Phoenix Opens Three-Game Home-stand Monday with Victoria

February 18, 2008 - ECHL (ECHL)
Phoenix RoadRunners News Release


'RUNNERS REWIND: The Phoenix RoadRunners enjoyed their first winning week since early January after taking four out of six points from the Idaho Steelheads during a three-game series in Boise. With a record of 18-27-6 and 42 points, the RoadRunners are currently fifth in the West Division and seventh overall in the National Conference. Phoenix is one point ahead of both Stockton and Bakersfield who are currently tied for the eighth and final playoff spot. The Thunder and Condors each have one game in hand over the RoadRunners.

Wednesday, three different skaters scored and the Phoenix RoadRunners withstood a late charge from the Idaho Steelheads as they went on to defeat the defending Kelly Cup Champions 3-2 and snap a three-game losing streak before 4,686 at Qwest Arena.

Phoenix (17-26-6) scored the game's first goal when Justin Maiser collected his own rebound on a shorthanded bid in front of the net and flipped a backhand shot behind Idaho goalie Matt Zaba at 6:35 of the first period for a 1-0 lead.

Gino Guyer padded the RoadRunners advantage to two goals when he picked up Chris Stevens' rebound at the near side of the cage and scooped it past Zaba at 16:02 of the second period.

Peder Skinner scored what eventually proved to be the game-winning goal when he pounced on Ian Turner's deflection in the slot and snapped a shot over Zaba at 16:18 of the third period on the power play giving the RoadRunners a commanding 3-0 lead. Idaho (27-16-7) got two back in the final 1:39 seconds as John Lammers scored a power play goal at 18:21 and John Snowden struck at 19:58, but the Steelheads simply ran out of time.

Phoenix out-shot Idaho 32-28. Dave McKee stopped 26 shots to improve to 5-8-3 on the season. The RoadRunners went 1-4 on the power play while Idaho was 1-5 with the man-advantage.

Friday, Daniel Sisca netted the equalizer with 0.1 seconds remaining in regulation and Gino Guyer scored the game-winner 4:20 into the overtime to propel the Phoenix RoadRunners to a come-from-behind 5-4 victory over the Idaho Steelheads before 5,323 at Qwest Arena.

Idaho (27-16-8) scored the lone goal in the first period when John Lammers found Lance Galbraith open in the high slot and Galbraith snapped a shot over the blocker of RoadRunners goalie Dave McKee at 3:41 for a 1-0 lead.

The Steelheads built their advantage to three goals scoring twice in the first seven minutes of the second period. Lammers made it 2-0 when he found the back of the net just 46 seconds into the frame. Marty Flichel gave Idaho a 3-0 lead as he beat McKee with a one-time slap shot from just underneath the center blue line at 6:13 on a two-man advantage power play. The RoadRunners (18-26-6) responded at 11:30 on a power play of their own when Sean O'Connor re-directed Taylor Christie's shot from the right point over the shoulder of Idaho goalie Matt Zaba to cut the deficit to 3-1. Bryan Nathe then made it a one-goal hockey game beating a screened Zaba with a slap shot from the blue line at 16:45. But Idaho would counter less than a minute later at 17:24 as Taggart Desmet tipped Colin Sinclair's centering pass over McKee and into the net to make it a 4-2 hockey game after two periods.

Phoenix began their comeback with less than five minutes remaining in regulation. O'Connor collected his second goal of the game when he pounced on Ian Turner's rebound in front of the cage and jammed it through Zaba at 15:27 to bring the RoadRunners to within 4-3. Then on their last offensive possession of regulation, Chris Stevens threw a puck at the net from the left wall that deflected off the stick of Sisca, came off the cross-bar, and settled behind the Idaho goaltender for the game-tying goal at 19:59 to send the contest to overtime.

In the overtime period, Bryan Nathe found Guyer with a beautiful cross-ice pass from the right-wing circle, and Guyer on the back-door tipped the puck past Zaba along the ice with 40 seconds remaining in the extra session for the game-winning goal.

Idaho out-shot Phoenix 44-36. McKee stopped 40 shots to improve to 6-8-3 on the season. The RoadRunners went 1-6 on the power play while Idaho was 1-8 with the man-advantage.

Saturday, John Snowden and John Lammers each tallied a pair of goals and goalie Kellen Briggs stopped all 34 shots he saw to lead the Idaho Steelheads to a 6-0 shutout win over the Phoenix RoadRunners before 5,359 at Qwest Arena.

Jean-Sebastien Adam gave Idaho (28-16-8) an early 1-0 lead and all the scoring they would need when he beat RoadRunners goalie Dave McKee over the glove from the right-wing circle at 19:06 of the first period.

The Steelheads broke the game wide open with three goals in a span of 8:23 seconds in the final 10 minutes of the second period. Lammers started the attack when he snapped a shot over McKee's left shoulder from the right-wing circle at 10:16 to make it 2-0. Snowden extended the lead to three goals at 15:23 on the power play as his shot from the high slot deflected off a RoadRunners' stick in front and found a home in the back of the cage behind McKee. Andrew Martin finished the second period scoring punching in his own rebound at 18:39 giving the Steelheads a commanding 4-0 lead at the end of two periods.

Idaho thwarted any possible Phoenix (18-27-6) comeback attempt scoring two goals in a span of 1:05 seconds early in the third period. Snowden scored his second goal of the game turning Martin's rebound back behind McKee from the high slot at 5:12. Lammers completed the scoring at 6:17 beating McKee upstairs with a shot from in between the circles for his second tally of the evening.

Idaho out-shot Phoenix 44-34. McKee stopped 38 shots but fell to 6-9-3 on the season. The RoadRunners went 0-6 on the power play while Idaho was 1-6 with the man-advantage.

CHRISTIE, SAWATSKE IMPRESS IN DEBUTS: Newcomers Taylor Christie and Tom Sawatske both enjoyed fine debuts with their new club in Idaho. Christie collected three assists and finished with an even rating for the three games, and produced his third multiple-point game of the season Friday. Sawatske played in just two out of the three games but still finished with a plus-one rating and enjoyed several quality scoring chances. Christie and Sawatske were acquired from the Dayton Bombers in exchange for center Scott Kelman and defenseman Corey LeClair on Feb. 6. Christie will return to US Airways Center this week for the first time since April 4, 2006 when he completed his rookie season as a member of the inaugural 2005-06 RoadRunners club.

NO LOVE LOST (OR IS THERE?): The RoadRunners and Idaho Steelheads have produced the three highest combined penalty minute games in RoadRunners' ECHL history. The clubs combined for a RoadRunners' ECHL all-time high 222 minutes on Jan. 12, 2007 at US Airways Center. That surmounted the 208 penalty minutes produced on Nov. 5, 2005, also at US Airways Center. Saturday's penalty-filled affair produced a season-high 150 minutes, including a RoadRunners' season-high 106 minutes.

Ironically, the two clubs have also combined for two of the lowest penalty minute games in RoadRunners' ECHL history with 14 minutes back on Jan. 8, 2007, and an all-time low 10 minutes on Dec. 12, 2007 of this season. In that contest, the RoadRunners took two penalty minutes in total, their lowest penalty minute output in their brief ECHL history.

ONE FOR THE RECORD BOOKS: As part of the RoadRunners' 106 penalty minutes Saturday, defenseman Brett Angel accounted for 57 of them setting a new ECHL club record. That amount also ties Angel with Jason Hamilton of the now defunct Greenville Grrrowl for second place all-time in ECHL history. Hamilton registered 57 penalty minutes back on Nov. 27, 1998 against Augusta. The ECHL record for penalty minutes in a single game is 62 shared by Ron Majic of the Hampton Roads Admirals and Greg Capson of the Greensboro Generals.

MR. 300: Forward Nathan Gillies skated in his 300th career game Saturday. Gillies has 77 goals, 89 assists, 166 points, and 476 penalty minutes during his five-year professional career. Since being acquired from Charlotte on Jan. 16, Gillies has two goals and 24 penalty minutes in nine games with the RoadRunners.

MILESTONES ON DECK: Forward Ryan Walsh is nine games short of 100 for his professional career...Defenseman Ian Turner is 10 points shy of 100 for his career...Center Daniel Sisca is 11 games away from 200 for his career and 16 points shy of the 200 point plateau... Forward Jeff Smith is six games shy of 300 for his career.

NEWS & NOTES: The RoadRunners finished 4-6-1 in their 11-game season series with the Idaho Steelheads after taking four out of the last six meetings...Rookie center Thatcher Bell was placed on the 30-day injured reserve before Saturday's game. Bell suffered a severe concussion after he received a blow to the head from Idaho's Lance Galbraith during the third period Friday. Galbraith has been suspended indefinitely by the ECHL. Forward Jeff Smith was activated from the injured reserve to take Bell's spot on the roster...Goaltender Cody Rudkowsky (Grand Rapids) and defenseman Chris Murray (Springfield) were both loaned to the American Hockey League last week.

FACE-OFF AGAINST KIDS CANCER AN EARLY SUCCESS: The Phoenix RoadRunners' second "Face-Off Against Kids Cancer" is off to a wonderful start following the first two events.

"Face-Off Against Kids Cancer" is a program that will pair RoadRunners' players with 20 children from across Arizona who suffer from pediatric cancer. For the next two months, the players and children will participate in a series of four social events with the hopes of creating a lasting relationship and increased awareness about childhood cancer in the community.

The "Face-Off Against Kids Cancer" will culminate at 7:11 p.m. Friday, March 14 when the RoadRunners take the ice against the Victoria Salmon Kings wearing special commemorative jerseys dedicated to those Phoenix Children's patients participating in the program. These jerseys will be auctioned off immediately after the game with the proceeds benefiting the Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders at Phoenix Children's Hospital and Caps For Kids, a national non-profit organization which provides hats autographed by athletes and celebrities to children who lose their hair due to the effects of chemotherapy.

The next "Face-Off Against Kids Cancer" event is Sunday, March 2 with a post-game locker room tour and special skate with the players following the RoadRunners game against the Alaska Aces.

For more information or to find out how you can donate to the "Face-Off Against Kids Cancer", contact the RoadRunners at (602) 379-7870.

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 2007-08. 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 return to US Airways Center for a three-game home-stand starting Monday with Victoria and continuing Thursday and Saturday with a two-game series against the Utah Grizzlies. Great seats are still available beginning as low as $8 and can be purchased by calling Ticketmaster at (480) 784-4444, purchasing online at ticketmaster.com or visiting the US Airways Center Box Office. Catch the action Thursday and Saturday live on Independent 1310 KXAM and all three 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 2007-08 season of Phoenix RoadRunners Hockey are available by calling (602) 462-GOAL.



ECHL Stories from February 18, 2008


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