Despite loss, RoadRunners finish 2006 on high note

January 2, 2007 - ECHL (ECHL)
Phoenix RoadRunners News Release


'RUNNERS REWIND: The Phoenix RoadRunners lost their lone game last week falling 2-1 to the Long Beach Ice Dogs to close out the 2006 portion of their regular season. With a record of 16-13-1 and 33 points, the RoadRunners are currently third in the West Division and seventh overall in the National Conference. Phoenix trails division leader Alaska by five points and National Conference leader Las Vegas by eight points. The top eight teams in the National Conference advance to the 2007 Kelly Cup Playoffs, and currently seven out of those eight teams are separated by just eight points.

Saturday, Goaltender Brett Jaeger made 38 saves to lead the Long Beach Ice Dogs to a 2-1 victory over the Phoenix RoadRunners before 4,318 at US Airways Center.

The teams traded goals in the first period. Lance Monych hit newcomer Chanse Fitzpatrick with a perfect lead pass into the zone, and Fitzpatrick worked the puck around the Ice Dogs defense and flipped it behind Jaeger at 12:05 of the first to give the RoadRunners (16-13-1) a 1-0 lead. Don Johnson netted the equalizer for Long Beach (9-15-2) at 16:36 snapping the puck off goaltender Cody Rudkowsky's skate and into the net to tie the contest at 1-1.

The Ice Dogs took their first lead of the game 1:00 into the second period. Kip Brennan finished off a two-on-one pass from Ash Goldie and beat Rudkowsky along the ice for the 2-1 advantage.

Despite 15 shots on goal in the third period, the RoadRunners could not score the game-tying goal.

Phoenix out-shot Long Beach 39-26. Rudkowsky stopped 24 shots but fell to 4-5-1 on the season. Phoenix went 0-8 on the power play while Long Beach was 0-5.

THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR: The RoadRunners finished the month of December with a record of 6-5-1. Justin Aikins led the offensive attack with a team-high eight goals and 12 points through 12 games. Goalies Cody Rudkowsky and Mike Morrison combined to post a 2.68 goals against average and a .912% save percentage. Phoenix outscored their opponents 37-32 and tallied 17 power play goals on 96 chances, a 17.7% clip that propelled their overall power play efficiency into the top-10 in the ECHL. Meanwhile, the RoadRunners' penalty kill surrendered just 10 power play goals for the month and finished December with an 88.1% kill rate.

DANDY DEBUTS: With his goal Saturday against Long Beach, forward Chanse Fitzpatrick continued a string of splendid starts by RoadRunners' newcomers in their first game. Center Olivier Latendresse tallied a pair of goals in his first game down from AHL San Antonio on Nov. 25 to lead an 8-2 rout over the Ice Dogs. It was also the first multi-goal game for Latendresse in his professional career. Meanwhile, center Chris Ferraro also potted a pair of goals in his RoadRunners' debut on Dec. 21 to propel Phoenix to a 4-2 triumph over the Victoria Salmon Kings. Ironically, Fitzpatrick, Latendresse, and Ferraro each scored the first goal of the game.

SNAPPED! The RoadRunners watched several team and personal streaks come to a conclusion Saturday, most notably their streak of three consecutive wins at US Airways Center. Prior to Saturday, the RoadRunners had not lost at home in exactly one month since suffering a 3-2 defeat to the Utah Grizzlies on Nov. 30. Phoenix also failed to score a power play goal at home for the first time since Nov. 7, snapping a streak of eight straight home games with at least one goal on the man-advantage. Aikins' career-best tying eight-game scoring streak ended as the second-year pro failed to record a point for the first time since Dec. 9. Aikins finished the stretch with an impressive seven goals and three assists. Brock Hooton was also unable to extend upon his second five-game point streak of the season.

PADDOCK RETURNS: Center Cam Paddock was returned from the San Antonio Rampage Tuesday following a week stint in the American Hockey League. Paddock collected his first AHL point with an assist in Wednesday's game against Omaha and finished with a plus-one rating in three games with the Rampage. Paddock is fifth on the RoadRunners in scoring with five goals and 19 points in 29 games. Meanwhile, center Chris Ferraro remains on loan to San Antonio. Ferraro has two goals, two assists and is a plus-four in five games since being recalled on Christmas day.

NEWS & NOTES: With Saturday's loss, the RoadRunners are now 3-4-0 against a Long Beach team that has only nine wins for the year...Phoenix is just four wins shy of matching their entire win total from the inaugural 2005-06 season...Defenseman Dusty Demianiuk will skate in his 100th career game Friday at Long Beach while forward Lance Monych will appear in his 100th career game next Wednesday at home against Idaho.

THIRSTY THROWBACK THURSDAY COMING UP: It's another "Thirsty Throwback Thursday" this week presented by Alice Cooper'stown as the RoadRunners host the Idaho Steelheads at 7:11 p.m. Thursday at US Airways Center. Enjoy $2 hot dogs while the RoadRunners reel in the Steelheads and collect your special "Thirsty Thursday" cup. Following the game, head to Cooper'stown located off the south exit of the arena on Jackson Street and enjoy $2 Budweiser and Bud Light drafts and free soda for the rest of the evening. For more information or to order tickets, call (602) 462-GOAL.

WATCH THE 'RUNNERS LIVE IN '06-07: The RoadRunners have teamed up with B2 Networks to bring you live action of Phoenix RoadRunners hockey in 2006-07. RoadRunners fans will be able to click the "Watch Online" link at www.phxroadrunners.com to view and listen to the game. These broadcasts are available to fans for a charge of $6 per game. All 36 RoadRunners home broadcasts will be available in addition to over 25 road games in Alaska, Idaho, Las Vegas, Stockton, Utah, and Bakersfield. A cable or DSL Internet connection and Windows Media Player 9 are required to view the games.

UP NEXT: The RoadRunners run through a busy week as they host the Idaho Steelheads Tuesday and Thursday at US Airways Center and welcome the Las Vegas Wranglers to Phoenix on Saturday. All home games start at 7:11 p.m. The RoadRunners will also visit Long Beach at 8:30PM Friday. Catch all the action live at www.phxroadrunners.com beginning with "RoadRunners Countdown" 20 minutes prior to face-off. Individual game tickets for the 2006-07 regular season start as low $7 in the lower section and can be purchased at the US Airways Center Box Office and at all Ticketmaster outlets including Ticketmaster.com. Information on season tickets, half-season packages, and flex plans are available by calling (602) 462-GOAL.

PHOENIX, Ariz. - WEEK RECORD 0-1-0 - SEASON RECORD 16-13-1 - 3RD WEST DIVISION



ECHL Stories from January 2, 2007


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