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Robinson begins playoffs

Trail native finished second in season’s scoring race

Todd Robinson is now in search of a Central Hockey League title to add to his impressive professional hockey resume.

The CHL playoffs got under way last night on several fronts including North Richland Hills, Tex., where the Texas Brahmas hosted Robinson and the Odessa Jackalopes.

The Trail native is in his first year in the CHL after spending the better part of a decade with the now-defunct International Hockey League’s Muskegon Lumberjacks.

There were certainly no freshman jitters in his first season in the southern U.S. league. Robinson finished second in league scoring with 29 goals and 99 points in 62 games. The only player to top Robinson in scoring was teammate and linemate Sebastien Thinel, who won the scoring crown with 110 points in 66 games.

Cranbrook native Riley Nelson was fourth in league scoring with 93 points for the Colorado Eagles.

Game 1 of the best of five series was played last night in North Richland Hills, which is just west of Dallas. Results were unavailable at press time.

This marked the third straight year the two teams have met in the playoffs. The Brahmas won the showdown in 2009 but the Jackalopes erased a 2-0 series deficit last year to eliminate Texas. Odessa finished fifth in the Berry Conference with 31 wins and 69 points in 66 games. Texas was fourth in the conference with 73 points.

The Texas roster includes former Trail Smoke Eaters sniper Mick Lawrence.

Lawrence, who had 95 points for the Smokies in the 2002-03 season, potted 22 goals and 45 points in his first CHL season.