Amarillo Wranglers (11-4-0-0, 22pts) vs. Odessa Jackalopes (11-6-0-1, 23pts)
at Ector County Coliseum in Odessa, TX
Time: 7:15 p.m. CDT
Broadcast: (Home) HockeyTV | Listen Live on Youtube
What You Need to Know:
Season Series: 0-0
Leading Scorers:
AMW: 21pts, Skrastins (11g-10a)
ODA: 15pts, Goode (7g-8a)
Last But Not Least:
This weekend the Jacks host the Wranglers for the first time this season. It will also start their 12-straight homestand. This is the last South Division team the Jacks have yet to face this season. As for Amarillo, they will finally play every South team next weekend when they host Corpus Christi. Odessa currently has a record of 9-4-0-1 against their South Division rivals. The Wranglers are 8-3 against South teams. Odessa is coming off a split weekend series against the El Paso Rhinos. Whereas the Wranglers played a 3-in-3 series last weekend. They beat Shreveport the first two nights but were then shut out, 3-0, by New Mexico on Sunday.
No Place Like Home:
Odessa will not have to travel for the rest of 2021. During their 12-straight games on home ice, they will see the Wranglers, Mudbugs, Rhinos, Ice Wolves, and IceRays. In the month of December, they will face the Rhinos four times. The first three will be a 3-in-3 series with the final game being held on New Year’s Eve. The first time that the Warriors will visit the Ector County Coliseum will not be until January 28-29, 2022. This will be the most consecutive home games the Jacks will have this season. So far the Jacks are 1-1-0-1 while on home ice.
Time Off:
The Jacks only have two weekends off all year. Their first break in the season is next weekend. While the Jacks will not be in action next weekend, they will certainly be keeping an eye on the rest of the South Division. Especially since Amarillo and New Mexico will be playing and both teams are slowly closing in on them. This weekend is crucial for the Jacks to secure as many points as possible as they head into a bye week. Their only other weekend off will be the final weekend of February.
PLAYERS TO WATCH:
Wranglers (F: #15 – Kristaps Skrastins)
The Riga, LAT native is not only in his first season in the NAHL, but it is also his first time playing in the USA. The 19-year-old started his NAHL debut by scoring four goals and helping on another. He followed that performance up by scoring another hat trick the following day. The 5’10”/180lb. right-handed forward left the NAHL Showcase with eight goals and two assists. Earning him South Division Star of the Week. Skrastins also was awarded NAHL Forward of the Month after finishing September with 15 goals and five assists. In his last six games, Skrastins has recorded two goals and four assists. He is currently 10th in the league in points. Last year, he was the Assistant Captain for HK Riga (MHL) where he tallied 29 points (14g, 15a) in 46 games.
Jackalopes (F: #22 – Emerson Goode)
The 19-year-old is in his first season in the NAHL and is 10th in scoring among rookies. The Anaheim, CA native has scored two goals in his last three games. The 6’1”/175lb. left-handed forward started his NAHL career at the NAHL Showcase where he scored four goals and picked up an assist. Prior to joining the NAHL, Goode played 46 games for Meijer AAA Hockey 18U and recorded 47 points (21g, 26a). He also played for them in the NAPHL last year where he tallied 17 points (7g, 10a) in 16 games. Goode was drafted #132 overall in 2021 by the Oklahoma City Jr. Blazers (NA3HL).
