Brahmas, Americans split two-game series

Hockey fans in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex were recently treated to a two-game “North Texas Vintage Series” between the Central Hockey League’s Allen Americans and the Texas Brahmas. The two teams donned throwback sweaters of the Dallas Black Hawks and the Fort Worth Wings as they revisited a rivalry of hockey past.

Professional hockey competitions between the two cities date back to 1941 when the Dallas Texans and the Fort Worth Rangers competed in the American Hockey Association. The league suspended operations in 1942 due to the war but resumed play as the United States Hockey League in 1945. The rivalry between the two teams continued through 1949 when the league folded.

In 1967, professional hockey returned to North Texas with the arrival of two Central Hockey League teams. The Black Hawks relocated to Dallas from St. Louis and the Fort Worth Wings, an affiliate of the Detroit Red Wings, played their inaugural season in downtown Fort Worth.

Throughout the years, a deep hatred between the Dallas and Fort Worth clubs developed, involving bench clearing brawls on the ice and mayhem in the stands, including the legendary 10 cent beer night (near) riot in Fort Worth in 1978. The rivalry made them two of the most popular teams in the CHL.

The Texans won their only Adams Cup Championship, in 1978, by defeating the Blackhawks 5-4 in overtime of game seven of the finals. The Black Hawks won five Adams Cup championships during their time in the league. Both teams ceased operations following the 1981-82 seasons.

The modern Central Hockey League’s Dallas Freeze and Fort Worth Fire competed between 1992 and 1995, when the Freeze folded. The Fire remained in the league until 1999.

14 years after the last games between Dallas and Fort Worth teams were played, the expansion Allen Americans and the league champion Texas Brahmas (formerly Fort Worth Brahmas) have already started a heated rivalry of their own.

The two teams met twice in the pre-season, splitting wins. They met four times in the regular season, with the series tied 2-2; each team earning a shootout victory and the home team winning each game. The contests have been physical, to say the least, and even included a pre-game brawl on December 9th that resulted in four players being suspended for a combined 17 games.

The vintage series included throwback programs and concession prices and after the games, fans were able to take part in auctions for the game-worn sweaters. Former Dallas Black Hawks players Duane “Whip” Wylie, Curt Ridley and Doug Shelton and Fort Worth Wings player Herb Boxer took part in ceremonial puck drops.

Game one took place on Saturday, December 26th at the Allen Events Center where the Americans won in overtime, 3-2. Center Justin Bowers gave the home team a 1-0 lead just :34 seconds into the first period but the Brahmas scored two power play goals in the middle frame to take a 2-1 lead into the second intermission. Allen Defenseman Sean Perkins scored the equalizer at the 9:00 mark of the third period and former Brahma Ryan Fairbarn delivered the winning goal 4:11 into overtime.

The second game was held at the NYTEX Sports Centre in North Richland Hills on January 8th with the Brahmas anchored by the steady play of rookie goaltender Joe Palmer, who earned his third shut out of the season. Tyler Skworchinski scored two goals for Texas in the 3-0 victory.

With the regular season series split 3-3, the Brahmas and Americans will meet three more times before the post-season. Suffice it to say, this rivalry will continue to heat up the ice for a long time to come.