Phoenix Continues Eight-Game Road Trip this Week at Victoria

Published on November 26, 2007 under ECHL (ECHL)
Phoenix RoadRunners News Release


RUNNERS REWIND: A come-from-behind 7-5 victory in Bakersfield Saturday was the highlight of a 1-2-0 week for the RoadRunners who began their 36-game road schedule. With a record of 6-9-0 and 12 points, the RoadRunners are in fifth place in the West Division and 8th overall in the National Conference.

Tuesday, Chris Ferraro and Adam Cracknell each recorded a goal and an assist, and four different skaters tallied goals leading the Las Vegas Wranglers to a 4-1 victory over the Phoenix RoadRunners before 3,868 at the Orleans Arena in ECHL action Tuesday.

Las Vegas (11-2-0) built a 2-0 first period lead and never looked back. Cracknell opened the scoring at 7:05 of the period when he snapped a wrist shot from the left-wing circle behind RoadRunners goalie Cody Rudkowsky giving the Wranglers a 1-0 advantage. Sean Owens later made it 2-0 scoring his first goal of the season at 14:12.

Aki Seitsonen added to the night of firsts netting his first tally of the season at 10:42 of the second period off the feed from Tyler Mosienko to extend the Las Vegas lead to 3-0. The RoadRunners (5-8-0) would respond 15 seconds later as Jeff Kyrzakos scored his sixth goal of the year lifting the puck behind Las Vegas goalie Daniel Manzato at 10:57 to cut the deficit to 3-1.

Chris Ferraro capped the scoring with a goal at 4:21 of the third period.

Las Vegas out-shot Phoenix 34-30. Rudkowsky stopped 30 shots but fell to 2-6-0 on the season. The RoadRunners went 0-3 on the power play while Las Vegas was 0-4 with the man-advantage.

Saturday, The Phoenix RoadRunners erased a 5-1 deficit for the second time this season and scored six unanswered goals to defeat the Bakersfield Condors 7-5 before 8,895 at Rabobank Arena in ECHL action Saturday.

A wild first period saw Bakersfield (4-9-3) score five goals in a span of 5:26 seconds. The RoadRunners (6-8-0) actually struck first when rookie Chris Stevens tallied his first professional goal 1:47 into the game giving Phoenix a 1-0 lead. Tim Konsorada commenced the Condors attack scoring from the high slot on the power play at 6:40 of the first. Konsorada gave the Condors their first lead of the game 39 seconds later registering an even-strength goal at 7:19. Brett Lutes got into the action jamming the puck past RoadRunners goalie Dave McKee at 9:59. Justin Chwedoruk made it 4-1 just 50 seconds later when he scored off a deflection at 10:49. Lutes ended McKee's night when he twisted a backhand shot from the left-wing circle through the goaltender's pads at 12:06 for a commanding 5-1 lead. The RoadRunners would get one back before the end of the period as Brian Yandle scored on a power play goal at 16:41.

Phoenix would continue their comeback with two goals in the second period. Jeff Kyrzakos beat a screened Condors goalie Jamie Hodson from the left-wing circle at 1:29 of the second on the power play to cut the RoadRunners deficit to 5-3. Then late in the period Dave Pszenyczny flipped the puck by a once-again screened Hodson from the left point at 18:18 making it a 5-4 game after forty minutes.

Peder Skinner tied the game at 5-5 with the first of his two third period power play goals at 4:09 of the period. Skinner later scored the go-ahead and eventual game-winning goal at 13:26 beating Hodson with a one-time slap shot from the right-wing circle. Thatcher Bell sealed the win with an empty-net goal at 19:26.

The RoadRunners and Bakersfield each had 34 shots on goal. Cody Rudkowsky on in relief of McKee stopped 23 shots to improve to 3-6-0 on the season. The RoadRunners went 4-11 on the power play while Bakersfield was 1-6 with the man-advantage.

Sunday, Ryan Donally tallied a pair of power play goals and the Las Vegas Wranglers scored three times on the man-advantage to shutout the Phoenix RoadRunners 4-0 before 3,763 at the Orleans Arena in ECHL action Sunday.

Las Vegas (12-2-0) opened the scoring at 9:24 of the first period when Shawn Limpright jammed the puck off the side of the net and through RoadRunners goalie Cody Rudkowsky for a 1-0 lead.

The Wranglers would pad their lead with three power play goals in the second period in a span of 4:31 seconds. Donally tallied his first of two power play goals when he scored off a rebound chance at 7:36 to extend the Las Vegas lead to 2-0. Donally later made it 3-0 as he scored off a RoadRunners turnover by beating Rudkowsky with a slap shot from the left-wing circle at 10:21 on the power play. Brandon Kaleniecki finished the power play scoring when he re-directed Mike Madill's shot from the point through Rudkowsky's pads at 12:07

Las Vegas out-shot Phoenix (6-9-0) 37-18. Cody Rudkowsky stopped 33 shots but fell to 3-7-0 on the season. The RoadRunners went 0-2 on the power play while Las Vegas was 3-6 with the man-advantage.

PLAYING FROM BEHIND: The RoadRunners are so far carving their identity as a second and third period team. Phoenix has been outscored 24-12 in first periods this season, yet they have outscored their opponents 39-36 in the second and third periods combined.

RISING UP THE CHARTS: Second-year forward Jeff Kyrzakos has six goals and 12 points in his last 10 games, including two four-point games over that same stretch. Kyrzakos notched his first career hat-trick and added an assist in the RoadRunners 6-5 win over Stockton on Nov. 7, and tallied a goal and added three assists in the RoadRunners 7-5 win at Bakersfield on Saturday. The Mississauga, Ontario native is currently second on the RoadRunners in scoring with seven goals and 13 points through 15 games.

THREE'S A CHARM: Jeff Kyrzakos and Scott Kelman became the first RoadRunners' teammates in the club's brief ECHL history to record three assists in the same game when they accomplished the feat in Saturday's win at Bakersfield. Kelman is second on the team with nine assists and is tied for sixth in scoring with 11 points in 14 games.

NEWS & NOTES: Forward Chris Stevens recorded his first professional goal Saturday. Stevens tallied 32 goals last season with the Medicine Hat Tigers of the Western Hockey League...With Sunday's defeat, the RoadRunners have lost 10 consecutive games to the Las Vegas Wranglers including the playoffs dating back to March 3 of last season...Goalie Dave McKee made his RoadRunners debut Saturday at Bakersfield. McKee was acquired from the Augusta Lynx in exchange for Nick Toneys and future considerations on Nov. 14...Phoenix scored three or more power play goals for the third time this season after registering four on Saturday. Their season-high is five set back on Nov. 7 against Stockton.

WATCH THE 'RUNNERS LIVE IN '07-08: The RoadRunners have teamed up with B2 Networks to bring you live action of Phoenix RoadRunners hockey in 2006-07. RoadRunners fans will be able to click the "Watch Online" link at www.phxroadrunners.com to view and listen to the game. These broadcasts are available to fans for a charge of $6 per game. All 36 RoadRunners home broadcasts will be available in addition to over 25 road games in Alaska, Idaho, Las Vegas, Stockton, Utah, and Bakersfield. A cable or DSL Internet connection and Windows Media Player 9 are required to view the games.

UP NEXT: The RoadRunners continue their eight-game road trip this week with a three-game series Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday at Victoria. Catch Thursday's action live on Independent 1310 KXAM and all three contests at www.phxroadrunners.com beginning with "RoadRunners Countdown" twenty minutes prior to face-off. The RoadRunners return to US Airways Center at 7:11 p.m. Dec. 6 & 7 for a two-game series against the Victoria Salmon Kings. Information on season tickets, half-season packages, and flex plans for the 2007-08 season of Phoenix RoadRunners Hockey are available by calling (602) 462-GOAL.

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ECHL Stories from November 26, 2007


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