Buzzards slip against New Mexico, lose 3-2
December 30, 2002 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
El Paso Buzzards News Release
EL PASO, Texas â In the final game of 2002 at the El Paso County Coliseum, the El Paso Buzzards let one slip away as they lost to their archrival, the New Mexico Scorpions 3-2 on Monday.
The Buzzards' Markus Forsberg scored a goal and an assist, his first of the year in both categories and Jeremy Vokes added two assists as El Paso could not hold a two-goal lead and lose a tough one. Buzzards' defenseman Rhett Dudley scored his second goal of the season, goaltender Matt Carmichael made 22 saves, and defenseman Mike Zeibaq collected an assist in the contest.
The Buzzards and Scorpions started off the game looking like two heavyweights in the early rounds feeling out each other. El Paso kept the pressure in the New Mexico zone for a majority of the period. The Buzzards outshot the Scorpions 12 to 3 in the stanza. The Buzzards best scoring chance came when Buzzards' left winger Russ Guzior on the right side, sent a pass to the tape of center Joe Gray cutting in from the slot. Gray put a solid shot on goal, but Scorpions goaltender Luciano Caravaggio made the save.
In the second period, the Buzzards started off on the right foot, killing a New Mexico penalty. Then Forsberg put a backhanded rebound past Caravaggio to give El Paso a 1-0 lead. Vokes and Zeibaq assisted on the goal. With the assist, Vokes has scored in three consecutive games. Then Dudley sent a rocket past Caravaggio's legs on the near side slot. Forsberg and Vokes recorded the assists. After a Jason Tessier penalty, New Mexico countered with a power play goal scored by right winger Craig Stahl, assisted by left wingers Fred Mattersdorfer and Tyler Baines. The Buzzards continued to apply the pressure and outshot the Scorpions 11 to 10 in the second period.
New Mexico wasted no time tying the game when left winger Peter Ambroziak beat Carmichael one-on-one to even the score. Scorpions' defenseman Arturs Kupaks assisted on the goal. Then on the power play, Kupaks sent the game winner past Carmichael, assisted by right winger Peter Brearley and Ambroziak to give New Mexico the lead. Down 3-2, the Buzzards increased the pressure when they went on a power play with under three-minutes to go. The Buzzards had numerous scoring chances, but unable to convert.
The loss improves the Buzzards to 9-18-2 overall and 7-11-1 at the Nest. New Mexico improves to 14-13-2 overall and 6-6-2 on the road. The Buzzards and Scorpions are tied in the season series at 3-3-0.
The Buzzards' next game will be at 6 p.m., Tuesday in Amarillo against the Amarillo Gorillas. Listen to all of the Buzzards games on 1380 KHEY, El Paso's Sports Ticket with the voice of the Buzzards, Michael LaPlaca. The Scorpions remain in third place in the Southwest Division. The Buzzards retain the fourth place spot.
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Central Hockey League Stories from December 30, 2002
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