... Arizona forward Cory Urquhart needs just one more goal to tie the record for most ever in the Central Hockey League playoffs. With the three he scored on Thursday in a 6-4 victory over Colorado, Urquhart now has 16. Greg Pankewicz of Colorado and Mike Martens of Columbus currently share the record at 17. Urquhart, who hails from Halifax, Nova Scotia, has already tied the CHL record for most power play goals in the playoffs with eight. He currently has 25 postseason points, which ranks second behind teammate Alex Leavitt, who has 26. Fri, 02 May 2008 23:06:41 -0400 http://www.mudbugsinsider.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3905 By Kelly Morris... Change can go a long way in making a situation better. In the Texas Brahmas' case, it's what helped them revive their struggling franchise and put together an almost storybook season that their fans aren't soon going to forget. Fri, 02 May 2008 14:46:15 -0400 http://www.mudbugsinsider.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3904 Team Press Release... The Arizona Sundogs used a hat trick from Cory Urquhart and three third period goals to win Game One of the Ray Miron President’s Cup Finals by a score of 6-4. The series continues on Saturday in Arizona with Game Two. Each team had an early power play that neither created many chances. The best crack for the Eagles came from Aaron Schneekloth who had room in front of the net but could not corral the bouncing puck. Fri, 02 May 2008 02:23:03 -0400 http://www.mudbugsinsider.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3903 By Adam Dunivan... How can a familiar situation be new at the same time? The Colorado Eagles could tell you. The Eagles — a team that can presumably be labeled veterans of the Ray Miron President’s Cup Finals, are not only facing a new team in the championship round, but they’re doing so while trying to keep the Cup in their own trophy case. Thu, 01 May 2008 21:29:54 -0400 http://www.mudbugsinsider.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3902 By Brad Fuqua... The playoff beards are in full bloom ... at least for those who can grow them. Explanations vary when it comes to the origins of this time-honored hockey tradition. Some believe it can be traced back to the olden days of hockey when ex-lumberjacks grew beards to insulate their chins. Others believe it got its start in the NHL when players refused to shave on game day because the cold air irritated their clean-shaven faces. Thu, 01 May 2008 21:22:06 -0400 http://www.mudbugsinsider.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3901 By Greg Rajan... It's been a month since the Rayz played a game. In the interim, not much has happened regarding the team's future prospects and it appears the clock is ticking on the Central Hockey League franchise. Owner Doug Frank confirmed Tuesday that a deal to sell the team fell through and that he planned to make an announcement this week to reiterate his interest in finding local investors. Thu, 01 May 2008 21:09:36 -0400 http://www.mudbugsinsider.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3900 By Sean Horejs... The owner of the Rayz laid it out in black and white: He needs a local investor to buy the team, and a better arena deal, or the hockey team will have to shut down or leave Corpus Christi. The news comes just days after a potential sale fell through. Doug Frank laid much of the blame for his team's woes on the city and the arena management company SMG. He issued a four-page release this afternoon to try and explain his situation. Thu, 01 May 2008 21:05:53 -0400 http://www.mudbugsinsider.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3899 By Kelly Lyell... Alex Leavitt is the leading scorer in the Central Hockey League playoffs with 23 points, one more than Arizona Sundogs teammate Cory Urquhart. Sundogs captain Chris Bartalone is tied for third with 17 points. So, the Colorado Eagles and goaltender Sebastien Laplante have their work cut out for them in the Ray Miron President's Cup Finals. Thu, 01 May 2008 10:16:58 -0400 http://www.mudbugsinsider.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3898 By Brad Fuqua... A blinding white-out followed up with thunderous noise designed to deflate the opponent. That's what Arizona Sundogs officials envision for the first two games of the Central Hockey League championship series on Thursday and Saturday at Tim's Toyota Center. Unlike the first two playoff series', the Sundogs are hoping to sell out with the President's Cup on the line. Wed, 30 Apr 2008 23:43:11 -0400 http://www.mudbugsinsider.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3897 League Press Release... The Central Hockey League (CHL) announced today the three referees and four linesmen that will make up the on-ice officials crew for the 2008 CHL Ray Miron President’s Cup Finals scheduled to begin this week in Arizona. The referee pool for the finals will be Ian Croft, Tudor Floru and Mark Lemelin and the men working the lines in the finals will be Jordan Crowell, T.J. Nua, Kyle Simms and Pat Smith. Wed, 30 Apr 2008 15:11:06 -0400 http://www.mudbugsinsider.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3896 Team Press Release... Altitude Sports & Entertainment announced today that they will air Games Three and Five (if necessary) of the Central Hockey League's Ray Miron President's Cup Finals between the Arizona Sundogs and the defending champion Colorado Eagles. Game Three will be played on Wednesday May 7 and Game Five (if necessary) will be played on Sunday, May 11. Both games are scheduled for 7:05 p.m. Wed, 30 Apr 2008 15:09:07 -0400 http://www.mudbugsinsider.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3895 League Press Release... The Arizona Sundogs and the Colorado Eagles will meet in the 2008 Ray Miron President's Cup Finals after each team completed series wins in their respective conference finals. Both team's conference finals went seven games with Arizona knocking Laredo off their Southern Conference mountain stopping the Bucks reign of four straight seasons in the finals and the Eagles defeated the Texas Brahmas in the Northern Conference Finals. Tue, 29 Apr 2008 16:59:09 -0400 http://www.mudbugsinsider.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3894 By Brad Fuqua... The road leads back to Colorado. Arizona Sundogs co-owner Eric Lacroix loves Colorado - the state, not the Eagles. His wife, Jill, is from there, his parents live there, his in-laws live there. Lacroix played for the Avalanche for a spell during his NHL career and he joined their front office after retiring. Tue, 29 Apr 2008 03:51:12 -0400