SOUTHAVEN, MS --- The Memphis RiverKings and the Oklahoma City Blazers both advanced to the CHL Northern Conference semifinals Tuesday night.  The Blazers advanced with a 3-2 win over the RiverKings at the DeSoto Civic Center.  The RiverKings, despite losing the series four games to three, move on by virtue of being the highest seeded team among the losing teams in the first round. 

The RiverKings will face the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs in the semifinals and open the series at Bossier City this Friday night at 7:05.  The Blazers will also open the semis on Friday as they will travel to Colorado.  Both the Mudbugs and Eagles wrapped up their series tonight, eliminating Wichita and Youngstown, respectively. 

Tuesday night’s game seven between the Blazers and RiverKings was another close affair between the teams.  In 15 meetings during the regular season and postseason, eight games were decided by one goal.  Two more had empty net goals that made the winning margin two goals. 

Phil Aucoin scored 5:44 into the contest to lift the RiverKings to a 1-0 lead.  The Blazers countered with a tying goal in the final minute of the first from Gordon Bell.  Oklahoma City scored the only two goals of the second, coming from Chad Hinz and Matt Wheeler, to take a 3-1 advantage into the third period.    

With the extra attacker, Ryan Campbell pulled Memphis to within one with 56 seconds remaining, 

The RiverKings pressured Oklahoma City netminder Sean Connors throughout the game as the RiverKings outshot the visitors 41-24.  Connors made several key saves among his 39 stops on the evening.  The RiverKings had the shots advantage in the third period to the tune of 15-4.

The RiverKings’ Larry Sterling started and played the first two periods and took loss, stopping 17 of 20 shots.  Kevin Schieve played the third period between the pipes and stopped the four shots he saw.

Oklahoma City went one for three on the power play while the RiverKings were scoreless in six chances.

MEMPHIS/BOSSIER-SHREVEPORT SEMIFINAL SCHEDULE
GM 1 Fri, 4-13       MEM @BOS    7:05
GM 2 Sun, 4-15     MEM @ BOS   4:00
GM 3 Thu, 4-19     BOS @ MEM   7:05
GM 4 Sat, 4-21      BOS @ MEM   7:05
GM 5 Sun, 4-22     MEM @ BOS   6:00
GM 6 Tue, 4-24     BOS @ MEM   7:05
GM 7 Thu, 4-26     MEM @ BOS   7:05
        
Tickets for the RiverKings second round home playoff games will be on sale by noon tomorrow, Wednesday, April 11, at www.ticketmaster.com, via ticketmaster charge by phone at 901-525-1515, all TicketMaster outlets and at the DeSoto Civic Center box office.