Amarillo Wranglers (11-8-0-1, 23pts) vs. Odessa Jackalopes (7-12-0-1, 15pts)
at Ector County Coliseum in Odessa, TX
Time: Friday 7:15 p.m. CDT | Saturday 7:15 p.m. CDT
Broadcast: (Home) HockeyTV | Listen Live Here
What You Need to Know:
All-Time Record: 6-4
Season Series: 1-1
Leading Scorers:
AMW: 15pts, Simanovics (7G, 8A)
ODA: 15pts, Goode (12G, 3A)
Fresh Face:
For the first time in two weeks, the Jacks are facing a team other than Oklahoma. Odessa is also home for the entire month of December. The Wranglers sit in fourth place with 23 points. The Jackalopes have 15 which puts them in seventh. They are only two points ahead of Corpus Christi. The last time Odessa and Amarillo saw each other was Oct. 21-22. The Jacks outscored the Wranglers, 11-9, scoring 5+ goals in each game. The first game between these two teams finished 8-6, the most goals either team has put up all season.
Streak:
Odessa enters this weekend on a five-game losing skid. Four of those losses came at the hands of the first-place Oklahoma Warriors. Amarillo played Lone Star last weekend and lost both games in regulation. Odessa’s longest-losing streak of the season so far is six games. Whereas Amarillo’s longest losing streak thus far is four games. The Jacks are 3-7 in their previous ten games and the Wranglers are 4-6 in their last ten.
Shots:
The Jackalopes have taken the second-fewest shots across the NAHL (512). The Lone Star Brahmas have the fewest with 511. Amarillo has taken 646 shots this season which puts them 21st in the league. Although the Wranglers have allowed the third-fewest number of shots at 523. On average they only allow 25.65 per game which is the fourth fewest. The Jackalopes have allowed 713 shots this season which puts them at 14th across all 29 NAHL teams. The Jacks average 25.25 shots per game which are the second lowest in the league.
PLAYERS TO WATCH:
Wranglers (D: #3 – Rihards Simanovics)
The 19-year-old is in his first season in the NAHL, and it is his first time playing in the United States. The Riga, LAT native currently leads his team in goals (7) and points (15). All seven of his goals have come from the powerplay which ties him for the second most in the league. He is also tied for the most goals as a defenseman in the NAHL. The 6’3”/200lb. left-handed defenseman spent last season playing 32 games (8G, 8A) for HK Mogo (Lativia). Simanovics also played five games for Latvia U20 in WJC-20 and WJC-20 D1A (1G, 1A). He has played in both games against Odessa this season and recorded a hat-trick along with two assists. Last season, he was awarded Lativia Best U20 Player and won a Silver Medal with U20 WJC (D1A).
Jackalopes (F: #18 – Ryan Kelly)
The Highlands Ranch, CO native is in his third season in the NAHL, and all have been with Odessa. The 19-year-old started his NAHL career playing four games in 2020-21. Last season, Kelly played 47 games and tallied 24 points (12G, 12A). Putting him 10th on the team in points. The 6’2”/175lb. right-handed forward has registered three goals and five assists in 19 games this season. Currently putting him sixth on the team in points. Kelly has played in both games against Amarillo this season and has two points (1G, 1A). Before reaching the NAHL, Kelly played for the Selects Academy 18 U AAA team and scored 39 points (18G, 21A) in 38 games.
