Denike Just Does It

Published on March 31, 2004 under ECHL (ECHL)
Fresno Falcons News Release


FRESNO, Calif. – After giving-up the game-tying goal 12 seconds into the third period, Fresno Falcons goaltender Terry Denike (pr: duh-NIKE) stopped the next 17 shots he saw through the end of regulation, overtime and into a shootout, where the Falcons defeated the Alaska Aces by a score of 3-2 on Tuesday in front of 3,037 at Save Mart Center.

Fresno jumped to a 2-0 first period lead behind Neil Posillico's first as a Falcon at 9:14 off a two-on-one rush and Kris Porter's team-leading 21st goal at 13:46 on a five-on-three power play. The Aces' Louis Mass responded with an unassisted wrist shot from the point at 15:39 to cut Fresno's lead in half after 20 minutes.

The teams were scoreless through the second period when the Falcons' John Wroblewski took an elbowing penalty at the buzzer to give Alaska a power play to begin the third. Fresno's defense turned the puck over inside their own zone, which led to the Aces' Garrett Prosofsky snapping a rebound top shelf to tie the game at two at the 12 second mark.

Alaska proceeded to pepper Denike throughout the remainder of the third as they out-gunned the Falcons, 13-3, over the final 20 minutes, but the clubs remained tied at two into the extra session. Each team failed to convert on a power play in the overtime before Denike made the saves of the game on Aces rookie All-Star Charles Linglet and then Bret DeCecco off an ensuing rebound to preserve the tie with about 10 seconds remaining.

In the shootout, Tapio Sammalkangas and Brian Passmore scored for Fresno, and Denike shutdown all four Alaska shooters he faced to clinch the 3-2 shootout win.

The victory snapped the Falcons' four-game losing streak and moves them to within a point of the sixth-place Long Beach Ice Dogs in the Pacific Division with a record of 22-42-6 on the year.

Fresno continues a four-game homestand to complete the 2003-04 season when they welcome the Idaho Steelheads to Save Mart Center for a pair of games on Friday and Saturday. Both tilts begin at 7 p.m., with the first 2,500 fans on Friday receiving a Falcons matchbox car courtesy of Hedrick's Chevrolet.

Tickets to both games can be purchased directly at Save Mart Center's Box Office and all Ticketmaster outlets, which include select Save Mart Supermarkets, Tower Records, Wherehouse Music and Ritmo Latino locations, charged by phone at 485-TIXS or bought online by clicking the Ticketmaster icon throughout www.fresnofalcons.com.

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ECHL Stories from March 31, 2004


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