Amarillo Wranglers (32-23-2-1, 67pts) vs. Odessa Jackalopes (30-25-1-2, 63pts)
Location: 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: 9-5
Season Series: 4-2
Leading Scorers:
AMW: 56pts, Patterson (13G, 43A)
ODA: 55pts, Mansfield (21G, 34A)
Finale:
The final playoff spot for the South Division is still up for grabs as the 2022-23 regular season comes to an end this weekend. Amarillo (67pts), New Mexico (66pts), and Odessa (63pts) all have a chance of clinching the final spot. Whichever team does, will face the NAHL regular season champions, Oklahoma Warriors, in the first round. In order for Odessa to clinch they must sweep Amarillo in regulation and New Mexico cannot earn more than one point this weekend in their matchup with the Warriors. Odessa has not been in a top-four position all season and it could very well happen after their final game of the year. These two teams have not played each other since Jan. 13-14 in Amarillo, and it ended in a split weekend series. Both teams have ten or more seniors on their roster.
Heater:
Both teams enter the final weekend of the regular season on a lengthy win streak. Odessa is currently on a four-game win streak. Three of their wins were by a score of 2-1. They have scored 12 goals and allowed only one per game during their current streak. Their longest streak this season is five games which took place back in December. Amarillo is on a seven-game win streak (season-high) which dates back to Mar. 18th vs. Oklahoma. Since then, they have tallied 32 goals and only allowed nine. Four of their seven-straight wins came against the Corpus Christi IceRays. Their previous three wins though have all been shutouts, which include two against the Lone Star Brahmas. A main reason for the Wranglers’ recent success is their goaltender, Connor McDonough, who has played in every game during their current streak. He has a shutout streak of 198 minutes and 32 seconds. He was also recently named NAHL South Division Star of the Week.
Special Teams:
Both teams come into this weekend with 172 goals scored. However, Amarillo has scored 45 power-play goals (T-10th) and nine shorthanded (3rd). Of their 45 power-play goals, 23 have come from either Pierce Patterson or Rihards Simanovics. Odessa has scored 22 power-play goals this season (T-26th) and only two shorthanded (T-27th). The Wranglers have also scored nine empty-net goals, whereas the Jacks have only notched six. Amarillo is ranked ninth on the powerplay with a success rate of 21.6%. Odessa is ranked 27th with a success rate of 12.2%. The Wranglers are sixth on the penalty kill at 85.2%. The Jacks are T-12th while on the penalty kill at 82.7%. Amarillo went 0/5 last weekend on the man advantage and Odessa went 2/13. The Wranglers are second in the South in penalty minutes with 1,197 and the Jacks are third with 1,070.
PLAYERS TO WATCH:
Wranglers (D: #74 – Pierce Patterson)
The 21-year-old is in his final season of junior hockey. The Austin, TX native is in his first season in the NAHL and is the leading scorer for his squad. He was drafted #37 overall by Amarillo in 2022. The 5’10”/170lbs. right-handed defenseman has 56 points (13G, 43A) through 55 games. The Army commit is second on the team in power-play goals with ten. He leads in power-play assists with 21. Patterson is T-2nd on the team in plus/minus with 17. Patterson was just named NAHL Defenseman of the Month after producing 16 points (5G, 11A) in 11 games. He also had seven multi-point games last month. Also, he was recently on a seven-game point streak that totaled five goals and ten assists. Patterson has played in all six games against Odessa and has registered five points (1G, 4A).
Jackalopes (F: #22 – Emerson Goode)
The 20-year-old is in his final season of junior eligibility. The Anaheim, CA native started his NAHL career last season by playing in 50 games for Odessa (12G, 16A). Finishing eighth on the team in scoring. The 6’1”/175lb. left-handed forward is currently third on the team in points (47) and leads the team in goals (29). His 29 goals are the eighth most in the NAHL this season. The Ferris State University commit is just one goal away from becoming the second Jackalopes skater in franchise history to score 30 goals in a single season. He is T-2nd all-time for goals in a Jackalopes jersey with 41. He also holds the franchise record for the longest-goal streak (6 games). His current shooting percentage of 14.9% is the second-best on the team. Goode has played in all six games against Amarillo this season and has tallied six points (3G, 3A).
Photo credit: Danne Braden
