Arizona Blanked by Brahmas, Shutout for Just Third Time in Franchise History
January 16, 2009 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Arizona Sundogs News Release
PRESCOTT VALLEY, Ariz. - For just the third time in franchise history and first since a 3-0 loss to the Rocky Mountain Rage on January 28, 2007, the Arizona Sundogs were held scoreless in a contest as the Texas Brahmas topped the visiting club 5-0 Friday night at the NYTEX Sports Centre in North Richland Hills, Texas.
The host Brahmas converted on their second of four power play opportunities in the opening period of play Friday night to take a 1-0 lead into the first intermission. Defenseman Kevin McLeod found the back of the net for what would prove to be the eventual game-winner 41 seconds after Kyle Hood was whistled for hooking. Scott Sheppard and Nathan Saunders assisted on the play to help their club to the early one-goal lead.
Texas stretched its lead to 3-0 at the end of 40 minutes of play on goals by Matt Quinn and Sheppard separated by four minutes late in the period. Quinn netted his seventh of the year on passes from Marc Belanger and McLeod at the 15:24 mark and Sheppard gathered his second point of the night, capping off scoring in the period with the Brahmas' second power play tally of the game with just 17 seconds to play in the frame.
Travis Banga, in just his second game with the Brahmas since being acquired from the Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees on January 9, quickly pushed the score to 5-0 in favor of Texas with two goals in a three-minute span to open the third period. Sheppard and McLeod registered their third points of the game with helpers on Banga's first of the period while Craig Minard and Saunders assisted on his second to help open a five-goal cushion. Following Banga's second, Sundogs Head Coach and General Manager Marco Pietroniro replaced starting netminder Marco Emond with backup goaltender Joel Gistedt.
The Sundogs allowed a season-high 50 shots against for the second time this season. Marco Emond started in net for Arizona but was replaced in net by backup goaltender Joel Gistedt after allowing five goals on 37 shots. Gistedt turned aside all 13 shots faced in the final 15:07 Friday night. Brett Jaeger stopped all 37 shots faced for his second shutout of the season. Texas finished 3-for-6 with the man advantage while Arizona was unable to convert on four power play chances.
The Sundogs fall to 17-19-2 on the season, having dropped three-straight since rattling off a season-best six-game win streak in late-December and early-January. Arizona next takes on the Corpus Christi IceRays at the AmericanBank Center tomorrow night at 6:45pm (Arizona time). The game can be heard live on 96.7 FM The Wolf, the Official Broadcast Home of the Arizona Sundogs.
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