NORTH RICHLAND HILLS, TX — After a weekend away from the ice to begin 2019, the Brahmas return home for a five-game home stand. They kick off that home stand with two games against the Topeka Pilots.
Gameday Need-to-Know
Puck drop for both Friday and Saturday night’s games is scheduled for 7:30 PM.
If you are planning to attend this weekend, tickets are available for purchase online, by phone at 817-336-4423, or by visiting the Brahmas Box Office, open at noon on game days.
If you can’t make it, the video stream of the game will be available on HockeyTV. Friday night’s game is HockeyTV’s Free NAHL Game of the Week, so tune in from wherever you are.
There is a youth t-shirt giveaway courtesy of Top Cotton on Friday night — the first 100 children 12 years and under will receive a free shirt, so make sure you get here early!
On Saturday night, the adult t-shirt giveaway (again, courtesy of Top Cotton) will occur. Make sure you’re here early to receive one, as there are only 100 and supplies run out fast.
Don’t forget to visit our NYTEX Sports Shop for 15% off our Item of the Week!
Season Head-to-Head
Topeka has been Lone Star’s least-frequent opponent in the South Division this season so far, having met for a two-game set just once in the first half of the schedule. That series occurred in Topeka. This will be the teams’ first meeting at NYTEX Sports Centre
Of the two games that have been played between the Pilots and Brahmas, each team has walked away with one win, but the Brahmas hold the edge in points with a 1-0-1 record to Topeka’s 1-1-0.
Veteran defenseman Kimball Johnson is the Brahmas’ leading scorer against the Pilots, with a goal and an assist in two games played. Lone Star’s blue line has been contributing significantly to the overall offensive effort, so keep an eye out for that to continue.
Forward Noah Roofe has also seen success against the Pilots, with two assists in two games.
On the flip side, Topeka’s Michael Muschitiello (1-1–2 against Lone Star) and Connor Zilisch (3-0–3 against Lone Star) are players to keep an eye out for.
Quick Notes
- It’s a big weekend in terms of standings points — Topeka (15-15-4) is fourth in the South and the Brahmas (14-14-6) are fifth. The Brahmas could move into a playoff spot by the end of this series.
- The Brahmas are coming off of a bye week, but before that they completed a road sweep in Odessa. Topeka, on the other hand, has just been swept at the hands of the division-leading Amarillo Bulls. The score of their most recent game? A 10-2 loss.
- Of the goalies on Topeka’s current roster, Lone Star has only faced Emil Gransoe. In his game against the Brahmas, Gransoe put up a .970 SV% and registered an overtime win.
- Brahmas goaltender Seth Eisele has a shutout win against Topeka.
- It will be the first visit Topeka makes to North Richland Hills since rebranding as the Pilots over the offseason.