SteelHounds’s next challenge: Corral Laredo to stay in chase

By Tom Williams

The Bucks have the best record in the Southern
Conference.

YOUNGSTOWN — Playoff races don’t come much tighter than the one the Youngstown SteelHounds are experiencing.

Despite a near-perfect weekend road trip the SteelHounds (34-19-5) fell from third place in the Northern Conference standings to fifth among six teams chasing five postseason berths.

Each contending team has six games remaining before the Central Hockey League regular season ends, but the SteelHounds are the only one who will be playing all six at home.

However, the opposition will be two of the CHL’s strongest teams: The Laredo Bucks (39-17-3) and the Colorado Eagles (35-17-6). In last year’s playoff finals, the Eagles defeated the Bucks to win the Presidents Cup.

Youngstown plays host to the Bucks for three games this weekend at the Chevrolet Centre — Friday and Saturday at 7:05 p.m. and Sunday at 4:05 p.m.

This much is certain: The Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs (41-12-5) have clinched the Northeast Division title and will open the CHL playoffs at home.

Division rivals Texas Brahmas (36-20-2), Youngstown and Mississippi (34-20-4) are in the race for the conference’s three wild-card spots.

Two teams in the Northwest Division remain in the hunt: The Eagles and Rocky Mountain Rage (35-18-5).

“It was a very successful weekend,” said SteelHounds coach Kevin Kaminski after his team closed its road schedule with a 6-3 win over Rocky Mountain, a 4-3 shootout loss to Colorado and a 6-0 triumph over the Wichita Thunder. Youngstown earned five out of a possible six points in the three games.

“Getting two points at Rocky Mountain was huge. But I think the one point in Colorado may even have been bigger,” the SteelHounds’ second-year coach said Wednesday. “We’ve never won there and the guys battled.”

Trailing the Eagles 3-2 late in the third period, Eric Przepiorka scored to force overtime.

“It was a heckuva a game,” Kaminski said. “[Goaltender] Andy Franck played great for us.”

Franck (21-10-4, 2.99 goals-against average), who made a franchise-record 49 saves, is a CHL nominee for goaltender of the year.

“We wouldn’t be where we are at without Frankie,” SteelHounds captain Chris Richards said. “He’s definitely been the backbone to this team, making some big saves and getting some big wins for us.

“He’s definitely a bright spot on this team.”

Backup goalie Kevin Beech, who was traded to the SteelHounds from Laredo in January, pitched the shutout against the Thunder. He’s won four of the six games he’s started as with the SteelHounds.

The Bucks’ Most Valuable Player candidate, Jeff Bes (43 goals, 57 assists, 100 points), trails only Arizona’s Alex Leavitt in the CHL scoring race.

“They have one of the elite players in the league in Jeff Bes,” Kaminski said. “He’s one of the smartest players and very gifted.

“Laredo is a very solid hockey club,” Kaminski said. “They’ve got everything, [good] goaltending and [defensemen] who can move the puck and get involved in the rush. They have grit and toughness — we’re definitely going to have our work cut out for us this weekend.

“We got hot at the right time and we’ve got to make sure that we stay hot,” he added.

williams@vindy.com