Overtime Blast Fells Falcons

Published on January 14, 2004 under ECHL (ECHL)
Fresno Falcons News Release


FRESNO, Calif. – Tied at three entering overtime, Texas Wildcatters defenseman Aaron MacInnis blasted a slapshot from the top of the right circle past Fresno Falcons netminder Terry Friesen, delivering to the Wildcatters a 4-3 overtime win :33 seconds into the extra session on Tuesday night at Save Mart Center in front of 3,321.

Texas opened the scoring late in the first period while skating on a five-on-three power play. Lukas Smital's centering pass glanced off the skate of Fresno defenseman Drew Schoneck and past Friesen giving the Wildcatters a 1-0 lead through 20 minutes.

The Falcons struck back with a power play goal of their own 2:30 into the second period after Mike Sandbeck fed Boris Protsenko cross-ice, who fired home a one-timer for his sixth goal of the year. Texas took a 2-1 lead off yet another deflection off a Fresno player at 10:28 of the middle frame with Tony Lawrence receiving credit for the goal. Fresno responded with a pair of tallies just :16 seconds apart to take their first and only lead of the contest. Scott Borders sent a wrister past Wildcatters goaltender Davis Parley at 12:25 to salvage a busted two-on-one rush before John Wroblewski knifed toward the goal and beat Parley short-side for his fourth of the campaign at 12:41. The back-breaker for Fresno was giving up a second marker to Smital with just seven seconds remaining in the period as he walked through the Falcons' defense for the game-tying goal.

After combining for five goals in the second, the teams were scoreless in the third and remained tied at three throughout a tight-checking final frame. Following an initial Falcons rush requiring a save from Parley off the opening draw in the four-on-four overtime, MacInnis – nephew of the St. Louis Blues' Al MacInnis – jetted up the right wing to free himself for a slapshot into the top shelf, handing the Falcons their quickest overtime loss of the year.

Fresno does pick up a point in the standings, though, and now stands at 10-21-4 with 24 points, two points behind the fifth-place Bakersfield Condors in the Pacific Division.

The team plays the third of a five-game home stand on Friday, Jan. 16, at 7 p.m. when they host the San Diego Gulls. Fresno will celebrate its affiliation with the NHL's San Jose Sharks by wearing Sharks-themed specialty jerseys during the game and giving away Sharks Jersey Radios to the first 1,000 fans in attendance. The game-worn specialty jerseys will be auctioned off after the game with all proceeds to benefit Community Food Bank.

Tickets for the game are still available for as little as $8 and can be purchased at the Save Mart Center box office, all Ticketmaster outlets, which include select Save Mart Supermarkets, Tower Records, Wherehouse Music and Ritmo Latino locations, charged by phone at 485-TIXS or bought online by clicking the Ticketmaster icon throughout www.fresnofalcons.com.

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ECHL Stories from January 14, 2004


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