Arizona Falls to Rocky Mountain 5-4 in Overtime
March 4, 2008 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Arizona Sundogs News Release
BROOMFIELD, Colo. - The Arizona Sundogs and Rocky Mountain Rage faced off in the sixth meeting between the two clubs this season Tuesday night at the Broomfield Event Center in Broomfield, Colo. Coming into the contest, the Sundogs held a 4-0-1 record in the season series, having won four straight since falling in overtime to the Rage on Oct. 27. Arizona found itself trailing through most of the game but its top line of Cory Urquhart, Alex Leavitt and Jason Visser combined for ten points in the 5-4 overtime loss. Alex Leavitt took over the CHL scoring race with a three-point night (1g/2a) and now has 96 points (30g/66a) on the season, two more than Laredo's Jeff Bes.
Rocky Mountain gained an early one-goal lead following a turnover in the Sundogs' defensive zone. Rage forward Brent Cullaton collected passes from Trevor Weisgerber and Rob Chappell and lifted a wrist shot over the glove of Arizona netminder Rob McVicar at 3:28 of the first period for his 18th tally of the season. At the 14:03 mark the Rage added to its lead, taking advantage of another Sundogs turnover. Jeremy Garrison found the back of the net for his first goal of the season from David Morelli to give his club a 2-0 lead. Neither club was able to establish a presence on the powerplay in the first 20 minutes, each going 0-for-1 with the man advantage. Rocky Mountain outshot Arizona in the opening frame by a 16-4 mark.
The Rage continued to pressure the Arizona Sundogs and Rob McVicar in the second period and increased its lead to 3-0 at 6:35 of the period. Former Sundog Ladislav Kouba fed a centering pass to a breaking Weisgerber who deflected it past McVicar for his first goal and second point of the night. Pat Sutton was also credited with an assist on the play. Arizona found life just past the midway point of the period as Alex Leavitt collected a loose puck at the blue line and found Cory Urquhart carrying speed into the zone. Urquhart beat the Rage defense and out-maneuvered Scott Reid, sliding the puck across the goal line to cut Rocky Mountain's lead to 3-1. Jason Visser also notched an assist on Uqruhart's fifth goal since being assigned by the NHL's Phoenix Coyotes. The Sundogs' top line of Leavitt, Urquhart and Visser pulled its club within one as Visser skated the length of the ice and sent a cross-ice pass to an uncontested Urquhart who pushed the pass home for his second of the period. Leavitt collected his second assist of the season moving him into the CHL scoring lead with 95 points on the season. With less than a minute remaining in the middle period, Kouba tallied his second point and first goal of the game, sending a centering pass into the net for his eighth goal of the season. Nathan Rosychuk assisted on the play, helping his club back to a two-goal lead. Rocky Mountain outshot Arizona 13-5 in the second period for a two-period 29-9 advantage.
Arizona converted on a Rage turnover at 5:46 of the third period to pull back to within one as Visser gloved a puck out of the air and put a backhand shot past Reid for his third point of the game. Urquhart added an assist to his already two goals for his third point of the game. The Sundogs' top line continued to carry its team as Visser gained the zone after a faceoff and dropped a pass to Leavitt who fired a wrist shot over Reid to tie the game a four goals apiece at the 12:32 mark. Rookie defenseman David Schlemko also assisted on the game-tying tally for his 27th helper of the year. Neither team would score in the final seven-and-a-half minutes, forcing overtime for the fourth time in six meetings between the two clubs.
With 2:25 to play in the extra session, Rocky Mountain's Clay Plume pushed a rebound past a sprawling McVicar to give his club the 5-4 win. Kouba and Jami Yoder assisted on the game-winning tally.
The league's top two powerplay units failed to convert on Tuesday night as Arizona finished 0-for-4 with the man advantage and Rocky Mountain went 0-for-3. Rob McVicar blocked 42 of 47 shots in the contest while Scott Reid turned away 14 of 18 shots in the win.
Arizona continues its six-game road trip Thursday night against the Odessa Jackalopes at the Ector County Coliseum in Odessa, Texas. Game time is set for 6:05pm (Arizona time). Catch the game via tape delay on 96.7 FM The Wolf, the Official Broadcast Home of the Arizona Sundogs beginning at 7:00pm.
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