Oh Captain, My Captain: Tiltgen Gives Roadrunners 4-3 Win
by Andrew Nordmeier
Published on December 11, 2005 under ECHL (ECHL)
Phoenix RoadRunners
Team captains are selected by their peers or by the coaching staff for their experience and leadership. The Phoenix Roadrunners' captain, Dean Tiltgen, showed why he was the right choice as he led the Roadrunners to a 4-3 win over the Stockton Thunder Sunday night at the Stockton Arena.
Tiltgen took a pass from Jason Deskins and slipped behind the Thunder defense. Tiltgen got just enough of the puck to change its path and deflect it past Stockton netminder Jeff Weber at 16:19 for his sixth goal of the season and became the game-winner. The win brings Phoenix one point behind the Victoria Salmon Kings (9-15-1) for fifth place in the division. Phoenix was outshot 37-20 but still won.
The Roadrunners thought they had control after scoring twice in the second period to break open a 1-1 tie.
First, Phoenix (8-11-2) forward Peter Trovato took a home-run pass from Jason Deskins after his penalty expired and broke in on Stockton netminder Jeff Weber. Trovato cut to his backhand and slipped the puck through Weber's wickets for his third goal of the season at 6:05. Jake Riddle gave Phoenix a two-goal cushion after he stripped Stockton defenseman Geno Parrish and beat Weber top shelf at 15:15 for his second goal of the year and made it 3-1.
The Thunder (5-9-3) came back in the third period with a power-play goal from Nathan Martz. Martz fired a shot low along the ice and it dribbled under the pads of Roadrunner goaltender Mathieu Chouinard for his fifth of the year at 5:26. Stockton trailed 3-2 and tied the game when J.F. Soucy was whistled for a double minor for high sticking at 9:32. Lalonde capitalized at the tail end of the power play when he beat Chouinard at 13:12 to tie the game at 3-3 with his second goal of the night.
Each team had its opportunities on the man advantage and Stockton finished 3-of-11 on the man advantage while Phoenix went 0-for-6 on the power play. The Roadrunners even had a five-minute power play after Jason Kostadine was given a five-minute penalty and a match penalty for attempting to injure Riddle in a second-period fight. Kostadine raised his skate and tried to kick Riddle after getting beaten in a fight but missed. The ECHL will review the incident and a suspension is more than likely from that incident.
Stockton started the scoring with a power-play goal from Mike Lalonde at 2:48. Lalonde found a loose puck at the front of the net and poked the puck past Chouinard for his 11th goal of the season. Dean Stork and Landon Bathe picked up the helpers on Lalonde's second opening strike in as many nights.
Phoenix evened the score with Soucy's goal at 5:36. Soucy took a home-run pass from Mark Wires and broke in on Jeff Weber. Soucy went to the backhand and slipped the puck between Weber's legs and Soucy picked up his third goal of the season. Shaun Fisher picked up his 10th assist of the season on the goal.
The Roadrunners have a few days to figure out how to stay out of the box before another three games in three night stretch. They host the Bakersfield Condors Friday and Sunday at America West Arena. In between those contests with the Condors is a quick trip to Long Beach to battle the Ice Dogs. Phoenix has 12 of its next 15 games at home and needs to capitalize on this stretch to make a serious run at the playoffs. They sit 11 points behind Utah for the final playoff spot.
Three Stars 3. Lalonde-STK Two goals for the Thunder 2. Deskins-PHX Pair of assists in the win 1.Tiltgen-PHX Game-winning goal in final four minutes
Notes: Chouinard made his first start since November 26th...Shawn Snider and Mike Ouellet were both scratches from the Roadrunner lineup in this game. Snider was not in the lineup for the first time this season; Ouellet missed his first game since coming back from a five-game suspension...Brent Henley went to the penalty box for the 11th straight game when he picked up a fighting major at 3:41 of the opening period. Henley is in the top five in penalty minutes in the ECHL...Phoenix has allowed four shorthanded goals in its last six games after not allowing one in their first 14 outings...Phoenix is 5-0-1 when leading after two periods...Attendance was 5,910 for the second home game in Thunder history.
ECHL Stories from December 11, 2005
- RoadRunners Zip Past Thunder - Stockton Thunder
- Oh Captain, My Captain: Tiltgen Gives Roadrunners 4-3 Win - OSC Original by Andrew Nordmeier
- RoadRunners Silence Thunder 4-3 - Phoenix RoadRunners
- ECHL Transactions - ECHL
- Royals Can't Hold Back The Dogs, 5-4 - Reading Royals
- ECHL Today - ECHL
- Charlotte clipped at Pensacola 4-3 - Charlotte Checkers
- Roadrunners Get Thunderstruck 4-0 in Stockton - OSC Original by Andrew Nordmeier
- Titans Sneak By Rays 2-1 - South Carolina Stingrays
- Ice Pilots Win 4-3 vs Charlotte - Pensacola Ice Pilots
- Thunder-Struck! Stockton Shuts Out 'Runners 4-0 - Phoenix RoadRunners
- Open and shutout case - Stockton Thunder
- Falcons Battle from Behind but Eventually Fall in Shootout - Fresno Falcons
- Aces extend streak to 11, beat Fresno 3-2 in a shootout - Alaska Aces
- Grizzlies drop one to Gulls, 4-3 - Utah Grizzlies
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