RGV Capsules: Lifeless Bees routed by Thunder
HIDALGO – The Wichita Thunder showed Friday night why they’re leading the Central Hockey League. The Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees, meanwhile, showed why they’re struggling to stay close to a playoff spot.
Thanks to two goals from R.G. Flath and another from Matt Robinson, Wichita (28-12-2) scored three times in slightly more than three minutes during the first period and coasted to an easy 4-1 win over the Bees. The loss is the Bees’ sixth in seven games, knocks them below .500 at 18-19-6 and keeps them five points out of fourth place in the Berry Conference.
And it’s clear the struggles are starting to frustrate coach Terry Ruskowski. Well, frustrate is one of many words. What happened Friday (or didn’t happen) also got him to invoke the names of one of the greatest players of all-time, but not in a way complimentary to the Bees.
“We just don’t have the go-to guy. Not yet anyway. We just don’t have the go-to guy,” Ruskowski said. “I remember when I played with Gordie Howe (with the WHA Houston Aeros) and the game was on the line like this, everybody looked at him to make a nice play, to score or set up a goal or score a goal.
“It was just – he was that type of player you looked at him to do things,” Ruskowski added. “And I look at my team and I don’t have a guy that can do that. Not at this particular time.”
Though there won’t be too any Gordie Howe-types available before Monday’s CHL trading deadline, Ruskowski is looking for something helpful. After Friday’s loss that was a result of increasingly-common defensive breakdowns and inconsistent execution of the system, it was apparent Ruskowski won’t have much more patience.
“I’m getting disgusted,” Ruskowski said. “I guarantee you by after the weekend there’s going to be a whole lot of changes going on.”
At least in the short term, the Bees will have to get some things fixed before tonight’s game against Texas. They will have to be better than they were in Friday’s first period, take advantage of more chances than they did in a better second and try to get two points against one of the teams they’re chasing.
“We don’t really want to discuss what’s going on inside the room but we’re trying to figure some things out,” winger Dan Gendur said. “That’s for sure.”
They’ll have to figure those things out pretty soon.
ICING: Prior to Friday’s game the Bees announced the signing of 6-6, 231-pound defenseman Georgi Petrov. Petrov, 23, most recently played for Kazzinc Torpedo, a team based in Kazakhstan that plays in the second tier of Russian hockey. … The Bees wore their black third jerseys for the first time.
Brian Sandalow covers the Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees for Valley Freedom Newspapers. You can reach him at (956) 683-4436 or via email at bsandalow@themonitor.com.
Killer Bees sign Petrov
The Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees, affiliates of the Florida Panthers and San Antonio Rampage, announced Friday that 6-foot-6 defenseman Georgi Petrov has signed a contract to join the team.
Petrov, 23, comes to the Bees from the Kazzinc Torpedo, a Kazakhstani entrant in the Vysshaya hokkeinaya liga (VHL), the second level of hockey in Russia.
Petrov also has significant international experience representing Kazakhstan in the 2009 and 2010 World Championships. In addition Petrov represented Kazakhstan on the U20 team in 2007 and U18 squads in 2005 and 2006.
-- Killer Bees Services
Basketball
Morris to rejoin Vipers
McALLEN – Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey announced Friday that forward Marcus Morris will be rejoining Houston’s single-affiliation NBA D-League partner Rio Grande Valley.
“Marcus’ ankle has healed and he has been cleared to practice and play," Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey said. "With limited practice time available, we have decided to send Marcus to Rio Grande Valley to give him an opportunity to play and recondition his ankle.”
Morris (6-9, 235, Kansas), who was selected by Houston with the 14th overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft, has averaged 22.3 points, 9.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists in four starts with Rio Grande Valley this season. He made his debut with the Vipers by posting 33 points (13-24 FG), 16 rebounds, five assists and two steals vs. Dakota (1/6/12).
-- Vipers Services
