Rage Force OT Late, Lose in Shootout
December 11, 2008 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Rocky Mountain Rage News Release
Broomfield, Colo. - For the first time this season the Rocky Mountain Rage overcame a third-period deficit when Tyler Butler forced overtime with 1:56 remaining in regulation, but the visiting Arizona Sundogs ended up prevailing in a shootout, 5-4, at Broomfield Event Center.
The Sundogs controlled the opening 10 minutes of the game and drew first blood at 6:48. Karl Sellan hit the left post on a clean break-away, but the rebound caromed off the back of goaltender Marty Magers' left skate and over the goal line for the game's opening tally.
Following an arena time-out mid-way through the period, it was the Rage's turn to control play. David Morelli scored off a wrist shot at 10:41 that bounced high in the air off Arizona netminder Marco Emond and rolled back into the net once it hit the ice. Then on the third of three consecutive power plays, Rocky Mountain finally converted when Colt King found Daymen Rycroft in the slot, who re-directed the puck past Emond at 17:32 in his first appearance in the line-up since missing seven straight games due to injury.
But the Sundogs fought back to square the game at 2-2 in the final minute of the first after Jon Landry fired home a rebound at 19:10.
Brent Cullaton quickly re-established the Rage's one-goal edge. Just eight seconds into the second period he whipped a wrist shot from the high slot past Emond's glove hand. The effort is now the fastest goal to begin a period in franchise history, besting the old mark of nine seconds set by John DiPace during the 2006-07 season.
Rocky Mountain's advantage did not last long. The team ran into penalty trouble for essentially the entire rest of the period, and Arizona converted on two of five power plays in a row. Mark Kolanos lit the lamp at 2:00, which was followed by Landry's second of the night at 14:38 to give the Sundogs their second lead of the evening, 4-3.
Nine times this season heading into tonight the Rage trailed after two periods, and on every occasion the club was unable to come from behind to force at least overtime. It appeared that the same would be true tonight as Arizona effectively limited Rocky Mountain's chances throughout the frame. But with his team skating on the power play with just more than two minutes remaining and looking at a face-off in the offensive zone, Rage Head Coach Tracy Egeland decided to pull Magers in favor of an extra attacker. Aaron Davis won the draw decisively, and Butler let a seeing-eye wrister fly from the blue line that tipped off the top of Emond's glove into the net.
There was no scoring in overtime despite the Sundogs having a 57 second power play to begin the extra session, and the clubs headed to a shootout. Emond was a perfect five for five in the tie-breaker, making spectacular saves on Davis and King especially, who both looked to have the opposing goaltender beaten. Magers stopped three of four, but Sellan found the back of the net as Arizona's second shooter to deliver the victory.
With the shootout loss, the Rage did pull into sole possession of third place in the Northwest Division with a record of 6-11-2 and 14 points, two behind the second-place Rapid City Rush.
Rocky Mountain and Arizona conclude a two-game set on Friday at Broomfield Event Center at 7:05 p.m. The first 2,500 fans in attendance will receive a pair of Thundersticks courtesy of 9News.
Individual tickets for Friday's tilt are available for as low as $5 for kids 12 and under (with the purchase of at least one adult ticket) and cost just $10 for students with a valid ID. Tickets may be purchased at the BEC Box Office, www.Ticketmaster.com, charge-by-phone at (303) 830-TIXS, and all Ticketmaster retail outlets.
Season tickets and mini-plans for the 2008-09 campaign are still available, as well, with packages beginning as low as $17 per seat. For more information, visit www.rockymountainrage.com, or contact the Rage Ticket Sales Staff at (303) 439-RAGE or tickets@broomfieldsports.com.
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Central Hockey League Stories from December 11, 2008
- IceRays Beat Bucks 2-1 in Shootout - Corpus Christi IceRays
- Bucks Fall In Rowdy Shootout 2-1 - Laredo Bucks
- Celebrate the Holiday Season With the Tulsa Oilers - Tulsa Oilers
- Jacks Launch First Ever "Holiday Tour" - Odessa Jackalopes
- Bucks Look To Continue Roll Tonight - Laredo Bucks
- Rapid City Drops Another Shootout - Rapid City Rush
- Rage Force OT Late, Lose in Shootout - Rocky Mountain Rage
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