Name the area professional sports team to make it to the playoffs the last two seasons. Hint: it doesn't play in Kansas City.
Head east on I-70 to Independence and you'll find the home of the Missouri Mavericks of the Central Hockey League. Formed in 2009, the Mavericks have already scored big. Besides making the playoffs, they were named Franchise of the Year in two consecutive seasons by having the greatest number of home game sellouts.
Today on Central Standard the Mavericks' Vice-President of Communications, Patrick Armstrong, and team forward, Ryan Jardine, sit down with Jabulani Leffall to talk about the team's origins, its early success in the CHL, and how players and owners managed to reach a new contract agreement without a strike or lockout.
We want to hear from area hockey fans about your experiences watching the Mavericks play at the Independence Events Center. Call us during the show at 816.236.2888 or shoot us an e-mail at centralstandard@kcur.org.
Event info: The Missouri Mavericks take on the Rapid City Rush Saturday, November 17, at the Independence Events Center. The action starts at 7 p.m. More information is available at the Mavericks website.
Patrick Armstrong serves as the Mavericks vice president of communications. In this capacity, he is the primary media contact for the club, and also works on the production of the team's media guide, program and game notes, as well as design and maintain the team's website. Patrick most recently was the director of communications for the Houston Aeros (AHL) for two seasons and served in the same capacity with the Colorado Eagles for four seasons. Patrick is from Littleton, Colorado and graduated from Colorado State University with a degree in speech communication. He resides in Lee's Summit with his wife, Jennifer, and their two dogs, Gus and Riley. Ryan Jardine is in his third seasons as a forward for the Missouri Mavericks. A native of Ottawa, Ontario, Ryan began his career while still a teenager with the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. Since then he has played in eight leagues throughout North America and Europe including a stint with the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League. Committed to helping area organizations, Ryan just recently joined teammates as a waiter for the annual Dinner on Ice. Their work raised over $40,000 for the Boys and Girls Clubs. Ryan and his wife Amanda live in Independence with their son Hudson and daughter Emmerson.
