CHL News

Wichita, KS-  Despite dealing with a number of injuries to some key players, the Wichita Thunder (27-12-2) remained on top of the latest Coaches Poll released by the Central Hockey League Wednesday afternoon. Wichita is the first team in the league this season to repeat as the top team recognized by the CHL Coaches and received that honor for the third time. Wichita leads the CHL and the Berry Conference with 56 points.

The Poll is released on or near the beginning and middle of each month throughout the regular season.  Each first place vote receives 10 points, second place votes earn 9 points, etc.

Wichita remained on top of the poll by a slim one point over the Turner Conference leading Evansville IceMen (25-10-4, league-best .692 win percentage), despite receiving one fewer first place vote than Evansville.  Wichita finished with six first-place votes and the #2-ranked IceMen received seven first-place votes.  The Allen Americans (24-10-7) earned the other first-place vote.

Eight of the 10 teams in the ‘Top 10’ changed positions with the Thunder and the Tulsa Oilers (#8) serving as the only two clubs who maintained their position from the previous poll.  Rounding out the top five were the Fort Wayne Komets (dropped from #2 to #4) and the Missouri Mavericks (moved up from #6 to #5).

The biggest jump in the recent poll came from the Texas Brahmas who are 6-4-1 in their last 11 games earning them enough votes to move from #10 to #7.  No other team rose or fell more than two places.

Wichita is coming off a six point week after winning three out of four games in a five-night span. The Thunder hits the road for the next three games before returning home Friday, February 10th against Tulsa. For tickets, call 755-SEAT, visit the INTRUST Bank Arena box office or online at www.selectaseat.com

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Check out the Highlights from Saturday's Thunder overtime win HERE.

Glendale, AZ-  Near the top of the league in several categories, the Wichita Thunder climbed back to #1 of the most recent CHL Coaches Poll announced Wednesday. Playing its best hockey of the season, Wichita has gone 10-2-2 over the past 14 games and leads the Berry Conference. The Thunder is tied with Fort Wayne in wins (22) and points (46) while leading the league in winning percentage (.697).  Fort Wayne was #1 in the previous Coaches Poll, which was released January 4th. The CHL Coaches Poll is released on or near the beginning and middle of each month throughout regular season.  Each first place vote receives 10 points, second place votes earn 9 points, etc.

The Thunder earned nine first place votes with the rest of the top votes showing great balance as the Komets earned two first place votes and the Evansville IceMen (21-9-3), Quad City Mallards (21-14-1) and Rapid City Rush (19-12-2) each earning a first place nod.  The IceMen and Mallards finished #3 and #4 in the current poll, respectively, Rapid City finished #7.  The Allen Americans (19-9-7) did not receive a first place vote but finished fifth in the poll.

The Missouri Mavericks (20-13-3) and the IceMen made the biggest moves in the recent poll, each jumping up three spots (Missouri from #9 to #6 and Evansville from #6 to #3).  Three teams (Allen, Rapid City and Texas) each dropped two spots.  The 10 teams in the Top 10 remain unchanged from the previous poll.

The Thunder play tonight at Tim's Toyota Center against the Arizona Sundogs for the first time this season. Following tonight's game, the Thunder will travel to North Richland Hills, TX for the start of three games in three nights, all against the Brahmas. Friday and Saturday are at the NYTEX Sports Centre.

Wichita returns to the Air Capital this Sunday to close out its mini-series against Texas at 5:05 p.m. For tickets, call 755-SEAT, visit the INTRUST Bank Arena box office or online at www.selectaseat.com.

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Prescott Valley, AZ- Thunder forward Matt Robinson scored two goals and had one assist as the CHL All-Stars won 6-4 last night over the Arizona Sundogs at the 2012 CHL All-Star Game.

Playing in his second-consecutive All-Star Game, Robinson tied the contest at one for the CHL All-Stars at 12:55 of the first period when he took a nice feed from Todd Robinson of Evansville and beat Sundogs goalie Scott Reid. His second goal came at 7:25 of the second period that regained a 3-2 lead for the All-Stars. Robinson added an assist on an empty-net goal scored by Tulsa defenseman Jeff Terminesi that closed the game out for the All-Star squad, 6-4.

With his three-point performance, Robinson has combined to score six points (5g, 1a) and 14 shots on net in the past two CHL All-Star games including a natural hat trick at last year's event. Robinson replaced Thunder forward Alex Bourret on the squad, who was called-up last week to Worcester of the American Hockey League (San Jose Sharks affiliate).

The Thunder head on the road for the next five and will not return to the Air Capital until Sunday, January 22nd against the Texas Brahmas. For tickets, call 755-SEAT, visit the INTRUST Bank Arena box office or online at www.selectaseat.com.

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GLENDALE, AZ (January 11, 2012) – The 2012 CHL All-Star Game, presented by Cliff Castle Casino and Hotel, is finally here with the battle taking place tonight (Wednesday, January 11) at Tim’s Toyota Center in Prescott Valley, Arizona – the home of the Arizona Sundogs.  The host Sundogs will face-off against a team of CHL All-Stars in a format that has defined the CHL All-Star Game for the past four seasons.  Face-off is scheduled for 6:35 PM MST and the game is available LIVE on CHL-TV with Allen’s Tommy Daniels and Bloomington’s Greg Halbleib bringing you all the action as the All-Star broadcast team!

For More, click HERE

Moline, IL-  The Wichita Thunder announced Friday that forward Matt Robinson has been selected to replace Alex Bourret as a reserve for the 2012 CHL All-Star Game.

Robinson has found his stride as of late, scoring 22 points over the last two months (10g, 11a). The Surrey, BC native had a three-point outing (1g, 2a) in a victory over Fort Wayne on December 13th. He followed that up by scoring in three-straight games over the holidays against Tulsa, Quad City and Missouri. Robinson has 25 points (12g, 13a) this season and is a +10.

Last year, Robinson led Wichita in scoring after coming over in a trade from Laredo. In 57 games with the Thunder, Robinson had a team-high 39 goals. He had arguably his best season as a professional, totaling 72 points (40g, 32a) and was named the Thunder's 2011 Most Valuable Player. This will be Robinson's second consecutive trip to the All-Star Game as he was Wichita's only representative a year ago and had a hat trick in the game.

Alex Bourret was called-up yesterday to the Worcester Sharks of the AHL, giving Robinson the opportunity to represent Wichita at the league's annual event.

The 2012 CHL All-Star Game is scheduled for Wednesday, January 11, 2012 in Prescott Valley, Arizona at Tim’s Toyota Center.  The game’s format will feature the host Arizona Sundogs taking on a team of CHL All-Stars. The starters and reserves were determined by voting from CHL coaches, CHL Communication’s staff members and broadcasters along with select media members from CHL markets.

In other news, forwards Colin Hemingway and Chris Greene have been activated off IR and will be in the line-up tonight as Wichita takes on Quad City. The Thunder return home Saturday to face the Tulsa Oilers at 7:05 p.m. Saturday is Sonic Thunderdog’s Birthday party and the kids run the show. Thunderdog and all his wacky mascot friends will be in attendance and a special retro Thunder jersey will be worn by the team. For tickets, call 755-SEAT, visit the INTRUST Bank Arena box office or online at www.selectaseat.com.

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Wichita, KS-  The Wichita Thunder announced Thursday that forward Alex Bourret has been selected as the Sher-Wood/CHL Player of the Month for December and has also been called-up to the Worcester Sharks of the American Hockey League. 

Bourret had a tremendous month, scoring 23 points (9g, 14a) and had a four-point performance in Wichita's overtime win at Texas on December 18th. The Drummondville, PQ native scored on a penalty shot against the Brahmas on December 9th and was also a +9 during December. Bourret is currently tied for fourth-place in scoring with 39 points (13g, 26a) and has scored in 10 of his last 11 games.  He had a nine-game point streak and a four-game goal scoring streak snapped this past Friday against Texas. Bourret was recently named as a reserve to the 2012 CHL All-Star Game and leads the team with 11 multi-point games including seven games where he scored three or more.

Bourret was a first round draft pick of the Atlanta Thrashers in 2005, selected 16th overall. The seven-year pro spent his first four seasons of his career in the AHL, splitting time with Chicago, Hartford and San Antonio. He totaled 97 points in 170 games with his last appearance back in 2008-09. In his first professional season in 2005-06, Bourret played with the Chicago Wolves, contributing 32 points in 45 games, tallying 11 goals and 21 assists.

This is Bourret's first league award this season. Wichita has claimed two of the three monthly honors as Matt Summers won player of the month back in October.

Wichita heads to Moline, Il for the second time this season to take on the Quad City Mallards Friday before returning home to face the Tulsa Oilers. Saturday is Sonic Thunderdog’s Birthday party and the kids run the show. Thunderdog and all his wacky mascot friends will be in attendance and a special retro Thunder jersey will be worn by the team. For tickets, call 755-SEAT, visit the INTRUST Bank Arena box office or online at www.selectaseat.com.

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Wichita, KS-  The Central Hockey League announced Thursday that Wichita Thunder forward Alex Bourret has been selected as a reserve to the 2012 CHL All-Star team.

The Drummondville, PQ native has been tremendous this season for the Thunder. Bourret is currently riding a nine-game point streak and a four-game goal scoring streak. During the month of December, he has scored 22 points (9g, 13a=22) in 12 games including a four-point performance on December 18th against Texas. Bourret has scored in every game this month except one and sits in second place in scoring behind Rapid City’s Jesse Schultz with 38 points.

The seven-year pro was a first round pick of the Atlanta Thrashers in 2005, selected 16th overall and is in his first season in Wichita. Last season, Bourret played for the Ontario Reign of the ECHL where he scored 37 points (12g, 25a). Bourret spent his first four years of his pro career in the American Hockey League. He split time with Chicago, Hartford and San Antonio, totaling 97 points in 170 games.

Bourret joins teammate Andrew Martens, who was named a starter Wednesday. Both players will be making their first appearance in the CHL’s annual event. 

The 2012 CHL All-Star Game is scheduled for Wednesday, January 11, 2012 in Prescott Valley, Arizona at Tim’s Toyota Center.  The game’s format will feature the host Arizona Sundogs taking on a team of CHL All-Stars. The starters and reserves were determined by voting from CHL coaches, CHL Communication’s staff members and broadcasters along with select media members from CHL markets.

2012 CHL All-Star Starters
F- Bruce Graham, Allen
F- Jesse Schultz, Rapid City
F- Brandon Marino, Quad City
D- Andrew Martens, Wichita
D- Jeff Terminesi, Tulsa
G- Nick Boucher, Fort Wayne

2012 CHL All-Star Reserves
D- Aaron Dawson, Bloomington
D- Matt Gens, Evansville
D- Dylan King, Allen
D- Adam Rivet, Laredo
D- Riley Weselowski, Rapid City
F- Alex Bourret, Wichita
F- Andrew Courtney, Missouri
F- Aaron Lee, Rio Grande Valley
F- Brett Lutes, Dayton
F- Todd Robinson, Evansville
F- Brett Smith, Fort Wayne
G- Marco Cousineau, Allen
G- Mark Guggenberger, Texas

Wichita returns to action on Friday night when they host the Texas Brahmas and then head to Evansville the following night to face the IceMen on New Year's Eve. For tickets to Friday's game against the Brahmas, call 755-SEAT, visit the INTRUST Bank Arena box office or online at www.selectaseat.com
 
 

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Wichita, KS- An hour after being named a starter on the 2012 CHL All-Star team, the Wichita Thunder announced that defenseman Andrew Martens has been called-up to the AHL’s Oklahoma City Barons.  Martens will be in uniform tonight when the Barons host the Rochester Americans.
 
The Friendswood, TX native has been a model of consistency for Wichita this season and was the top vote getter as he appeared on 35 ballots.  Martens is tied for the lead in scoring by defensemen (8g, 14a=22) and leads the league in plus/minus (+20).  Martens has collected five points in his last five games including a two-goal performance against Quad City this past Friday.
 
The seven-year pro is in his second season in Wichita, recording 54 points in 65 games played a year ago.  Martens was named the CHL’s Most Outstanding Defenseman last season and also was named to the 2011 All-CHL Team.  He was the first Thunder player named to the All-CHL team since Travis Clayton and Paul Esdale earned that honor in 2005.
 
Martens is just eight points away from recording 30 points or more in six consecutive seasons.  Before turning pro in 2006, Martens played three years of college hockey at Bemidji State University.  Last season, Martens earned a call-up to the AHL’s Lake Erie Monsters and also saw extensive time back in 2008-09 with Manitoba and Toronto.
 
The 2012 CHL All-Star Game is scheduled for Wednesday, January 11, 2012 in Prescott Valley, Arizona at Tim’s Toyota Center.  The game’s format will feature the host Arizona Sundogs taking on a team of CHL All-Stars.  The starters were determined by voting from CHL coaches, CHL Communication’s staff members and broadcasters along with select media members from CHL markets.
 
2012 CHL All-Star Starters
F- Bruce Graham, Allen
F- Jesse Schultz, Rapid City
F- Brandon Marino, Quad City
D- Andrew Martens, Wichita
D- Jeff Terminesi, Tulsa
G- Nick Boucher, Fort Wayne
 
Wichita will have a couple of days off before returning to action on Friday night when they host the Texas Brahmas and then head to Evansville the following night to face the IceMen on New Year's Eve.  For tickets to Friday's game against the Brahmas, call 755-SEAT, visit the INTRUST Bank Arena box office or online at www.selectaseat.com.

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Wichita, KS- The Central Hockey League announced today that the Thunder’s Adam Russo has been named the Oakley CHL Goaltender of the Week for the period ending December 18, 2011. This is Russo’s second time winning the award, with the first coming the week ending November 27th.

The Montreal, PQ native was spectacular this past week, going 3-0-0 and earned his fifth professional shutout on Saturday against Rio Grande Valley. Russo stopped 72 of 76 shots (.947 save percentage) and a mere 1.33 GAA, which is almost identical to the numbers that won him the award back in November. Russo's honor gives Wichita a clean sweep in the weekly CHL award given to player and goaltender of the week.

Russo started out the week with a 5-3 win against the Fort Wayne Komets, stopping 24 of 27 shots he faced. Russo followed up that performance with a pair of wins against Rio Grande Valley on Friday and Saturday, stopping 48 of 49 shots and helped Wichita climb back into a first place tie with the Allen Americans atop the Berry Conference. In Saturday night’s 3-0 win, Russo added an assist in the third period to cap off his first shutout of the season for the Thunder.

Overall, Russo is 12-4-0 and is riding a four game winning streak. He is third in GAA (2.47), fourth in the league in minutes played (972:16) and tied for second in wins (12). Russo has collected 10 of the 12 home wins for the Thunder, which leads the league for wins on home ice. He has played a huge part in catapulting Wichita to a 17-7-0 record and a first place tie with Allen with 34 points.
 
The Thunder remain on the road for the next two games. On Friday, Wichita will travel to Moline, Il for the first time this season to face the Quad City Mallards at 7:05pm. On Christmas Day, Wichita heads to Tulsa for the second consecutive year to meet the Oilers at 7:05pm. The Thunder’s next home game is Tuesday, December 27th against rival Missouri.  For tickets to that game against the Mavericks, call 755-SEAT, visit the INTRUST Bank Arena box office or online at. For ticket information, call 755-SEAT, visit the INTRUST Bank Arena box office or online at www.selectaseat.com

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Wichita, KS - The Central Hockey League announced today that the Thunder’s Thomas Beauregard has been named the Oakley CHL Player of the Week for the period ending December 18, 2011.

The Montreal, PQ native was outstanding this past week, scoring nine points (5g, 4a) in four games including the game-winning goal against Fort Wayne this past Tuesday. On Friday, Beauregard assisted on Matt Summers goal to put Wichita up by two against Rio Grande Valley and added an empty-netter as Wichita won 4-1. The following night, Beauregard scored twice, once in the second and once in the third period as the Thunder blanked the Killer Bees 3-0. If that wasn’t enough, Beauregard notched three points on Sunday afternoon in Texas including an assist on the game-winner in overtime that hit off Aaron Davis with nine seconds remaining to give Wichita a 4-3 win.

Beauregard is currently riding a six game point streak, scoring 12 points (5g. 7a) in that span and extended his multi-point scoring streak to five games. Beauregard is tied for third in the CHL with 13 goals and tied for fifth in scoring with 29 points (13g, 16a). Playing alongside Alex Bourret, who is also riding a six game point streak, the pair has combined for 26 points during that span.

The Thunder remain on the road for the next two games. On Friday, Wichita will travel to Moline, Il for the first time this season to face the Quad City Mallards at 7:05pm. On Christmas Day, Wichita heads to Tulsa for the second consecutive year to meet the Oilers at 7:05pm. The Thunder’s next home game is Tuesday, December 27th against rival Missouri.  For tickets to that game against the Mavericks, call 755-SEAT, visit the INTRUST Bank Arena box office or online at. For ticket information, call 755-SEAT, visit the INTRUST Bank Arena box office or online at www.selectaseat.com.

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GLENDALE, AZ- The Wichita Thunder are the hottest team in the CHL owning the most points, the highest winning percentage and the most wins in the league.  The team’s hard work and outstanding play has earned them the #1 spot on the most recent CHL Coaches Poll.  The poll is released on or near the beginning and middle of each month throughout regular season.  Each first place vote receives 10 points, second place votes earn 9 points, etc.

Wichita (11-4-0) is currently on a three-game win streak and are in command of the Berry Conference with 22 points and in the latest poll earned seven of the possible fourteen first place votes (teams are unable to vote for themselves).

Three other teams received first place votes: Evansville (9-4-1), Allen (9-3-3), and Fort Wayne (9-5-0). Evansville came up a little shy in the poll totals, receiving 2 first place votes but falling short of Wichita by six points.  Those two teams will go head-to-head on Friday night (Dec. 2) in Wichita.  Allen received four first place votes and were a mere three points away from second place and Fort Wayne (winners of four straight games) earned the final first place vote.

The Komets had the biggest jump in the recent poll moving up from #7 to #4 and the biggest drop belonged to both Missouri and Rapid City, each falling two places to #5 and #7 respectively.

The Dayton Gems broke into the top 10 for the first time this season earning the #9 spot thanks in large part to their 5-1-1 mark in their last seven games.  Falling out of the poll are the Quad City Mallards.

Wichita, KS- The Central Hockey League announced today that Wichita's Adam Russo has been named the Oakley CHL Goaltender of the Week for the period ending November 27, 2011.
 
The Montreal, PQ native was tremendous this past week, going 3-0-0 and helped put Wichita back at the top of the Berry Conference standings.  Russo stopped 72 of 77 shots in the three games, good for a 1.66 GAA and is now tied for the league-lead with eight wins.  Russo stopped 25 of 26 against rival Missouri this past Wednesday, stopping a three-game losing streak.  On Friday night, Russo earned number one star honors for his performance against Tulsa, stopping 27 of 29 shots and clamped down in the third period to stop Wichita’s three-game slide against the Oilers. The two teams returned to Wichita the following night and Russo had a shutout bid going until midway through the third period before earning the victory, 4-2 against Tulsa.

Overall, Russo is 8-2-0 in 10 games and has played in 66% of Wichita’s games this season.  He is eighth in the league with a 2.64 goals against average and is 11th in the league with an .897 save percentage.

The top two teams in their respective conferences will meet this coming Friday at INTRUST Bank Arena as Wichita will host the Evansville IceMen.  Clifford the Big Red Dog will be in attendance that evening.  The Thunder will have a rare Saturday off before hosting Tulsa on Sunday at 5:05 p.m.  After Sunday, the Thunder and the Oilers will not meet until Christmas Day in Tulsa.  For ticket information, call 755-SEAT, visit the INTRUST Bank Arena box office or go online at www.selectaseat.com.

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GLENDALE, AZ– The Evansville IceMen are the hottest team in the CHL having the only record without a regulation loss and today they were voted the #1 team on the 2011-12 season’s first CHL Coaches Poll.  The poll will be released on or near the beginning and middle of each month throughout the regular season.  Each first place vote receives 10 points, second place votes earn 9 points, etc.

Evansville (6-0-1) is currently on a five-game win streak and has gained a point in every single game played this season and have the league’s best winning percentage (.929).  The IceMen are currently tied for second place in the Turner Conference and in the poll received six of the possible fourteen first place votes (teams are unable to vote for themselves).

Three other teams received first place votes: Wichita (8-2-0), Missouri (7-2-1) and Allen (6-2-2).  Wichita fell just one point shy of Evansville’s total and received the second most first place votes with four.  Missouri received three first place votes and Allen appeared as the top team on one ballot (the Americans have won five straight games).

For the complete results of the CHL Coaches Poll - CLICK HERE.

Wichita, KS- The Central Hockey League today named Thunder forward Matt Summers the Sher-Wood CHL Player of the Month for October.

A sixth-year pro out of Savage, Minnesota, Summers leads the Thunder and ranks third in the CHL with seven points.  Summers has scored in all four Thunder games this season, including two multi-point contests.

Summers notched an assist on opening night, then kick-started Wichita’s rally from a 3-0 deficit on October 22 versus Allen with a third period goal.  Summers poured it on this past weekend, scoring two third period goals and adding an assist in another Thunder comeback win.  The following night he chipped in a pair of assists to help Wichita to their perfect 4-0-0 record.

The undefeated Thunder will battle the unbeaten Missouri Mavericks on Friday at 7:05 p.m. at INTRUST Bank Arena.  Tickets are still available at the INTRUST Bank Arena Box Office, www.selectaseat.com or by calling (316) 755-SEAT.  Season tickets are still available and can be ordered by calling the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.  For more information visit us online at www.wichitathunder.com.

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WICHITA RACES PAST TULSA- After giving up the first two goals Friday night in Tulsa, Wichita came from behind with six unanswered, five of which were in the third period to win 6-2. Matt Summers netted two, Thomas Beauregard has two assists and Ryan McDonald stopped 14 of 16 for his first win in his first start of the season.

Shootouts the Charm- For the third straight game at home, Wichita won via the shootout Saturday night. Hosting the Allen Americans for the second straight Saturday, Wichita’s Aaron Davis scored in the seventh round of the shootout to give the Thunder a 3-2 win, improving its record to 4-0-0.

Home Cooking- The Thunder improved its home record to 3-0-0 over the weekend, which was last done in the 2006-07 campaign. Wichita started out 7-0-0 at home in 2005-06. Coach McClelland’s squad plays three of the next four on home ice before a three game road swing towards the middle of November.

Stopgates- Thunder netminders Adam Russo and Ryan MacDonald each earned a win this past weekend and are both in the top ten in goalie statistics in the Central Hockey League. MacDonald stopped 14 of 16 Friday night while Russo made 27 of 29 saves on Saturday including five of seven in the shootout. Russo is the first Thunder netminder since Sebastien Laplante to start out 3-0-0, back in 2004-05 when he started out 6-0-0.

Cardiac Kids- For the first time since 1995-96, Wichita has won the first three shootouts of the season. During that season, Wichita won its first five shootouts. All three wins on home ice this year have come via the shootout. Back during the 2000-01 campaign, the Thunder lost the first three shootouts, all in October.

Scoring- Wichita has a few players near the top of the scoring leaders in several categories. Matt Summers (3g, 4a) is in a log jam tied in second for goals while Daniel Tetrault (1g,4a) is tied for second in scoring by defensemen. Brett Hemingway is also not too far behind the leaders as he has five points (2g,3a), which ties him with a number of others in fifth place in scoring.

Special Teams- Wichita is 4-for-21 with the man advantage through four games, putting them in ninth place with a success rate of 19.1%. The Thunder is tied for third in the league for number of attempts with the power play and goals scored with the man advantage (4). The penalty kill unit has allowed four goals on 18 chances for an 77.8% kill rate, which ranks 10th in the CHL. Wichita has scored two shorthanded goals, tied for first in the league and one of just four teams to score a man down.

Battle of the Unbeaten - Wichita hosts the Missouri Mavericks for the first time this season on Friday, November 4th. The two teams played an exciting best-of five-game series in the first round of last year’s playoffs before the Mavericks beat Wichita three games to two. Both teams are the only remaining undefeated teams in the CHL, with Missouri sitting at 5-0-0 and Wichita at 4-0-0. The two teams then travel to Independence, MO the next night as the Thunder hit the road for just the second time this season. Missouri has been on the road for the first five games and will open their home schedule against Wichita this Saturday.  Wichita is 7-12-2 overall vs. Missouri in two seasons. In 2009-10, The Thunder went 0-8-2 overall, 0-5 on home ice and 0-3-2 on the road. That number was improved upon, however, as Wichita went 7-4-0 overall, 4-1-0 at home and 3-3-0 in Missouri.

Upcoming home games- After this weekend, Wichita will host two home games before hitting the road for three straight. Rapid City comes to town Wednesday, November 9th while Quad City will fly in for the first time this season on Friday, November 11th. Both games begin at 7:05pm.

Wichita takes the ice this coming Friday at 7:05pm against the Missouri Mavericks. For ticket information, call 755-SEAT, visit the INTRUST Bank Arena box office or online at www.selectaseat.com

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Wichita, KS- The Central Hockey League today announced Wichita Thunder forward Brett Hemingway as the first Oakley CHL Player of the Week award winner.

Hemingway was instrumental in both Thunder shootout victories this weekend.  On Friday, Hemingway scored the first Thunder goal of the season and then capped the night with the game-winning shootout goal in the sixth round of a 3-2 victory over the Rapid City Rush.

Hemingway had another huge night on Saturday, helping fuel the Thunder comeback.  Trailing 3-0 in the third period, the Thunder scored three goals in just over four minutes, with Hemingway assisting on the final two goals (one of which was a goal by his brother Colin).  With the Thunder needing a goal to keep the game alive, Hemingway scored a sixth round shootout goal to prolong the affair.  The Thunder eventually defeated the Allen Americans 4-3 in the ninth round of the shootout.

The 2-0-0, first place Thunder will travel to Tulsa on Friday night for a 7:35 p.m. face-off with the Oilers.  Wichita returns home on Saturday to host Allen once again.  Tickets can be purchased at the INTRUST Bank Arena box office, by calling 755-SEAT or online at www.selectaseat.com.  For more information or to purchase season tickets visit the Thunder website at www.wichitathunder.com. 

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Overview-  It is going to be another exciting season in Wichita as they embark on their 20th anniversary year as a franchise.  Last season Wichita rebounded from some disapointments in previous seasons and made the post-season for the first time since 2007.  

The franchise was recognized by the league as one of four finalists for the prestigious CHL Franchise of the Year Award, won by the Missouri Mavericks.  The Thunder went from nine wins in 2009-10 to 34 victories last season, re-emerging in the playoffs and finishing third in the CHL in attendance.

In the 2010-11 season, the Thunder finished 5th in the Turner Conference with a record of 34-24-6 (74 points) and were one of the highest scoring teams in the league. They went on to play the Missouri Mavericks in the opening round and lost a hard fought battle, 3 games to 2 games (best-of-5 series).

This offseason saw second year head coach Kevin McClelland be very aggressive signing many top end players, while keeping a good chunk of last year’s core.

Key Returns
Maybe no bigger of a return for the Thunder than Matt Robinson who was such an offensive presence last year for the Thunder playing a total of 65 games, 57 of them being with Wichita, and scoring a total of 72 points (40g, 32a). At the end of the season he led his team in goals and was tied for second in points.

Another great returnee for Wichita is forward Aaron Davis who played all 66 games last season and tied for second in points with 72 (26g, 46a). He led his team in assists and is a deadly duo when matched up with Robinson and is one of the keys to Wichita’s successful power play.

Lastly, Andrew Martens, last year’s CHL’s Most Outstanding Defenseman, can be expected to return as and be a big presence on the ice he was a key D-man for the Thunder last year.  He played in 65 games and led the blue liners with 54 points (15g, 39a).

Bidding Farewell
Wichita’s squad lost some offense during the offseason when they traded their leading scorer, Jesse Bennefield, to the Fort Wayne Komets.  Bennefield finished with 75 points (35g, 40a).  He also had the team’s best plus/minus with a solid +18.  The high-scoring forward was dealt to the Komets in exchange for solid defenseman Craig Cescon making this one of those deals that could very well make both team’s better. 

New Arrivals
A big pickup for the Thunder was goaltender Adam Russo, acquired in a trade from Quad City.  Last year, Russo went 15-13-0 with the Mallards, including one shutout, a 2.88 G.A.A. and a .919 SV%.  He had even more impressive numbers two seasons ago, going 23-14-3 with a 2.81 goals against average, playing for the IHL’s Port Huron Icehawks, where he was a teammate of Thunder team captain Daniel Tetrault.

Perhaps Wichita’s biggest off-season acquisition though is forward Thomas Beauregard who has spent his entire North American pro career in the ECHL and the AHL.  Following a 71-goal, 124-point season with the QMJHL’s Acadie-Bathurst Titan, Beauregard turned pro in 2007 with the ECHL’s Cincinnati Cyclones and promptly tallied 31 goals and 65 points in his rookie season.

Side Note
The Thunder had an adventurous time of the ice this past summer including an ownership change.  After 19 years with Chicago-based Horn Chen at the mantle, the Thunder was purchased by three brothers of one of Wichita’s most well-known entrepreneurial families.  The company, formally known as Stevens Brothers Sports Management consists of Brandon, Johnny and Rodney Stevens.

“We’re now playing at one of the nicest arenas, with Kevin McClelland who is a first class coach,” said Rodney Steven II. “My brothers and I are ready to put all of our business experience to work, to give this team all the tools it needs to be the best they can be and to keep this team here in Wichita.”

Wichita, KS- American Hockey League (AHL) training camp gets underway today with five Thunder players in attendance: forwards Matt Robinson, Thomas Beauregard, Matt Summers, Erick Lizon and goaltender Adam Russo.

Robinson, who led the Thunder with 39 goals last season, is headed to Oklahoma City Barons camp, along with newcomers Beauregard and Summers.  In 197 career games, Beauregard has amassed 105 goals and 197 points, while Summers compiled career highs for goals (28) and points (52) last season with the CHL’s Mississippi RiverKings.

Lizon will be attending camp with the St. John's IceCaps while Russo is headed to AHL camp with the Rockford IceHogs.  Russo went 15-13-0 with the CHL’s Quad City Mallards last season, including one shutout, a 2.88 goals against average and a .919 save percentage.

The Wichita Thunder will open their 20th CHL season on Friday, October 21 versus the Rapid City Rush and tickets are on sale now at the INTRUST Bank Arena Box Office, www.selectaseat.com or by calling (316) 755-SEAT.  Tickets for Wichita’s exhibition games on October 14 and 15 versus the Tulsa Oilers are on sale now and can be purchased at the Thunder office, located at 505 W. Maple in the Wichita Ice Center.  For more information or to order season tickets, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL or visit us online at www.wichitathunder.com.

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WICHITA, KS- Tickets for the Wichita Thunder regular season went on sale today, Wednesday, Sept. 14.  As per Wednesday, 1300 season tickets had already been sold. The INTRUST Bank Arena holds over 13,000 seats.

The phones in the Thunder office have been ringing off the hook all morning as avid Thunder fans call to reserve their seats for games on the opening weekend, October 21 and 22. Brandon Steven, who recently purchased the team with his brothers Rodney and Johnny, expects several of the games to sell out this season.

“We have many surprises in store for Wichita where the Thunder is concerned,” he said. “We’re excited to partner with this amazing team, and are excited to see where it can go.”

The Wichita Thunder was ranked third in the league for average attendance last season, out of 18 teams in the Central Hockey League.

Tickets start at $10. For more information or to order season tickets, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL, call (316) 755-SEAT for game tickets, or visit us online at www.wichitathunder.com.

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Wichita, KS- The Wichita Thunder today released their schedule for the 2011-12 Central Hockey League (CHL) season.

The Thunder, under new local ownership and coming off an impressive 34-win season, will begin their run toward the CHL Playoffs with a pair of home games on opening weekend.  Wichita will host the Rapid City Rush on Friday, October 21 and the Allen Americans on Saturday, October 22.

With Wichita’s move to the Berry (South) Conference, the Thunder will see more games versus their new division opponents: Allen, the Texas Brahmas, Laredo Bucks, Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees and Arizona Sundogs.  A familiar foe, The Tulsa Oilers, will also play in the Berry Conference and will face the Thunder 11 times.  Wichita and Tulsa are both entering their 20th CHL season and are the sixth oldest franchises in all of minor league hockey.

Though the Thunder are no longer in the same conference as their newest rival the Missouri Mavericks, the two teams will meet nine times this season.  The first rematch of their 2011 CHL playoffs match-up will take place the first weekend of November with a home-and-home-series that brings the Mavericks to Wichita on Friday, November 4.

The Thunder home schedule will feature 20 weekend games, including 11 Saturdays.  The Thunder will also host six Sunday games, as well as home games on the night before Thanksgiving, the Tuesday after Christmas, Valentine’s Day and St. Patrick’s Day.

New Thunder franchise owner Rodney Steven II said, “We are looking forward to beginning the season and will bring some fresh new excitement to the home game atmosphere at INTRUST Bank Arena.  We hope to see everyone there!”

The Thunder will have the opportunity to get off to a fast start, playing 11 of their first 17 games at INTRUST Bank Arena.  The Thunder will also host four games over the final two weekend of the season in March.  Of the 66 total games, Wichita will face all but two teams at least once with the exception being the Bloomington Blaze and the Dayton Gems.

The CHL playoffs this season will feature eight teams and three rounds, all of which will be a best-of-seven format.

Individual tickets for all home games will go on sale in September.  For season ticket information call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL or visit us online at www.wichitathunder.com.

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Courtesy of www.theahl.com: The Chicago Blackhawks have named Ted Dent as head coach of the organization’s top affiliate, the American Hockey League’s Rockford IceHogs.

NOTE: Dent scored 69 points (35-44=69) in 60 games for the Wichita Thunder during the 1992-93 season

Dent replaces Bill Peters, who was recently named an assistant coach with the Detroit Red Wings.

"We are proud to promote Ted to the head coaching position in Rockford, an extremely important role in our hockey operations department," Blackhawks Vice President/General Manager Stan Bowman said. "During his time with our organization, Ted has proven himself as a great leader and has developed a solid track record in helping players rise to the National Hockey League level. Our hockey operations department is full of talented individuals and we take pride when we are able to promote someone from within, like Ted."

“I am very honored and fortunate for the opportunity to coach the Rockford IceHogs,” said Dent. “I would like to thank Mr. John McDonough, Mr. Stan Bowman and the rest of the Chicago Blackhawks management team for believing in me. I am excited to continue the development and growth of the young prospects we have in Rockford and at the same time create a positive winning environment.”

A 41-year-old native of Toronto, Dent is entering his sixth season in the Blackhawks organization and his fifth with Rockford. He spent the previous five seasons as an assistant coach under Bill Peters and Mike Haviland with the IceHogs (2007-11) and Chicago’s previous AHL affiliate, the Norfolk Admirals (2006-07). His teams have compiled a regular-season record of 216-145-17-22 and qualified for the Calder Cup playoffs in four of the five campaigns. Dent has been instrumental in the development of 31 players that have been promoted to the Blackhawks from Rockford over the last four years.

Following a collegiate career at St. Lawrence University, Dent played professional hockey for parts of four seasons before serving as the video coordinator for the Washington Capitals from 1999-2004, working with current NHL head coaches Randy Carlyle and Ron Wilson. He began his career behind the bench as an assistant coach with the ECHL’s Kelly Cup champion Trenton Titans (2004-05) and served as the head coach of the ECHL’s Columbia Inferno (2005-06) before joining the Blackhawks organization.

TEMPE, AZ– In preparation for the Central Hockey League’s (CHL) historic 20th Anniversary Season, the league announced several operational issues that were determined by the CHL Board of Governors during meetings at the league’s annual Summer Conference that took place at the Talking Stick Resort in Scottsdale, Arizona on June 10 and 11. 

The CHL announced that 14 teams will be participating during the 2011-12 season with two seven-team conferences.  The Turner Conference will consist of the Dayton Gems, Evansville IceMen, Fort Wayne Komets, Missouri Mavericks, Quad City Mallards, Rapid City Rush and the new Bloomington club that has yet to determine their team name.  The Berry Conference will be made-up by the Allen Americans, Arizona Sundogs, Laredo Bucks, Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees, Texas Brahmas, Tulsa Oilers and the Wichita Thunder.  The Thunder are the lone CHL team that played during the 2010-11 season that will be shifting conferences, moving from the Turner to the Berry for the upcoming season.

Turner Conference
Bloomington (team name TBD)
Dayton Gems
Evansville IceMen
Fort Wayne Komets
Missouri Mavericks
Quad City Mallards
Rapid City Rush

Berry Conference
Allen Americans
Arizona Sundogs
Laredo Bucks
Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees
Texas Brahmas
Tulsa Oilers
Wichita Thunder

Teams that participated last season that are not on the CHL’s roster of teams are the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs, Colorado Eagles, Mississippi RiverKings and the Odessa Jackalopes. 

“We were notified just prior to our meetings on Friday that the Mudbugs would not be able to defend their title,” said Duane Lewis, CHL Commissioner.  “We thank Tommy and Leslie Scott for their efforts, dedications and leadership over the past two seasons and as the CHL family will miss them deeply.  We do understand the numerous issues and challenges they faced to make the Mudbugs a financially viable franchise and do respect and understand their decision to cease operations. 

“We would also like to express our sincere appreciate the RiverKings contributions to the CHL as one of the League’s original members,” Lewis continued.  “We thank the RiverKings, Maddox Hockey and the Maddox Foundation for their commitment and tenure in the CHL.”

Players from the Mudbugs and RiverKings will join the players from the Colorado Eagles (announced in late May that they would not be participating in the CHL) as unrestricted free agents within the league.  Additionally, the players from the Odessa Jackalopes are also free agents as the team failed to submit their summer player protection list by the June 10 deadline.

The league’s playing schedule for the 2011-12 season will be announced later this summer but it was determined that for the second straight season, that each team will play 66 games during the regular season. 

--www.centralhockeyleague.com--