Brahmas can't muster victory in Woollard's final game

By Bob Kowalski

Special to the Star-Telegram

NORTH RICHLAND HILLS - The Fort Worth Brahmas' stay in first place ended on the same night as the career of franchise star Chad Woollard's career.

Allen defeated Fort Worth 4-2 on Friday night at NYTEX Sports Centre in a game that matched the first-place teams in the Central Hockey League standings.

In a pregame ceremony, the Brahmas honored forward Chad Woollard, who retired after the game.

Of his 14 seasons in the CHL, eight were spent with Fort Worth, for whom he holds all major career offensive records.

"Woolly," whose play has been seen by more than 1.5 million fans, was presented a plaque by the team's fan club.

"It's been a long run, and it sounds like an old cliché, but I remember my first game," Woollard told the crowd before the game. "I hope I can go out the way I came in, with a win."

He nearly added to his goal totals on his first shift, when Adam Hogg tried to set him up in the slot. But the puck bounced over Woollard's stick.

Both of Fort Worth's goals came on the power play, the third consecutive game in which Fort Worth had two scores with the man-advantage.

The first, which cut Allen's lead to 2-1 in the second period, was scored by red-hot John Snowden, who had five goals in Fort Worth's win Wednesday. Only five seconds into the power play, and 41 seconds into the third period, Snowden rifled a shot from the point on assists from Tomas Klempa and Shawn Szydlowski.

After Allen took a 3-1 lead at 8:46 of the third period, Greg Eskedjian buried a shot from the blue line.

Assists went to Sy Nutkevitch and Klempa. Allen added an empty-net goal with 1:13 left.

The Brahmas controlled play to start the first period, posting the first six shots on goal and registering sustained pressure in the Americans' zone. But Allen took a 1-0 lead on only its second shot when Brian McMillan batted a floating puck past goalie Brad Fogal at 11:29. Fort Worth was 0-for-3 on the power play in the first period.

Jarret Lukin put Allen up 2-0 at 15:44 of the second, slipping a rebound past a prone Fogal, who made two initial saves, one while on his back. After posting only 5 shots in the first period, the Americans fired 11 in the second.

Briefly

Forward Phil Fox returned to the lineup for the Brahmas, his first action since Dec. 27. He's among the team leaders with 16 goals.

The team signed defenseman Ricky Helmbricht, who made his Brahmas debut against Allen. Forward Calin Wild, who has eight goals and 15 assists, was placed on the 7-day injured reserve list.

Fort Worth travels to Tulsa for a game Saturday night, then has five days off before back-to- back games at NYTEX on Feb. 22 against Missouri and Feb. 23 against Allen. Fort Worth is home for only five of 13 February games.

John Snowden, who had two goals in 22 games with Rapid City before the Brahmas signed him in December, has 21 goals and 13 assists in 25 games with Fort Worth.

The Fort Worth Cats' mascot, Dodger, made a special appearance at the game.

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