Storm Prepare For The Command

This is from the latest episode of Storm Insider

Mavericks Fall to Komets, 4-1, Force Decisive Game 7

The Missouri Mavericks fell to the Fort Wayne Komets, 4-1, Tuesday night in Game 6 of the Turner Conference Finals. Fort Wayne forced a game seven with the win and the team’s will play on Thursday night in Fort Wayne for a chance to go to the President’s Cup Finals and face the Wichita Thunder.  Komets’ forward Mike Vaskivuo had a three-point game on a goal and two assists, and four different Komets scored goals. Mavericks’ goaltender Charlie Effinger stopped 43 of 47 shots in his third loss of the post-season.

Jamie Milam gave the Komets a 1-0 lead at the 12:28 mark of the first period on assists from Vaskivuo and Chris Auger. The goal proved to be the only one of the period and Fort Wayne outshot the Mavericks 18-8.

Fort Wayne scored a pair of early goals in the second period to extend their lead to 3-0.  First, Vaskivuo scored on a goal that just trickled over the goal line at the 2:03 mark. Colin Chaulk made it 3-0 when he found a loose puck and buried his shot over Effinger who was already down on the ice after making the initial save. Jamie Lovell assisted and Vaskivuo earned his third point of the game with the second assist. After two periods, Mavericks’ goaltender Effinger had 33 saves on 36 shots and Komets’ netminder Nick Boucher had stopped all 17 of Missouri’s shots.

Fort Wayne extended their lead to 4-0 at the 7:27 mark of the third period when Bobby Chaumont took a pass from Brett Smith and one-timed it into the Mavericks’ net. Missouri scored their only goal of the night at the 13:51 mark on a power play goal by Dale Mahovsky. Earning the assists on the play were Matt McCready and Ed McGrane.

Fort Wayne outshot the Mavericks 47-32.  Missouri finished 1-for-4 on the power play while the Komets were 0-for-2.

The Mavericks and Komets will battle in Game 7 on Thursday night at Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne. The winner of Thursday’s game will take on the Wichita Thunder in the Presidents’ Cup Finals.  Tune in live on MissouriMavericks.com or watch live on CHL-TV.

Command Improve Play, Still Fall To San Jose

The Kansas City Command defense held San Jose to a season-low point total but came up short in the fourth quarter, falling to the SaberCats 49-35.  The loss is the Command’s fifth straight to start the 2012 season while San Jose improved to 4-2.  Defensive back Sergio Gilliam picked off two San Jose passes, returning one for a 51-yard touchdown at the beginning of the third quarter, and earned Riddell Defensive Player and AFL Playmaker of the Game honors.
The Command were down 42-35 after Huey Whitaker scored on a 2-yard touchdown run for San Jose.  KC got two chances to tie the game but threw an interception and lost a fumble on back-to-back possessions.  That allowed San Jose to open up a two-score lead with 7:46 remaining for the first time in the game, a 49-35 edge that would ultimately be the final.
The Command’s final drive lasted 11 plays and 6:33 but ended on fourth-and-goal at the 4-yard-line with an incomplete pass intended for Bradly Chavez.
Kansas City got the ball to start the game and after a good kick return by Rashad Barksdale set the offense up near midfield, quarterback Matt Gutierrez needed just one play to find receiver Bret Smith for a 26-yard score.  It was the first of three times they would connect for a touchdown on the night as Smith earned Russell Athletic Offensive Player of the Game honors.  Kicker James Wilhoit, making his Command debut, missed the extra point for a 6-0 lead.
SaberCats quarterback Mark Grieb, named earlier this week the third-best AFL QB of all time by the Silver Anniversary Committee, found Samora Goodson for an answering 18-yard score and a 7-6 San Jose lead.
The teams traded touchdowns before San Jose’s defense got the first stop of the game, forcing the Command to settle for a 20-yard Wilhoit field goal and a 16-14 lead.  However, the KC defense also came up with a stop as Tommy Chavis recovered a Goodson fumble after a completion.
The Command offense netted just one yard in eight plays and a 38-yard field goal attempt was blocked.  San Jose needed just one play to retake the lead 21-16 as Grieb found Mark Lewis for a 17-yard score.
Bradly Chavez caught a six-yard touchdown pass to put the Command back in front, but the SaberCats scored last in the half to take a 28-22 lead at the break.
San Jose had the ball first to start the second half and appeared poised to go up by two scores when Gilliam picked off a Grieb pass intended for Goodson and returned it 51-yards for a touchdown and a 29-28 Command lead.
Gilliam got his second pick on the next San Jose drive and for the second time KC had a chance to extend a lead but a Gutierrez interception ended the opportunity.  The teams traded scores with Ben Nelson snagging a 36-yard touchdown for San Jose and Bret Smith getting his third TD reception of the night for the Command, tying the game at 35.
“San Jose won the game, they did what they needed to do,” coach Danton Barto said afterwards.  “I think we got maybe five stops, and our offense is struggling, but sometimes that’s what happens with a rookie quarterback. I thought our defense played real well tonight, and have been very good this season in four out of the five games. We will go and watch film and get ready for Tampa.”
Gutierrez finished the night 23 of 44 for 247 yards with four touchdowns and two interceptions.  Smith finished with seven catches for 110 yards, his best night of the season so far.
“It felt good and hopefully we can continue to build on it for next week and come out and get a win,” Smith said of his performance.  “I think I played well, but I could have been better. I was out there playing for my team, so I wish I could have done a little bit better and we could have gotten the win.”
Grieb threw just one incompletion in the first half and, despite the two second-half picks, had a strong night.  He completed 24 of 29 passes for 315 yards and six TDs.  Five different receivers caught touchdowns for San Jose, led by Goodson’s two on six grabs.
The Command will next play Monday, April 30 at Tampa Bay at 7pm.  The game will air live on NFL Network in the Command’s only scheduled national TV appearance in 2012.  Sports Radio 810 WHB will also air the game live.  The Storm are 3-3 after falling Friday night to Philadelphia.  Their starting quarterback is Stephen Wasil who spent the 2011
The Command’s next home game will be Saturday, May 5 at 7pm against the San Antonio Talons at Sprint Center.

Mavericks Defeat Fort Wayne 5-2, Take 3-2 Series Lead

The Missouri Mavericks took a 3-2 series lead in the best-of-seven Turner Conference Finals with a 5-2 victory over the Fort Wayne Komets Saturday night at Independence Events Center. Sebastien Thinel and Ed McGrane notched two points each with a goal and an assist in the win and Charlie Effinger made 24 saves on 26 shots by the Komets. The series now shifts back to Fort Wayne for Game Six of the series on Tuesday evening. If necessary, Game Seven will be on Thursday. Faceoff for Tuesday’s game will be 6:30pm Central Daylight Time.
The Mavs jumped out to an early 1-0 lead 39 seconds into regulation on a goal from John-Scott Dickson. Dale Mahovsky assisted on the goal. The Komets responded halfway through the period on Jean-Michel Rizk’s fifth goal of the series, scored unassisted. The Mavs regained a lead with a shorthanded goal of their own two minutes later, when Sebastien Thinel and Ed McGrane broke in on goal on a two-on-one. Thinel flipped the pass over the defender to McGrane who put it home to give the Mavs the 2-1 lead. Missouri doubled their lead just less than two minutes to play, as Brandon Smith collected a loose puck in the crease and put it in the back of the net. Ryan Jardine and Kris Hogg were given assists on the net. The first period ended with the Mavs leading the Komets 3-1 and owning a 16-6 advantage in the shot column.
The Komets drew closer eight minutes into the second period on a power play goal from Frankie DeAngelis. The Mavs regained their two-goal lead three and a half minutes later on an unassisted goal from Sebastien Thinel. No other scoring occurred in the period and the Mavericks took a 4-2 lead into the final 20 minutes of regulation.
Missouri sealed their Game Five victory with five minutes remaining in regulation, as Kris Hogg buried a pass from Andrew Courtney in front of the goal. McGrane received his second point of the game with an assist on the goal. The 5-2 score stood up as the final.
The Mavs now take their 3-2 series lead to Fort Wayne for Game Six on Tuesday and if necessary, Game Seven on Thursday.

MAVERICKS TO HOST PRE-GAME TAILGATE PARTY FOR GAME FIVE

The Missouri Mavericks will host a tailgate party tomorrow from 4:00-6:30pm outside the South Entrance, next to the Community Ice Rink.  The pre-game party will feature:
- Food and Beer Specials including $1 Hot Dogs, $3 Nachos, $2 Soda/Water
- Music, a shoot booth, and inflatables for the kids
- A custom made Mavericks Ice Sculpture
- FREE Peanuts
- Face Painter
In addition to the pregame party, the first 1,000 fans in attendance at the game will receive Orange Army flashlight keychains courtesy of the Missouri Mavericks.
Tickets for Saturday's game are still available through TicketMaster.com and MissouriMavericks.com.

Mavericks' Comeback Falls Short, Lose To Komets 5-4 In Double Overtime

The Missouri Mavericks fell in double overtime to the Fort Wayne Komets by the score of 5-4 in Game Four of the Turner Conference Finals Thursday night at Independence Events Center. The Mavericks overcame a two-goal deficit in the third period and led with 28 seconds to go in regulation before the Komets were granted a power play, converting the power play with 22 seconds remaining in regulation. Frankie DeAngelis scored the game-winner at 2:47 of double overtime, tying the series at 2-2. Charlie Effinger stopped 46 of 51 shots by the Komets. Game five is Saturday evening at Independence Events Center.
Both teams went scoreless in the opening period of play, but combined for eight penalties totaling 16 penalty minutes. The Komets outshot the Mavericks 16-9 in the period.
Ed McGrane got the Mavs on the board at the 8:25 mark of the second period with a power play goal to open the scoring. Andrew Courtney and David Pszenyczny assisted on the goal. Jean-Michel Rizk tied the game with six minutes to go in the second, bringing the score to 1-1. The goal was Rizk’s third in two games. The Komets added two quick goals towards the end of the period from Chris Auger and Brett Smith to take a 3-1 lead. The goals by Auger and Smith were scored within 58 seconds of each other. All three goals by the Komets were scored within 2:48. The Komets yet again outshot the Mavericks 17-11 in the period.
Andrew Courtney drew the Mavs within one goal at the 9:22 mark of the final period of regulation with a power play goal. Kris Hogg and Sebastien Thinel assisted on the goal. With an assist on Courtney’s goal, Thinel now has points in all eight postseason contests for Missouri. The Mavericks tied the game with 7:11 left in regulation on a redirection by Dale Mahovsky off of a David Simoes shot from the point. Missouri took the lead with 1:04 left in regulation on a goal from John-Scott Dickson. Assisting on Dickson’s goal were Ryan Jardine and Patrick Schafer. With a win seemingly in hand, the Komets were awarded a power play with 28 seconds remaining in regulation. Ed McGrane, who had committed just four penalties in the regular season and not been charged with a penalty all postseason, was called for tripping in the neutral zone. The Komets converted on their power play opportunity six seconds later, when Jamie Milam tied the game at 4-4, sending the game to overtime.
Both teams failed to score a game winner through the first overtime and the game headed to a second OT. 1:35 into the second extra frame, Dale Mahovsky, who had not been charged with a penalty all postseason, was whistled for tripping in the neutral zone. The Komets once again capitalized on an opportunistic man advantage with the game winning goal from Frankie DeAngelis at the 2:47 mark of double overtime.
The series is now tied at 2-2 with Game Five of the Turner Conference Finals Saturday night at Independence Events Center. Game six will be played on Tuesday at the Allen County War Memorial in Fort Wayne, If necessary, Game Seven will be next Thursday, also in Fort Wayne.

April 21st Weekend Preview

Again this weekend kicks off on Thursday night with hockey. The Missouri Mavericks host game four of the Turner Conference Finals at the Independence Events Center. The Mavericks hold a two games to one advantage over Fort Wayne and are looking to make it a 3 to 1 advantage tonight. There team will have plenty of activities such as $1 hot dogs, $3 beers, face painters and coupon giveaways going on before and during the game. Also, Family Four packs in the Terrace and Rinkside price levels are still available. Get four tickets, four hot dogs and four Pepsi's starting at only $70.
There will be a post game party after both game at the Lee’s Summit Brew Top Pub (700 NE Woods Chapel Road)
The Mavericks will also be hosting game five and hopefully be able to close out the series on Saturday night. All games will be streamed live.
If you happen to be down around Crown Center today or Friday you can take in the "Fair Play - Sports" Art Show at the Buttonwood Art Space (3013 Main St. Kansas City, MO 64108, 816-865-9040). Fair Play features all types of sports themes with all art sales benefitting PE4Life, a charitable program aimed at keeping kids in school through sports activities. The show runs from through May 25th, M-F 9am - 5pm.
The Mavericks are not the only local team in action Saturday night. The Kansas City Command are in San Jose to take on the SaberCats. The SaberCats are a perennial power in the AFL and look to be tough again this season. The Command are off to a rough start (0-4) but look to get on the right track in San Jose. Kansas City has former Kansas City Chief Matt Gutierrez under center who threw for five touchdowns against Chicago two weeks ago.
The game will air live on Sports Radio 810 WHB and on a video webstream at www.ustream.tv/kansascitycommand and will air on tape delay at 1pm Sunday, April 22 on KSMO-TV 62.
Have a great weekend everyone.

Command Prepares For West Coast Clash With San Jose

The Kansas City Command’s three-game road trip continues Saturday night against the San Jose SaberCats at HP Pavilion in Week 7 of the Arena Football League season. Kickoff is set for 9:30pm Central Time. The Command (0-4) are coming off a bye week after falling 69-40 at Chicago on April 7. San Jose (3-2) is tied with Arizona and Utah atop the National Conference’s West Division despite losing at Philadelphia 61-55 last Saturday night.
Saturday night’s game in San Jose will mark the second start for quarterback Matt Gutierrez. After leading the team to a game-opening touchdown drive in Chicago, the rest of the first half was tough for the new Command signal-caller. KC missed two field goals and Gutierrez threw two interceptions in their next four drives. However, he showed solid improvement in the second half, leading the team on four touchdown drives in five possessions. He finished 23 of 39 for 258 yards, five touchdowns and two picks.
The extended scoring drought in the first half allowed the Rush to score 35 straight points and take a decisive 42-13 lead at halftime. The Command have given up a scoring run of at least 23 points in all four games so far this season and preventing that type of streak will be a major key to claiming a victory.
The Kansas City defense allowed a season-high 69 points to the Rush. Chicago scored touchdowns on 10 of their first 11 drives.
San Jose is 3-2 after their comeback attempt came up short in Philadelphia. Like the Command, the SaberCats were done in by an extended scoring run for the opposition. The Soul scored 28 points in a row in the second half by picking off San Jose quarterback Mark Grieb on three straight possessions. The run gave Philadelphia a 54-34 lead and though the SaberCats recovered two onside kicks, the deficit proved too much to overcome.
Kansas City and San Jose have met twice, with the SaberCats winning both games. Most recently, the teams played a thriller in March of 2011 with the SaberCats escaping with a 60-57 home win. A 50-yard field goal attempt that would have tied the game sailed wide for KC as time expired. Two current Command receivers had big nights. Bret Smith finished with 12 catches for 132 yards and two touchdowns and Bradly Chavez added 123 yards three touchdowns on eight grabs.
The game will air live on Sports Radio 810 WHB and on a video webstream at www.ustream.tv/kansascitycommand and will air on tape delay at 1pm Sunday, April 22 on KSMO-TV 62.

James Clark, former owner of KC Knights pleads guilty to tax evasion

The former owner of the Kansas City Knights professional basketball team pleaded guilty Wednesday in Kansas to tax evasion and bank fraud.
The U.S. Attorney's office says 52-year-old James Clark, of Overland Park, entered the pleas Wednesday in federal court in Kansas City, Kan.
Clark admitted withholding more than $500,000 in payroll taxes from employees of his company, SWISH Holding Corp., but failing to pay the money to the Internal Revenue Service. He used the money for other purposes, including operation of the basketball team.
Clark also admitted submitting false information to a bank in May 2004 while trying to obtain a line of credit from UMB Bank worth more than $1 million. Personally guaranteeing the loan, he provided documents overstating the value of the basketball franchise and misrepresenting that he held an ownership interest in the American Basketball Association, prosecutors said.
The bank issued nearly $1.4 million on that line of credit, but Clark made only one payment of $6,368.43.
A judge set sentencing for July 16.
The Knights were active in Kansas City in the first half of the last decade at Kemper Arena. The team won the American Basketball Association championship in 2002, finishing the season by winning 24 games in a row.

Golf Tourney To Benefit Junior Mavs Hockey Club

Registration is now open for the 2nd Annual Independence Events Center and Missouri Mavericks Corporate Golf Tournament at Drumm Farm Golf Club. The tournament presented by Premier Parking and benefiting the Jr. Mavs Youth Hockey Club will be Thursday, May 24th at 11am. For more information or to register call 816-442-6104.

Mavericks Come Up Short In Game 3, Lose 3-1

The Missouri Mavericks lost their first game of the 2012 CHL Playoffs Wednesday night at Independence Events Center by way of a 3-1 defeat against the Fort Wayne Komets. Ed McGrane netted the only goal for the Mavericks in the first period and Charlie Effinger stopped 39 of 41 shots by the Komets. The Mavericks still hold a 2-1 series lead and host the Komets in Game Four Thursday night at the IEC.
Ed McGrane put the Mavs ahead early with a goal at the 4:53 mark of the first period. Sebastien Thinel recorded his 10th point of the postseason with the primary assist on the goal and Andrew Courtney added an assist as well. Jean-Michael Rizk tied the game a minute later though, knocking down a shot from Brett Henley and slapping it past Mavericks goaltender Charlie Effinger. The two teams ended the first period tied at 1-1, with the Mavs outshooting the Komets 14-7.
Both teams went scoreless in the second period, but Charlie Effinger was the difference in the middle frame, stopping all 19 shots by the Komets, setting a postseason high for saves in a period. The Mavericks were only able to mount seven shots on goal in the period and were being outshot 26-24 by Fort Wayne at the end of 40 minutes.
The Komets took the lead five minutes into the third on Rizk’s second goal of the evening and would not relinquish it for the remainder of regulation. Brett Smith added an empty netter with a second remaining in regulation to finalize the score at 3-1.
The Mavericks still hold a 2-1 series advantage and still have a chance to close out the Komets on home ice with Games Four and Five at Independence Events Center Thursday and Saturday night.

Topeka RoadRunners Announce Dollar Ticket Night For Playoff Game

Topeka RoadRunners fans will only have to pay $1 to see Game Three of the South Division Championship on Thursday, April 26th. The RoadRunners will be playing the Amarillo Bulls for the division crown and a berth into the Robertson Cup Series.
“Nothing helps a team build momentum on the ice like a packed house,” said Donald Stone III, RoadRunners Vice President of Operations. “It’s win-win for us as we get to reward our die-hard fan base, while exposing new fans to RoadRunners hockey.”
Fans in attendance will also get the chance to be a part of history. During the game, the RoadRunners will attempt to break the Guinness World Record for Simultaneous High Fives (3,504). Landon Arena can seat over 7,000 fans, putting this record well within reach.
“Both on the ice and through our fans, the RoadRunners are committed to putting Topeka in the spotlight,” added Stone.
The RoadRunners (3-0) just completed a sweep of the Texas Tornado in the first round of the playoffs and were 3-5 against Amarillo this season. The Bulls (3-1) outlasted the Odessa Jackalopes in their series and will host the first two games against Topeka. Game four of the best-of-five championship will be played on Friday, April 27th, at the Expocentre (if necessary).
Tickets for Thursday, April 26th, and Friday, April 27th, are available at the Expocentre Box Office. Ticket information for this and all other upcoming games can be found at www.topekaroadrunners.com or by calling 785-286-7825.

Local Command fan is Week 6 AFL Field Pass Winner

Scott Soares and Ben Sanders have been selected as the AFL Field Pass Week 6 prize winners, the Arena Football League office announced today.
Soares, an avid Kansas City Command and Iowa Barnstormers fan, earned two pregame field passes for an upcoming Barnstormers game, while Sanders was awarded an AFL “Player of the Week” baseball cap for being a randomly selected Field Pass prize winner.
The Arena Football League will continue to award weekly prizes, ranging from exclusive apparel to collectible memorabilia to Field Pass subscribers throughout the season. Two lucky fans will also win a trip to ArenaBowl XXV in New Orleans.
Fans can subscribe to AFL Field Pass at AFLFieldPass.com.

Missouri Mavericks new rival in Denver has name leaked before official announcement

Denver’s new Central Hockey League team has as website and Facebook page and is running a contest soliciting guesses for the team’s name. Mile High Magic, Denver Gold Miners and Denver Storm are among the guesses submitted so far.
The Denver franchise (which is owned by an investment group headed by John Hayes, president and CEO of Broomfield, CO-based Ball Corp.) said it expects to announce the team’s logo, nickname and colors in about a month.
But documents filed with the city and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office reveal the name of the team will be Denver Cutthroats.
The team is scheduled to begin play for the 2012-13 season at the Denver Coliseum.

Mavericks Double Up Komets, 6-3; Missouri Takes 2-0 Lead in Conference Finals

Andrew Courtney scored two goals and Charlie Effinger made 39 saves as the Missouri Mavericks defeated the Fort Wayne Komets, 6-3, Saturday night at Memorial Coliseum.  Missouri now leads the Turner Conference Finals two games to none.  Courtney finished with three points on two goals and one assist, and Mavericks’ forward Ed McGrane also had a three-point game with a goal and two assists.  The teams will now head to Missouri for games three, four and five (if necessary) at Independence Events Center on Wednesday, April 18, Thursday, April 19 and Saturday, April 21.  Tickets are available via Ticketmaster or at the Independence Events Center Box Office.
“We played pretty well in the first and third periods,” said Mavericks’ head coach Scott Hillman.  “They are playing good hockey and did their damage in the third, but we have to continue to make adjustments.  We want to bring it home, take it one period at a time and take care of business.”
The Mavericks jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first period.  First, at the 5:20 mark, Mavericks’ forward John-Scott Dickson scored his fourth goal of the playoffs on a centering feed from Sebastien Thinel.  The Mavericks made it 2-0 when Courtney scored the first of his two goals at the 11:52 mark.  Kris Hogg came streaking into the Komets’ zone along the left wing and ripped a shot wide, but Courtney picked up the puck along the boards outside the right circle and snapped it home.  Komets’ netminder Nick Boucher was pulled in favor of former Maverick Gerry Festa after the second goal.
Jamie Lovell tallied the Komets’ first goal of the game at the 13:06 mark of the second period on a blast from inside the left circle, but the Mavericks regained the two-goal lead at the 17:02 mark.  Forward Patrick Schafer notched his second goal of the post-season when he lifted a wrist shot over the shoulder of Festa giving the Mavericks a 3-1 lead.  Fort Wayne controlled most of the play in the second period and had a 35-12 edge in shots through the first two periods, but it was the Mavericks with the lead as the teams headed to the third period.
Just 46 seconds into the third period, Courtney gave the Mavericks a 4-1 lead on a rebound off a shot by Ryan Jardine, but the Komets did not go quietly.  Bobby Chaumont score for Fort Wayne on the power play at the 3:53 mark on assists from Jamie Milam and Frankie DeAngelis.  It marked the first power play goal against the Mavericks in the playoffs.  Chris Auger made it a one-goal game when he banged in a rebound at the 4:58 mark of the third period, but that would be as close as Fort Wayne would get.
The Mavericks defense clamped down in the final fifteen minutes of regulation and Brandon Smith all but ended the game when he scored an unassisted goal at the 17:58 mark.  Smith beat the Komets’ defense to a loose puck in the Fort Wayne zone and wristed a shot past Festa to give Missouri a 5-3 lead.  McGrane added an empty net goal on the power play with 38 seconds remaining to finalize the scoring at 6-3.
“We need to do a lot of things differently to continue to win hockey games,” added Hillman.  “I still don’t think we have recovered from the time off.  It will be nice to get a practice in now that we have the game conditioning and continue to make adjustments.”

Mavericks Win Overtime Thriller, 3-2, in Game One of Conference Finals

The Missouri Mavericks tied the game on a penalty shot with 19 seconds remaining and scored five minutes into overtime to come from behind and beat the Fort Wayne Komets, 3-2, Friday night in game one of the Turner Conference Finals. Ed McGrane scored the Mavericks’ penalty shot and John-Scott Dickson notched the game winner at the 5:20 mark of overtime. Mavericks’ goaltender Charlie Effinger stopped 38 of 40 shots for his fifth straight playoff win. The Mavericks lead the best-of-seven series 1-0, and game two of the Turner Conference Finals is Saturday night at Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne.
“Big win,” said Mavericks’ head coach Scott Hillman. “Our greatest fear of the rust was certainly evident tonight, and we need to be better tomorrow if we want to get the same outcome.”
Fort Wayne outshot the Mavericks 40-27 and 17-3 in the third period and overtime combined. Missouri had just one shot in the third period and it was McGrane’s penalty shot that tied the game with 19 seconds remaining in regulation.
The Mavericks opened the scoring just 1:02 into the game when Andrew Courtney scored his first goal of the post-season on a rebound. Sebastien Thinel earned the lone assist on the play, and the Mavericks held the lead for just under seven minutes. At the 6:59 mark of the period, Tom Mele took a centering feed from Jean-Michel Rizk and beat Effinger to tie the game at one.  The teams remained tied for the final 13 minutes of the opening period and there were no penalties called in the first 20 minutes.
Just as the Mavericks scored an early goal in the first period, the Komets scored only 1:28 into the second period. Mike Vaskivuo scored on pass from Colin Chaulk to give the Komets their first lead of the game.  Chris Auger also assisted on the play and it proved to be the only goal of the second period. The Mavericks earned two power play chances in the second compared to one for the Komets, but neither team was able to light the lamp on their respective power plays. Through two periods, the Mavericks had a 24-23 edge in shots, but were trailing 2-1.
The Komets continued to pressure in the third period, but Effinger was equal to the task on all 13 shots by the Komets. In the final minute, the Mavericks’ pulled Effinger in favor of the extra attacker and earned a faceoff in the Komets zone. Komets’ defenseman Brent Henley was called for intentionally moving the net off its moorings and the Mavericks were awarded penalty shot. McGrane buried the penalty shot with 19 seconds remaining to force overtime.
After back and forth action in the opening minutes of the overtime period, Mavericks’ forward John-Scott Dickson took the puck along the right wing and snapped a shot from a sharp angle that bounced off Komets’ goaltender Nick Boucher and into the back of the net. It marked the Mavericks first playoff overtime victory.
Boucher finished with 24 saves on 27 shots in the loss. Missouri was 0 for 2 on the power play and the Mavericks killed the Komets’ only power play chance.

Topeka RoadRunners Playoff Dates Announced

The RoadRunners will host the Amarillo Bulls for games three and four of the South Division playoffs on Thursday, April 26th and Friday, April 27th at Landon Arena. Both games will begin at 7:05 p.m.

The RoadRunners swept the Texas Tornado in the first round.
“The guys did a really great job closing out the Texas Tornado and now will be able to get some much needed rest before the next games,” said Donald Stone III, RoadRunners Vice President of Operations. “We are looking forward to all of our fans coming to the games in Topeka to show Amarillo who has the best fans in the NAHL.”
The Amarillo Bulls will host Games 1 & 2 in Amarillo. Those games will be played on Friday, April 20th at 7:00 p.m. and Saturday, April 21st at 7:00 p.m.
Game 5, if necessary will be played in Amarillo on Monday, April 30th at 7 p.m.
The last team standing after the Divisional Round will go on to the Robertson Cup Series which will take place in Frisco Texas.
Tickets for Thursday and Friday night’s games are available at the Expocentre Box Office. Ticket information for this and all other upcoming games can be found at www.topekaroadrunners.com or by calling 785-286-7825.

Family Four Packs now available for Mavericks' Wednesday and Thursday games

The Missouri Mavericks are now offering Family Four packs in the Terrace and Rinkside price levels for the games on Wednesday, April 18 and Thursday, April 19.  Get four tickets, four hot dogs and four Pepsi's starting at only $70!  Please see full Conference Finals details below.

The Missouri Mavericks will play the Fort Wayne Komets in the Central Hockey League’s (CHL) Turner Conference Finals starting Friday, April 13 in Fort Wayne, Indiana.  The series is a best-of-seven and will follow a 2-3-2 format.  Missouri is in the conference finals for the first time in team history and the #3 seeded Mavericks will host games three, four and five (if necessary) at Independence Events Center.

HOME GAMES IN THIS SERIES

Round 2 Game A - Wed, April 18 - 7:05 PM - Tickets Here

Round 2 Game B - Thur, April 19 - 7:05 PM - Tickets Here

Round 2 Game C - Sat, April 21 - 7:05 PM - Tickets Here

Turner Conference Finals (Best-of-7)

Missouri Mavericks vs. Fort Wayne Komets

All times Central

Game 1 – Friday, April 13 – Missouri at Fort Wayne, 7 p.m.

Game 2 – Saturday, April 14 – Missouri at Fort Wayne, 7 p.m.

Game 3 – Wednesday, April 18 – Fort Wayne at Missouri, 7:05 p.m. – Independence Events Center

Game 4 – Thursday, April 19 – Fort Wayne at Missouri, 7:05 p.m. – Independence Events Center

*Game 5 - Saturday, April 21 – Fort Wayne at Missouri, 7:05 p.m. – Independence Events Center

*Game 6 – Tuesday, April 24 – Missouri at Fort Wayne, 6:30 p.m.

*Game 7 – Thursday, April 26 – Missouri at Fort Wayne, 6:30 p.m.

April 14th Weekend Preview

Well, it is a very light weekend for arena sports in Kansas City. The Command have a bye this week (didn’t they just have one 4 weeks ago) so there is no Arena Football to watch. The Mavericks kick off the Turner Conference Finals against the Fort Wayne Komets on Friday in Fort Wayne. If you do want to catch some of the playoff action you have two options. You can attend the official watch party at the Lee’s Summit Brew Top Pub & Patio (700 NE Woods Chapel Road) or you can watch it online at http://chltv.neulion.com/chltv/ (and also watch the Wichita Thunder in the Berry Conference Finals against the Texas Brahmas).
If you rather catch the NHL Playoffs, you can head down to The Blue Line Sports Bar where they will have every single playoff game. Hopefully, the Penguins can bounce back from that massive choke job in game one last night. The Blue Line has great food and great service. If you try them once I am sure you will be back again and again.
For those of you that have a sophisticated taste for alcohol then Saturday afternoon the Power & Light District has the event for you. INK Magazine is presenting The 1st Annual KC Whiskey Tour – the midwest's premier whiskey tasting event at KC Live! from 2–6pm. The event features 50+ North American bourbons & whiskeys, live music from the 51% Blues Band, hand-rolled cigars, giveaways & more! The event benefits KC Young Variety & KC Fire Historical Society. Check out a variety of great items available at the Silent Auction, benefiting both organizations (cash or check only please).   
A Limited Number of Tickets Are Still Available – Don't Miss Out! Festival tickets are just $40 and include: 12 tasting tokens, souvenir glass, informational pamphlet & map.
Purchase your tickets today at www.missiontix.com/KCWhiskeyTour or inside Maker's Mark Bourbon House & Lounge.
Thats it for the weekend. Have a great time no matter what you choose.

Mavericks to Face Fort Wayne in Turner Conference Finals

The Missouri Mavericks will play the Fort Wayne Komets in the Central Hockey League’s (CHL) Turner Conference Finals starting this Friday, April 13 in Fort Wayne, Indiana.  The series is a best-of-seven and will follow a 2-3-2 format.  Missouri is in the conference finals for the first time in team history and the #3 seeded Mavericks will host games three, four and five (if necessary) at Independence Events Center.

Turner Conference Finals (Best-of-7)

Missouri Mavericks vs. Fort Wayne Komets

All times Central

Game 1 – Friday, April 13 – Missouri at Fort Wayne, 7 p.m.

Game 2 – Saturday, April 14 – Missouri at Fort Wayne, 7 p.m.

Game 3 – Wednesday, April 18 – Fort Wayne at Missouri, 7:05 p.m. – Independence Events Center

Game 4 – Thursday, April 19 – Fort Wayne at Missouri, 7:05 p.m. – Independence Events Center

*Game 5 - Saturday, April 21 – Fort Wayne at Missouri, 7:05 p.m. – Independence Events Center

*Game 6 – Tuesday, April 24 – Missouri at Fort Wayne, 6:30 p.m.

*Game 7 – Thursday, April 26 – Missouri at Fort Wayne, 6:30 p.m.

* - if necessary

Missouri Mavericks To Get New Rival

The Central Hockey League made it official Tuesday, announcing that Denver has been awarded an expansion team. The new team — whose name, colors and logo have yet to be determined — is owned by John Hayes, CEO of Broomfield-based packaging and satellite maker Ball Corp. “My family, my business and my roots are in Colorado and it was personally important for me to locate this franchise in my hometown,” Hayes said in a statement. “These [CHL] teams provide significant help for local economies and this is a unique way to be involved in my community.”The new team will begin play in the CHL’s 2012-13 season in the Denver Coliseum, which has been home to a number of minor-league hockey teams in past decades. The CHL also announced that Brad Lund will serve as the Denver franchise’s president, Brent Cullaton will be assistant general manager and director of hockey operations, and Derek Armstrong will be head coach.

CHICAGO TOPS KANSAS CITY COMMAND, 69-40

The Chicago Rush scored 35 straight points in the first half and went on to a 69-40 home victory over the Kansas City Command in front of 5,854 at Allstate Arena Saturday night.  New Command quarterback Matt Gutierrez, making his first start after coming to Kansas City in a trade with Arizona this week, finished 23 of 39 for 258 yards, five touchdowns and two interceptions.  Rush quarterback Russ Michna threw for 311 yards, seven touchdowns and no interceptions.

The Command scored first when Gutierrez hit Syvelle Newton for a seven-yard touchdown to take a 6-0 lead.  The Rush then exploded for five straight scores as Michna hit Jared Perry for three touchdowns, Reggie Gray for one and former Command fullback JJ Payne for another.  The longest drive was four plays as the Rush were scoring quickly and often.  The Command, meanwhile, came up empty on four straight possessions with two missed field goals and two interceptions.   

Kansas City finally stopped the run with a 5-play drive capped by Gutierrez to Bradly Chavez, who was playing in his first game of 2012.  Chicago scored last, going 40 yards in six plays to take a 42-13 halftime lead.

The Rush got the ball to start the second half and Michna to Perry for the fourth time gave Chicago their biggest lead of the game at 49-13.

The Command answered with Gutierrez finding Chavez once again from 11 yards out.  After Michna hit Gray for a touchdown and the Command turned it over on downs, KC got a big defensive play when JC Neal scooped up a JJ Payne fumble and returned it 16 yards for a score.

Luke Drone replaced Michna at quarterback to start the fourth quarter and promptly hit Perry for a 27-yard touchdown.  With the game out of reach, the Command were looking to build some offensive rhythm in the final period and KC did score touchdowns on the team’s last two possessions, both on drives over 40 yards.

Perry, who played college football at Missouri, was named National Guard MVP with 10 catches for 175 yards and five touchdowns, all career-highs for the AFL rookie.  Michna was Russell Athletic Offensive Player of the Game.

Chavez was named AFL Playmaker of the Game, leading the Command with nine catches for 104 yards and three touchdowns.

The Command have a bye next weekend before playing at San Jose at 9pm CDT on Saturday, April 21.  The game will air live on Sports Radio 810 WHB and tape delayed on KSMO 62.  The SaberCats are 3-1 after a win Friday over San Antonio and play at Philadelphia next Sunday.

The Command’s next home game will be Saturday, May 5 at 7pm against the San Antonio Talons at Sprint Center.

Easter Weekend Preview

This weekend is lite on home team activity. The Mavericks are waiting to see who they will play in the next round of the CHL Playoffs and the Command are on the road against Chicago. You have a couple of avenues to get a hockey fix this weekend. You can head west on I-70 and catch the Topeka RoadRunners in the NAHL Playoffs. The RoadRunners will host the Texas Tornado for the first two games of the South Division playoffs on Friday, April 6th and Saturday, April 7th at Landon Arena. Both games will begin at 7:05 p.m.

The RoadRunners went into the final weekend of the regular season tied with Texas for the second seed and the right to have home ice for the first postseason series. Texas applied the pressure by winning on Friday and Saturday. Topeka responded by dominating the Odessa Jackalopes, winning 6-3 and 3-1 , securing their playoff position.
If you decide to catch these games. I suggest that before the game you stop by Blind Tiger Brewery and Restaurant for an early dinner. The place has great food and some nice beers on tap, you won’t be disappointed.
If you rather stay close to home, you can head to The Blue Line Sports Bar. The place is paradise for the KC hockey fan. There are televisions all over the place and every available game able to be viewed. The menu is outstanding also. I suggest the Mavericks Mac & Cheese or the Scouts Meat Loaf.
You can still get a Mavericks fix this weekend. Carlyle Lewis and Mac will be at Shocking Prices on Saturday from 12:00-1:00 p.m. and Sunday from 1:00-2:00 p.m.
The Kansas City Command are heading to Chicago for a Saturday night game against the defending Central Division champion Rush!  It will mark the fourth straight game for KC against a 2011 AFL division champ.  The schedule has been tough but the players and coaches are working hard to improve and get that first win to begin the build towards a playoff run.  There is still a lot of season remaining with 15 games left to play.
The game will be broadcast on Sports Radio 810 WHB. The game can also be viewed on the web via the team's Ustream channel, accessible at www.kccommand.com/webcasts.
While none of the local teams are hosting games this weekend you still have some nice options to enjoy some arena sports. 

With New Qbs On The Roster, Command Set Their Sights On Chicago

The Kansas City Command (0-3) visit the Chicago Rush (3-0) Saturday night at Allstate Arena in Week 5 of the Arena Football League season. Kickoff is set for 7:00pm. The Command will enter the game with a new starting quarterback, having signed two new signal-callers this week in Matt Gutierrez and Zack Eskridge. Kansas City is trying to turn around its offensive fortunes

as the team is currently averaging just under 32 points per game, ranking last in the AFL in scoring offense.

“We just felt like we had to do something,” said Command coach Danton Barto in explaining the moves. “We weren’t scoring points and in Arena Football you’re not going to win if you can’t consistently put the ball in the end zone. When something’s not working you’ve got to move on and improve your football team.”

The Command are coming off a 56-28 loss to Arizona to drop their record to 0-3 on the young season. Kansas City led 21-14 before the Rattlers scored 29 straight points to take control of the game. It was the third straight contest the Command have allowed an opponent to go on an extended scoring run.

If the personnel changes lead to more success on offense, early-season results indicate the defense can lead the team. KC’s defense held Arizona to a season-low in scoring and the team continues to rank near the top of the league in total defense, currently

just behind Pittsburgh for second place.

Chicago is 3-0 after two straight narrow victories. The Rush opened the season with a 70-48 win over Tampa Bay, followed by a two-point win over Orlando and a one-point victory against Iowa last Saturday. The Rush have been solid on both sides of the ball, ranking fifth in the league in scoring offense and seventh in scoring defense.

The Command played Chicago twice last year, with each team winning on the other’s home field. KC won 58-51 at Allstate Arena on April 22 in a game televised live on NFL Network. The Command defense held Chicago to less than 200 yards of total offense for the game and stopped the Rush on a potential game-tying drive with seconds remaining.

It was the Rush defense that was the story in the rematch at Sprint Center, leading Chicago to a 58-30 win on June 4. Rush safety Vic Hall had three interceptions in the game, including one he returned for a touchdown.

Quarterback Russ Michna (pron. MICK-nuh) is one of the most tenured signal-callers in the AFL, now in his fifth season with the Rush. He is off to another solid start this year, averaging 268 yards per game with 20 TDs and three interceptions.

Wide receiver Reggie Gray is Michna’s favored target for the second

straight year. He leads the AFL in scoring with 12 receiving touchdowns in three games. He tops the Rush with 24 catches for 300 yards. Last season, Gray set franchise records with 130 receptions for 1,969 yards. He had 49 receiving touchdowns and four kick returns for TDs and ended the season with the second-most points in the league (322).

Safety Vic Hall currently leads the AFL in tackles, averaging over nine stops per game. He was a First-Team All-Arena selection

last year as a rookie after totaling 15 interceptions and 104 tackles.

The Rush came from behind to beat Iowa Saturday night in overtime. Chicago trailed by as many as 14 when a Michna pass was intercepted and returned for a touchdown and a 40-26 Iowa lead. The Rush tied the game at 55 late in regulation. Iowa scored first in overtime but missed the PAT. Former Command fullback JJ Payne drew the Rush even at 61-61 and former Command

kicker Mike Salerno hit the extra point for a one-point win.