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Topeka ScareCrows

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The Topeka Scarecrows were a professional ice hockey team located in Topeka, Kansas, playing their home games at Landon Arena. The team was a member of the Central Hockey League from their founding in 1998 until 2001 when there franchise was terminated by the league midseason.

Topeka Scarecrows
CityTopeka, Kansas
LeagueCentral Hockey League
Operated1998–2001
Home arenaLandon Arena
ColorsBlack, Red, Yellow

After the professional team disband, the ownership group would then start a new junior hockey team with the same name in the Tier I Junior A United States Hockey League playing from 2001 to 2003. The team was sold and then moved to St. Louis, Missouri and became the St. Louis Heartland Eagles.

Facts

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Founded: 1998–1999 season
Arena: Landon Arena (capacity 7,777)
Uniform colors: black, red, and yellow
Local Media: Topeka Capital-Journal

History/Milestones

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  • November 13, 1997: CHL commits itself to the goal of having a franchise in Topeka for the 1998–1999 season. Co-founders Arnold Diamond and Ed Levy begin team development beginning in 1996 and making way for team and league expansion.
  • February 23, 1998: Shawnee County commissioners sign a contract with Flying Cross Check, L.C.C., the company that will own and operate the CHL expansion team. The five-year pact has options for two three-year extensions.
  • April 30, 1998: The Topeka ScareCrows unveil their nickname and logo.
  • June 10, 1998: Construction begins on the ice installation at Landon Arena (seating capacity 7,779).
  • July 20, 1998: Installation of Landon Arena ice equipment is finished.
  • August 6, 1998: The Topeka ScareCrows pick their first 10 players in the Central Hockey League expansion draft, then execute the franchise's first trade to secure the rights to left wing Doug Lawrence, a six-year veteran who, should he sign, would come to Topeka from the Tulsa Oilers.
  • September 1, 1998: Haywire, the mascot for the Topeka Scarecrows is born.
  • October 16, 1998: The CHL Topeka Scarecrows play their first game ever in a sold out Landon Arena (capacity 7,777), a 7–3 loss to the Wichita Thunder.
  • November 6, 1998: The CHL Topeka Scarecrows win their first game, a 4–3 triumph over the San Antonio Iguanas at Landon Arena.
  • November 20, 1998: The CHL Topeka Scarecrows earn their first shootout win, 4–3, in a game against the Wichita Thunder in the Kansas Coliseum (seating capacity 9,600).
  • December 20, 1998: The CHL Topeka Scarecrows beat the San Antonio Iguanas 5–4 to end an eight-game losing streak.
  • January 19, 1999: Brett Seguin is the first Topeka Scarecrow to play in CHL All-Star game.
  • February 3, 1999: Rod Branch records the first shutout in CHL Topeka Scarecrows history.
  • March 18, 1999: Brett Seguin records the first hat trick in CHL Topeka Scarecrows history, against the Wichita Thunder in a 4–0 win.
  • April 10, 1999: The Topeka ScareCrows end their season after losing in the first round of their first-ever Central Hockey League playoff appearance after three one-sided games against the Oklahoma City Blazers. Before going three-and-out in the playoffs, the ScareCrows finished the last half of the season with a winning record. Topeka was 18–16–1 from January through the end of the regular season after posting a 10–22–3 mark from October through December. They finished with a 28–38–4 record and averaged 4,793 fans a game.
  • October 15, 1999: The Topeka ScareCrows begin their second season in a 3–1 loss against the San Antonio Iguanas, in front of a Landon Arena crowd of 7,156.
  • January 25, 2000: Brett Seguin, John Vary and Bill Monkman are selected to play in the CHL all-star game.
  • April 2, 2000: The Topeka ScareCrows' second Central Hockey League season ends with a 35–27–8 record, with eight shootout losses, just three points short of making the playoffs. They finished third in attendance, averaging 4,991 fans a game.
  • May 3, 2000: Topeka ScareCrows general manager Chris Presson accepts position as general manager of the United Hockey League expansion club in New Haven (the New Haven Hurricanes). He is replaced by ScareCrows former assistant general manager Doug Miller.
  • October 13, 2000: The CHL Topeka Scarecrows begin their third and final season at home against the Wichita Thunder 3–2 in a shootout at Landon Arena in front of 4,789 fans.
  • February 20, 2001: The CHL's board of governors decides to terminate the Topeka Scarecrows season with 21 games remaining—10 of which were scheduled for Landon Arena. Saying that the ScareCrows and the Border City Bandits, of Texarkana, Texas, "breached multiple financial obligations under their sanction agreements with the CHL," the Indianapolis-based league terminated the participation of both franchises for the remainder of the 2001 season.
  • February 22, 2001: The Topeka ScareCrows returned to the ice in Tulsa, Oklahoma, ending a 13-day layoff that included three days in limbo following their suspension Tuesday from the Central Hockey League, with the help of a temporary restraining order issued in Shawnee County District Court on February 16, 2001, that blocked the league from ending the ScareCrows' season.
  • March 8, 2001: U.S. District Judge Sam Crow filed an 18-page ruling in which he denies the Central Hockey League's request to lift a temporary restraining order keeping the ScareCrows on the ice.
  • March 29, 2001: The ScareCrows' end their third and final home season at Landon Arena with a 4–1 loss to the Wichita Thunder.
  • April 10, 2001: The CHL ScareCrows end the franchise's three-year history as a minor-league professional program by ending their best-of-five Central Hockey League playoff series in a 5–3 loss to San Antonio in front of 2,121 fans. The Iguanas' victory, which the visitors claimed with a three-goal third period that wiped out a 3–2 deficit, gave San Antonio a 3–1 series victory and advanced the Texans to the Western Conference finals against Oklahoma City.

Season-by-season records

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Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, OTL = Overtime Losses, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against, PIM = Penalties in minutes

Season GP W L OTL Pts GF GA PIM Finish Playoffs
1998–99 70 28 38 4 60 189 251 1584 4th, Western Lost in Round 1
1999–00 70 35 27 8 78 245 243 1533 5th, Western Out of Playoffs
2000–01 69 38 23 8 84 256 245 1533 3rd, Western Lost in Round 1

All-Time Roster

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# Player Name Pos Seasons Yrs Games Played Birthplace Birthdate
2 Alex Motley C 1998–1999 1 19 Pleasanton, CA Oct 1, 1974
2 Alex Mukhanov D 1999–2000 1 24 Moscow, Russia May 17, 1976
Andre Quesnel R 1999–2000 1 3 Ottawa, ONT January 26, 1977
Andy Adams G 1998–1999 1 9 Thornhill, ONT Oct 2, 1976
6 Anthony Zurfluh D 2000–2001 1 13 Soldotna, AK January 24, 1977
10 Bill Monkman R 1999–2000 1 65 Tara, ONT May 16, 1975
16 Blair Manning C 1999–2001 2 131 Vancouver, BC May 27, 1975
Blake Sheane R 2000–2001 1 11 Virden, MAN May 5, 1977
44 Bob Berg L 2000–2001 1 69 Beamsville, ONT Feb 7, 1970
Bob Pardy D 1998–1999 1 8 St. John\'s, NF July 28, 1974
Brad Klyn D 1998–1999 1 3 Surrey, BC
40 Brett Seguin C 1998–2000 2 140 St. Mary\'s, ONT February 20, 1972
44 Chad Antonishyn D 1998–1999 1 47 Regina, SASK May 25, 1974
Chris Belanger D 1998–1999 1 10 Welland, ONT April 4, 1972
33 Chris Bowen L 1998–1999 1 47 Barrie, ONT Jul 3, 1976
9 Chris Burke L 2000–2001 1 4 Winona, MN Aug 9, 1976
23 Chris Felix D 2000–2001 1 68 Bramalea, ONT May 27, 1964
Chris King G 1998–1999 1 1 Braintree, MA Feb 7, 1974
21 Chris Maillet D 2000–2001 1 46 Moncton, NB January 28, 1976
29 Dale Lafrance R 1999–2000 1 13 Sudbury, ONT
Dave Gregory D 1998–1999 1 23 Woodstock, ONT Jan 5, 1967
22 David "Duke" Bouskill L 1999–2001 2 121 Glen Williams, ONT Sep 11, 1976
6 Gary Coupal R 1999–2000 1 20 Sudbury, ONT September 16, 1974
12 & 14 Grady Manson C 1999–2000 1 23 Brandon, MAN May 26, 1975
29 Jan Melichar D 1998–2000 2 44 Trebic, Czech February 24, 1978
32 Jason Girodat F 1999–2000 1 3 Shaunavon, SASK
14 Jason Lafreniere C 1999–2000 1 3 St. Catharines, ONT Jun 12, 1966
27 Jay Hern L 2000–2001 1 58 Medicine Hat, ALTA Jun 12, 1976
11 Jeff Goldie L 2000–2001 1 58 Owen Sound, ONT May 27, 1974
27 Joe Coombs L 1998–2000 2 106 Brantford, ONT Jan 6, 1975
16 Joey Beaudry R 1998–2000 2 59 Prince Albert, SASK Aug 6, 1976
32 John Gibson D 1999–2000 1 9 Kingston, ONT September 30, 1970
17 John McCabe W 2000–2001 1 67 Sudbury, ONT May 30, 1974
4 John Vary D 1999–2001 2 138 Owen Sound, ONT Nov 2, 1972
19 Jordan Shields L 1998–1999 1 44 Gloucester, ONT April 27, 1972
Ken Eddy D 1998–1999 1 3 Rochester, MN Aug 4, 1969
Kevin Fricke D 1999–2000 1 25 Edina, MN April 18, 1974
Kevin Lune D 1998–1999 1 21 Brantford, ONT Aug 6, 1971
19 Kirk LLano D 1999–2000 1 67 Calgary, ALTA Oct 1, 1973
7 Kyle Haviland D 1998–2000 2 78 Windsor, ONT Oct 8, 1971
Lannie McCabe D 2000–2001 1 64 Sudbury, ONT July 13, 1977
33 Luciano Caravaggio G 2000–2001 1 40 Toronto, ONT Mar 10, 1975
Marco Emond G 1998–1999 1 5 Valleyfield, PQ November 20, 1977
Marcus Nilsson R 1998–1999 1 3
10 Mark Edmundson C 2000–2001 1 65 London, ONT Nov 3, 1975
39 Michal Podolka G 1998–2000 2 39 Most, Czech Rep. Nov 8, 1977
33 Mike Degurse L 1999–2000 1 9 Amajinnang, ONT Apr 10, 1974
44 Mike Hiebert D 1999–2000 1 18 Winnipeg, MAN April 16, 1975
Mike Migen D 1998–1999 1 2
28 Mike Rusk D 1998–2000 2 129 Milton, ONT April 26, 1975
Mike Tilson‡ D 1998–1999 1 Pickering, ONT June 28, 1978
9 Oleg Tsirkounov F 1998–2000 2 92 Kiev, Ukraine March 15, 1977
Paul Godfrey R 1998–1999 1 10 Sault Ste. Marie, ONT October 30, 1976
61 Paul Strand L 2000–2001 1 64 Sudbury, ONT Jan 12, 1971
20 Peter Brearley R 2000–2001 1 66 Chatham, ONT June 27, 1975
14 Randy Best D 1999–2000 1 15 Woodsbury, MN May 3, 1974
23 Rod Branch G 1998–2000 2 93 Fort St. John, BC April 14, 1975
4 Roy Gray D 1998–1999 1 3 Toronto, ONT April 22, 1976
7 Ryan Hartung D 2000–2001 1 56 St. Paul, MN May 26, 1977
21 Ryan McCormack R 2000–2001 1 10 Thunder Bay, ONT Apr 3, 1978
Ryan Phillips L 1998–1999 1 49 North Vancouver, BC Aug 7, 1975
33 Scot Bell R 1999–2000 1 26 Ottawa, ONT April 18, 1972
Scott Dickson C 1998–1999 1 30 Brandon, MAN May 12, 1976
31 Scott Hay G 2000–2001 1 31 Scarborough, ONT Mar 4, 1975
11 & 63 Sergei Deschevy D 1999–2001 2 111 Kiev, Ukraine June 25, 1977
47 Sergei Olympiev L 1998–2000 2 53 Lipetski, Russia Dec 1, 1975
12 Shawn Gervais R 2000–2001 1 67 St. Albert, ALTA Dec 7, 1976
26 Shawn Randall R 1998–1999 1 47 Montrose, MI November 13, 1972
77 Stephane Desjardins D 1998–1999 1 60 Anjou, PQ June 23, 1972
Steve Adams D 1998–1999 1 3 Edmonton, ALTA Nov 4, 1975
Steve Moore C 1999–2000 1 67 Gardiner, ME June 21, 1971
Sylvain Thibeault D 1999–2000 1 8 St. Jerome, PQ October 30, 1970
24 Tom Gomes R 1999–2000 1 29 Harrow, ONT April 29, 1972
Tom Stewart R 1998–1999 1 26 Brantford, ONT May 19, 1975
Travis Riggin F 1998–1999 1 32 Kincardine, ONT April 26, 1977
Travis Sinden G 1998–1999 1 1 Phoenix, AZ March 31, 1976
21 Trevor Hanas R 1998–2000 2 99 Regina, SASK January 20, 1975
10 Troy Frederick L 1998–1999 1 64 Virden, MAN April 4, 1969
9 Virgil Rutili D 1998–1999 1 2 Addison, IL February 17, 1973
17 Yuri Moscevsky W 1999–2000 1 4 Milwaukee, WI October 20, 1978
8 & 25 Zbynek Neckar D 1998–2000 2 16 Pisek, Czech September 22, 1978
Source[1]

References

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  1. ^ "Topeka Scarecrows [CHL] all-time player list at hockeydb.com". HockeyDB. Retrieved June 9, 2022.
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Note 2