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Phoenix RoadRunners Week In Review

December 17, 2007 - ECHL (ECHL)
Phoenix RoadRunners News Release


PHOENIX, Ariz. - WEEK RECORD 0-2-1 - SEASON RECORD 8-12-5 - 5TH WEST DIVISION

'RUNNERS REWIND: The Phoenix RoadRunners could only muster a single point in their three-game series with the Idaho Steelheads last week in Boise. With a record of 8-12-5 and 21 points, the RoadRunners are currently fifth in the West Division and eighth overall in the National Conference.

Wednesday, Greg Rallo tallied a pair of goals and Mark Bomersback finished with a three-point night to propel the Idaho Steelheads to a 4-1 victory over the Phoenix RoadRunners before 3,741 at Qwest Arena.

Idaho (8-8-7) opened the scoring at 14:53 of the first period when Bomersback finished off a nifty two-on-one rush with Rallo as he tipped the puck behind RoadRunners goalie Cody Rudkowsky for a 1-0 lead.

Bomersback later returned the favor setting up Rallo for a goal 30 seconds into the second period to give the Steelheads a 2-0 advantage.

Colin Sinclair extended the lead to 3-0 at 5:31 of the third period beating Rudkowsky with a shot to the short side. Rallo tacked on his second goal of the evening at 9:55. Justin Maiser spoiled Idaho goalie Steve Silverthorn's bid for his fourth career shutout against the RoadRunners when he scored Phoenix's (8-11-4) lone goal of the night at 11:51 of the third.

Idaho out-shot Phoenix 35-23. Rudkowsky stopped 31 shots but fell to 4-8-3 on the season. The RoadRunners went 0-4 on the power play while Idaho was 0-1 with the man-advantage.

Friday, Greg Rallo tallied a pair of goals for the second straight game including the equalizer with two seconds remaining in regulation, and goalie Steve Silverthorn stopped all four shooters in the shootout to lift the Idaho Steelheads to a 4-3 victory over the Phoenix RoadRunners before 4,360 at Qwest Arena.

Rallo opened the scoring for Idaho (9-8-7) at 14:08 of the first period when he angled into the high-slot and whipped a shot over the blocker of RoadRunners goalie Dave McKee for a 1-0 lead.

The RoadRunners (8-11-5) responded with three goals in the second period to build a 3-1 advantage. Ian Turner knotted the score at 1-1 just 2:57 into the period beating Silverthorn with a wrist shot from the center blue line. Peder Skinner gave the RoadRunners their first lead of the evening when he tipped home Brian Yandle's rebound at 16:34 on the power play. Sean O'Connor tallied his team-leading 11th goal of the season at 19:26 ringing the puck off the far post and into the net behind Silverthorn to give the RoadRunners what appeared to be a 3-1 cushion.

The Steelheads though began their comeback just 48 seconds into the third period when Mike Sullivan beat McKee along the ice to cut the RoadRunners lead to 3-2. After battling the entire period for the equalizer, Rallo found the loose puck in the slot with two seconds remaining in regulation and snapped it past an out-of-position McKee to tie the score at 3-3 and send the contest to overtime.

After a scoreless five minute overtime session, Matt Craig and Rallo scored for the Steelheads in the first and fourth round of the shootout to propel Idaho to the victory.

Idaho out-shot Phoenix 39-31. McKee stopped 35 shots but fell to 1-2-2 on the season. The RoadRunners went 1-4 on the power play while Idaho was 0-3 with the man-advantage.

Saturday, Mark Bomersback registered his first career hat-trick and the Idaho Steelheads knocked off the Phoenix RoadRunners 4-1 before 4,129 at Qwest Arena in ECHL action Saturday.

Following a scoreless first period and much of the second, Idaho (10-8-7) tallied a pair of goals in the final four minutes of the period to build a 2-0 lead. Bomersback opened the scoring at 16:02 of the second when he collected Greg Rallo's rebound and put a back-hand shot behind RoadRunners' goalie Cody Rudkowsky. Then, off a RoadRunners' turnover at the blue line, Bomersback netted his second goal of the game as he split Rudkowsky's pads with a backhander along the ice at 19:08 giving the Steelheads a 2-0 lead.

Bomersback finished off the hat-trick and extended the Idaho lead to 3-0 early in the third period when he re-directed Darrell Hay's shot from the point past Rudkowsky at 6:54 on the power play. Matt Craig then scored off a terrific individual effort going coast-to-coast and snapping the puck behind Rudkowsky at 17:05 to make it 4-0. Phoenix (8-12-5) broke-up the Idaho shutout in the final minute of play when Jeff Kyrzakos tallied his 11th goal of the season off Ryan Walsh's rebound at 19:27.

Idaho out-shot Phoenix 29-26. Rudkowsky stopped 25 shots and fell to 4-9-3 on the season. The RoadRunners went 0-6 on the power play while Idaho was 1-5 with the man-advantage.

3-11: Forwards Justin Maiser, Jeff Kyrzakos, and Sean O'Connor each tallied a single goal last week to remain in a three-way tie for the team lead in goals scored with 11. Maiser took the lead scoring his 11th goal of the season Wednesday, but O'Connor followed with his 11th goal Friday, and Kyrzakos wrapped up the series with his 11th goal Saturday matching a career-high.

PENALTY KILL PROWESS: The RoadRunners tamed the ECHL's second best power play killing off eight of nine Steelheads' opportunities on the man advantage. Phoenix has killed 32 of their opponents' last 35 chances on the power play, and overall has allowed just 24 power play goals for the season.

WELCOME ABOARD: Center Gino Guyer registered a team-high four shots on goal and collected an assist in his RoadRunners' debut Friday. Guyer, acquired from the Alaska Aces, is still considered a rookie by ECHL standards because he appeared in less than 25 games last season. The Coleraine, Minn. native served as team captain at the University of Minnesota in 2005-06 and led the Golden Gophers to their sixth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance. He was a member of the 2005-06 All-WCHA All Academic Team and the recipient of the Elwin "Doc" Romnes Leadership and Sportsmanship Award and the Donald M. Clark Community Service Award. Guyer tallied 40 goals, 67 assists, and 107 points in 169 career collegiate games and was a member of the 2002-03 Minnesota squad that captured the NCAA Division I National Championship.

SATURDAY NIGHT'S ALRIGHT FOR FIGHTIN': Forwards Jeff Smith and Chris Stevens each received major penalties for fighting in Saturday's series finale. The fighting majors were the first in 13 games for the RoadRunners, who had not been involved in a fight since rookie forward Steve Covington dropped the gloves in his professional debut Nov. 20 at Las Vegas.

NEWS & NOTES: After scoring the first goal in six out of their last seven games entering the series against Idaho, the RoadRunners surrendered the opening tally in all three games last week. Phoenix is 6-1-4 when scoring first as compared to 2-11-1 when allowing the opening tally...Justin Maiser's third period goal Wednesday was the RoadRunners' first goal in the final twenty minutes since Nov. 29 at Victoria...Phoenix allowed less than 30 shots on goal Saturday (29) for the third time this season.

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 five-game road trip at 12:59 a.m. Tuesday at Las Vegas and at 8:30 p.m. Saturday at Stockton. Catch Saturday's action live on Independent 1310 KXAM and both games 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.

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