Phoenix Visits Las Vegas Friday, Host Ontario Saturday

December 22, 2008 - ECHL (ECHL)
Phoenix RoadRunners News Release


'RUNNERS REWIND: The Phoenix RoadRunners split a two-game home series with the Utah Grizzlies and captured a point in a shootout loss Saturday at Ontario. With a record of 12-11-3 and 27 points, the RoadRunners remain in fourth place in the West Division and sixth in the National Conference for a fourth consecutive Monday.

Thursday, James Sixsmith had two goals and an assist as he led the Utah Grizzles past the Phoenix RoadRunners 4-1 in front of 2,826 fans at US Airways Center.

After a scoreless first period, the RoadRunners (11-11-2) opened up the scoring at 7:29 of the second on a two-man advantage power play when Daniel Sisca scored off a pass from Kimbi Daniels, giving Phoenix a 1-0 lead. Ashton Rome had the other assist. The Grizzlies (11-11-2) came back at 11:12 to tie the game when Sixsmith redirected a shot by Evan Stoflet past RoadRunners' goalie Craig Kowalski. Ryan Kinasewich also assisted as the score would remain tied through the second intermission.

Utah took a 2-1 lead early in the third when Stoflet netted the biscuit past Kowalski at 2:11. Sixsmith and Mike Walsh assisted. The Grizzlies then went up 3-1 when Sixsmith capitalized on a Phoenix turnover and scored a shorthanded goal on Kowalski, who thought he made the save but the puck just trickled through his five-hole. At 11:24 of the third, Walsh made the score 4-1 Utah when he tipped the puck in the net off a shot by Tim Maxwell with Kinasewich getting the other assist.

Utah out-shot Phoenix 36-26. Kowalski stopped 32 shots but dropped to 8-8-1 on the season. The RoadRunners went 1-6 on the power play while Utah was 0-7 with the man-advantage.

Friday, Craig Kowalski had 43 saves in his 100th career win as the Phoenix RoadRunners defeated the Utah Grizzlies 2-1 in a shootout in front of 3,348 fans at US Airways Center.

The first period was dominated by the Grizzlies (11-11-3) as they had seven power plays but were unable to capitalize on any. The score would stay 0-0 through the first intermission as Utah outshot the RoadRunners (12-11-2) 13-5. The second period ended in the same score, but Phoenix showed more spark to their offense as they outshot the Grizzlies 14-11.

The first tally of the game would come at 2:28 of the third period when Rory Rawlyk scored off a one-timer from the right point, giving the RoadRunners a 1-0 lead on the power play. Brett Peterson and Kimbi Daniels assisted.

Utah countered at 6:49 when Evan Kotsopoulos scored to the left of Kowalski, tying the game at 1-1. James Sanford and Tim Verbeek had the assists. The rest of the period would remain scoreless as the Grizzlies outshot Phoenix 18-9 and the game went to overtime.

Overtime came and went without a goal, and then Ashton Rome scored the first and only goal in the shootout, giving the RoadRunners the 2-1 victory.

Utah out-shot Phoenix 44-31. Kowalski improved to 9-8-1 on the season. The RoadRunners went 1-5 on the power play while Utah was 0-10 with the man-advantage.

Saturday, Todd Jackson netted the equalizer with 22 seconds remaining in regulation and Chad Starling scored the game-winning goal in the fifth round of the shootout to lift the Ontario Reign to a 4-3 victory over the Phoenix RoadRunners before 4,628 at Citizens Business Bank Arena.

An up and down first period produced five goals and a 3-2 Phoenix lead when all was said and done. Ontario (16-9-2) opened the scoring just 2:24 into the game when Jon Francisco re-directed a shot from the blue line past RoadRunners' goalie Kyle Jones for a 1-0 lead. The RoadRunners (12-11-3) wasted little time netting the equalizer as Rory Rawlyk found a streaking Brett Peterson with a lead pass up the ice, and Peterson snapped a shot over the shoulder of goalie John Murray at 6:03 to tie the score at 1-1. Ashton Rome gave the RoadRunners their first lead of the night and a 2-1 advantage at 10:58 of the period when he ripped a shot through Murray from the right-wing boards off a drop pass from Daniel Sisca. The Reign's Geoff Walker came back to even the game when he tipped a Tim Kraus centering pass through Jones at 12:36 on the power play. T.J. Campbell capped the first period scoring with a goal at 13:53 to give the RoadRunners a 3-2 lead going into the first intermission.

It would stay that way until the final minute of regulation. With Peterson off for a penalty and Murray pulled for the extra attacker, Jackson punched home David Walker's rebound at 19:38 on the power play to tie the game at 3-3 and send the contest to overtime and the eventual shootout where the Reign would prevail.

Ontario out-shot Phoenix 33-32. Jones stopped 29 shots but suffered the shootout loss to drop to 1-2-1 on the season. The RoadRunners went 0-7 on the power play while Ontario was 2-8 with the man-advantage.

RIDE THAT PACIFIC HIGHWAY: The RoadRunners extended their unbeaten streak in regulation against the Pacific Division Saturday to three games. Phoenix is 8-4-3 against the Pacific this year, a far cry from their 9-24-2 mark last season against their left-coast foes. The RoadRunners' 19 points against the Pacific is also the most among any team in the West Division.

DANIELS A MODEL OF CONSISTENCY: With an assist on T.J. Campbell's goal Saturday, Kimbi Daniels extended his scoring streak to four games, his second longest of the season. Daniels has a goal and four assists during his latest streak, and has collected at least a point in 17 out of 26 games so far this year. The 18-year professional is on pace for 49 assists and 69 points, which would set a RoadRunners' ECHL single season scoring record, and would mark the third consecutive year that Daniels has collected 60 or more points.

PENALTY KILL PROWESS: Despite allowing a pair of power play goals Saturday, the RoadRunners have killed off 68 of their opponents' 75 power plays over the last 10 games, a 90.7% efficiency rate. Phoenix has maintained one of the best penalty kills in the ECHL all season and currently rank third in the league at 87.8%.

PETERSON RECALLED TO GRAND RAPIDS: Defenseman Brett Peterson was recalled to Grand Rapids of the American Hockey League Monday. Petersons is the fifth RoadRunners' player currently in the AHL joining forwards Andrew Desjardins (Worcester) and Matt Fornataro (Worcester), and defensemen Michael Wilson (Worcester) and Kevin Schaeffer (Providence.)

NEWS & NOTES: Defenseman T.J. Campbell scored his first professional goal Saturday...The RoadRunners failed to win Saturday for only the second time this season when leading after two periods. Phoenix is 7-1-1 in such situations...The RoadRunners remained unbeaten in regulation (8-0-3) in one-goal games...Phoenix is 9-4-0 when scoring first compared to 3-7-3 when surrendering the first goal. ECHL teams are 195-79-15 this season when scoring the first goal.

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 follow up the holiday break by visiting the Las Vegas Wranglers at 8:30 p.m. Friday before returning to US Airways Center at 7:05 p.m. Saturday to welcome the Ontario Reign. Catch Friday's game live on Independent 1310 KXAM and both broadcasts 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 December 22, 2008


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