Phoenix Continues Playoff Hunt with a Four-Game Week

March 16, 2009 - ECHL (ECHL)
Phoenix RoadRunners News Release


'RUNNERS REWIND: The Phoenix RoadRunners could muster just a single point in a four-game series at Alaska. With a record of 26-31-4 and 56 points, the RoadRunners sit in fifth place in the West Division 10 points behind fourth place Utah, and in ninth place in the National Conference, five points behind Bakersfield.

Wednesday, the Alaska Aces used three power play goals and a four-goal second period to defeat the Phoenix RoadRunners 5-0 before 4,189 at Sullivan Arena.

The Aces (37-21-3) began their power play attack just 1:39 into the contest when Brett Hemingway re-directed Lance Galbraith's shot through the pads of RoadRunners' goalie Chris Beckford-Tseu for a 1-0 lead.

Alaska then came out and scored four times in the middle period, three of which came in a span of 5:19 seconds to put the game away. Colin Hemingway received a pass in the slot from Cam Keith and snapped a shot past Beckford-Tseu and in at 4:32 of the second on a two-man advantage power play to extend the lead to two. Jordan Foreman scored the first even-strength goal of the night at 13:43 giving Alaska a 3-0 advantage. Matt Stefanishion later beat Beckford-Tseu over the left shoulder with a slap shot off the right-wing boards and in at 16:41 to make it 4-0. Luke Erickson capped the scoring with a four-on-three power play goal at 19:02 to give the Aces a 5-0 lead heading into the second intermission.

Kyle Jones came on in relief of Beckford-Tseu for Phoenix (26-29-3) to start the third and shutout the Aces on nine shots.

Alaska out-shot Phoenix 41-22. Beckford-Tseu stopped 27 shots but suffered the loss to fall to 1-4-1 overall on the season. The RoadRunners went 0-2 on the power play while Alaska was 3-6 with the man-advantage.

Friday, Alexandre Imbeault scored with 36.3 seconds remaining in overtime to lift the Alaska Aces over the Phoenix RoadRunners 5-4 before 4,912 at Sullivan Arena.

The RoadRunners (26-29-4) struggled off the start with discipline trouble yet killed off five penalties in the opening period to go into the first intermission tied at 1-1 with Alaska. The Aces (38-21-3) converted on their third trip on the power play when Lance Galbraith fed Brett Hemingway who beat an out-stretched RoadRunners' goalie Chris Beckford-Tseu with a shot at 4:33 for a 1-0 lead. Daniel Sisca netted the equalizer less than two minutes later at 6:05 when he snapped a shot past a screened Alaska goalie J.P. Lamoureux to tie the score at 1-1.

Michael Cohen snapped the tie at 6:02 of the second period when he beat Lamoureux through the pads and in with a slap shot from the right-wing circle giving the RoadRunners a 2-1 lead. Sisca extended that lead to two goals a little more than three minutes later at 9:07 when he stripped an Aces defenseman in the corner and proceeded to wrap the puck around the net and through Lamoureux for a 3-1 advantage.

But the Aces would rally early in the third getting goals from Luke Erickson at 1:24 even-strength and Galbraith at 5:42 on the power play to tie the score at 3-3. The RoadRunners answered 37 seconds later getting a second goal from Cohen on a tipped shot past Lamoureux at 6:55 to regain the lead at 4-3. But the Aces would fight back 36 seconds after Cohen's goal as Colin Hemingway put Nick Tuzzolino's rebound past Beckford-Tseu to tie the score at 4-4 and set up Imbeault's overtime dramatics.

Alaska out-shot Phoenix 43-26. Beckford-Tseu stopped a season-high 38 shots but suffered the overtime loss to fall to 1-4-2 overall on the season. The RoadRunners went 0-2 on the power play while Alaska was 2-7 with the man-advantage.

Saturday, Matt Stefanishion broke a 2-2 tie with 18.4 seconds remaining in regulation to give the Alaska Aces a 3-2 victory over the Phoenix RoadRunners before 5,974 at Sullivan Arena in ECHL action Saturday.

Mitch Carefoot opened the scoring for the RoadRunners (26-30-4) at 3:22 of the first period when he took the puck from along the end-boards in the Alaska zone, curled out in front of the net and tucked the puck through Aces goaltender Kevin Nastiuk's pads and in for a 1-0 lead.

Nick Tuzzolino netted the equalizer for Alaska (39-21-3) at 5:45 of the second as he beat RoadRunners' goalie Kyle Jones over the blocker with a shot from the right-wing circle to tie the score at 1-1. Phoenix re-gained their one-goal lead minutes later when Daniel Sisca snapped the puck past Nastiuk and into the upper right corner of the net at 8:39. But the Aces would have the period's final say as Alexandre Imbeault converted on a power play goal at 12:16 to tie the score at 2-2.

It would remain tied until the closing seconds of regulation when Tuzzolino pushed the puck towards the net and Stefanishion picked it up and snapped it past an out-stretched Jones at 19:41 for the game-winner.

Alaska out-shot Phoenix 33-14. Jones stopped 30 shots but suffered the loss to fall to 6-12-1 on the season. The RoadRunners went 0-2 on the power play while Alaska was 1-6 with the man-advantage.

Sunday, Cam Keith notched a pair of goals as the Alaska Aces scored two power play goals and added a shorthanded tally, and held the Phoenix RoadRunners without a power play goal on 10 chances en route to a 7-1 win and a sweep of the four-game series before 4,284 at Sullivan Arena.

Alaska (40-21-3) jumped out of the gate quickly scoring twice in the opening twenty minutes. Vladimir Novak capitalized off a RoadRunners' turnover with Phoenix on the power play at 8:13 of the first period snapping a shot over the left shoulder of goalie Chris Beckford-Tseu and into the net for a shorthanded goal and a 1-0 Aces lead. Alexandre Imbeault extended the lead to two when he finished off a three-way play from Colin Hemingway and Matt Shasby on a five-on-three power play at 16:27.

Tomas Kana continued the Aces offensive onslaught scoring his fifth goal of the year at 3:27 of the second period to increase Alaska's advantage to 3-0. The RoadRunners (26-31-4) responded at 9:09 when David Rutherford, making his Phoenix debut, beat Alaska goalie J.P. Lamoureux with a shot off the glove and into the net to cut the deficit to 3-1. But Alaska would score their second power play goal of the night as Keith lifted the puck along the end-line over Beckford-Tseu and into the cage at 16:00 to make it 4-1 after two periods.

The Aces finished off with Phoenix with three third period goals getting tallies from Keith at 10:51, Kana at 17:18, and Scott Burt at 19:47 to cap the scoring.

Alaska out-shot Phoenix 27-26. Beckford-Tseu stopped 20 shots and suffered the loss to fall to 1-5-2 on the season. The RoadRunners went 0-10 on the power play while Alaska was 2-3 with the man-advantage.

KELLY CUP PLAYOFF UPDATE: With 11 games remaining in the regular season, the RoadRunners are right in the thick of the Kelly Cup Playoff race. Phoenix trails fourth place Utah by 10 points in the West Division, but also has played three fewer games and still has two head-to-head match-ups coming up with the Grizzlies. Meanwhile, under the newly revised National Conference playoff format, Phoenix is also in contention for the fourth seed in the Pacific Division playoffs. The RoadRunners trail Bakersfield by five points, but more importantly trail the Condors in winning percentage (which will be the determining factor as to who clinches) .477 to .459. Like Utah, Phoenix has also played three fewer games than Bakersfield. Those three games in hand will be made up March 21 (@ Ontario), March 31 (@ Idaho), and April 1 (@Idaho). The Grizzlies and Condors will each play three games this week. Utah visits Bakersfield Wednesday and Friday and travels to Stockton Thursday, while Bakersfield heads to Stockton Saturday.

MILESTONE NIGHT: Veteran center Kimbi Daniels set a personal milestone Saturday at Alaska skating in his 900th career game. It was fitting that Daniels achieved the feat in Anchorage, a place where he spent the majority of his professional career playing in 486 games and collecting 172 goals, 301 assists, and 473 points over eight seasons. Daniels has 296 goals, 538 assists, and 834 points in his 18-year career.

SISCA STREAKING: Center Daniel Sisca collected three goals last week in Alaska giving him five goals, six assists, and 11 points in the last nine games. Sisca had his season-high five-game scoring streak snapped Wednesday, but still has recorded 16 points in his last 21 games to climb into third on the RoadRunners in scoring with 12 goals and 38 points in 58 games.

WELCOME ABOARD: The RoadRunners welcomed four new faces to their line-up Saturday and Sunday in Alaska after acquiring rookie forwards P.J. Corsi and David Rutherford and defenseman Brian Deeth from Charlotte, and third-year forward Chase Trull from Mississippi. It's Trull's second stint with the RoadRunners after joining the club for seven games at the conclusion of the 2005-06 inaugural campaign following the completion of his collegiate career. He tallied his first career goal as a member of the RoadRunners back on April 8, 2006 at Las Vegas. Meanwhile, Rutherford scored his first goal in a RoadRunners' uniform Sunday at Alaska giving him 14 goals which lead all RoadRunners' first-year skaters.

PENALTY KILLS STRUGGLES: After ranking in the top-five in the ECHL in penalty kill efficiency for much of the regular season, the RoadRunners have struggled going a man down in recent games. The RoadRunners have surrendered 14 power play goals (30-44) in their last eight contests, which translates to just a 68.1% efficiency rate, and have allowed multiple power play goals in four of those eight games. Phoenix allowed Alaska to go 8-22 (36.3%) on the power play last week. For the season, the RoadRunners still rank in the top-10 on the penalty kill sitting eighth at an even 84% efficiency rate.

NEWS & NOTES: With their next win, the RoadRunners can match their ECHL club record for single season victories. Phoenix last had 27 wins back in the 2006-07 campaign, which was the only other season that the RoadRunners advanced to the playoffs. Phoenix is also on pace to easily break the mark for best overall single season winning percentage of .410% also set back in 2006-07...The RoadRunners allowed their 15th shorthanded goal of the season Sunday, which is the most they've allowed in any one year. Only Dayton (17) and Stockton (17) have surrendered more shorthanded goals than Phoenix...Captain Mitch Carefoot set a new personal high scoring his 13th goal of the season Saturday...When David Rutherford stepped on the ice for his first shift Sunday, he became the 44th player to don a RoadRunners' sweater this season, breaking the mark of 43 set back in 2006-07...Phoenix fell to 2-11-2 in 15 games lifetime at Alaska's Sullivan Arena and has been outscored 67-30 by the Aces on their home ice.

WATCH THE 'RUNNERS LIVE IN '08-09: The RoadRunners have teamed up with B2 Networks to bring you live action of Phoenix RoadRunners hockey in 2008-09. 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 72 RoadRunners broadcasts will be available on-line. A cable or DSL Internet connection and Windows Media Player 9 are required to view the games.

UP NEXT: The RoadRunners regroup for another four-game week beginning at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at Las Vegas followed by home games at 7:05 p.m. Thursday and Friday against the Alaska Aces and another road contest at 7:00 p.m. Saturday at Ontario. Catch Saturday's action live on Independent 1310 KXAM and all four games live at www.phxroadrunners.com beginning with "RoadRunners Countdown" twenty minutes prior to face-off. Information on season tickets, half-season packages, and flex plans for the 2008-09 season of Phoenix RoadRunners Hockey are available by calling (602) 462-GOAL.



ECHL Stories from March 16, 2009


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central