Four-Goal Third Lifts 'Dogs to First Win of Season When Trailing After 40 Minutes
March 3, 2010 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Arizona Sundogs News Release
PRESCOTT VALLEY, Ariz. - The Arizona Sundogs picked up their first win of the season when trailing after two periods of play tallying four goals in the third period en route to a 5-2 win over the Amarillo Gorillas Wednesday night at Tim's Toyota Center.
With the win, Arizona now sits just nine points back of the Corpus Christi IceRays and the Southern Conference's final playoff spot.
Doug Groenestege, making his 10th straight start, turned aside 30 of 32 shots to earn the win. The Stratford, Ontario, native is 6-3-1 in the last 10 games and 16-11-4 on the year.
The visiting Gorillas jumped out to an early 1-0 lead as Stuart MacRae capitalized on an Arizona turnover deep in its own zone for his 22nd of the year 4:14 into the contest.
Digging for the puck along the near boards, Jake Morissette gained possession in the corner and fed MacRae at the near faceoff dot before the MacRae circled across the front of the goal mouth and lifted a wrist shot over a stretched-out Groenestege.
Joey Sides' third goal in two games evened the score at one midway through the frame.
Collecting a pass from defenseman Matt Hanson in his own end, Sides skated the length of the ice before cutting below the circle and shelving a backhand effort stick side past Tuomas Lohtander at the 10:06 mark.
Anthony Battaglia reclaimed a one-goal lead for Amarillo 1:34 into the second period as the Gorillas' leading scorer in the last 10 games batted a David Nimmo rebound out of the air and past Groenestege for his 11th goal of the season and second in as many games.
Trailing 2-1 after 40 minutes of play, Arizona netted four unanswered in the final frame to secure its first win of the year when trailing after two periods.
Kevin Jarman tied the game at two at the 5:21 mark, deflecting a Nick Biondo shot from the point underneath the glove of Lohtander as the netminder reached for the save.
Linus Fagemo tallied the eventual game-winner less than a minute later, redirecting a Hanson shot from just inside the blue line over the right shoulder of an unsuspecting Lohtander.
Konrad Reeder added his team-leading 23rd of the year at 13:40 to make it 4-2 in favor of Arizona, swiping a loose puck across the goal line from the top of the crease after Rob Lehtinen fired a shot off traffic in the slot.
Kyle Hood added an empty net marker with 34 seconds to play sealing the Sundogs' seventh win of the year at Tim's Toyota Center.
The Sundogs outshot the Gorillas, 41-32, in the contest. Both clubs finished 0-for-2 with the man-advantage.
Arizona (21-29-6) and Amarillo face off again Friday at 7:05pm at Tim's Toyota Center in the second of a three-game home stand. Tickets start at just $14 and are available by phone at 1-866-4-GET-TIX (1-866-443-8849), online at www.gettix.net and in person at the Tim's Toyota Center Box Office.
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