Kolanos, Sellan Help Sundogs Double-Up Amarillo, Win First Road Game of Season
October 31, 2008 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Arizona Sundogs News Release
PRESCOTT VALLEY, Ariz. - In the first game of a three-in-three weekend set against divisional opponents, the defending Central Hockey League Ray Miron President's Cup Champion Arizona Sundogs faced off against the Amarillo Gorillas Friday night at the Amarillo Civic Center in a game that would see both clubs looking to climb out of the Southwest Division's basement. Each team had won just one contest coming into the game but Arizona's Mark Kolanos and Karl Sellan each tallied two goals and combined for seven points to help their club to their second win of the season and first away from home.
Arizona received its first power play of the game early on in the opening period following a Sam Ftorek holding penalty but was unable to capitalize as Gorillas netminder Pierre-Olivier Girouard turned away several chances in close. Amarillo was handed its first man advantage of the night just past the midway point of the frame and unlike the Sundogs, converted to take a 1-0 lead. Luke Lynes collected his first goal of the season, slapping a rebound past Arizona goaltender Marco Emond from the far post. Ftorek was credited with an assist on the game's first tally. With time winding down in the period, forward Cory Stillman pulled his club even at 1-1 on their second power play chance of the game. Veterans Chris Bartolone and Joel Irving both assisted on the tally with 1:06 to play in the period for their fourth helpers on the year. The Gorillas held a 13-10 advantage in shots through the first 20 minutes of play.
The Sundogs used a three-goal burst in a two-minute span early in the second frame to take a 4-1 lead but the Gorillas converted twice to close out scoring in the period to pull within one. Kolanos opened scoring, collecting a long pass from Martin Gascon and sending wrist shot from inside the far circle under the cross bar and past Girouard at the 2:16 mark. Irving pushed the score to 3-1 less than a minute later for his second point of the night and fourth goal of the season with a wrist shot from just inside the blue line. Stillman connected with Irving on the play for his second point of the night. Kolanos capped off the early offensive burst at 4:17 of the period with his second tally of the game from Sellan. Lynes cut the Gorillas' deficit to two with his second of the game from Stuart MacRae with 8:18 to play in the period. MacRae pulled his club to within one with just 48 seconds remaining in the period, corralling and lifting a loose puck over Emond from the top of the Sundogs goal crease. Lynes was handed an assist on the late-period goal for his third point of the game along with Joe Guenther. Arizona nearly doubled Amarillo in shots in the middle frame, 16-9, for a two-period 26-23 advantage.
Arizona regained a two-goal cushion early in the third as Sellan grabbed his fourth goal of the season, redirecting a centering pass through Girouard 1:34 into the period. Mark Kolanos grabbed his third point of the game, skating down the near boards and feeding Sellan just short of the Amarillo goaltender. Sellan and Kolanos connected for a third time five minutes later to give their club a 6-3 lead as Sellan notched his team-leading fifth goal of the season. Defenseman Jon Landry also gathered an assist for his third helper of the year. Separate fights would break out in the closing seconds between Tyler Liebel and Maxime Belanger and Sellan and James Jernberg.
Emond appeared in net for Arizona and stopped 34 of 37 shots to improve to 2-2 on the season while Girouard got his first start in goal for Amarillo and blocked 27 of 33 shots in the loss. Both teams converted on just one power play opportunity with the Sundogs finishing 1-for-6 and the Gorillas finishing 1-for-8.
With the win, Arizona improves to 2-4-0 on the year and begins their climb to the top of the Southwest Division. The Sundogs are set to face the division's top club in the Odessa Jackalopes tomorrow night at the Ector County Coliseum in Odessa. Game time is set for 5:05pm (Arizona time) and can be heard live on 96.7 FM The Wolf, the Official Broadcast Home of the Arizona Sundogs.
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