Idaho Power Play Bakes Roadrunners 7-0
by Andrew Nordmeier
December 22, 2005 - ECHL (ECHL)
Phoenix RoadRunners
Garett Bembridge showed the Phoenix Roadrunners why is the ECHL's leading scorer as he registered a four-point night en route to a 7-0 blowout of the Phoenix Roadrunners Wednesday night at America West Arena. Bembridge scored twice and added a pair of assists to raise his league-leading point total to 39 and became the league's first 20-goal scorer as Phoenix was shutout for the second time in three games and fourth time this season.
The Steelheads (16-6-2) scored three power-play goals in the first period and never looked back as they kept the Phoenix Roadrunners planted in the West Division basement at 9-14-2. Idaho is 10-of-20 on the power play against Phoenix this season. It shouldn't be much of a surprise that the Steelheads have the league's best power play and cashed in four times on the man advantage in nine chances in this game. Phoenix went 0-for-6 on the man advantage.
"It was our best sixty minutes of the year," Steelheads Head Coach Derek Laxdal said, "Our special teams were the key to the game and tonight it made us." Laxdal also said his team's strength on the power play comes from paying a lot of attention to it and taking pride in it every shift.
D'Arcy McConvey scored the first of his two power-play goals to open the scoring at 6:11 of the first period. The Roadrunners committed a turnover in their defensive end and Bembridge found the puck at the side of the net. He slid it over to McConvey who made no mistake in burying it into the half-empty net for his 14th goal.
Brad Thompson made it 2-0 at 8:44 when he deflected Jared Bourassa's bomb from the point over the glove of Phoenix netminder Michael Mole. The lead swelled to 3-0 when McConvey struck again at 16:07. Bembridge fed McConvey from behind the net and McConvey went five-hole on Mole to put Phoenix down farther.
"There's no secret potion to a power play," McConvey said, "It's just guys working hard, being unselfish and getting pucks on the net."
It went from bad to worse for Phoenix when Kevin Gardner scored 6:46 into the second period when he tipped a Bourassa pass by Mole to make it 4-0 with an even-strength goal.
"It's probably one of our better games. We got a bunch of power play goals early so the power play was clicking and the penalty kill was on," McConvey said, "When that happens it's always going to be a good result."
Idaho made it four straight games scoring five or more goals when Bembridge beat Mole at 18:35 of the second period. Greg Hornby scored a power-play marker at 6:47 of the final period to make it 6-0. Bembrdige struck with 28 seconds left to close out the scoring at 7-0. Idaho could have won 9-0 as a couple more shots cleanly beat Mole but clanged off the posts.
"We told the guys before the game they have to stay out of the box," Phoenix Head Coach Ron Filion said, "They have seven guys with at least 23 points so they're telling you âIf you want to try us on the power play, we're just going to bury you.' And that's what they did."
As much as Idaho was pleased with its effort, Phoenix certainly was not.
"Tonight was embarrassing. I hope my players were embarrassed," Filion said, "I was embarrassed for our fans."
These two teams meet again tomorrow night in the finale of their two-game series and for the fourth of seven meetings this season. Idaho is 3-0 in Phoenix this season.
"We just need to play hard and play our game. They're going to be a little bitter and come out a little wild," McConvey said, "We can bring it with every line if we do that we'll be all right."
Three Stars
3. Bourassa-IDH Two assists in the win, strong play defensively.
2. McConvey-IDH Two power play goals for the Steelheads
1. Bembridge-IDH Four-point night to extend league lead in scoring race.
Notes: The Roadrunners lost another defenseman when Dave Cousineau left the game with 1:55 left in the first period with a separated shoulder...McConvey leads the ECHL with five game-winning goals...Phoenix has 16 of its next 22 against divisional foes...Dusty Demaniuk got back in the Phoenix lineup after missing the last four games...Idaho has been shorthanded the second fewest times in the ECHL...Phoenix is 4-11-2 when allowing the first goal and has given up the first goal in six straight games...The Steelheads are 14-0-1 when leading after two periods while Phoenix is 0-11-0 when trailing after 40 minutes...Phoenix allowed three or more power play goals for the seventh time this season...Phoenix was shutout for the Attendance was 3,163.
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