Irving's Two Goals Help Move Sundogs Back into Playoff Position

March 12, 2009 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Arizona Sundogs News Release


PRESCOTT VALLEY, Ariz. - The Arizona Sundogs moved back into a tie with the Corpus Christi IceRays for the fifth and final playoff spot Wednesday night, topping the visiting Amarillo Gorillas by a 3-2 mark. Joel Irving tallied his 33rd and 34th goals of the season in the win.

Arizona managed 18 shots on Gorillas netminder Mike Gorman in the first period while allowing 13 en route to a 1-0 lead after 20 minutes of play Wednesday. The Sundogs held Amarillo scoreless on three power play opportunities including a 24-second two-man advantage before converting on their third power play chance late in the period. Stationed to the side of the goal crease, the veteran Irving redirected a Chris Bartolone shot from the point past Gorman for his 33rd of the year with 1:09 to play in the frame. Jon Landry was also credited with an assist on the late-period tally.

Travis Lisabeth's sixth of the year pulled the Gorillas even just over seven minutes into the second period as Lisabeth beat Marco Emond far post with a shot that never left the ice surface. Mark Carragher forced a turnover in the Sundogs own end before finding Lisabeth between the circles. Skating 5-on-4, Irving reclaimed a one-goal lead for Arizona at the 11:14 mark for his eighth multiple-goal game of the season. Irving collected a Bartolone cross-ice feed below the far faceoff dot and cut towards the net before sliding a forehand attempt under Gorman for his second power-play marker of the night.

A.J. MacLean stretched Arizona's lead to 3-1 with the eventual game-winner less than two minutes into the third period, redirecting a Matt Hanson shot through traffic for his 13th of the year. Kyle Hood also assisted on the play for his 11th point in as many games. With Gorman pulled in favor of an extra skater, Austin Sutter made the game interesting, pulling his team back to within one with 28 seconds to play in regulation. Hood added an empty netter for his second point of the game and eighth goal of the year as time expired, but the on-ice officiating crew determined that the puck crossed the goal line after the clock read zero.

Emond picked up his 17th win of the year with a 33-save performance while Gorman fell to 10-16-1 with 42 saves on 45 shots. Arizona held Amarillo scoreless on nine power play chances including 1:19 of 5-on-3 play while tallying two goals on eight man-advantage opportunities of their own.

Arizona (25-30-5) closes out their home schedule Friday night against the New Mexico Scorpions, their first of four-straight against their Southwest Division rival. The final three contests take place at the Santa Ana Star Center in Rio Rancho. Friday's game is set for 7:05pm. 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.



Central Hockey League Stories from March 12, 2009


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