Pecker Lifts Phoenix to 3-2 Win Over Gulls

by Andrew Nordmeier
December 10, 2005 - ECHL (ECHL)
Phoenix RoadRunners


Cory Pecker's 11th goal of the season with 3:51 left in the game proved to be the difference as the Phoenix Roadrunners slipped past the San Diego Gulls 3-2 Friday night at the iPayOne Center.

While on the power play, Pecker fired a weak shot from the right circle and had it deflect off the stick of Gulls' netminder Tyler Weiman. The puck had enough steam to dribble between Weiman's legs and into the net for the game-winning goal. J.F. Soucy picked up the assist on the goal that gives Phoenix a 3-1 edge in the season series.

The Roadrunners (7-10-2) have their first road winning streak in team history with back-to-back wins away from America West Arena. San Diego stays in a second-place tie with Long Beach but drops to 8-8-4 on the season.

After the goal, San Diego tried to get the equalizer and pulled Weiman for the extra attacker and used its timeout. Neither proved to be helpful as Phoenix was able to withstand a late surge and hang on for the win.

Phoenix started the scoring at the 2:07 mark when Mike Ouellet gave the Roadrunners a 1-0 lead off of a 2-on-1 chance. Captain Dean Tiltgen came in and Weiman stopped his shot. The rebound went right to Ouellet and he tapped the puck home with a backhander for his third goal of the year. Garrett Burnett, acquired from Dallas of the NHL, picked up an assist in his Roadrunners' debut.

The backhander continued to be elusive for Weiman as Jason Deskins used one to park the puck between Weiman's wickets at 3:49 to give Phoenix a 2-0 lead. Deskins' goal was his fifth of the year and came off of another rebound.

The Gulls struck back with a power play goal from Alex Kim. Kim's missile of a wrister found the net after sliding above the glove of Phoenix goaltender Michael Mole. His shot deflected off of the cross bar but still slipped home for his fifth goal of the season at the 5:05 mark of the second period. The goal was the Gulls' first in 38 power-play chances against Phoenix this season.

San Diego evened the score when Chet Ferreria came off the bench at the right time and tied the score with his first professional goal. He came on a line change and was promptly hit with a home-run pass. He broke in alone on Mole and beat him high to the glove side with 43 seconds left in the middle period to knot the score at 2-2. Jesse Bennefield picked up an assist as did Weiman.

San Diego missed a golden opportunity on a shorthanded penalty shot. The Gulls' Darren Clarke was hooked down on a breakaway and was given the free chance. He came in and beat Mole cleanly but his wrister hit the post on Mole's stick side and deflected away to the corner at the 11:47 mark of the opening period.

Phoenix finished 1-of-8 with the man advantage while San Diego went 1-of-7 on the power play. San Diego out shot Phoenix 39-30.

The Roadrunners will wrap up a three-games-in-three-nights span when they head to Stockton to take on the Thunder tomorrow and Sunday. Stockton will be christening its brand-new arena and is expecting a crowd of nearly 9,000 fans for the first home game in Thunder history.

Three Stars

3. Soucy-PHX Assist on game-winner

2. Mole-PHX 37 saves; is 4-1 in his last six appearances

1. Pecker-PHX Game-winning goal

Notes: Jake Riddle and Shaun Fisher, acquired via trade from Augusta last Friday, made their Roadrunner debuts against the Gulls...Phoenix acquired tough guy Garrett Burnett from Dallas (NHL) and Miguel Lafleche was moved onto the 7-day inured reserve to open the roster spot for Burnett...San Diego is 1-7-3 when allowing the first goal of the game...Phoenix defenseman Brent Henley has now been in the penalty box at least once in each of the last 10 games...San Diego finished a seven-game homestand and captured at least a point in five of the games...San Diego is 0-for-5 on two-man advantages against Phoenix this year...Phoenix is 5-2 when firing off more than 30 shots...The Gulls are 1-of-40 on the power play against Phoenix in four games...Weiman has allowed 14 goals in three starts against the Roadrunners...Attendance was 3,278.



ECHL Stories from December 10, 2005


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