Lone Star Brahmas – Odessa Jackalopes Preview For Dec 26
By Kirk Estes
In their final series of 2014, the Lone Star Brahmas will head to Odessa for a two game series against the Jackalopes. In four previous meetings this year, all on home ice, the Brahmas have a 4 – 0 record against Odessa and have outscored the Jackalopes 22 – 9. The four games have resulted in a combined 536 penalty minutes.
Two weeks ago the fireworks erupted at the NYTEX Sports Centre with a total of 10 fighting majors handed out over the two game set in addition to two spearing majors and one butt ending major whistled on Odessa. In the series the Brahmas offense was led by Ludvig Larsson with 3G – 2A and Sebastian Vidmar with 1G – 4A while Oskar Andren and Alexey Solovyev pitched in four points apiece.
This past weekend the Brahmas went into Amarillo with a dinged up roster and managed just a single point for their efforts. Vidmar, Solovyev and Bud Madej were unavailable for the entire series which was a big hit to both ends of the ice. Those three players have accounted for 28G – 35A and a +36 this season. The roster suffered another blow on Friday night when Caleb Thompson blocked a shot with the inside of his knee resulting in him missing much of the third period and being unavailable on Saturday. Friday night AJ Vanderbeck staked the Brahmas to a one goal lead in the first and they held that lead until 1:26 left in the contest. That is when Amarillo was awarded a goal despite the net being well off it’s’ moorings to tie the game. The Bulls went on to win in overtime. On Saturday, Lone Star lost another tight game. Twice they came from behind to knot the score on goals by Hunter Stanley and Larsson, but once again Amarillo was able to come up with the game winner.
Odessa is coming off a home split against the visiting Rio Grande Killer Bees. In game one Corey Hoffman and Chad Guderian had the Jackalopes going into the first intermission with a one goal lead. Rio Grande came back with a goal in the second and the game winner at 17:59 of the third. New comer Tanner Creel took the loss in his first NAHL game of the season despite 24 saves. In game two Hoffman scored in the first followed by three second period goals from Hampus Sjodahl, Derek Brown and Christian Hausinger. Creel was once again in net and made 11 save in the third to make the one goal lead stand up.
| Last 5 Games | W |
L
OTL
Pts
Brahmas
3
1
1
7
Jackalopes
1
4
0
2
Special Teams
Lone Star holds a distinct advantage when it comes to special teams play, their power play is currently ranked 3rd in the league compared to the Jackalopes who come in at 12th. The Brahmas have also drawn 30 more power play opportunities than Odessa in three fewer games played. On the penalty kill the numbers are even more in the Brahmas’ favor. Their penalty kill is 4th in the NAHL while Odessa is 23rd. Lone Star has been slightly better at staying out of the box being on the penalty kill 21 times fewer than Odessa.
On the road the Brahmas’ power play is at 22.4% with 11 goals in 49 opportunities which has them ranked 4th in the league. Odessa will counter with a home penalty kill ranked next to last at 71.7% allowing 13 goals on 46 penalty kills.
Lone Star’s road penalty killing has not been as successful as their home unit. On the road they are ranked 14th allowing 8 goals on 43 kills or 81.4%%. They will be facing a Jackalopes home power play which is ranked 8th in the league scoring 7 times in 35 opportunities or an even 20.0%
Goaltending Comparison Last 5 Games
W |
L
OTL
SO
GA
GAA
SV
SV%
Brahmas
3
1
1
1
9
1.80
93
.912
Jackalopes
1
4
0
0
21
4.20
149
.876
Who is Hot (Last 5 Games)
| Brahmas | G | A | Pts |
| Ludvig Larsson | 4 | 3 | 7 |
| Sebastian Vidmar | 1 | 6 | 7 |
| AJ Vanderbeck | 4 | 2 | 6 |
| Alexey Solovyev | 1 | 5 | 6 |
| Oskar Andren | 3 | 2 | 5 |
| Jackalopes | G | A | Pts |
| Corey Hoffman | 3 | 4 | 7 |
| Alex Alger | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| Kenny Hausinger | 0 | 4 | 4 |
| Hampus Sjodahl | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| Two Tied at | 0 | 3 | 3 |
Inside the Game
Despite their two losses in Amarillo, Lone Star is still ranked 1st in the NAHL in Goals Against Average at 2.04, 6th in Save Percentage at .913 and 4th in Goals Scored Per Game at 3.46. Odessa is 24th in both Goals Against Average and Save Percentage at 4.42 and .866. They are 13th in Goals Scored Per Game with 2.81.
The Brahmas are the only team that have not gone to a shootout so far this season and have only gone to overtime on three occasions.
Roman Uchyn is tied with Jake Hamilton for 3rd in the league with 103 penalty minutes. Hamilton also leads the league with 5 major penalties in 22 games played. Odessa is tops in the NAHL in penalty minutes with 825, majors with 21 and game misconducts with 12.
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Sebastian Vidmar 18G – 20A is tied for 2nd in the league in scoring while Kenny Hausinger 13G – 22A is tied for 5th. Vidmar’s 18 goals and 6 game winning goals leads the league.
Ludvig Larsson is tied for 2nd in the NAHL with 12 power play assists and has a total of 17 power play points.
Jake Kupsky is 3rd in the league with a 1.95 GAA and TJ Black is 5th with a 2.06 GAA. Odessa’s Robin Johansson is 2nd with 584 saves and 2nd in losses with 10.
Odessa’s Corey Hoffman is on a three game goal streak which is tied for the 2nd longest current streak. Sebastian Vidmar is on a four game assist streak and Alexey Solovyev has a six game point streak which are both the longest current streaks in the league.
On December 13 when these teams last met, Ludvig Larsson had 5 points and 10 shots on goal which are both tied for the player game highs in the league. In that same game, Odessa set the current mark for team game high in major penalties with 5.
Odessa is 6 – 18 – 4 against NAHL South Division opponents while Lone Star is 17 – 5 – 2.
The Brahmas have a 13 / 2 / 26 goal differential per period. Odessa on the other hand has a -23 / -6 / -18 differential. Only 3 teams in the league have scored more third period goals than the Brahmas. Of those teams Janesville has played 4 more games than the Brahmas and Soo has played 7 more games. Odessa has allowed 49 third period goals and 137 goals overall which both lead the league.
The Brahmas allow the fewest shot on goal per game at 23.46. Odessa on the other hand is 19th in the league allowing 33.10.
Three seems to be the magic number for the Brahmas. They are 18 – 0 – 0 when scoring three or more goals this season and 1 – 6 – 3 when scoring 2 or fewer. Odessa is 3 – 6 – 2 when scoring three or more goals.
The Jackalopes have made a few roster moves since they played the Brahmas on December 13. Forward Tyler Nabozny who had no points and 43 penalty minutes in four games against Lone Star was transferred to North Iowa of the NA3HL. Goalie Forbes Ploszaj was released. Ploszaj had appeared in three games against the Brahmas and had a 0 – 2 – 0 record with a 5.28GAA and an .831SV% in those three games. To take Ploszaj’s spot on the roster the Jackalopes added Goalie Tanner Creel from the Tier III, PAL Islanders of the USPHL. In 29 games this season Creel was 5 – 9 – 0 with a 3.60GAA and a .921SV%.