Gorillas squeeze by Rage in 5-4 victory
March 20, 2009 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Amarillo Gorillas News Release
Broomfield, CO 3/20/09 - For the second night in a row, late heroics from Sam Ftorek pushed the Amarillo Gorillas to a 5-4 victory over the Rocky Mountain Rage in a game Friday evening at the Broomfield Events Center.
Amarillo would draw first blood at the onset of the game, getting a rebound goal from Joe Guenther to take a 1-0 lead. Stuart MacRae took a wrist shot from the right circle that was deflected in front by Jake Morissette-Rocky Mountain netminder Marty Magers made the save, as the rebound popped into the air. The puck sat in the middle of the crease after falling, and Guenther was able to nudge it across the goal line for the first tally of the contest.
Following 17 consecutive saves by Amarillo goaltender A.J. Bucchino to start the first period, Rocky Mountain finally got on the board with a tally from Nathan O'Nabigon. After former Gorilla Domenic Maiani tossed a shot on net that was stopped by Bucchino, O'Nabigon followed by pushing the rebound towards the Amarillo crease. The puck deflected off the skate of Bucchino and into the net, tying the game at one. Rocky Mountain would get another goal on their very next shot, as Scott Wray took an Amarillo defensive zone turnover and passed to Simon Watson in front. Watson shot the puck off the equipment of Bucchino and just past the goal line to give the Rage a 2-1 lead heading into the first intermission.
The two teams combined for five goals in the second period, with Morissette starting the scoring. Just 42 seconds into the period, the rookie followed up his own shot, gunning a rebound past Magers to tie the game, 2-2. Under a minute later, the Rage got their first goal of the middle frame, going back on top with a Nathan Gillies breakaway goal at 1:39 of the period.
With two Rage players in the penalty box and Amarillo on a 5-on-3 advantage, former Rocky Mountain skater John Snowden ripped a Sam Ftorek pass past Magers on a one-timer, knotting the game up 3-3. Snowden would follow up with another goal, this time coming off an Austin Sutter rebound, putting the Gorillas up 4-3 with 6:37 remaining in the second period. The lead would hold steady until Watson scored for the Rage off a shot from the slot, tying the game at four with 1:43 remaining in the period-the score would remain intact as the teams skated into the second intermission.
The third period saw decidedly less scoring from both teams, with the Gorillas and Rage each held scoreless through the first 18 minutes. With both squads down a man, Morissette took a shot from just inside the blueline; Magers stopped the initial shot, but left a rebound at the top of the crease. MacRae was flattened just as he attempted to get to the loose puck, but Ftorek sprinted in from his defense position and roofed the puck over Magers' blocker to put Amarillo on top 5-4 with just 1:56 remaining in the third period. Despite two late chances from Maiani and Colt King, Bucchino stood tall in net for the Gorillas to preserve the victory.
Bucchino (7-16-2) stopped all 14 shots faced in the third period en route to earning the win for the Gorillas (19-41-3), who will return to the Amarillo Civic Center to take on the Rage Saturday evening. The game, with a scheduled start of 7:05 PM Central Time, will be Amarillo's last game in the 2008-09 season. The first 1,000 fans will receive a team poster, while the first 1,000 fans 12 and under will receive a Gorillas youth jersey. Call (806) 242-PUCK (7825) for ticket information.
The AMARILLO GORILLAS are celebrating their seventh season in "The Jungle" by offering special ticket prices to groups and parties! Call the Gorillas ticketing office at (806) 242-PUCK (7825) for more information, or drop by the Gorillas' new office at 901 S. Buchanan in downtown Amarillo.
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