Schedule gives Bees a chance

McALLEN - At 10-28-7, the Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees have the worst record in the CHL. They’ve allowed more goals (197) than any other team, and their two road wins are the fewest in the league. And, to match last year’s win total, RGV would have to go 18-0-1.

Yet, thanks to their schedule, the Bees are still talking about making a late run into the postseason, even though they are 12 points out of the final spot. Of their 19 remaining games, RGV plays Austin eight times, the first being tonight at Chaparral Ice and then Saturday against Laredo at Dodge Arena.

So, for as bad as the Bees have been this season, they still have something of a chance to surge into the postseason. Although, in reality, for a team like RGV, the postseason began awhile ago.

“I think (Bees coach Paul Fixter) said it best, I don’t know who likes us upstairs there, but them passing Corpus Christi and us playing them eight times, it couldn’t have been more perfect for us,” defenseman Jeremy Van Hoof said. “This weekend is pretty much going to say it all as far as how the rest of the season will go.”

Based on recent results, however, that might not be a good thing.

Over the past two seasons, the Ice Bats are 7-0-1 against the Bees in Austin. Overall this season, RGV is a paltry 2-16-4 away from Dodge Arena, with the eight points they’ve earned only one more than Wichita’s seven.

“It’s a bit of a hostile environment. It has a little bit of a smaller ice surface than we’re used to,” Van Hoof said. “You can’t use that as an excuse, you’ve just got to find a way.”

If the Bees do find a way to somehow make the postseason, it won’t be a miracle. But, it will be pretty close to one, at least by CHL standards. Not only do the Bees have to make up 12 points on the Ice Bats, they’ll also have to pass Corpus Christi and Amarillo.

Fixter sounded both realistic and hopeful about his team’s chances, a team that has won only three times since Dec. 1.

“It’s a longshot, but there’s been other longshots win competitions,” Fixter said. “We have a chance. It’s dwindling away with each performance, obviously. But, there is hope. And if there is hope, there’s a reason to get excited.”

Van Hoof sounded excited about the schedule, but conceded the Bees might not deserve the fortunate scheduling.

“I’m not going to say we deserve our chance to get it here, but I’m going to take it and be thankful that we have this chance,” Van Hoof said. “I hope that we’re at least going to work hard enough to make people think that we deserved it.”

ICING: New Bees forward Jason Weitzel didn’t practice Thursday. Fixter said he expects Weitzel, who was acquired Monday for defenseman Jon Hedberg, to meet the team tonight in Austin.

Brian Sandalow covers the Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees for The Monitor. You can reach him at (956) 683-4436.