Scorpions win 6th straight game

HIDALGO, Texas - The New Mexico Scorpions won their season-high sixth  straight game and third in the row on the road on Saturday, defeating Rio Grande Valley 4-2 in a Central Hockey League game.

With the victory over the Killer Bees, New Mexico kept pace with Odessa in the division race, which regained first pace outright with a 5-3 win at Amarillo. The Jackalopes have 45 points, one more than the Sundogs, who were pounded 6-2 at Austin.

New Mexico is third in the division and fourth overall in the conference with 40 points, a margin of eight points over fifth-place Corpus Christi. The Scorpions are solidly in the playoff picture since they are 14 points ahead of sixth-place Amarillo and 16 in front of the seventh-place Rio Grande Valley.

The top five teams make the playoffs, with the No. 5 seed playing the No. 4 seed in the opening round to set up conference semifinal, conference final and championship rounds for the Ray Miron Cup.

Scorpions’ goalie Mike Minard earned top star honors with 45 saves, including 17 in the first period to keep the game scoreless.

Rio Grande Valley took the lead 2:36 into the second period when Rob Voltera pushed a rebound over the pads of Minard, but the Scorpions countered three minutes later. Kevin Harvey stole the puck at center ice and carried it into the offensive zone then dropped a pass to Ross McCain, whose slap shot tied the game.

New Mexico took the lead less than two minutes later. A Konrad Reeder shot was blocked, but landed on the stick of Mitch Stephens, who scored with 12:11 remaining in the period.

Less than a minute later the Killer Bees came back with another rebound goal, this one by Robin Big Snake.

New Mexico took the lead for good with 7:52 on the clock as Chris Robertson’s wrist shot deflected off goalie David Lemanowicz’s glove and into the net.

The game remained 3-2 until the closing 30 second, when Dominc Osman scored an empty net goal after Lemanowicz was pulled for an extra skater.

The Scorpions continued to struggle on the power play, going 0-for-5 on Saturday and 1-for-18 on the three-game Texas trip, including 0-for-8 at Austin on Friday and 1-for-5 on Corpus Christi. The good news: New Mexico’s penalty killing unit also was almost as strong on the trip, holding off their opponents to 2-for-17 (5-for-5 against the Killer Bees, 1-for-7 vs. Austin and 1-for-5 at Corpus Christi.

New Mexico will get a direct chance to gain on the leaders on Friday, when it plays host to Odessa. Special Scorpion jerseys from that night’s game will be auctioned to benefit the American Cancer Society. 

The Special Olympics will be recognized the next nigh when the Scorpions play host to Wichita. The first 1,500 children inside the Santa Ana Star Center will receive a Junior Jersey courtesy of Peoples Mortgage.

Prior to the game, the New Mexico Ice Holes will play the Media at 4 p.m. to benefit New Mexico Special Olympics. Fans holding a ticket for the Scorpions game get in free to the Ice Holes charity game.

Both games will be part of an “All You Can Eat Weekend Special” where a corner seat ticket plus all the hot dogs, sodas, nachos and popcorn you can consume costs only $20.

For ticket information, call 881-PUCK or visit www.ScorpionsHockey.com. Complete CHL statistics and standings are available at www.CentralHockeyLeague.com.