Late Goal Helps Arizona Keep Pace for Final Playoff Spot
March 14, 2009 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Arizona Sundogs News Release
PRESCOTT VALLEY, Ariz. - Looking to keep pace with the Corpus Christi IceRays for the Southern Conference's fifth and final playoff spot, the Arizona Sundogs did just that, topping the New Mexico Scorpions by a 5-3 mark Friday night in the Club's 2008-09 regular season home finale at Tim's Toyota Center. Kyle Hood tallied the eventual game-winner with less than three minutes to play in the contest.
Arizona tallied twice on the power play in the opening period Friday to take leads of 1-0 and 2-1 over the visiting Scorpions but New Mexico twice answered less than a minute later to send the game into the first intermission knotted at two. Tyler Liebel opened scoring 4:29 into the contest with his fourth goal in five games, redirecting a shot from the point past netminder Kyle McNulty. Adam Perry and Chris Bartolone were credited with assists on the early power play tally. New Mexico tied the game at one 38 seconds later following a Sundogs turnover deep in their own zone. Craig Macdonald intercepted a pass at the near faceoff dot before slipping a puck beneath Marco Emond for an unassisted effort, his 33rd of the year. Again on the man-advantage, Arizona took its second lead of the game as Perry collected a Joel Irving pass and split New Mexico's d-men at the blue line before skating in alone on McNulty. Bartolone also helped on the play for his second point of the period. Twenty-one seconds later, Seth Leonard pulled his club even at 2-2 with a wrap around attempt as Emond was unable to freeze the puck at the far post. Macdonald grabbed his second point of the night, assisting on the equalizer with Ross McCain. Shots were 17-10 in favor of Arizona in the first period.
Goaltender Joel Gistedt, returned from The American Hockey League's San Antonio Rampage earlier in the day, started in net in the second period as Emond was down for a lengthy amount of time in the first period after a collision near the top of the goal crease. The Scorpions capitalized just 1:01 into the frame as Leonard and Macdonald combined for their second and third points of the night respectively. Just over two minutes later, rookie forward Peter Cartwright netted his 13th of the season with a one-time shot under the crossbar to tie the game at three goals apiece. Applying pressure, former NHLer Dwayne Hay maintained possession of the puck behind the Scorpions' goal before sending a centering feed to Cartwright below the faceoff dot. The Sundogs outshot New Mexico for the second-straight period, this time by an 11-9 mark, for a two-period 28-19 advantage.
The two teams remained tied at three for nearly the entire third period until Kyle Hood converted on a rebound chance for the eventual game-winner with 2:14 to play in regulation. With a flurry of players crashing the net, Hood trailed the play before lifting a wrist shot into the open net for his eighth of the year. Liebel added an empty net goal, his second of the game, to secure the 5-3 win.
Emond got the start in net for Arizona and stopped eight of ten shots before leaving the game at the end of the first period. Gistedt, who was returned to Arizona by the AHL's San Antonio Rampage earlier in the day, turned aside 13 of 14 shots to earn his ninth win of the year in the relief appearance. The Sundogs finished 2-for-9 on the power play, with both man-advantage goals coming in the first period. New Mexico was held scoreless on three power play opportunities.
With the win, Arizona (26-30-5) remains in a tie with the Corpus Christi IceRays for the Southern Conference's fifth and final playoff spot. The Sundogs and Scorpions battle again tomorrow night at the Santa Ana Star Center in Rio Rancho, New Mexico. Game time is set for 6:15pm and can be heard live on 96.7 FM The Wolf, the Official Broadcast Home of the Arizona Sundogs.
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